Help re carseats and seat belts!!

Hi we have an OLD 92 Mitsubishi L3000 (I think it's an L3000...) ETA: Station Wagon

Anyway we are getting a new carseat but the seatbelt isn't long enough to go all the way around correctly.

I rung a seat belt and child restraint specialist and they told me we could get a longer seat belt for the car BUT it wouldn't retract all the way back in so the car wouldn't pass a WOF and that there was nothing I could really do about it.

I assume he knows what he is talking about but my question is does anyone know if this is actually true? Or have had this problem and if so what did you do?

We can't really afford a new car but if we have to get a new one I am sure we have family that would be able to give us a loan.

Edited by Lil_Nic9

Okay, might ring VTNZ and see what they say. Thanks

Last time I spoke to Plunket they said it wasn't their job

The guy said it wouldn't retract all the way in so I assume he means some would be dangling out?

ETA: Accidently wrote would instead of wouldn't

Edited by Lil_Nic9

Thanks for your help guys, spoke to vtnz, he suggested the same as you caramel, and like you h he said surely it would come with the whole bit it retracts into as well.

Will look into CMs suggestion though and see if that works other wise looks like we need a new car

oh and those extenders are now illegal as I spoke to my bil and he is in car sales and he said they are now illegal and a few of our friends who work in the car industry say they are now illegal too.

can you get a different car seat?

Not sure, will have to ring them as it's on layby atm (Bubbas gran got it for us and it fits her car fine) although my mum said if need be we can swap cars.

Thats quite strange about the seatbelt extenders being illegal,.

my Mum got one for her Phil and Ted rear facing one as her seatbelt wasn't long enough and we got a extender from baby city for $60.00 and the lady said that 5 other people on that same day had been in to buy them,

Also checked with two mechanics and they said it was totally legal!, As its a common thing these days with Jap imports! ( I hope my carseat fits in the Evo LOL)

Hi Lil Nic,
This same question was asked to our Car Seat Expert just a little while ago.....I'll copy in her reply below. Hope it helps a little

"It would be best not to use a belt extension for use with your infant capsule, or any child restraint for that matter. Child restraints are not tested or approved to be used with seatbelt extensions. Seatbelt extensions traditionally are for adults who aren't able to use the normal length of a seatbelt due to being too big. If your seatbelt isn't long enough for your car seat then you could either replace it with another restraint or try to replace the whole seatbelt system with a longer seatbelt, which can be a bit more costly."

from what a friend told me...

you can get VTNZ to instal a longer seat belt and get it certified (like any modification to a vehicle needs to be) and then it will pass warrants.
its the same process for changing a lap belt to a 3pt seat belt. can be done just needs certified