Mamas & Papas Car Seat

[davep]

Anyone successfully fitted a Mamas & Papas Primo Viaggio Car Seat Base (and car seat) in the rear seats of their MINI?

[bgower]

Short answer no - but, I have used the BMW isofix seat which is good a) becuse it's really firmly fixed into the car and b) More importantly it is dead easy and quick to secure your kiddie becuse there is only one strap, and there is not much room for an adult and a flailing child in the back of a mini when it's peeing down with rain on a busy road.

However, it's expensive about £280 I think (will last until they are about 7 though. The Mini dealer tried to convince me to buy the Mini branded version which is identical (even has the BMW badge!!) and guess what the mini one is £30 more expensive.

We do have a Maxi Cosi seat for our other car - I think it is a simialar design to the mamas & papas one. I reckon it would be pretty difficult to get the thing in and secured just because there is so littelt room to enable you to tighten the mini belts to the seat itself.

Hope this is of some use.

[dietcokeplease]

Quote:

Originally posted by davep
Anyone successfully fitted a Mamas & Papas Primo Viaggio Car Seat Base (and car seat) in the rear seats of their MINI?

The Primo Viaggio Base and Car Seat does fit in a MINI but it's a really tight squeeze - I basically wouldn't recommend it.

The passenger seat needs to be all the way forward on it's runners and the backrest angled so that it's uncomfortably upright for passenger. Then both will fit!

However if you want to use the carseat as part of the travel system - ie taking the seat out with the baby in situ to attach to the buggy then it will come out but will definitely scratch/mark the plastic on the back of the seats.

Best advice: cart the baby in another car for 9 months and then use a forwarf-facing seat!

[jlivingood]

The Mama's and Papa's brand seems to be called Peg Perego in the States. The Primo Viaggio base and baby seat are indeed a tight fit but it can be done. Below is a link to their new ISOFix / LATCH base (adjustable as well) and baby seat in the MINI.

The seat has to go fairly far forward. More important is the amount of recline of the front seat. You can see that my 5 foot 6 inch tall wife still has a little knee clearance.

Click on the image for more pics:






Jason

[jimmyjp]

jlivingood, I know a few months have elapsed since the last post in this thread, but how are you getting on with the car seat? How do you find getting it in and out of the car with baby attached?

Cheers
JJP

[jlivingood]

Quote: Originally Posted by jimmyjp

jlivingood, I know a few months have elapsed since the last post in this thread, but how are you getting on with the car seat? How do you find getting it in and out of the car with baby attached?

The seat and the baby seem to be working out fine together. I find it very easy to click the seat into the base and the ISOFIX setup makes it very easy to switch it between cars (grandparents, etc.). Honestly, though, the baby has only had a single voyage in the MINI for no good reason I can think of. Usually baby is traveling with my wife in her VW Touareg I suppose. But I plan on getting the baby out in the MINI more -- perhaps as soon as tomorrow.

Jason