The Lotus Grand Tourers

I've had a couple of searches but everything seems a few years back and models have changed (seats that is)

For those with kids what do you have that fits well and is available for me to get, for obvious reasons i'm not going to buy something secondhand off ebay.

the nephew concerned is turning three in feb. and is probably at or over 9kg.

I've looked and emailed about the Recaro monza, mainly because i can get it in matching colours and its cool! and i've read about and found the britax prince, which looks like it could be the only option.

Ideally i'd like something that'll work until he + neices are a bit older as I don't have kids myself, although i'm that thrifty that i'd probably keep it in case!

My kids are older (youngest is 5), so I haven't had experience of seats for younger ones. There are two issues really:

- the rear seats are very deeply dished, far more than most other cars, or what the child seats are designed around. Since most child seats themselves have a deeper front (to prevent submarining), when combined with an Excel rear seat a typical booster seat (without a back) tips the poor kids knees up to his ears! I've tried to find the flattest I can, and tell my son to belt up and stop complaining... (the same issue applies to seats where the back and base can hinge)

- with a solid seat that includes a rigid back, they will perch on the front edge of the seat but not touch at the back. Should still strap down securely enough, I suppose, the seat will be high but the kid's so small that headroom shouldn't be a problem!

I know bagpussawake has fitted the latter sort of seat to his Excel; he hasn't been around the forums so much recently so he may not spot this thread, but you could try PMing him for advice.

Cheers,

Richard (& Lilith)

Its a few years ago but I can tell you what I did. I got a seat base from a scrap yard, the foam bit, I went armed with a large sharp knife, looked for a seat that a pronounced 'bump' at the front and came home with the foam part. They didnt even charge me for it. I then turned it upside down, bump in the seat base, and trimmed the sides to fit in the gap. That way I had a flat base to work with. I then covered it up with an old towel. If you thinks this is a bodge, it isnt, you would place a child seat on exactly that in any car. I then went to local shop and tried various ones until I got a good fit and it was secure. I couldnt budge the seat when it was in and Im a big bloke. Sadly, I cant remember what the base was out of, or what the seat make was ( our young uns 16 now ). Just make sure that it really is secure, some I tried didnt fit well at all.

Hope this helps.

Bash.

i did borrow one my parents had for an aborted run down, it wedged in ok but not very far, I think I have come to the conclusion that the ride is in the front seat, borrowing my parents one, with it securely fitted as per instructions. its only for a run or two, so going to further expensive in money / time does not seam worth it!

if I still have the excel / some other silly car at a later point i'd consider removing the rear bench and coming to some kind of arrangement, potentially with isofix as non isofix seats will probably dry up in the next 5 years..

here's some info copied from an earlier post of mine. Most of it relates to elite's and eclats, but if it fits in them, it should fit in the excel.

Group 1 seat (approx 9 months to 4 years - forward facing)
The Britax Prince is certified for use with a lap belt as well as a 3 point seatbelt. It is also one of the only childseats which has a narrow enough base to fit into the sculpted bucket in the rear of our cars. It is the only one I have found which is narrow enough at the base to fit.

I am using one in the back of my eclat which is secured with a lapbelt for my 2 year old.

Group 0 seat (rear facing, birth to 9 months).
The Maxi Cosi easyfix base secures using the lap belt only, and uses an adjustable "leg" at the front whch sits in the footwell. The base lifts all compatible Maxi Cosi infant Carriers up an inch or two which means they are clear of the sculpted bucket. It fits almost inch perfect. You will need to fold the carry handle down as it is too close to the roof, which means you will be lifting it in and out using the infant carriers cassing rather than the handle, but this is not a problem.

note: there are forward facing Grp 1 Maxicosi seats that are easyfix/cabriofix compatible - I AM UNSURE IF THERE IS ENOUGH SPACE FOR ONE OF THESE AND THE BASE.. I have never tried one.

At last weeks baby show I saw a Britax base and infant carrier which also looked like it should fit. It looked like a clone of the Maxi Cosi system, but cheaper.

If your child is older than 4 and 18+ kilos. Lotus Bits do a crossmember in the boot to allow eyelets to be securely mounted in the boot for a 3 or 4 point harness to be used with a booster. It is not cheap, but has been succesfully fitted to an eclat. I am considering this for when my children are larger, but I am unsure of one of the aspects of the design.

Please PM me for a more in depth discussion.

NB I am only 25 mins away from Putney in Purley/Coulsdon, so if you want to pop round and have a look at the Maxi Cosi system or the Britax system installed in an S2 eclat with the lap belts, please feel free. Would love to see your S2.

You should also have a good look at the seatbelt mount plates for the front seats at the drivers sills and at the rear for the lap belts. Lotus bits do replacements in stainless steel. I was horrified when I removed the sill cover on my previous Lotus eclat at what remained of the mount. I didn't remove it, I merely had to poke it and sweep up the remains. I replaced the rear mounts on this car before fitting my daughters seat.

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Motorspor ... /1998/6183

i went for this for my 15 mth old, i tried it first and found it fits really well in the rear bucket seat, it has a one way roller clamp so u can get things real tight.

it will last her until she is 12 so value for money