Used Car Seats

[cashqueen]

Hi,

I saw on another thread that Disneysteve advised against using used carseats. He said they are not very expensive (debatable depending on what you get) new and not something to scrimp on. I totally agree. That said, what should I do with my used carseats? I have an infant seat and two bases. I hate to just throw them in a landfill. I don't feel comfortable selling them because the carseat expires at the end of the year (yes, they do expire). Any eco-friendly suggestions out there?

Thanks!

ETA - I just checked and it actually expires in May. I don't know anyone who could use it, especially for just the next 2 months. It has never been in an accident, but my understanding is that they expire because the plastic breaks down over time due to the extreme heat/cold they withstand sitting in your car.

[Marikam]

There are numerous people who cannot afford to buy a car seat right now. A simple note on a bulletin board will relieve you of your seat very quickly.

[simpleyme]

I gave my car seats to a friend who needed them,I bought them new so there was no question about whether they had been in an accident or mistreated.

I am glad my kids are older since kids now have to be in car seats till they are over 8 years old in my state!

[SnoopyCool]

Craigslist on the free section.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I know you shouldn't take used car seats. But if you know the person they are from i think it's okay. Why would your friend lie to you if they were in a car accident right?

[mom-from-missouri]

Donate them to the local pregnancy crisis center. Or , contact your local fire department/police department. Sometimes they loan or provide them to a family who has lost theirs in a fire or theft.

[disneysteve]

OP wasn't asking how to get rid of a car seat so that someone else could use it. The question was what to do with it when it shouldn't be used anymore. Rather than just putting it in the trash and having it go to a landfill, can anything else be done? The only thing I can think of is if someone would use it just as a seat, like to put the baby down in the family room, but not actually use it in a car.

[SnoopyCool]

Well then, use it as a planter in the front yard. Hey... they use toilets, so why not?

[simpleyme]

if they are truley unusable they should just be destroyed or some one may not know they are bad and attempt to use them in a car

[Scanner]

I think that bit of advice is mainstream - don't buy used car seats because they may have been in an accident but I disagree with that bit of mainstream wisdom. I think some crafty PR rep. thought up that advice.

I would just ask, "Has it been in an accident?" and do your research if there is any recalls on a certain brand.

IF someone would lie about a car seat being in a major accident, that's pretty low. I am not "overly" trusting of people but you have to trust people to a certain extent.

I am normally not a conspiracist by nature but I think the whole car seat industry is way blown out of proportion - from the actual safety they provide to their "expiration" date. Reminds me of "freshness dating" from Diet Pepsi.

They keep me in business though, as a chiropractor.

[Scanner]

How to Dispose of a Car Seat | eHow.com

[sweeps]

I tend to agree with Scanner here. Car seats probably get just as much abuse in shipping from the factory to the store and handling in the store than they get in someone's car.

I say use your best judgment. Ask if the car seat has been in an accident or damaged in any way. Look at it closely for visible damage or belt wear. But I don't see a problem with buying one used.

[disneysteve]

Scanner, a few comments.

1. Used car seats aren't always being purchased from the original owner. I've seen them for sale at Goodwill and other thrift shops. I've also seen them at flea markets where the sellers were professional dealers selling items they've gathered from various sources. Sure, if you know and trust the person, I've got no problem with using a seat that another child has used (as long as it isn't expired). Also, folks may not lie but they may forget stuff. Perhaps the car seat was never in an accident but they forget that it fell off the top shelf in the garage onto the concrete floor when they were getting it down for the yard sale. Considering how inexpensive they are and how vitally important they are, why take a chance with a child's life?

2. Diet soda does degrade over time. If you don't believe that, buy a bottle or can of Diet Pepsi or Diet Coke and leave it in your pantry for 6 months. Then open it and taste it. The sweetener breaks down over time and the soda will be quite lousy.

3. I have to strongly disagree with you suggesting that the protection car seats provide is overblown. I will agree that many parents don't install them properly or buckle them properly and that can result in limited protection or even added harm. Used properly, however, they greatly reduce risk of injury. That's been proven over and over.

My daughter was injured in an auto accident when she was 6. She was properly belted into a child booster seat appropriate for her age and size. In the ER of Children's Hospital, the trauma docs commended us for doing that. In fact, they asked for our permission to photograph her pelvic bruises because they proved that she was properly restrained. They said that had she not been in a booster seat (which many parents of older children complain about), the seat belt would have done serious or fatal damage to her abdomen.

I'm curious. How do car seats keep you in business?

[myrdale]

Well then, use it as a planter in the front yard. Hey... they use toilets, so why not?

HA I was thinking the exact same thing, and then I saw your post!

But ya, giving them to the a pregnency clinic or fire department sounds like a great idea.

I am not even married, so I am a long way from kids, but I wouldn't see the problem if a family member or friend offered me a used one. Check it over real good and make sure it is in proper shape. I wouldn't go out looking for a used one though.

I am dubious of the explaration dates though, sounds like planned obselesences to me!

[Bimmer]

Used properly, a car seat is vastly superior to someone holding a child in their lap or strapping a small child directly in with lap or lap/shoulder belt designed for adults. How could you doubt that?

I do have some doubts about the "expiration" thing, though. Plastics break down? True to a certain extent, but they will degrade so rapidly that the seat is un-useable in a few years? A lot of car interior parts are plastic, and they last decades... Possibly a ploy to get families to buy new seats for each child instead of passing them down from one to the next.