Multimac--What do you think?

[zeo2ski]

http://www.multimac.co.uk/multimac.html

No SIP. There are head pillows for an option but they don't look to be too helpful and you can't use them at the same time as using the headrests, although maybe the head rests in the car would do the trick.

[Maedze]

Whoa, that is really interesting. They've completely forgotten about head support though. The rearfacing seat shows the baby's head sticking out the top, and the forward facing kids only have support up to their necks.

[crunchierthanthou]

those have come up a few times here. Are they actually available for sale in the UK now?

I guess the bottom line is that all seats have to pass the same testing. If it makes it to market, then it's likely not categorically unsafe. I can see it being a beast to install and it has all the same downfalls of an integrated seat- namely non-adjustable harness height, little physical SIP, requiring a second seat for travel or any other vehicle, and possibly being stranded without seats in an emergency situation.

I'm glad to see they've added headrests, even if it's just an optional accessory. And one thing to remember about SIP is that it's not only about physical barriers. 5 point harnesses provide a good level of protection on their own- as does sitting next to another passenger according to one study.

it definitely wouldn't be my first choice, but I can see it filling a niche and would consider it if it were my only choice (provided it fits your vehicle, your children and your budget, yada yada yada...).

[christineka]

There are headrests. Just for some reason they decided they weren't photogenic and removed them for the pictures.

I think it is fairly common for car seat companies to test seats with the heads sticking out of the rfing seat. I've seen it done in other places too.

If you look at "How the Multimac works" you can see that the harnesses are adjustable. It looks like there is a hook on the harness and you hook it into the proper place for the child.

I'm really excited about this thing. My kids are small and won't be the size of 12 year olds till about age 14 or even later, so I could harness my kids extra long. It has been discussed on another thread that the 5 point harness actually provides sip, so that is probably why it tests well. They aren't just buckling the 12 year old dummies into backless boosters with a seat belt.

Someone on another board emailed about the harness limits. (They weren't on the website at that time. I believe she even got torso measurements as well.) They plan to make a Swedish rfing attachment seat once they get the multimac on its way with the UK standard rfing seat. I think it would be awesome to get one just for the big rfing seat when they get to that.

[Maedze]

It said 13 kils for rearfacing and 36 kilos for forward facing. Pretty weak rearfacing but a nice ff weight. Also the harness height is adjustable.

[mommytojoshmadty]

i live in the uk and never seen or heard about this before.
i have just filled in my details and they will contact me when available - will keep you posted if interested?

[crunchierthanthou]

Originally Posted by Maedze

Also the harness height is adjustable.

oh yeah. I forgot about the weird peg system.

[Jenifer]

Think about it though. If you were a family with 3 or 4 kids close in age and you could put all 4 in the back of your RAV 4 or HHR?? In Europe I don't think you see everyone running around Expeditions, mini vans or other SUVs. With the cost of gas these days, I can see it filling a niche if it passes crash tests and is affordable enough.

[Maedze]

Originally Posted by Jenifer

Think about it though. If you were a family with 3 or 4 kids close in age and you could put all 4 in the back of your RAV 4 or HHR?? In Europe I don't think you see everyone running around Expeditions, mini vans or other SUVs. With the cost of gas these days, I can see it filling a niche if it passes crash tests and is affordable enough.

Me too. I think it's one step closer to expecting car manufacturers to make the cars rideable for everyone, not just grown up men.

[UlrikeDG]

Originally Posted by Jenifer

Think about it though. If you were a family with 3 or 4 kids close in age and you could put all 4 in the back of your RAV 4 or HHR?? In Europe I don't think you see everyone running around Expeditions, mini vans or other SUVs. With the cost of gas these days, I can see it filling a niche if it passes crash tests and is affordable enough.

I'd love to be able to put 4 kids (plus me!) in Hubby's car when the minivan goes in for an oil change or whatever. Heck, we could even do weekend trips in a sedan with 2 suitcases in the trunk if we dropped off the dogs at the kennel before loading the kids.

[strollerfreak]

If that thing ever comes to fruition I'm so importing one...don't care if it's illegal or not...

[Kabes]

Originally Posted by strollerfreak

If that thing ever comes to fruition I'm so importing one...don't care if it's illegal or not...

Let's stay in touch! I want one too!!

[skipspin]

Yep, I would love a 3 seater for the 2-seat back seat of our wrangler. We would probably just use it off-road or going to trails, but as of March we won't all fit. :-( I wouldn't care so much if it's legal. After all, in my state it's legal to let DD ride in a lapbelt in the front seat!

[zeo2ski]

ugh a lap belt in the front seat makes me sad.

Yeah one lady--I think cristineka-- was saying it's already in europe or will be soon, and should be in the states by next year. Maybe she'll chime in and say the specifics or where she heard that. I think she talked to the company.

There are a few things I don't like about it, but I think it's going to bring about a whole new way of building CRs! Could be awesome.

One major problem--what happens when you have 4 kids across a three seater, and the oldest outgrows the seat?? I guess it really is just delaying getting a new vehicle. But then too when you get that new vehicle you could continue using it I guess, like in the third row.I like how they have different widths of it to fit more cars, you'd just have to be sure it fits in the new car when it's time!

Anyone see how long it lasts before expiry?

[musicmaj]

I can just see this thing in the back of my corolla! Ha, Ha! It is just what I need!

[aja]

wow, we are about to have our 3rd and 4th kids in 3 1/2 years. this would be great for our subaru. we could probably get 8 years out of it. i wonder what the prices will be like.

[zeo2ski]

Well the site is european, so I believe the symbol is for Euros, but not sure. Anyway it's 1000 euros-or-whatever-it-is for the seat, plus 200 for each infant seat (you can use all 4!) and it's not clear whether the head rests and pillows are included or you buy them separate. Pricey, but you have to compare it to the price of 4 separate seats too. Plus the cost of a new car in some cases, lol.

[UlrikeDG]

Originally Posted by zeo2ski

Well the site is european, so I believe the symbol is for Euros, but not sure. Anyway it's 1000 euros-or-whatever-it-is for the seat, plus 200 for each infant seat (you can use all 4!)...

I don't see the pricing information on the link above? Anyway, it's a British site, so it's more likely that the pricing is in British Pounds (£). The Euro sign looks a little different (€).

[christineka]

Everyone who signed up on the "contact us" page got an email a few months ago. The email said the multimac would be out in the UK in September. According to the website the date was the 18th. They said they planned it to be in the US by December. According to this news article http://www.whatcar.com/news-article.aspx?NA=222478
It is supposed to cost 1,000 pounds. According to the web calculator, that works out to be $1800 US.

[strollerfreak]

Originally Posted by christineka

Everyone who signed up on the "contact us" page got an email a few months ago. The email said the multimac would be out in the UK in September. According to the website the date was the 18th. They said they planned it to be in the US by December. According to this news article http://www.whatcar.com/news-article.aspx?NA=222478
It is supposed to cost 1,000 pounds. According to the web calculator, that works out to be $1800 US.

Except that article was written in 2006...who knows what it's actually going to cost now, 2 years and probably several iterations of prototypes later...

[zeo2ski]

Yeah that's the article I saw the price in too--didn't catch that date though! Even if it was still at that price, are you guys willing to pay $1800 for it? And that doesn't include the infant seat(s). I mean that's a good down payment for a new car...or a decent chunk of a used car price! And you can only use it til one kid outgrows it and then you need a new vehicle anyway. Unless you plan to put your oldest in the front seat I guess. And then when the second child outgrows it you're done, no place for them to sit unless you take it out and put in regular carseats...I guess it all depends on child age spacing and what you want/need/can afford in a vehicle.

I wonder how long the life of it is. Because once you can no longer use it, that's a pricey seat to destroy! I mean geez, $1800!!! Don't get me wrong, we'll pay for the best seat we need, and if this is the seat we need (meaning safeEST) then sure we'd buy it. But really--$1800/4= $450 per seat. Plus any infant seats you need (that can only RF to 13 kg and seem to have a short shell).

I think it's an awesome awesome awesome idea, but I wonder how successful it will be. I think there are issues to work out big time.

[christineka]

I didn't check the article date either!

I have a van, so I plan to put this thing on the back bench. When one child outgrows it at age 14 or so (I have small kids.) They can sit in the middle row. Also, if a kid has outgrown the rfing attachment, but not some other rfing seat, they'll be in the middle too. I have thought this out a bit. I think the multimac would be great for families like mine with very close together children. Even greater if I could have gotten this seat when my 3rd or 4th were babies. It would be great for people who want to cart around the soccer team or do school car pools. Also, people with triplets.

A used full sized van with headrests and shoulder belts in all locations (The Sprinter) costs around $24k, so for me I would gladly pay $2-$3k for an extra seat in my van.

[Kabes]

If it were to come out in the next year I would be golden. My oldest is turning 8 and she is a tiny thing. My youngest will be turning 3 and if he could still RF I could put him in a captain's chair. When my oldest grows out of it she can ride in a captain's chair, for that matter so can my second. So I could use it until my third outgrew it which conservatively is 8 years from now - 7 years of use if it comes out next year.

After an accident early this year we replaced 5 seats and it cost $1200 and we did not get an extra seat. I would gladly pay $1800, if indeed that is the price. I'm not so sure I can convince DH though.

[erinnicolevan]

I would looooove this! My kids are 6, 5, 2, 1 and newborn coming this April. This would solve so many issues I am having trying to figure out what new vehicle to buy.

[chickabiddy]

I have one child, so it holds no interest for me, but considering the difference in cost (not just purchasing, but owning/insuring/operating) between an 8-passenger minivan and a 12-passenger full-size van, $1800 doesn't seem outrageous.