child restraint anchorage installations in T5

[GTI-VW]

When I bring my T5 California to Oz next year as a personal import I'm going to have to comply with the archaic Australian child restraint regulations despite having isofix fittings factory installed.

I remember when I brought my Mk2 GTI in they drilled some bolts into the roof so I desperately hope they won't try that with the Cali.

My question. How are the top-tether child restraint anchorages done in T5s in Oz ? Do they (hopefully) mount into the floor rails like the seats themselves or do I have to get bloody great big bolts drilled into the lovely California interior ?

As I have a 5 seat configuration (extra single) the floor rail option would be much the better of the two evils.

As to the obvious question of would I use the Australian system ? The answer is a firm NO. I would use ISOFIX seats and put the safety of my children above the law.

Thanks in advance

[The_Hawk]

The Aussie delivered Multivans have the anchor points in the middle of the back of each of the five rear seats. You can see two in use here, the others are all the same:

[rob64981]

GTI-VW,
Can you bring a cali over?
Thought it would not pass the test due to the sliding door being on the off side?
If you have some good info on this could you send it to me on a pm or to robertdmellor@googlemail.com
Cheers Rob

[Tornado T5]

I agree isofix is a superior method of attachment because of it's ease of installation. However the current Australian standard is perfectly OK provided installation is correct. This is the issue with top tether, some don't install them correctly however if done right I think my daughter sat in her seat for 5 years without me touching the fittings once the whole time. I even used a h-harness up until this year. Maybe if the decision makers were advised on the number of incorrect installations and the resultant tragic consequences they might bring forward their future assesment and hopefully alter the adr's/standards.

[GTI-VW]

Well the mini wagon came in with the rear passenger door on the wrong side and you can get VW Vans with doors on both sides so that indicates not a problem. DOTARS have no problem with it but contact with RTA has not been very helpful. They didn't say no, just sent me a bunch of attachments and engineering workshop contacts which I am chasing up.

[GTI-VW]

I read that > 70% of top tethers are incorrectly fitted due to their complexity resulting in Australia having a very high rate of children killed in car seats (800 times that of Sweden). The advantage of ISOFIX is that it's simple, clicks in and out and cannot be installed incorrectly. ISOFIX is also effective against side impact due to its rigid fixing to the seat, an area where top tethers fail. In essence the safety of Australian children is considered less important that keeping manufacturers like Safe 'n Sound solvent. It also helps our local car manufacturers that they don't have to fit ISOFIX and their competitors (imports) are required to modify their cars.

Will have to contact an auto engineer to see what mods are required. Could be a show stopper for me (bastards !)

[rob64981]

It also helps our local car manufacturers that they don't have to fit ISOFIX and their competitors (imports) are required to modify their cars.

My wife has a Holden Cruze(her choice not mine) and that has ISOFIX points in it...
Maybe they are going to try and sell these cars in Europe?

Good luck with your project are you going to let us know your plans?

Rob

[blaast]

You could put isofix car seats in the car before bringing it over.
Car seats are very rarely, if at all, checked for their proper fitment.
Some Aussie families are importing them due to their more simplistic fitting mechanism.

[The_Hawk]

Wjhy we don't adpot the ISOFIX standard is beyond me, even if it's not mandatory it would make a hell of a lot of sense to allow those who have it to use it.

[GTI-VW]

Couldn't agree more. On some parenting forums it's a big angry issue. The top-tether system used in Australia is good but it only works if fitted properly and there lies the catch. It's fiddly, it's difficult to move baby seats between cars and it's rarely fitted properly. ISOFIX has a click in positive fitting, is safer in a side accident and is impossible to get wrong. Child seats can be click fitted between cars and into/out of many types of pushers/prams so baby isn't woken. There are very many seat manufacturers around the world building to isofix standards so there are excellent child seats at very competitive prices. Alas in Australia we are forced to pay high prices both for the child seats (2 sets required if you have 2 cars) and for the modifications required for imported vehicles to meet the unique Australian rules.

The Australian government's interest in setting 'Australian' standards is not about safety, it's about jobs. We all pay to maintain uncompetitive industries in this country instead of using the money to fund better industries. Why do we crash test cars that have already been crash tested in Europe ? Because it keeps the cost of imports higher and discourages competition with Holdens and Fords. This is just one of the ways we subsidise uncompetitive American manufacturers.