jennlx Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 We have finally booked our flights (hooray!) and am looking on Australian websites and totalling up all the money we will need to spend when we get there to buy replacement car seats for our toddler and not-yet-born-newborn. Am still a bit unsure about our ability to be able to live out there money-wise, so was thinking it may be an idea to keep our UK car seats in case we end up moving back. As we're shipping the contents of a 2 bed house incl. white goods, I presume these won't add THAT much to our total bill? Or am I being completely insane? (PS. They cost about £300 in total - not a lot, but all these expenses are really adding up). OR, if we go out to Oz and buy carseats and end up back in the UK - can we legally use Australian carseats back in the UK? I really think this migrating lark is sending me around the bend! :wub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Chef Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Unfortunately you'll almost certainly need to get separate car seats for Australia - we don't currently use the ISOFIX system as you guys do, which means we need to fix separate child restraint anchors to all Australian vehicles. Theoretically, you could bring your seats over and no-one would probably ever notice (unless you happen to meet a spectacularly grumpy/knowledgeable police officer), but as it currently stands, ISOFIX seats are illegal in Australia, so it has implications for insurance if, heaven forbid, you were to have an accident with the kids in the car. (Nb. DIT are currently working on making them legal, as we're moving to closer to Euro standards for cars in Australia generally). You can get decent seats here from about AUD150, cheaper if you're strapped, more expensive if you want something with all the bells and whistles. It's also worth noting that, for your new-born, most states offer a government-subsidised hire service for rear-facing capsules - I can't remember off-hand how much it is, but it's certainly a lot cheaper than getting a reversible baby seat. We took the latter option and found it was 1) expensive and 2) took up much more space inside the car. With taking your Aussie baby seats back to the UK, you have the same problem in reverse - because Aussie seats are designed to work with child restraint anchors, you'll have nothing to attach them to when you take them back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Can you leave your car seats with a relative just in case you do go back, even for a holiday? I recently bought some from a PIO member who was emigrating because we are going back for a holiday with the grandkids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennlx Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 Thanks for your responses, new car seats it is (although will hire capsule for newborn from the council as suggested)! Unfortunately we can't keep our UK seats with relatives (not worth the hassle - they'd either sell them, charge us for keeping them and resent us for the effort). Not the end of the world but just paid £200 for my sons booster seat, and I'd feel a tad sick about the whole thing if we end up back in the UK... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Chef Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Time to trade in your relatives :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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