Question Has my Maxi Cosi Cabrio expired?

tuck0033

New member
Hello, I have a Maxi Cosi Cabrio purchased in the spring of 2005. At the time, it was the previous years' model. I'm wondering if I'm ok to use it with my next baby, due November 2010. I've looked, and there is no expiry date on the seat. I'm considering getting the Radian Sunshine seats for my three girls (ages 5 & 2, and the new baby), and wondering if I should just get it now for the baby and keep the Maxi Cosi for the stroller. I do love the car to stroller convenience of the Maxi Cosi, though, but absolutely don't want to compromise safety. Thanks for any advice.
 
ADS

finn

New member
They have 5 years from the date of Manufacture, if you open the flap at the back the dials (to work out the date of manufacture) are hidden in there.
 

tuck0033

New member
Thanks for your quick responses. It's not the "fix" model, but I'm pretty sure it must be past it's due date from the info on the Maxi Cosi site. Bummer.

We currently live in Switzerland and drive a 12 year old BMW 300 series sedan. The back seat only has a lap belt in the middle, and the backseat as a whole is a bench seat, but the two main seats are designed more like bucket seats (eg, there's a hump in the middle and the outside edges by the door flare). We will likely be moving back to the US within a few months of the baby's arrival, and I'd like to avoid buying a different car for just that time period. I am visiting the US in a few weeks and could pick up a Radian. Do you think it would work along side a Romer Kid (booster) and a Romer King Plus with this kind of seat? Alternatively, can the Romer King Plus be installed with just a lap belt? I'm having trouble finding European-made seats that work with just a lap belt.

A final question, I've heard mixed stories on expat sites about whether or not it's legal, and hence thec children covered by insurance should there be an accident, to have a non-US manufactured seat in the US. If we decide to bring the two Romers with us when we move, will they be legal. ?

Again, thanks for any advice you can offer. -Lina
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
It's not legal to use Romers here, no. They're not FMVSS213 approved. I don't know if a cop would notice, and some insurance companies haven't cared. Your choice. But no, not legal.

I don't know if the Radian would work between those two seats (it can be installed with a lap belt only, though your King Plus cannot). It works well with Britaxes here, especially when facing the same way. But that's not like the Britaxes here. And the Romer Kid is more like a Recaro ProBooster. I don't know how well it puzzles.

Wendy
 

finn

New member
Wow I have a 12 year old 3 series BMW :) They are painful for installing seats! The Radian fits both rear facing and forward facing in the middle using the lap belt, the boot of the Radian fits perfectly in the dip that is in the hump in the middle seat of you get what I mean? Its also pretty upright, I can take a pic if you like? You dont have to move the front seats at all.

The Maxi Cosi Cabriofix fits on the drivers side beautifully (I use mine without the base, as I dont have one and am too cheap to pay the $400 it costs to buy one here).

I use a Britax Freeway (very similar to the Britax Hi-way) rear facing on the passengers side.

It makes a perfect rear facing 3 across :love:

I am trying out some booster on the weekend, I will try a Sunshine Kids Monterey & a Britax slide guard, then next weekend I get to try a Maxi Cosi Rodi, a Graco Logico (Turbo Booster) and a Recaro Monza (ProBooster) I can let you know what fits where if you like? I am hopefully that they will fit on the passengers side :)

I would love a Romer Kid, they look so nice, do they fit well in the bucket seats?
 

tuck0033

New member
Thanks for the info. Too bad the Romer's are legal. THey are great seats. I don't mind getting the Radians, though. Finn, I'd love to see a photo, if it's not too much of a bother.

SOmeone suggested a Y-harness for the middle, instead of a car seat. I've never heard of a Y-harness, and tbh, I don't like the idea of it now that I've seen the photo. http://www.ezonpro.com/products/familyVehicle/86yHarness.shtml Are they really a safe alternative to a car seat for older children? The law here is children in car seats until they are 11 years old, or 150cm tall, so I won't be considering it anyway. Just wondering your opinion, though.

THanks again, this has all been very helpful.

-Lina
 

tuck0033

New member
Finn, to answer your question on the Romer Kid, yes, it fits great in the bucket seat. My DD is very slim, and I really like that it has adjustable width. I feel like she is more secure in it. My only complaint is more with her, that she slouches down when she's tired or being lazy. I suppose that would be true with any booster. Any tips on "fixing" that? :) BTW, the ROmer King also fits great in the seat and I love the way the back clamps down on the seat belt to really secure it in place. When we bought that one, we didn't own a car, but used a car co-op. Having an easy to install seat was critical, and the King was the best around.
 

InternationalMama

New member
They have 5 years from the date of Manufacture, if you open the flap at the back the dials (to work out the date of manufacture) are hidden in there.

It doesn't seem like this is the point of this thread anymore, but just wanted to say that my Dorel seat (who makes the Cabriofix) says in the manual that it is good for 5 years from the date of purchase. I think this is their stance on all their EU seats now. Either way it's expired, but just wanted to get that info out there for anyone doing a search.

And OP, if you like the Römer seats you'll probably also like the American Britax seats when you get here. They often use the same shells and have a lot of other similarities to each other.
 

tuck0033

New member
Thanks. I believe that Britax and Romer are the same, or at least sister companies. That's why I was surprised that the Romers are legal in the US. Likewise, you can't buy a Britax here. Oh well. Even though I know the seats are safe, I wouldn't want to risk the liability in case of an accident.
 

InternationalMama

New member
That's why I was surprised that the Romers are legal in the US. Likewise, you can't buy a Britax here.

You actually can buy seats under the Britax name in Europe, just not in Germany. You can even buy Britax seats in Europe and use them legally in Germany. Also all the seats sold by Römer are made by Britax and some of them are available under the Britax name in other European countries.

Just to clarify about the legal issue: No car seats from any company in Europe can be used legally by residents in the US and vice versa. Even if the seats and companies are completely identical in every way they are certified by different authorities and you have to have an EU certified seat in Europe and an FMVSS213 (or whatever) approved seat in the US.
 

finn

New member
I personally wouldn't hesitate to use an illegal booster, or any seat for that matter.

I tried out the Britax Parkway Slide Guard today, it fits really nicely next to the Radian on the passengers side and it was super easy to buckle with the buckles on the door side of the car.

Pics of Radian rear facing

IMG_1256.jpg


IMG_1252.jpg


IMG_1257.jpg

(I had to put something between the car seat and the passenger front seat as the Radian has a sharp bit on it that was damaging the seat :()
 

finn

New member
Finn, to answer your question on the Romer Kid, yes, it fits great in the bucket seat. My DD is very slim, and I really like that it has adjustable width. I feel like she is more secure in it. My only complaint is more with her, that she slouches down when she's tired or being lazy. I suppose that would be true with any booster. Any tips on "fixing" that? :) BTW, the ROmer King also fits great in the seat and I love the way the back clamps down on the seat belt to really secure it in place. When we bought that one, we didn't own a car, but used a car co-op. Having an easy to install seat was critical, and the King was the best around.

lol nope no fix :)

That is good to know though as ds is pretty skinny :) he loves that they come in lots of colours lol I might have to import one :) (being European seats they are legal to use here :))
 

tuck0033

New member
Thanks for taking the time to take and post the photos, Finn. I presume that if you are using the Radian for a newborn, you can adjust the angle a bit. I"m back in the US in a couple of weeks, so will check them out there, and probably bring one back with me. On using the Romers in the US, we do when we're there on holiday, but once we move back I'll likely pick up additional Radians. I wouldn't worry about the safety of the Romers, but the insurance liability in case we were to ever have an accident. Maybe a bit overkill on the worry, but it's not too much bother to give the seats we have now to friends and pick up new ones there.

All the best.
-Lina
 

finn

New member
To recline it you would have to move both seats forward quite a bit I imagine. I have no idea what angle its at, but its not as upright as my swedish seats.
 

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