Do they make convertable seats in Germany?

[mykidsmylife]

Someone on Cafe mom says the only rear facing seats they make in Germany are the infant seats. This just doesnt make sense to me. So I am wondering do they make convertable seats there and is so does smeone have proof so i can show her?
Thanks

[UlrikeDG]

Yes, but they're not very common. They're "Gruppe 0/1" seats, and they usually rear face to 13 kg (28 lb). When I lived there, there was one convertible that could rear face to 40 lb (the HTS BeSafe Kid). Here are two German Graco convertibles (http://www.graco.de/gruppe.htm). I also found the Concord Ultimax (http://www.concord.de/de/driving/produkte/ultimax.html). I'm sure there are more if she looks. Nania made 2-3 convertibles a few years ago.

[joyride]

Someone on Cafe mom says the only rear facing seats they make in Germany are the infant seats. That was me - probably.
Our major vendors - Britax and Maxi Cosi don´t sell Convertibles, and the only one at the market was the Ultimax (the HTS is dicontinued).

The Graco are brand new, I really didn´t know them. I now searched for them and allready find an ADAC Crash-Test!
Thanks for the hint.

Joy

(Imported an Britax Two Way Plus from Sweden, so 55lbs rearfacing)

[mykidsmylife]

screen name Marion...

I told her there are sevral families here on post from Germany who have convertibles from Germany. Someone was selling one at a yardsale ...

Thanks

[Kellyr2]

What are the weight limits for RF on those Gracos? There are still none that would outlast my MA, right?

Joy, how easy was it for you to import the TWP? And you did that in Germany, right? How expensive? I'd definitely do that if it's an option!

[ChristyJoelnSosi]

I moved from Germany about 7 months ago and no Convertables are not common. Graco brand is brandnew there and though it is ADAC it isn't a common seat and isn't a common brand like it is here so it will take a while for it to be popular.

Joel moved out of the German infant bucket at about the same time he did the American bucket (22lbs - 5months), we moved him to an American convertable because we searched everywhere for a German one but couldn't find one, even the special carseat store we went to didn't have one.

I wish you the best of luck finding goodseats that RF, it is hard but it sounds like you found a great way to import.

[UlrikeDG]

I told her there are sevral families here on post from Germany who have convertibles from Germany.

AFIAK, no one here has a German convertible. I considered getting the HTS 40 lb rear facing seat, but ultimately didn't get it. I do have a German booster. Anyway, because the rear facing weight limit on German convertibles is so low and the crash test results mediocre at best, those of us who could do so legally* all used US convertibles (as did a few who may have been doing so a little less than legally).

What are the weight limits for RF on those Gracos? There are still none that would outlast my MA, right?

The site wasn't really clear, but I'd assume 13 kg (28 lb) unless you can get a hold of the instruction manual. That seems to be the universal standard. Maybe you can find one in person (try Toys R Us or a specialty store like Baby 1 (http://babyone.de/index.html)).

*US Military families are allowed to use US certified restraints. AAFES sells them, and now many US dotcoms will ship to APO/FPO addresses as well. If you make a parental decision to use a US seat and you are not in Europe with the US military, you'll either have to travel back to the US to get the seat or have a family member ship it to you. I don't know what the legal penalty is for using a foreign seat in Germany, but it could be rather harsh, so I'm definitely not recommending breaking the law on this one.

[UlrikeDG]

Our major vendors - Britax and Maxi Cosi don´t sell Convertibles, and the only one at the market was the Ultimax (the HTS is dicontinued).

The Graco are brand new, I really didn´t know them.

While the links I posted were to newer convertible seats, I can assure you that there have been convertibles in Germany for years. I was stationed there from 2001 to 2005, and I saw convertibles at both Toys R Us and Baby 1.

[ChristyJoelnSosi]

*US Military families are allowed to use US certified restraints. AAFES sells them, and now many US dotcoms will ship to APO/FPO addresses as well. If you make a parental decision to use a US seat and you are not in Europe with the US military, you'll either have to travel back to the US to get the seat or have a family member ship it to you. I don't know what the legal penalty is for using a foreign seat in Germany, but it could be rather harsh, so I'm definitely not recommending breaking the law on this one.

Also to add to this check with your base legal councel if you are puchasing a European car and using an American made seat, this is illegal in some parts of Germany whether military or not. But it is more base by base then a national law. At our small army post this was illegal, we had borrowed a neighbors German infant bucket for our German car. Then chose to break the law after he outgrew it. But I don't recommend that.

[ChristyJoelnSosi]

While the links I posted were to newer convertible seats, I can assure you that there have been convertibles in Germany for years. I was stationed there from 2001 to 2005, and I saw convertibles at both Toys R Us and Baby 1.

They are very hard to find and do not look like American convertables but they are there. It really depends on where you are at in Germany. In my small city there were none to be found but in the larger cities they did have some.

[Kellyr2]

US Military families are allowed to use US certified restraints. AAFES sells them, and now many US dotcoms will ship to APO/FPO addresses as well. If you make a parental decision to use a US seat and you are not in Europe with the US military, you'll either have to travel back to the US to get the seat or have a family member ship it to you. I don't know what the legal penalty is for using a foreign seat in Germany, but it could be rather harsh, so I'm definitely not recommending breaking the law on this one.

Yep, we're military, and I knew we could continue to use US seats, but for some reason hadn't thought about just having a US seat shipped over to our APO if we needed to. Getting a family member to bring a seat with them is always a possibility, too. He's just 24 lbs now, so we're a long ways off from him outgrowing the MA anyway. I'd only replace it now if "importing" a US seat to Germany wasn't an option for us.

[ChristyJoelnSosi]

I know for sure Sears ships APO without a problem at all, and free. Amazon charges but not much. So you will definitly have many many options.

[joyride]

The site wasn't really clear, but I'd assume 13 kg (28 lb) unless you can get a hold of the instruction manual. That seems to be the universal standard.
The Graco Dualogic is rearfacing to 18kg, so 40lbs!
Joy

[joyride]

While the links I posted were to newer convertible seats, I can assure you that there have been convertibles in Germany for years. I was stationed there from 2001 to 2005, and I saw convertibles at both Toys R Us and Baby 1.Besides the HTS and the Ultimax none with adequate crash-test results.

(apart from the new Gracos).
Joy

[joyride]

Joy, how easy was it for you to import the TWP? And you did that in Germany, right? How expensive? I'd definitely do that if it's an option!Schweden and Germany are EU, so no Tax or Duty Problems. Britax themself are not allowed to ship to Germany - but for money you can find enough stores that are willing.

Don´t know the price exactly, around 150€ plus 30€ shipping.
Joy

[Kellyr2]

Hmm, not too bad. I'll keep it in mind! Like I said, he's got loads of time left in the MA for now anyway. Oh, but Mikayla is just 47 lbs... LOL. Nah, I'm not importing one just for her to go RF again at 6 yrs old!

[CRS]

Yes I've heard Germany is really against the whole RF thing so it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't have many if any rear-facing seats!

[lil96]

I live in Germany and I have been dealing with this whole thing too. Most seats only rf until 9 or 13 kg, even if they are convertible. You are supposed to switch them at that time. The fine for using a non ECE approved seat is ~30 EUros + a point on your drivers license.