Baby Seats????

[rajinder_1]

hi Guys,
I am looking to buy a child seat for my cars, what im unsure of is which one will turn the airbags off?
Now i have a 1996 C Class and a 2001 SL, i have noticed that there is a airbag off light on the SL but not in the C Class. I therefore presume that the airbag cant be turned off in the C Class?

Also has anyone used or had a MB baby seat which one is worth getting, i have been looking on ebay etc there are a few different types, as MB charge extortionate prices!!!!! Close to £300.

Thanks,

Raj

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The MB ones are expensive but by the same token are good quality - we have two - one Duo and one Kidde.

Britax manufacture them for all sorts of manufacturers, and the simply pop a branded cover on. Check out prices at Vauxhall and Peugeot, and as long as you don't mind the non-MB cover you can save plenty!!

You could try buying a replacement cover from MB!!

 

[A210AMG]

Hello

Firstly I'm not so sure I would be buying second hand? as you cannot be certain.

I thought you can buy the transponder that turns the air bags off? rather than the whole seat.

If your looking for a baby seat that it very easy to use in both cars we had the maxi cosi with two base units (either isofix or not) and the baby seat just clicks in, no phaffing around with seat belts when its raining etc.

I would either look into the transponder that turns the airbag off, or look at a new seat.

The Maxi Cosi one also clicked into our pram so all in all a good bit of kit, not sure if the Mercedes ones do? or you can get attachments for them.

 

[BTB 500]

Check the handbook for your C class.

In my 1997 SL you can't deactivate the airbag ... there's a simple weight sensor in the passenger seat (which you could perhaps disconnect or 'fool' in some way, but that's another story).

However according to the handbook it's OK to use a forward-facing child seat provided the passenger seat is moved fully back.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Will you need to use the child seat in the front of the C-Class? If not then you only really need to worry about airbag deactivation in the SL.

The manual overide does the same job as the transponder, but you'd need to reactivate it (or not) when you carry a passenger instead.

At the time I just wanted the best available, so our Duo has the transponder even though it's never used in the front!! Costs about £100 than a non-transponder seat too IIRC!!

Our Kidde doesn't have the transponder - as we'd learnt that lesson by the time we bought it!!

Do haggle - I managed to get massive discounts off ours - both from main dealers.

PS How old is your son/daughter? Are we talking baby seat or child seat?

 

[Alps]

ive always used the seats in the rear, both maxi cosi (when they are tiny), and now have a swivelling bebe confort, which is great.

 

[BTB 500]

ive always used the seats in the rear

Bit of a problem with an SL ...

 

[rajinder_1]

Will you need to use the child seat in the front of the C-Class? If not then you only really need to worry about airbag deactivation in the SL.

The manual overide does the same job as the transponder, but you'd need to reactivate it (or not) when you carry a passenger instead.

At the time I just wanted the best available, so our Duo has the transponder even though it's never used in the front!! Costs about £100 than a non-transponder seat too IIRC!!

Our Kidde doesn't have the transponder - as we'd learnt that lesson by the time we bought it!!

Do haggle - I managed to get massive discounts off ours - both from main dealers.

PS How old is your son/daughter? Are we talking baby seat or child seat?

Will be baby seat.....

 

[A210AMG]

I sold my previous car a bmw convertible as the baby seat would not fit in the rear and Mr BMW would not deactivate the airbag,

They said it would be ok at first as I would have to sign a disclaimer but when I asked again it was a no no.

Thing is carrying a baby and all the stuff that goes with it, you would not want to go far in in anyway, so cannot imagine the lack of room / space in the SL?

 

[rajinder_1]

Hello

Firstly I'm not so sure I would be buying second hand? as you cannot be certain.

I thought you can buy the transponder that turns the air bags off? rather than the whole seat.

If your looking for a baby seat that it very easy to use in both cars we had the maxi cosi with two base units (either isofix or not) and the baby seat just clicks in, no phaffing around with seat belts when its raining etc.

I would either look into the transponder that turns the airbag off, or look at a new seat.

The Maxi Cosi one also clicked into our pram so all in all a good bit of kit, not sure if the Mercedes ones do? or you can get attachments for them.

I was looking at this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MERCEDES-BENZ...7144642QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

i may throw in a offer see what they say.... i mean £280 is damn expensive

 

[A210AMG]

This gadget in both cars is very handy...

 

[rajinder_1]

I sold my previous car a bmw convertible as the baby seat would not fit in the rear and Mr BMW would not deactivate the airbag,

They said it would be ok at first as I would have to sign a disclaimer but when I asked again it was a no no.

Thing is carrying a baby and all the stuff that goes with it, you would not want to go far in in anyway, so cannot imagine the lack of room / space in the SL?

Yes mercedes used to deactivate the airbags in the older cars like my 96 C Class, but stopped.

You can have a resistor put in the wiring for the aibag which will deactivate it.

 

[rajinder_1]

This gadget in both cars is very handy...

is that the isofix thing????? i think the car seat we getting has something similar so yo ucan just pop in and out instead of faffing with seatbelts.

 

[rajinder_1]

Check the handbook for your C class.

In my 1997 SL you can't deactivate the airbag ... there's a simple weight sensor in the passenger seat (which you could perhaps disconnect or 'fool' in some way, but that's another story).

However according to the handbook it's OK to use a forward-facing child seat provided the passenger seat is moved fully back.

I have a light in the front of the SL next to the glovebox which indicates if the airbag is on or off.
It must work in connection to the seat sensors, i will read the manual when i get back home see if there is a way to deactivte as the light is next to a key hole, but i presume that was just to lock the glovebox?

 

[A210AMG]

That interesting as what Mt BMW said to me was if they disarm the airbags and then I give a passenger a lift and god forbid have an accident.

The airbag would not activate? said person if still alive would sue... ok worse case scenario but thats why they wouln't turn it off.

 

[A210AMG]

Hello

You can get one with or with out isofix.

Brilliant piece of kit, we had one in both cars and the maxi cosi seat.

The base unit above stays in the car locked in with seatbelt. The Maxi cosi seat then just clicks in no phaffing in the rain etc dead easy.

Belive me anything worth making your life easier is worth it. Think they are around £60 each? but if you have two cars well worth it. Even if you just have one car.


Cheers

 

[rajinder_1]

That interesting as what Mt BMW said to me was if they disarm the airbags and then I give a passenger a lift and god forbid have an accident.

The airbag would not activate? said person if still alive would sue... ok worse case scenario but thats why they wouln't turn it off.

Hmmmmm i know MB used to do it but dont anymore, must be for same reasons, dont stop you doing it yourself though i suppose.

But if a passenger sat in a car without a airbag, can they still sue? alot of cars dont have passenger airbags?????

 

[A210AMG]

True,

But I guess if the car has an airbag as standard and has been turned off... then thats the grey area.

I know its extream but thats what they told be.

I changed cars and glad that I did really, I miss the roof down but amzed at how much stuff you need with you...

 

[Smatt]

Hi,
I researched baby seats this year & last for our 2 sons.
The MB babyseats are Britax seats. they even have the same names, ie 'Duo plus', etc. They can be bought over internet baby sites for approx 1/2 the MB price, although they do not have the MB fabric & no transponder. I do not think the transponder can be bought separately, although you could pull one out of an old MB seat?
The MB Duo Plus seat is now closer to £400!

IMHO, I prefer the non MB fabrics, which I feel are a little dated. One can find much more modern fabrics & have a choice by getting a non MB seat.
In fact, one can actually buy new models, such as the Britax Isofix Explora seat (2008 model;unavailable through MB) which has extra features & is higher specified & still have lots of change from MB price!
Re: transponder
-This is only required in the front seat & more specifically, is only required for a rear facing baby seat in the front seat. Once the child seat is forward facing, there is no necessity to deactivate the airbag (which MB will not do anyway!), but the front seat should be pushed back on its track as far as possible away from the airbag- this is then perfectly safe.
If your child is of the age that it has to be rear facing, then you could maybe just delay putting it into your SL (until old enough to forward face).
I would not purchase a second hand car seat, in the same way that one should never buy a second hand crash helmet- it may have been damaged in an accident without obvious signs & may not protect precious cargo when required too.
Check your C-class- there may not be a passenger airbag in one of that age, hence no need to deactivate?
Also, a child seat should not be used after 6-7 years as it is thought that the materials may weaken with time.

Good Luck!
Matt

 

[rajinder_1]

lol looks like the boot of the SL will not be enough...lol
i will see how things go but we have the c class so i may try and keep the SL