Isofix bases, 1998 Ford KA - please help!

[Firestar]

We went to Halfords today to have a look at isofix bases (we have a maxi cosy car seat), and to my absolute horror after looking through the guides, I'm not convinced that my 1998 Ford KA will be able to take an isofix base, even though the lady in Halfords seemed to think the Easy Fix would fit most cars.

Everything I've found online seems to suggest that Ford Kas from 2002 will take them, but I can't find nothing on older Kas!

I will be devastated if I can't get a secure base - simply strapping a car seat in with a seatbelt does not seem safe enough in my opinion. I recently transported my friends 6 month old in a car seat in my car using just the seat belt to strap the car seat in, she's happy with that, but I felt uneasy, it just didn't seem secure enough, and there are so many idiots on the road.

I cannot afford to change my car which leaves me with a huge problem.

Can anyone give me a definite answer around Isofix bases and older KAs?

Any help will be hugely appreciated as this is a huge worry now

 

[Lovely35]

According to the maxi cosi website the easy fix base can either be used with isofix points or a seatbelt. I would have thought that your car doesn't have isofix and when she said you could use it in your car she probably meant that bit will need to be secured in place with the seat belt. Having the base will make it easier to get the car seat in and out but is it worth spending that extra money on a base when it will be secured in the same way as a seat. I'm sure if it wasn't safe enough then they wouldn't let you secure a seat with a seat belt. Xx

 

[Mrs_Bump]

It is just as safe to use seatbelts, as long as you do it properly, it has to be by law. I have the same seat and also can't use the base in my car because of its age. I really wouldn't worry.

 

[Bec27]

I would be absolutely stunned if your car had isofix, my 2008 fiesta didn't even have it. We had no choice but to secure the seat just with a seat belt but it is perfectly safe and secure so I wouldn't let that worry you, isofix is just more convenient.

 

[Penny83]

I'm pretty sure your car won't have isofix. My car is a 2003 Corsa, and doesn't, I believe it's any car after 2005 that will have them. When I first found this out I too was concerned, as I assumed isofix means it is safer etc, and additionally my husband has isofix in his car and I thought we would then have problems using the same seat in both cars.

However I had an indepth chat with the lady in toys r us's babies r us section and she explained and demonstrated both types to us. If your seat has the option of a seperate base (which the maxi cosy does) then you can secure these in with either isofix or seatbelt. Both (when fitted correctly) are as secure and as safe as each other. The only reason the seatbelt version would not be as safe is because it is more open to human error when fitting. As long as you make sure you follow the instructions and take your time fitting the base in properly then it will be exactly the same as using isofix. You also get all the same benefits of just being able to clip the seat in and out so as not to disturb baby.

What we have done is purchased 1 car seat, and a base each, then we can leave the bases attached in both of our cars, and once they are fitted in we don't have to take them out again, this means there won't be any times when we are rushing to swap the base into another car and might not fit it in properly. Both sets of parents are also having a base each to leave in their cars, so we know there wouldn't be any problems if they drive him anywhere!

 

[Mizzy]

i had a cybex car seat from mamas and papas with my first and a 2001 KA, no base, and i struggled to fit the car seat in as the belt just wasnt big enough i found it fitted alot better in the front seat than the back, i had a 03 KA after this and the best was alot more giving around car seats. Could you go mothercare and ask them to try as tehy will test a car seat in the car first?

 

[maggie111]

As I understood it, in order to get an Isofix I needed a new car. We're just going to strap our baby in with seatbelts - he's not going to go whizzing out if we're in an impact.

 

[Rah]

My 58 focus does not have isofix
Maxi cosi do an easy base which you secure with seat belt and just clip car seat in and off
Mothercare have them and can give demos as do babies r us go have a look

 

[Stardust1]

You will be able to tell if your car has isofix fittings, mine are clearly marked by little markers on the back seat and if you put your hand down the back of the seat you will be able to feel the isofix bars that the base clamps to. But like others have said I would very much doubt your KA has them, we had a 2003 KA and that definitely didn't have the fittings.

 

[PGLady]

Just a word of warning to op, we bought what we thought was an easyfix base from Halfords, but in fact it was an easy base (not isofix). They realised their mistake and got another one in from another store, which again was an easy base - they are phasing out the easy fix base. Customer service was v good and replaced with a more expensive family fix base. So, you might want to check you've got what you think you have.
They will fix the base for you and shouldn't sell you something that doesn't fit, so I'd go back and get them to do it. Our car wasn't on their list of ones it would work in, but it was ok ( is a new car though).

 

[maggie111]

Well knock me over with a feather, our 2004 Suzuki has an IsoFix! I love this car so much already - it's just one more amazing thing!!!!!

I was researching the EasyBase 2 and debating whether or not it was worth it before Hubs decided to double check that our car didn't have an Isofix.... You're essentially looking for 2 metal loops.

Woohoo!!

 

[Powell130]

My car has - I guess what would be the equalivent of isofix over there in the UK - there's 2 metel loops above the back seats and one like where your legs go, for straps on the carseat base to clip on. I have a 2000 Ford Focus

 

[katherinegrey]

My 2007 ford mondeo doesn't have isofix, we had to buy the mamas and papas surefix base instead which can be installed using a seat belt x

 

[rose.]

I've got a 2004 focus and it doesn't have isofix points, however we have a different sort of base to go with our mamas and papas seat (can't remember what it's called - easy fix I think - but if you go on the website you will see). I think the type of base we have is suitable for almost all cars, whereas isofix is for a few specific models

 

[rose.]

Yes sure fix sorry - that's what it's called!!

 

[EmmaM2]

The bases don't really make the car seats safer, it just makes it easier to get the seat in and out. If It doesn't have it dont worry your child will still be safe, or you can get a base that attaches with a seatbelt as others have said.

 

[hungary97]

Iso fix was developed by vw group so is in most of their cars (audi , seat skoda and volkswagen) even really old ones. Unfortunately for some reason ford didn't have it on most of their cars . As the base attaches to the car chassis it is safer than a seat belted car seat or base no matter how well they are fitted. However if your car does not have it a well fitted seat belt base is the next best optkon . Hope that helps x