Car seats for 4 yr old

[dyljon]

We are travelling to California in Oct/Nov and will have a 7 yr old and a 4 yr old. The 7 yr old we will just bring a booster cushion for and he can use normal seat belt, but we'll still need a seat with harness for the 4 yr old. We were tinking about just hiring one in the hire car, but it's an extra $7 a day which adds up over 4 1/2 weeks! So now we are considering taking our own Maxirider, but just want to be sure that we can attach it to the hire car. Do all cars there have the same rood attachments as here in australia?

Would love to hear from anyone who has been in this situation - did you take seat with you or hire or buy one over there?

 

[PrincessInOz]

Welcome to the boards.

And I wish you well with the planning.


We bought a car seat in the US. It was much cheaper than hiring.

Not all hire cars have rods for attachment and from memory I'm pretty sure that when we hired a car seat for a couple of days initially, it was only one of those bucket type seats with no attachment up the top. From memory, the legislation was different in the US??? Might have changed from then to now.

If possible, you might want to check with the hire company in the US.

 

[5ofus]

Be careful with the MaxiRider too, those things are MASSIVE and I'd be worried the armrests would come off in checked baggage. Not to mention lugging it around the airports. Are you hiring a large car? We have one Maxirider in our car, and would have loved to have all three kids in them, but we simply can NOT fit three MR's across the backseat.

You might be better off buying a carseat once you get to the US.

 

[aussietravellers]

I would just buy one over there.

There is a Target I believe, not far from LAX. You could head there after you land and pick one up. Or if you are hiring the car after you arrive at the hotel, order one online from Target or Walmart, somewhere and get it shipped to your hotel

 

[Mum from oz]

We bought car seats from Target, we got DD something like this http://www.target.com/p/Evenflo-Tribute-5-Ella/-/A-13979715

Attached similar way with seatbelt and top tether or latch and top tether. The car we hired (dodge caravan) had the top tether/anchor point.

 

[dyljon]

Thanks for replies

We were planning on just buying one when we get there, but then there is the problem of how to get to Target to buy it... we are going to pick up our hire car at the airport, but can't drive to Target to buy a carseat and leave the 4 yr old behind IYKWIM...

I guess I could wait at LAX with the boys while DH goes off and buys the seat, but entertaining 2 tired grumpy boys at an airport is not really my idea of fun after a long flight