2nd Hand Carseats

['Lil Mumma]

Hey Ladies,

I have been trying to find information on this with not much luck.

What is the general consensis on purchasing 2nd hand baby capsules for the car. I know that you wouldnt buy on e that has been involved in an accident but I have also heard that you shouldnt buy one that is over 5 years old? Is this correct? We are buying a new carseat but just wanted to buy a 2nd hand capsule.

Your advise is very appreciated.

[veve]

hey :)

I borrowed a 2nd hand car seat off a dear bubhub friend... ( thank you :D) - I got it fitted by the ambulance... and he certainly didn't have a problem with the seat.

I assume that the ambulance staff would say if there was an issue :)

As long as there is aust safety standard info on it - and it looks in good nick ( I would personally get the ambos to check it ) there shouldn't be an issue..

Is there a reason why you aren't RENTING your capsule??? in qld the ambos rent them for 6 month for $60!! pretty cheap ( includes cleaning when you return it :) )

xxx

[caz]

Personally I wouldn't trust a second hand car seat or capsule, unless its been its been checked thoroughly by an expert. I was offered a car seat but decided to go buy one that could be used from birth. It was for my own peace of mind because a car seat is in a car for a few years and in that time it could deteriorate IMO

[ThomasMum]

Hi here's my reply from previous similar thread not so long ago in regards to 2nd Hand Carseat. Hope this helps


Hi there, there was a segment on 'Mornings With Kerri Anne' on Nine Network recently-about second hand baby stuff, I have to say I'm glad eventhough we spent money on Thomas's stuff like carseat, cot, changing table, prams etc but we know being brand new means, its safe and meets the current standards.

Here's an extract from the Infant & Nursery Products Association of Australia Inc. Caring for Australia's Babies. The link is: http://www.inpaa.asn.au/new_or_old.htm

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Products worth buying new every time

CAR SEATS, BOOSTER SEATS, CHILD RESTRAINTS
Just as car designs have improved their safety dramatically over the years, so too have the designs of these products. All new car restraints must, by law, meet the current Australian Safety Standard, generally agreed by experts to be the best in the world.

Using a second-hand product might mean you’re unaware of its history, and this can be dangerous as, if it’s been in an accident, it might no longer be safe. It only takes a small collision to damage or stress a harness or seat shell, and the damage is usually not obvious. With a new product, you know the plastics and materials have not degraded with time and exposure to sunlight.

Buying a new restraint means you can be totally sure it’s safe. In fact, it’s illegal for dealers to sell or hire some older-style car seats as they are so dangerous.

It’s also important to ensure your seat is fitted correctly. New car restraints have full fitting instructions that you must follow to the letter, and these are usually missing from second-hand products.

PRAMS AND STROLLERS
There are many features on new prams and strollers designed for your child’s safety.

There should be two separate locking devices to prevent it from collapsing accidentally. Locks on second-hand products might not work properly.

New prams are designed with high-quality mechanisms to ensure your child’s fingers, arm, legs, head and body won’t be trapped. Plus the brakes on a new product must conform to all relevant safety standards and are designed not to fail.

The latest-design head barriers and five-point harnesses ensure your child cannot fall out during use, which some of the older harness styles don’t do.

It’s also important that the wheel bearings are not worn, as this can cause wheel wobble. While bearings can be replaced, the cost can make the second-hand purchase not such a bargain after all.

TODDLER SEATS
If you’re adding a toddler seat to your stroller, make sure it is the correct one. A mismatched seat can cause your stroller to tip over easily.

COTS
Your baby will spend a lot of unsupervised time in their cot. For this reason, it’s vital that the cot is safe for them.

Design standards for cots have continued to improve, with the latest revision being as late as 2003. The 2003 standard is not yet mandatory but all INPAA member manufacturers of cots already meet this standard.

Most old cots designs are considered unsafe and do not meet safety standards.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope this helps!

Love Peace

Mx