Author Topic: Any thoughts on car seats?  (Read 16149 times)

Lans Holman

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Any thoughts on car seats?
« on: July 12, 2013, 10:33:26 AM »
Our little one is going to be outgrowing his infant seat in a little bit and we're looking ahead to a car seat.  We've had so many hand-me-downs of other things that this is one of the first things where we're actually looking at paying retail, and it's causing me some sticker shock.  A nice convertible (i.e. rear or front facing) seat is in the $250 range.  Normally my instinct is to look for something used but I've read in a lot of different places not to trust used car seats.  Curious how other parents have dealt with this.

TLV

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2013, 10:42:54 AM »
I've never understood the point of a "nice" car seat. We used the Cosco Scenera (convertible between front and rear facing) for #1, and with #2 coming soon we just bought a Cosco "High back booster car seat", which converts between a front-facing car seat and a booster seat. Each was about $40 from Walmart, and they pass the same safety requirements as any other car seat. The only reason we would consider a more expensive car seat is for fit in the car - say if #3 comes along and we need to get narrower car seats in order to fit them all in the car.

ace1224

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2013, 10:48:25 AM »
i agree it doesn't have to be a britax or anything.  i do like the convertible ones, but the off brands have to meet the same standards as the spendy ones.
i personally didn't do a used car seat.  i bought new, my brother however did use mine for my nephew and had no problems. 

Shropskr

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2013, 10:59:05 AM »
Graco nautilus

It can go from itty bitty to big kid.  The adjustable headrest is great. Cup holders nice for child. Five point when little.  Three point when you can't make them be in the five any more.  My 9 yr old is still in the five point.  Can go to a booster seat with a back and can go to  just a booster.  So if you buy this one your done.  No more car seats needed.

When I checked ratings where as good as Britax. Though way cheaper. 

Good luck.

Rust

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2013, 11:58:29 AM »
For the infant seat we got the Graco rear facing.  The reason was you could purchase additional base's to transport them in other cars.  My folks were watching our baby for us.  I'd drop her off in the morning and my wife would pick her up in the afternoon.  My parents had a base in their car.

We kept her in that one until she outgrew it and then we got a rear facing one that could be switched to front facing. 

We did the research on consumer reports and found the Evenflo convertible car seat received similar/better ratings and reviews at a much more affordable price point.

Rebecca Stapler

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2013, 01:32:45 PM »
I wouldn't buy used from a stranger, but if a friend were getting rid of hers and I knew she'd never been in an accident and the seat still had 3 years on it, I'd buy it. But carseats do expire after 5 years so I would want to make sure it's not too old. DS has been in his seat for 2 years at least, and I don't see that changing any time soon.

We got our Britax using coupons / sales, so it wasn't sticker price. We got one from AllBeeBaby.com, and it was a great price. I think having a Britax is important if you anticipate needing to take out and re-install the seat. I have heard, anecdotally, that Britax are really easy to install. They are easy, but IDK what the other ones are like.

I have heard people rave about the Nautilus because it's so reasonably priced and lasts a long time.

N

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2013, 01:41:35 PM »
car seats do expire-thats one problem with hand me downs- they may be too old.
the reason they expire is that the plastics degrade over time, hot/cold exposures, etc etc and are not as safe.
they may have been stored in poor climates or under piles of stuff. Who knows.
there ought to be a date somewhere on it. I think the lifetime of a carseat is 5-6 yrs about.

That said, I just bought the least expensive one at babies r us. Both kids were able to use it. Now we just have one in a booster. The booster I did get from a friend. IMO, not as big a deal as the bigger ones with a harness.

If it was newer, not used much, I would probably buy a used one from a friend. but of course, YMMV :)

oldtoyota

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2013, 01:42:38 PM »
Yes. My thoughts are:

1. Car seats are a huge rip off.
2. You have to buy them.
3. #1 exists due to #2.

Spend as little as you can. The manufacturers have to follow rules. Even the less expensive ones can't be defective without potential for a lawsuit, so it provides incentive to make a good product.

We bought a Britax and used it for 7-8 years. Phooey on the five-year rule.






Lans Holman

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2013, 04:20:59 PM »
Yes. My thoughts are:

1. Car seats are a huge rip off.
2. You have to buy them.
3. #1 exists due to #2.


Ha.  My thoughts exactly.  Thanks for the suggestions, everybody.  That will give me some good possibilities to research.

KimPossible

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2013, 04:57:29 PM »
I'll admit it, I'm a car seat junkie.  I'm a big fan of Britax seats due to the ease of install.  If you're going to be moving the car seat around much, easy install is priceless.  If you don't anticipate needing to install the seat very often, another seat might fit your needs for a little less, but the price difference between Britax and other manufacturers isn't all that much anymore.  (We do move our seats in and out quite a bit.  Our seats have been in and out of our minivan about five times in the past week.  We also fly with our seats more than once a year.)

AlbeeBaby.com is a great site for buying Britax seats at good prices--just be sure to check the date of manufacture.  The Britax convertibles have a lifespan of six years, which should last your child through the whole time he needs to be in a five point harness.


Rust

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2013, 07:44:55 PM »
All of the car seats they sell now come in and out of cars very easy.  All cars manufactured after 2001 are required to have the posts installed.

Because of this all manufactures have the clip style that makes for easy in easy out.  Not your mamma's car seat hookup.

NumberJohnny5

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2013, 08:42:49 PM »
My thoughts on car seats? If it's against the law to not have one, I'll use one. If you're in a foreign country where no one uses them, just go with the flow. Just hold on tight if you think the driver got his license out of a box of cracker jack's.

Yeah, car seats "expire" after a certain amount of time. So do airbags. How many of you with 10+year old cars have thought about changing out your airbags? No?

I just get something that looks to be in reasonably good condition, and is legal (or legal-ish...I mean US approved car seats aren't legal in Australia, would I be an awful parent if I subjected my children to something as cruel as using a US approved car seat when driving on the left?). If there's obvious damage (heck, even brittle fabric would indicate to me that it may have been subjected to high temps, thus the plastic may also be brittle), I'd stay away. Though if I'm renting a car and paying extra for a car seat, I sometimes have to just take whatever's available, even if it's not exactly suitable

KimPossible

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2013, 10:03:18 PM »
All of the car seats they sell now come in and out of cars very easy.  All cars manufactured after 2001 are required to have the posts installed.

Because of this all manufactures have the clip style that makes for easy in easy out.  Not your mamma's car seat hookup.

I disagree.  We had a Cosco Scenara for travel, while it has LATCH compatibility, it's an entirely different install than our Britax.  I ended up just traveling with our Britax--the ease of install outweighed the extra weight in my opinion.

I've had lots of discussions with CPSTs (car seat installation techs) and hear the same things from them.  Installation ease varies significantly between manufacturers.  And since a seat may not function correctly if installed incorrectly, I'm willing to spend the extra $50 for peace of mind and confidence in my install.

But I'm a car seat nerd.

oldtoyota

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #13 on: July 13, 2013, 08:58:40 AM »
One item I thought was worth the $$ was the Graco snap seat. A "holder" gets installed in the car. The baby is placed in one of those carriers with the handle. You can go from stroller to car "holder" without waking the baby. It is verrrry important not to wake a baby. lol Unless you want to ruin your day. ;-)


NumberJohnny5

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #14 on: July 13, 2013, 03:54:35 PM »
Again, silly me, thought that was kinda standard, so I didn't mention it.

We had one of those stroller + car seat combos, and to make it all work we had a holder that was installed in the car. So just lift the seat out of the stroller, snap it into the holder, baby would (probably) sleep right through that. To reverse you just lift a release latch, pull out of the holder, back into the stroller (or just carry the baby in using the handy handle).

Anything to help keep a sleeping baby asleep is a VERY good thing.

Rebecca Stapler

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #15 on: July 14, 2013, 08:37:00 AM »
One item I thought was worth the $$ was the Graco snap seat. A "holder" gets installed in the car. The baby is placed in one of those carriers with the handle. You can go from stroller to car "holder" without waking the baby. It is verrrry important not to wake a baby. lol Unless you want to ruin your day. ;-)

We had one of those stroller + car seat combos, and to make it all work we had a holder that was installed in the car. So just lift the seat out of the stroller, snap it into the holder, baby would (probably) sleep right through that. To reverse you just lift a release latch, pull out of the holder, back into the stroller (or just carry the baby in using the handy handle).


Those are infant seats. OP is looking for a convertible seat.


I've had lots of discussions with CPSTs (car seat installation techs) and hear the same things from them. [/b] Installation ease varies significantly between manufacturers.  And since a seat may not function correctly if installed incorrectly, I'm willing to spend the extra $50 for peace of mind and confidence in my install.


Ditto. we have our car seat installations checked by safety experts -- either the installation techs or the police dept. When they see that we have a Britax, they say "Oh good! You have a Britax. This will be easy." And even then it takes 15 minutes!

MrsPete

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #16 on: July 14, 2013, 09:29:20 PM »
I've been out of the car seat world for quite some time, but I agree with the majority here:  Buy a moderately-priced new seat, or get a recent model from a friend whom you trust when she says, "It's never been in a wreck." 

Remember, car seats aren't JUST to keep your child safe in a wreck.  They also prevent the child from moving about in the car while you're driving and doing things to distract you or to endanger themselves. 

And a story: 

When my oldest was an infant, I was in a nasty wreck that totaled my car.  I was sandwiched between two cars.  In that split-second when I realized that I was about to be in a wreck, and nothing I could do could prevent that awful truth, THE LAST THING THAT PASSED THROUGH MY MIND wasn't that I might be hurt, or that my car would be messed up, or that my husband would be mad . . . the last thing I thought was that my child was safely locked into a good car seat.  The seat was visibly damaged, but my daughter was FINE.  I called my father, who took her away from the wreck in his car (so glad I'd provided my parents with a car seat) . . . and the very next day I purchased an identical Century-brand car seat to replace the one that was damaged in the wreck. 

RedMustache

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #17 on: July 15, 2013, 09:39:35 AM »
Our thought was Graco was not in the business of trying to harm kids, so we stuck with their cheapest model ($79) for all 3 of our kids.  We had a set of twins and learned of a "twin discount" from Toys R Us... 10% off "big items" (high chairs, car seats, etc).  You just ask for the twin discount at the register, and they'll hook you up.  It's nice with car seats, even with just 1 kid, as most parents I know have 2 vehicles.

There are so many other things you could spend/invest money with kids; if you can get them used from a friend/whatever, I'd do that.

Kaytee

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #18 on: July 15, 2013, 10:26:42 AM »
We have a britax and can't say enough good things about it. Our kid is also a car screamer, but she actually likes the britax. The peaceful rides are worth the extra price. The place we purchased it from matches internet pricing and that saved us some dollars. They also let us take the floor model to practice installing in our vehicles. It's the only one of the seats that the store carried that fit both my car and my husband's truck.

caligulala

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #19 on: July 15, 2013, 10:56:44 AM »
We have two combi cocorro seats which are the narrowest seats we could find to fit in our old car and still leave room for a very skinny middle passenger. Now we only use car share and installation is pretty easy, which is important when you're racing against the clock to get your errands done and have to get two seats in the car.

I'd highly recommend them if space is an issue.

cynthia1848

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #20 on: July 15, 2013, 12:16:20 PM »
We have the Diono (formerly Sunshine Kids) Radian seat. They are very narrow - we fit 3 across the back seat.  We bought them because they are narrow and go up to a high weight limit (so the kids can just keep using them until...middle school?).

ABC123

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #21 on: July 16, 2013, 10:47:17 AM »
Another reason to consider one of the slightly more expensive seats is that they usually allow for a higher weight/height limit.  While legally you can move your child to forward facing at 1 year old and 20 pounds, it is much safer to leave them rear facing until they are 2 years old and 30 pounds.  And I believe the legal age requirement to move to a booster seat is age 4, but it is infinitely safer for them to stay in a regular car seat until they outgrow it by height and weight.  So the higher the limits of your car seat, the longer your child can use them. 

Beckyemerson

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #22 on: July 21, 2013, 10:28:10 PM »
A britax roundabout isn't to pricey. I have been happy with mine.

msilenus

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #23 on: July 21, 2013, 11:18:35 PM »
I'd heartily encourage getting a car seat with self-ratcheting LATCH straps.  Everyone else is basically right that car seats are rigorously tested, but they still need to be installed properly to function as designed, and it's damned hard to get a car seat installed properly.  You should be able to yank sideways on the front of the car seat and have it deflect very little, and with *no* sliding along the seat of the car.  It should feel like it's firmly rooted to the car when you jerk it around.

It's very difficult to get one installed like that with conventional straps, which is why so many hospitals and municipalities make professional installers available for free.  Yet it's super easy if they self-tighten.  I just attach the hooks to the LATCH points, plop my myself into the car seat to create about 200 lbs of pressure into the seat, and wiggle my ass until I stop hearing the ratchets go 'click'.  Easy peasy.

Being able to get a proper install by yourself easily is well worth a premium.  Between visits with Grandma (she doesn't have her own) and the occasional large cargo trip, I probably have to do it about a dozen times a year.  And every time, I've known I've gotten it right.

We have two Evenflos, not sure what model.  Look for the big clunky LATCH hooks that house the ratcheting mechanism.

bonjourliz

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #24 on: July 22, 2013, 11:48:09 AM »
The safest car seat is the one you'll use correctly, every time.  A poorly installed top-of-the-line seat is no good, and even cheap seats must pass the same standards. But a more expensive seat may be easier for you to use correctly. 

Coming out of an infant seat, you need a convertible - a seat that can rear face or forward face.  Rear-facing is exponentially safer for kids than forward facing. 

We've gotten a lot of mileage from our Britax Marathon.  Bought it on sale at Target for like $75.  My son moved into from his infant seat, and is still using it now as an almost 4yo (and he is a big kid, 90%+ for height and weight).  It is really light, so good for moving from car to car (and for flights), very easy to install (easier than the other 4 seats we've used), and easy to use on a daily basis. 

Convertible seats are not cheap, but IMO they are absolutely worth it.  Spend what you must to get a seat that you can use correctly, every time.  The good news is that the seat that comes next... I think the manufs call them "combination" seats ?... those are less expensive.

charles_roberts

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #25 on: July 24, 2013, 11:41:32 AM »
You can by any means purchase a MUCH cheaper car seat brand new!

homemadelatte

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #26 on: September 13, 2013, 08:11:09 AM »
All of the car seats they sell now come in and out of cars very easy.  All cars manufactured after 2001 are required to have the posts installed.

Because of this all manufactures have the clip style that makes for easy in easy out.  Not your mamma's car seat hookup.

I disagree.  We had a Cosco Scenara for travel, while it has LATCH compatibility, it's an entirely different install than our Britax.  I ended up just traveling with our Britax--the ease of install outweighed the extra weight in my opinion.

I've had lots of discussions with CPSTs (car seat installation techs) and hear the same things from them.  Installation ease varies significantly between manufacturers.  And since a seat may not function correctly if installed incorrectly, I'm willing to spend the extra $50 for peace of mind and confidence in my install.

But I'm a car seat nerd.

I'm a car seat nerd too, and it's not worth it for me to buy a cheaper car seat that is crap to install or really difficult to tighten the straps. The best car seat is the one installed properly with the straps tightened properly. We have a graco infant seat with base, and a Britax for the 3 year old. Worth every penny for the peace of mind.

SisterX

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #27 on: September 13, 2013, 11:29:43 AM »
We have two combi cocorro seats which are the narrowest seats we could find to fit in our old car and still leave room for a very skinny middle passenger. Now we only use car share and installation is pretty easy, which is important when you're racing against the clock to get your errands done and have to get two seats in the car.

I'd highly recommend them if space is an issue.

Thank you for this!  This is the make/model that my husband and I put on our wish list of baby items, so it's nice to see a good review.

Have you traveled with it at all?  It's supposed to be pretty lightweight, which was one small part of its appeal, but I would love to hear more from an actual person.

Dee18

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #28 on: September 13, 2013, 02:08:07 PM »
When I was in your position I consulted my friend who was a pediatric emergency room doctor.  She said used is fine as long as it looks to be in decent condition and fastens in to your car securely and is the appropriate one for your child's height.   (She actually went on a bit of a rant about how ridiculous it is that people are always buying new ones.) 

Undecided

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #29 on: September 13, 2013, 05:02:49 PM »
When I was in your position I consulted my friend who was a pediatric emergency room doctor.  She said used is fine as long as it looks to be in decent condition and fastens in to your car securely and is the appropriate one for your child's height.   (She actually went on a bit of a rant about how ridiculous it is that people are always buying new ones.)

What does being a pediatric emergency room doctor have to do with understanding car seat safety? Did she stay at a Holiday Inn Express? Did she say that when a kid comes in to the ER after a car crash, she examines his or her car seat and asks whether the family had purchased it new?

Dee18

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #30 on: September 14, 2013, 02:21:09 PM »
Actually, she also had a degree in epidemiology and had in fact reviewed literature on car seat safety.  She believed part of her job as a pediatric ER doctor was to advise parents on safety for their children.  Since some of her patients were low income, she made sure that her recommendations took into account cost.  She advised new bicycle helmets, but used car seats.


Dee18

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #31 on: September 14, 2013, 02:31:47 PM »
BTW, what did the Holiday Inn Express remark mean?

Undecided

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #32 on: September 14, 2013, 05:17:33 PM »
Studying the relevant literature is a more plausible basis for trusting her opinion.

Holiday Inn: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070710214018AAXBtAS

Lans Holman

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #33 on: September 14, 2013, 05:32:38 PM »
BTW, what did the Holiday Inn Express remark mean?

Yeah, I didn't get that either.  Clearly the MMM forums are not the place to make a TV commercial allusion and expect people to recognize it.  And I'd say if you have a trusted friend with that level of expertise and interest in a topic, you're probably OK to listen to them. 

Freckles

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #34 on: September 14, 2013, 06:41:42 PM »
I'm a fan of getting most things used.  I think with car seats, if you can trust the seller that it hasn't been in an accident, it's fine to buy used.  But, I think that is a better deal with an infant seat that you only use for one year.  A convertible seat will be used for many more years.  I still have my six-year-old in the one I bought for her when she was one.  It's a Britax Marathon and I think I spent less than $250 on it, but even if it was that much, that works out to about $40/year.  I don't think that's very expensive when you look at it that way.  The Britax is very safe, comfortable for the kid, easy to install for you, quality-made and durable, and has cute covers.  But most important, Britaxes have an additional tether that most other seats do not.  Or at least, they didn't when I was car seat shopping.  I admit it has been awhile.  An extra safety device on something that is meant to keep my child safe in a car (pretty much the most dangerous thing children are exposed to) makes it the clear winner in my book, and certainly worth $40 a year. 

We now have two kids and four Britaxes.  We bought two of them new and two of them from a friend.  My older child is getting to the point where she could move out of her convertible seat and into a booster.  I don't intend to move anyone to a backless booster as soon as it's legal.  Rear-facing as long as possible, five-point harness for as long as possible, is how I roll.  I'm not generally a paranoiac but I'm a little cuckoo about car seat safety because my mother was in killed in a car accident.  It's kind of always on my mind how dangerous cars are.  In my mind, this is not the place to skimp.

catccc

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #35 on: September 17, 2013, 11:32:48 AM »
I really like diono radian 100.  You can get it for around $180 on sale, it is an excellent seat, and has a steel alloy frame, and a longer shelf life.  I think 8 or 10 years v. the typical 6, this is due to the steel construction, which does not break down like plastic as it ages.  It's one of the narrowest seats on the market and can fit 3 across in a smaller car (though it is not a small seat and takes up a good bit of space front to back when RF).  It RF from 5-40 pounds, FF from 20-65 pounds, and boosters up to 100 pounds.  (which seems nuts to me since I'm sub-100 pounds as an adult, though I understand this is unusual.)  It is really heavy, so not so great for moving from car to car or towing through an airport (although we have done both.)


catccc

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #36 on: September 17, 2013, 11:35:07 AM »
Also, there are other 3 in one models that go from RF little to booster for big, but considering that they only last 6 years, you might not even use some of the functionality, depending on how conservative you are and how big or small your kid is.  We just turned our nearly 5 y/o to FF because she hit the weight limit for RF.  She probably will be FF in the 5-pt harness for a couple years.  If she was in a regular plastic seat, that would mean that the booster function wouldn't be used at all before the car seat expired.

abhe8

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #37 on: October 23, 2013, 11:17:32 PM »
purpose of carseat is to protect a child in the event of a MVA, so safety is the goal. the safest seat is teh seat that is installed AND used correctly every time. some seats fit better in some cars then others. some are also easier to use, thus (hopefully!) increasing changes will be used correctly more of the time. max age/wt/ht also varies by seat. we went with the diono radians, because they are very narrow, so could fit 3 across. the seats are not the cheapest, but way cheaper then a new(er) car! they have also lasted a long time. my oldest 2 both got their radians at birth and are now almost 5 and 7, still going strong. (oldest is petite). for us, it was a great option, both financially and safety wise. they came as baby gifts, fit easily in the car and will likely last until they can just ride in a regular car sat or at most will need the small $12 booster seat.

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #38 on: October 26, 2013, 08:56:06 PM »
We got the cheapest car seats and booster seats possible.  I think the booster seats were $12 at walmart.  Cosco brand I believe.  You sit the kid's butt on the seat and buckle them in.  They will be over five years old by the time our youngest is out of the booster seat in 7 more years. 

For car seats, we have a hand me down that is probably 14 years old.  The fabric is a little worn, but it has held up fine for the fifth or sixth kid to use it.  The buckles work, the straps are solid seat belt webbing material.  No visible signs of wear to any of the safety related components on the seat.  The seat was stored inside when the kids weren't using it.  It hasn't been sitting in a hot car for 14 years (probably closer to 7-8).  There is some theoretical risk that the plastic might have slightly degraded over the years, but it doesn't appear to be the case based on non-destructive testing methods I have employed. 

We drive very little, only drive sober, and when kids are in the car, we typically drive outside of the dangerous times (midnight to 6 AM) so the risk of vehicular accidents are very minimal.  The kiddo is only in the car seat 2-3x a week for an average trip of 4 miles each time. 

We do have a newer (probably 6 year old) car seat in our other car, but the kid is very rarely in that car seat (maybe 1x month).  It was probably the cheapest model we could find, maybe $40-50 at walmart or target.

ritchie70

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #39 on: October 28, 2013, 01:32:10 PM »
Another reason to consider one of the slightly more expensive seats is that they usually allow for a higher weight/height limit.  While legally you can move your child to forward facing at 1 year old and 20 pounds, it is much safer to leave them rear facing until they are 2 years old and 30 pounds.  And I believe the legal age requirement to move to a booster seat is age 4, but it is infinitely safer for them to stay in a regular car seat until they outgrow it by height and weight.  So the higher the limits of your car seat, the longer your child can use them.
This has been a real challenge for us. Our little one is 18 months, 35+ pounds, and 36+ inches tall. The primary selection criteria for us was maximizing rear-facing weight capacity.

Which meant we wound up with the "Peg Perego Convertible Premium Infant to Toddler Car Seat". At over $300. Ugh.

abhe8

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #40 on: November 08, 2013, 02:52:36 PM »
yikes. 300 is a lot. why didn't you look at a diono radian? RF limit is 45lbs and it has some of the highest top slots on the market? plus, can usually get for less then 200 from kohls with a coupon.

jbird

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #41 on: November 08, 2013, 02:58:02 PM »
I would be comfortable buying from a trusted friend. I hate the idea of all these car seats going to the dump!

We bought our seats new, and I regret our purchase, the Truefit. It was moderately priced, but a total PITA to adjust the straps when rear facing. In hindsight, I would have paid more, to keep my daughter rear facing longer. I guess the lesson I learned is to really do your research. Had I read about the difficulty with harness adjustments, I wouldn't have bought the seat.

KulshanGirl

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #42 on: November 08, 2013, 03:22:50 PM »
I have a Britax Boulevard and I love it.  So does my 3.5 year old, she's been in that seat for 2.5 years and not one complaint from her about the seat, ever.  I like how easy it is to install, we put it in all kinds of different extended family cars using the center seatbelt option instead of latch.  That seat is solid, you can't wiggle it even a little bit once it's in properly and with the anchor strap.  It's also super easy to adjust, the headrest and harness are all attached to the same internal track, so you just press the button and slide it to the right height. 

I was not mustachian at the time I bought it, but I would buy another one today if anything happened to this one.

ritchie70

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #43 on: November 11, 2013, 10:14:35 AM »
yikes. 300 is a lot. why didn't you look at a diono radian? RF limit is 45lbs and it has some of the highest top slots on the market? plus, can usually get for less then 200 from kohls with a coupon.

No idea. My wife did the research on this and I trust her judgement. I just know what we bought.

CNM

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #44 on: November 11, 2013, 02:27:01 PM »
We use the Evenflo Triumph car seat. It can be placed in reverse position (which is recommended until they are 2 years old) and forward-facing (2 years and up, until the kid weighs something like 70 lbs).  Ours was something like $145. 

Also, if you need help/verification on car seat installation, take it to your local police or fire station.  They will check it for you for free.

mm1970

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #45 on: November 11, 2013, 05:59:33 PM »
yikes. 300 is a lot. why didn't you look at a diono radian? RF limit is 45lbs and it has some of the highest top slots on the market? plus, can usually get for less then 200 from kohls with a coupon.

No idea. My wife did the research on this and I trust her judgement. I just know what we bought.
Diono Radian's are great, but they aren't terribly well known. I wouldn't have known about them if my neighbors hadn't told me about them.  They are narrow and help to do 3 seats in the back of a car.

ritchie70

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #46 on: November 13, 2013, 11:12:59 AM »
yikes. 300 is a lot. why didn't you look at a diono radian? RF limit is 45lbs and it has some of the highest top slots on the market? plus, can usually get for less then 200 from kohls with a coupon.

No idea. My wife did the research on this and I trust her judgement. I just know what we bought.
Diono Radian's are great, but they aren't terribly well known. I wouldn't have known about them if my neighbors hadn't told me about them.  They are narrow and help to do 3 seats in the back of a car.

It must be one heck of a coupon to get it off Kohl's for less than $200. The Radian RXT is on their site at $340. It's $255 at "babyviva.com" which is the best price I've found.

Kohl's has the R100 at $260 so i could see a coupon dropping that below $200, but that one has a rear-facing max of 40 lbs versus 45 on the RXT. There's an R120 at 45 pounds that's $5 less than the RXT but I think it may have been discontinued.

clutchy

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #47 on: November 15, 2013, 10:26:23 AM »
Britax.  I don't skimp on children's safety.

nottoolatetostart

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #48 on: December 14, 2013, 04:48:47 AM »
We did a Britax marathon. I saved a little bit for months to afford the purchase and shopped/waited for deals, but hardly found any savings. It stinks. The bummer part is that we bought 2 since we each do pickup or drop off at daycare each day. I would skimp everywhere else....cloth diapering, second hand clothes, fewer to no toys, but not skimp here. People are crazy distracted drivers. I don't trust them. Plus, what if the accident lead to a lifetime of medical bills and discomfort? Hardly seems worth it to save $100 on a car seat.

RootofGood

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Re: Any thoughts on car seats?
« Reply #49 on: December 14, 2013, 07:47:31 PM »
I'm curious if anyone considers the exposure to vehicular crashes in their calculus of how much to spend on car seats?  For example, if I typically only drive my kid 20 miles per week, with the occasional 60-100 mile trip every few months, I have a much lower exposure rate to vehicular crashes than someone who drives 100 miles per week with the kid and frequent 60-100 mile trips.