Hello ladies!
We are expecting baby #3 in February and our other two children are 6 and 4. I still have my infant car seat that we purchased back in 2005 which is still in great shape. There is a slight bend in the sun shade from when we made our move to England, but other than that it is in perfect, accident free condition. When I called the manufacturer about a replacement part, they told me that carseats are discontinued after 5 years and that I could no longer get parts for it. What are your thoughts? Would you buy new or use it anyways? I am certainly not opposed to a new one and of course want the safest for the new baby. Just wondering how many years you put your infant seats to use.
I would personally buy a new one. Better safe than sorry. The reason they "expire" is because the plastic becomes brittle and can't hold up in an accident after that many years. Be on the safe side and buy a new one. It is worth it for peace of mind. Congrats and best of luck to you!
Look for a gently used non-expired one. You can enter the serial number on-line to find out if it's expired or not. Better to be safe :)
You should also check whether your car seat meets the standard set by law in England (assuming that you are still there). I know that when I go to my home country I can only use it while visiting (and showing proof that I am not a resident there), if I lived there I would have to purchase a carseat that meet European safety standards and has the correct placard on it in case of a traffic stop.
Other than that I would probably use it, especially if you know that it has been handled and stored appropriately.
Good luck.
If you want the safest...I would go purchase a new one. Although I am in the camp there is probably nothing wrong with the one you have, its better safe than sorry.
Unless it has been in an accident or falling apart I would use it. :)
I would use it, especially if it's a Graco Snugride which consistently is top-rated for safety. I believe, in 2007, it was the only seat that surpassed a 70 mph crash test, and I don't think Graco has made significant changes to the inherent safety features.
Personally, I would use the one that you have.
Replace it. The plastic is now brittle after six years and it won't behave the way it ought to in case there's even a minor accident. Don't risk it. Don't use it, don't donate it... get rid of it completely. Buy a brand new one.
For my own personal peace of mind, I would just buy a new one. Just to be on the safe side. It may be in great shape but who knows if the integrity of the seat is where it needs to be due to use.
BTW, congratulations on the new baby!
I just found out that car seats have expiration dates!! Seven years is a bit
long. Things change. I would just buy a new one. Like the State Troopers
told me, all car seats have the same requirements. A $50 seat is as safe
as the $250 seat.
The expiration date is somewhere underneath on the plastic part. It is usually
six years from manufacturers date.
I would replace it. After time the plastic breaks down and isn't safe.
There should be an expiration date stamped into the plastic on the bottom. I would not knowingly use an expired car seat.
Even though it's been YEARS (like 7) since my boys have been a "car seat" each car seat has an expiration date. Pull the car seat out and look at the bottom of it.
I personally wouldn't risk my child's safety...I would go buy a new one.
Congratulations on your new addition by the way!!
There is a program called Safe Kids which will trade out your expired carseats, bike helmets, and life jackets. They also give them out free if you meet the requirements. It is a national program. They do safety checks to make sure car seats are properly installed. At ours, she told me my 6 month old, $200 car seat was recalled.
I would use what you have unless it has been recalled...
I had no idea car seats had expiration dates... that just sounds goofy to me......
i would get a new one
I would get a new one. You can double check to see what the expiration date is, but it's probably already pass that date. Usually the dates are etched into the plastic somewhere on the bottom of the car seat (as opposed to on a removable sticker). You may have to lift the cover to find it.
If it's past the expiration date, you should cut the straps before you throw it out so that no one else can use it in case someone comes across it.
