car seats for choldren

[grannyed]

hello
I have several questions to ask about car seats for children - using them - hiring them - and transporting them.. not sure what to do any suggestions/experiences would be useful to help us make up our minds...

When we booked our flights/car hire (car hire from Dollar) we were told that it would be better to hire a car seat from the car hire people - they said "it will only be a small charge per day..and since they are very stringent about child safety they will need to assess the weight of your child so you can't pre book it" considered that to be fair enough

but

I now understand that sometimes the car seats are quite flimsy and tatty and that the charge is $8 per day plus tax - we will be there for 20 days so that would be getting on for $200 ...now if we thought we were getting a good, sturdy and SAFE car seat we would be okay with that ( you don't put a price on child safety do you?)

it has been suggested that we take our own and here comes the questions

if we do will it go in the hold or can it be hand baggage.....and if it does go in the hold is it likely to get damaged?

we're not on a direct flight..so if it goes in the hold is it more likely to get lost when we change planes?

also will it make a lot of difference to baggage allowance?

she will be just over 2 when we travel

anybody any info will be appreciated

 

[JohnnySharp2]

It is a long while since we last rented a child seat, however, it was nothing like $8 a day, think it cost $60 or so for 2 weeks, but that was 4 years ago at least.

If you decide to take your own it would go in the hold and not as hand luggage, to be honest I would be reluctant to take my own.
Whilst the child seats Dollar have are not as good as the majority you can buy in the UK I didn't feel they were so bad that Joshua wasn't safe.

 

[jackmerle]

we went to diseny 2 years ago and had the same problem-what do we do?? we have 2 kids and the rent was going to be sky high, so we hired for 1 day and went straight down to the nearest walmart and bought 2 very good car seats for $30(same thing over here £40!!!!). even took them home without any problem-still use them to this day hire for 1 day and return the following-simpe

 

[cdndislvr]

hello
I have several questions to ask about car seats for children - using them - hiring them - and transporting them.. not sure what to do any suggestions/experiences would be useful to help us make up our minds...

When we booked our flights/car hire (car hire from Dollar) we were told that it would be better to hire a car seat from the car hire people - they said "it will only be a small charge per day..and since they are very stringent about child safety they will need to assess the weight of your child so you can't pre book it" considered that to be fair enough

but

I now understand that sometimes the car seats are quite flimsy and tatty and that the charge is $8 per day plus tax - we will be there for 20 days so that would be getting on for $200 ...now if we thought we were getting a good, sturdy and SAFE car seat we would be okay with that ( you don't put a price on child safety do you?)

it has been suggested that we take our own and here comes the questions

if we do will it go in the hold or can it be hand baggage.....and if it does go in the hold is it likely to get damaged?

we're not on a direct flight..so if it goes in the hold is it more likely to get lost when we change planes?

also will it make a lot of difference to baggage allowance?

she will be just over 2 when we travel

anybody any info will be appreciated

I have always brought my daughter's car seat with us as the one experience I had with the rental wasn't too pleasant...just not good quality and very dirty! (although I'm sure this isn't always the case) In my experience, airlines will carry car seats/strollers etc. in baggage and this doesn't count towards your baggage allowance. I would check with the airline you are flying with but I've flown quite a few and they all seem to allow an extra allowance for baby equipment etc. I have never had any damage to my car seat and I have flown quite extensively with it. Usually they just put it in a big plastic covering to protect it and I make sure that all the straps are done up etc. to avoid it getting caught up on something else. We've changed planes enroute as well and they've never lost the car seat.

Reminder.....just remember to remove your car seat from the rental when you return it. There's been a couple of times we've gone to return the car and at the last moment realized we had to grab our car seat. Just an easy oversight in the midst of grabbing luggage, children, etc.

 

[jdybnsn]

We've always taken our own car seat.

The airlines usually polybag it for you and it goes in the hold (I've heard that SOME airlines let you take them in the cabin for your child to sit in if they've paid for a seat).
Most airlines don't count it in the baggage allowance , but I believe that TCD DO.

We've never had a problem with them, or strollers going astray (though I'm not going to guarentee it !!!).

We prefer it, not only because of the savings, but also because we know how to fit it in the car, and it made our child feel happy that they were in something familiar.

 

[angel659]

Hi

We took our own car seats last year. Virgin has clear packaging bags which you put them in when your checking in. Once you arrive they unload the car seats with the prams. We felt having needed 3 seats we were not prepared to pay $24 a day. We had no problems and wouldnt hesitate in doing the same again.

 

[LondonMom]

Hiya
I have an 18 month old and a 3 year old and have been travelling to florida since they were born regularly. I have both brought my own, hired from Dollar and bought American ones.
I would suggest taking your own if your child is less than 2 and half. They are used to it, you know its safe, you know how to fit it in the car etc etc and in my experience once kids get nearer to 3 they are more adaptable to different seats and often dont need a highchair in restaurant for instance. We always fly with Virgin, they plastic wrap it, you drop it off at oversize luggage, pick it up at carosel, no problem. You cannot bring your car seat on board he aircraft, i think some airlines used to let you strap it into seats but because of safety issues they cannot ( and it was only the infant seats not child seats I think) . By the way - Virgin have their own car seat type child seat they strap into adult plane seat if you have paid for it. They have to be over 6 months. We do this, its great.
However, I know that you have to bring the kitchen sink when you travel with children so if you can avoid bringing it i suppose it would be beneficial.

You havent mentioned what sort of car you are hiring, but when we use Dollar we always get a 7 seater and if you get the dodge caravan - which is their standard 7 seater it comes pre-fitted with 2 child (not infant) seats which fold down from the regular seats. they are not too bad.

We have bought their seats over there and the ones you hire are usually the same as they ones you'd buy, and i never feel that confident in the way they fit, So if I plan to hire one, I use a mightly tight seatbelt gripper to tighten them up see this link : http://www.kiddicare.com/invt/xdlsunmty
I always thought a child seat hire charge was included in the car hire price ( we always used the gold inclusive deal?) they stack them in a pile plastic wrapped where you pick the cars up and we've been lucky enough to get brand new ones with the labels on, and then not so lucky to have the choice of either booster seats for older children or just 1 child seat that stank of sick - this is when we bought one from Walmart instead.
Im lucky enough to have a place in Florida that I leave our DS's seat at and I take my own for my 18 month old as he is just used to it.
So I would either say just put you child on your lap until you get to the shop to buy one over there (take your mighty tight for piece of mind) OR take your own.
Hope this helps
Jo x

 

[grannyed]

thankyou Londonmom that does help...we are hiring the dollar 7 seater van so the included car seats may be okay.........the impression we got from the agent when we queried car seats was that they set very high standards and may not allow us to use our own seats.......and that they certainly would not let us drive away from the car hire depot without our child being in one.......we do agree that we shouldn't do that but ......if the ones included are avaiable in the van then we may use that to get us to Walmart....

does anyone know if it is possible to email Dollar and make an enquiry through then,,,,,cut out the agent....and get it straight from the horses mouth ===so to speak.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

thankyou Londonmom that does help...we are hiring the dollar 7 seater van so the included car seats may be okay.........the impression we got from the agent when we queried car seats was that they set very high standards and may not allow us to use our own seats.......and that they certainly would not let us drive away from the car hire depot without our child being in one.......we do agree that we shouldn't do that but ......if the ones included are avaiable in the van then we may use that to get us to Walmart....

does anyone know if it is possible to email Dollar and make an enquiry through then,,,,,cut out the agent....and get it straight from the horses mouth ===so to speak.

It is possible to email Dollar, I did 3 weeks ago- however, there is no guarantee you will get a reply, I haven't yet!!

I would go to the Dollar UK site and ring them perhaps?
Not sure if it will help but worth a try.

 

[wideeyes]

Hiya



So I would either say just put you child on your lap until you get to the shop to buy one over there (take your mighty tight for piece of mind) OR take your own.
Hope this helps
Jo x

I would not recomend doing this!

 

[princess jackson]

When our DD was 3, we used the car seat on the plane, it kept her still in the chair and she could sleep better.

The only downside is that we had to carry it to the gate, as well as her pram and our hand luggage.

 

[LondonMom]

Hi
Not sure about emailing Dollar, but I have never had anyone looking over what you are doing with your child once you get there.
Once you leave the desk they tell you what location your car is at and you are left to it to find your own car (we have always found it good to have a porter to take you all the way to your car - picking up child seat on the way if you need one- as they know their way around) The back seats arent visible when you drive out as all the windows are blacked out anyway. They certainly have never said anything about children on laps (unless you are doing a Britney!! ).

I know its not the ideal solution to put your child on your lap for the journey to buy one, and I always insist my kids are plugged in seats, but if you got a cab from Airport they wouldn't be in a car seat then anyway.

Jo

 

[wils]

Just a cautionary tale

Some friends of ours arrived back at Gatwick (from Portugal) to find that the airline had left their car seat at Lisbon. Nobody at the airport could loan/rent them one so the wife ended up going on the bus to collect their car wilst the DH stayed withnthe baby and luggage. Once the car was packed the DW drove home leaving the DH and baby to take the train. Then, of course they still needed to go straight out and buy a new one as they couldn't wait until the airline could return theirs.

They were fed up and exhasted after a short flight! Just imagine the same after 9 hours

 

[disneyholic family]

Hi

I know its not the ideal solution to put your child on your lap for the journey to buy one, and I always insist my kids are plugged in seats, but if you got a cab from Airport they wouldn't be in a car seat then anyway.

Jo

It's illegal to carry your children in a car without a car seat. I suppose a police officer might not throw the book at you once he sees you're a foreigner, but i don't know.

 

[nattyk]

we have 3 kids and always take our own (2 booster seats and car seat) we wrap them in black bin liners and put our name, flight number etc on them..and have never had a problem....we booked carseats once in Spain and never again....

I would suggest you take your own...

Nat

 

[buzz182]

Hi, we are faced with the same problem when we go in November. Our son will be 13 months old and we too got told it would cost $8 plus tax to hire a baby seat also. Like most people have said if you do hire one of their's you could end up with a dirty and tatty car seat, and if you are paying $8 dollars a day you want something decent. In the next couple of weeks we buying our son a Britax car seat for our car (his infant carrier he uses at the moment is getting uncomfortable for him!) and we are getting just a cheap one for my parents car, when they look after him when i'm at work, if they take him places. It is the blue and black Baby Start Rider car seat in Argos for £44.99.This will be the one we take with us on our trip in November and not our more expensive Britax one.

Karina

 

[neil2jo]

A lot of the posts seem to mention Dollar Car Hire. Can anyone let me know if they have used and have had good or bad experiences with child car seats with Alamo Car Hire. Thanks

 

[Tinker74]

will my 6 yr old need a booster over there? will I be able to carry it on as hand luggage in a carrier bag (a pain I know). But boosters are v light and not bulky like car seats.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Hi, we are faced with the same problem when we go in November. Our son will be 13 months old and we too got told it would cost $8 plus tax to hire a baby seat also. Like most people have said if you do hire one of their's you could end up with a dirty and tatty car seat, and if you are paying $8 dollars a day you want something decent. In the next couple of weeks we buying our son a Britax car seat for our car (his infant carrier he uses at the moment is getting uncomfortable for him!) and we are getting just a cheap one for my parents car, when they look after him when i'm at work, if they take him places. It is the blue and black Baby Start Rider car seat in Argos for £44.99.This will be the one we take with us on our trip in November and not our more expensive Britax one.

Karina

Must admit Karina although we have not rented a child seat for a few years, the one's Dollar provided whilst maybe not as good quality as we would buy for our child in the UK - never had a dirty or shabby one, they have always been in good condition.

 

[Miffy2003]

A lot of the posts seem to mention Dollar Car Hire. Can anyone let me know if they have used and have had good or bad experiences with child car seats with Alamo Car Hire. Thanks

I was very impressed with Alamo and rate them above Dollar who I have also used


I didn't do a car seat through them though I'm afraid.