[Simon & Emily]

Sorry if this has been covered recently, but I can't find the thread about what you would bring with hindsight :uhoh

It's been a while since we bought them in the UK, but seats over here are terrible. They are over $80 for just a lump of polystyrene, in the shape of the normal over six month seat. There is no protection whatsoever, as far as I can see, they simply boost them up higher. Not sure of any statistics, but I would rather have a child in a UK seat than a NZ one. The normal booster seats were also very expensive for what they are. We left our seats in the UK with friends who wanted them due to the change of UK laws, but if we had really needed them I would have probably had to pay a huge amount to get the same level of safety as the UK ones.
The newborn seats also looked very flimsy, but again you could probably get a decent one if you were willing to pay enough for it.

Emily

[MB]

Emily - we brought our nifty, slimline booster seat over from the US, and it was one of those whereby you can detach the base from the rest of the seat so it packed easily even in a suitcase. We think we did the right thing in bringing it.
While I haven't done a proper, close study of seats available in the NZ, my general impression is that you are right to post as you have. What you say might be especially significant for those on a budget: and, as you can tell from the above, I'd add to it that if you will need the seat immediately and want to pack it, consider one of the detachable, slim-style seats you can get in the US (and presumable the UK and elsewhere).

(By the way, just to help folks picture the kind of seat I mean, the one we got from the US -- at about this price, though not from Amazon -- was this one: http://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-Booster-Seat-Silver-Streak/dp/B0006NDCD8/sr=8-8/qid=1163036998/ref=pd_bbs_8/103-5217374-8513429?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products

[the emery family]

hi all. Just to add another question to this - we aren't coming in our own car and intend to buy one there at some point. Initially we will be hiring one and i wondered if you can get hire cars with a child seat already fitted in new zealand?

[spudulike]

Thanks for the info on car seats - I have also heard from British migrants that car seats here aren't great. We are now going to order one from the UK so was wondering if anybody could recommend a decent courier to ship such a large item?

Thanks

Louise :)

[MB]

While I haven't done a proper, close study of seats available in the NZ, my general impression is that you are right to post as you have.

Gracious, don't I sound like a pompous little so and so?
I just meant that I haven't shopped around completely, but I reckon you might be on to something.

(Note to self: There. Wasn't hard, was it? :laugh )

[sizzlingbadger]

We looked into getting a car seat for my youngest one, needed a high back booster with harness. In the end we went for a Phil & Ted's one, it's very close to Graco one you can get. It was $200 but well worth it, he's very comfortable in it.

We ended up getting it from here rather than shipping one across from the UK by the time you add up the cost of the car seat and shipping it it wasn't far off the $200.

[Babette & Andy]

Have to agree with all said above. We did bring our own main ones (in the container), brought 1 booster type seat on the plane which at that time (SIA - would need to check current regulations) we were able to use as a booster on the plane seat for our 3 year old (bought at Argos: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3752908/Trail/C%24cip%3D42358.Toys%2Band%2Bbaby%3EC%24cip%3D4236 8.Baby%2Band%2Bnursery%2Bequipment%3EC%24cip%3D423 73.Baby%2Band%2Btoddler%2Bcar%2Bseats.htm) and whilst waiting were able to borrow (free of charge!) one additional one from our car rental person.

If needing to hire them whilst waiting for your cotainer, there are quite a few places you can do this from. One is http://www.babyonthemove.co.nz/shop/Car+Seats.html another I believe is at babybabyfactory outlets (small equivalent to Mothercare in the UK).

Hope this is of interest.

Babette

[StevieD]

Good point this, with the changing of laws in UK now, our kids don't need seats any longer (due to them being tall blighters!!). But what is the rule on child seats in NZ?
Anybody clarify this for me??

Thanks in advance

Steve

[jubjub]

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/factsheets/07.html

Here you go Stevie...