Vic

Does anyone have experience using the MB Babysmart car seats (which are made by Britax)?

My 2 kids are 2.5 and 4 yrs. old, and weigh 30 and 40 lbs., respectively. I am looking for new car seats for them and was wondering if anyone has recently purchased the MB car seats with Babysmart sensors?

I have used these seats in the past with my previous MB vehicles, but am unsure as to their continued safety given that they were purchased almost four years ago.

The toddler seat I bought in June 2000 is for use on kids from 20 to 40 lbs. It is of the booster seat variety, and uses a "bar" that goes over the child's lap, that is held in place by the seat belt. It has no harness (other than the bar) to hold the child in place, and the only thing holding the seat with child in place is the seatbelt threaded through the bar. I have always had some doubt about its effectiveness, but have used it because I trust Britax (and MB to a somewhat lesser extent).

Now that my elder child is about to outgrow that seat, I'd like to get him another Babysmart seat because he enjoys being able to occasionally sit up front (which only a Babysmart seat permits), but my first concern with the seat is safety, and as such, I am willing to sacrifice this feature for the safest seat possible.

Since I am changing the elder child's seat, I thought it would also be wise to consider getting a new seat for the younger child also, rather than having her inherit her elder brother's old seat.

That said, does anyone have any recommendations as to what works well in the E55? I know the car has the LATCH/Isofix system, but have not been able to get concrete recommendations as to what is considered a state of the art seat today. I'd be very interested in knowing whether others have experience with the MB seats, particularly those for a kid over 40 lbs.

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

JohnAMG

As far as I know Mercedes has not release the next generation of car seat in the USA, and my dealer couldn't even give me a time frame. Mercedes uses Britax seat so I would buy Britax seat. The Britax Marathon or Roundabout are probably the best seats out there. My son is 7 months old and he currently using the Mercedes infant seat and we will get the Britax Marathon first then the Mercedes seat once is release. The Marathon and Roundabout are good for up to 65 pounds.

John

norb

Porsche uses the same system, you could give them a try. Or, and this is totally a suggestion, I don't condone it at all incase there are lawyers on board, but you could take out the transponder from your old seat and use it for your new seat. It's really easy to do especially with the foam toddler's seat that you have. Anyway, I would just as well keep your kids in the back seat, that's why we bought 4 doors, right?

I still have my toddler seat, but it was a needed for my two seat SLK.

arm

I was a the auto show in SF yesterday and I saw a Recaro booster seat - indicated for 30-80 pounds.

It struck me as very well constructed and looked pretty good.

Looks like your kids are big enough to go the booster route - many different color combinations available as well.

W210

With the newly introduced LATCH system, we're thinking of picking up a Peg Perego rear facing infant seat.

JohnAMG - how does your MB infant seat look like? Is it rear facing and does it use seatbelt to secure to the rear seat or does it use LATCH?

norb

We had a Per Perago infant seat and it totally sucked. This was two years ago so they may have inproved it. Ours was its first year out. Very hard to unlatch and very heavy. Britax doesn't make an infant seat with a base that stays in your car, a must have, but instead their old on you had to strap in with the seat belt every time. Or you can have their rear facing seat that had no handle and stays in the car.

norb

BTW, the only reason to get an MB seat is so you can use it in the front seat, as it turns off the airbags, but with a 4 door like the E55 you don't need it. So get a Britax seat for the rear instead. The MB seat has no advantage over any other car seat except for the transponder that turns the airbag off.

Vic

Norb is absolutely right on this point. THE only reason to get the MB seat is to be able to use it in the front passenger seat.

Although I would use it in the rear 90% of the time, I'd like the option of moving it to the front from time to time, i.e. when rear seat space is limited due to cargo, etc.

JohnAMG

W210,

Our Mercedes seat is a rear-facing seat strap in with the seatbelt. It is an older system without the use of latch. It is made by Britax and it does have a carry handle. I will post picture once I get home.

John

W210

norb - thanks yes the Peg Perego infant seat I have in mind is a new 2nd generation model I do hope it has improved. Any other recommendations?

JohnAMG, thanks for the help, would appreciate your photos..

JohnAMG

W210,

Here is the photo of our infant seat.

John

Rave E55

Ah the memories, my kids are way past that stage, thank god.

nguyensteve

JohnAMG,

Where did you get the infant seat, how much was it. Is the seat heavy to carry around. My boy will be coming by the end of february. It will be my first kid, so doing research now.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Vic

I've had the seat that JohnAMG posted a photo of since January 2000, and got it free from the dealer when I purchased an S class.

I believe it retailed through the dealer for about $250. That seat is made by Britax, and it can be used until the child is 20 lbs. It is fairly light and can be used as a carrier. The other plus is that it does not need a special base to snap into, although the potential downside is that there is no stroller that it can be easily snapped into, either.

JohnAMG

I bought the seat from the dealer last april. It took the dealer 3 months to get the seat and I believed Mercedes does not make it anymore. But your dealer may be able to track down a surplus unit. I believed the seat cost me about $170 from the dealer. I will try to find the part number for the seat.

John