would you/Have you

rona118

So I think I mentioned before with Baby #2 our infant seat will be expired. Chicco Stroller it clicks into to make travel system will still be ok. I am ok with a new seat not matching the stroller, but found on Craigslist an infant seat (that doesn't expire until 2016) and 2 bases for a great price. They are located up by where I work. Of course th ad says never been in accident. When you google about buying seats via CL, it does warn against. I am going to look at at lunch today and from the pics you can see it is very clean etc. Yet I am talking myself out of it. Please not trying to start any war on here. Just wondered if this is on your list of NO WAY, never would do or sure why not.

Thanks!

AmandaJLewis

So this would fall into the category for me of just spending the money on something new for the assurance that it will be the safest option available.  If the budget was tight, I would save money elsewhere (like clothes second hand, and other things that are not essential or safety related) if possible and just get the car seat new.
no flames though. I would use a car seat from a friend used. But there is an added layer of comfort in that scenario.

rona118

Right.... and budget really isn't an issue. And I say for new we aren't talking $5000 for a new seat. Appreciate the honest opinion.

egpitt22

No flames here at all, but as much as I'd be tempted to go with the set on craigslist I'd probably just suck it up and buy new for the carseats.  I'd buy used stuff for just about anything else, but that's one area that I don't think I could get past.

Luckystar2

I would go with an expired seat over buying something that you have no idea if it was in an accident. Well depending on how expired! Dh is a mechanical engineer and he has talked about the expired stuff before and he doesn't believe in it, ha! Well eventually it could be a problem but that the short expiration times he says are more CYA. We were just having this discussion with some other parents and most didnt even realize there was an expiration and some were knowingly using expired seat.

But you can definitely have issues if a seat has been in an accident so I'd be concerned not knowing the history.

Personally I wouldn't do either and would just spend the money on new for peace of mind. I am totally a stickler on this kind of stuff though.

rona118

Thanks ladies..... I told the seller I want to think about some more and would not meet today to look at. I was going to his place of work (a large car dealership down the road) so not like he was traveling anywhere.

Meghan&Rich

Ditto the others - this isn't something that I would be comfortable buying from someone I didn't personally know.

amyjoy18

Although it would be very tempting, I'm with the other ladies and would buy new in this situation.  In all likely hood, the carseats and bases from craigslist are perfectly safe, have never been in an accident and would be fine.  

However, the thought of me being in an accident, something happening and then me blaming myself forever for buying used car seats instead of new would be enough to make me go for new.  

rona118

Luckystar2 said:

I would go with an expired seat over buying something that you have no idea if it was in an accident. Well depending on how expired! Dh is a mechanical engineer and he has talked about the expired stuff before and he doesn't believe in it, ha! Well eventually it could be a problem but that the short expiration times he says are more CYA. We were just having this discussion with some other parents and most didnt even realize there was an expiration and some were knowingly using expired seat. But you can definitely have issues if a seat has been in an accident so I'd be concerned not knowing the history. Personally I wouldn't do either and would just spend the money on new for peace of mind. I am totally a stickler on this kind of stuff though.

DH is not a mechical engineer but also thinks the whole expiration date this is bogus. I don't want to take a chance. Our seat and bases expire in April-- due in May.

lishie

Luckystar2 said:

I would go with an expired seat over buying something that you have no idea if it was in an accident. Well depending on how expired! Dh is a mechanical engineer and he has talked about the expired stuff before and he doesn't believe in it, ha! Well eventually it could be a problem but that the short expiration times he says are more CYA. We were just having this discussion with some other parents and most didnt even realize there was an expiration and some were knowingly using expired

My DH is also a mech-e and also doesn't believe the items expire. Must be a mech-e thing.

He firmly believes they're made with the same materials the straps & plastics of the rest of the car are constructed from & that seats & seatbelts in the car don't expire.

I wouldn't trust 100% that they hadn't been in an accident though. For that reason I may skip this deal.

4EvR&4AlWz

I would use the expired seat. I have zero problems using an expired seat (I think it's more cya), especially if it was my seat and within a few years.

smynings_bride

I agree that I wouldn't buy one on CL because I'd be afraid that it was in an accident.  We had one that was in an accident and DH cut the straps and wrote accident all over it with a sharpie before putting it out at the curb to protect anyone from using it.  Now, we have a Britax marathon that DD has outgrown that has never been in an accident and I don't know what to do with it since I can't prove that it was never in an accident.  I keep waiting for someone I know to have a baby before the seat expires.