4 ms·

You can also (in the UK at least) buy a second hand 'good brand' for about £20 from Facebook marketplace, or free if you're lucky. You can't get one from eBay

by RobinL 3y ago

You can also (in the UK at least) buy a second hand 'good brand' for about £20 from Facebook marketplace, or free if you're lucky. You can't get one from eBay or a charity shop because ridiculously they're not allowed to sell them in case they're unsafe (eg they've been in an accident), but I imagine the actual risk to the child of gambling on a second hand one is miniscule. We've had all ours second hand, 5 in total including ones bought for the grandparents cars, and we've spent less than £80 in total

jandrese 3y ago
In the US secondhand car seats are almost impossible to buy because the expiration date on car seats is so short. You sometimes can't even reuse car seats for a second child because everybody knows that a seat manufactured before 2020 is a total deathtrap and there have been so many safety innovations it is missing.
- SoftTalker 3y ago
  "total deathtrap" is a wild exaggeration. The expiration dates are to force you to keep buying them instead of re-using what you already have.
  - lelanthran 3y ago
    > The expiration dates are to force you to keep buying them instead of re-using what you already have. Maybe. I do think that the foam they use for impact absorption[1] has a limited life, and degrades over time. [1] I assume it's the same or similar foam they use in motorcycle helmets, which degrade over time. I personally won't use an old helmet (say, 4 years), even if it has an expiration date in the future (which I also never check - I know when I buy it, so I know when I am going to replace it).
    - jandrese 3y ago
      The foam is styrofoam. I've had to tear the seats apart several times to clean bodily fluids out of them, I'm well acquainted with the construction.
  - rodric 3y ago
    > "total deathtrap" is a wild exaggeration. Sarcasm ;-)
- spookthesunset 3y ago
  Those expiration dates generate so much waste. We just give ours away on craigslist.. better than a landfill.

by RobinL 3y ago

jandrese 3y ago

In the US secondhand car seats are almost impossible to buy because the expiration date on car seats is so short. You sometimes can't even reuse car seats for a second child because everybody knows that a seat manufactured before 2020 is a total deathtrap and there have been so many safety innovations it is missing.

SoftTalker 3y ago
"total deathtrap" is a wild exaggeration. The expiration dates are to force you to keep buying them instead of re-using what you already have.
- lelanthran 3y ago
  > The expiration dates are to force you to keep buying them instead of re-using what you already have. Maybe. I do think that the foam they use for impact absorption[1] has a limited life, and degrades over time. [1] I assume it's the same or similar foam they use in motorcycle helmets, which degrade over time. I personally won't use an old helmet (say, 4 years), even if it has an expiration date in the future (which I also never check - I know when I buy it, so I know when I am going to replace it).
  - jandrese 3y ago
    The foam is styrofoam. I've had to tear the seats apart several times to clean bodily fluids out of them, I'm well acquainted with the construction.
- rodric 3y ago
  > "total deathtrap" is a wild exaggeration. Sarcasm ;-)
spookthesunset 3y ago
Those expiration dates generate so much waste. We just give ours away on craigslist.. better than a landfill.