Car seat what option

[BlackDiamond]

Pretty sure the neon still comes with the padding. Big w is just giving you a free coloured set with this sale.

[ScubaGal]

This might sound a bit funny but is everyone liking the Neon due to price? Or because of its characteristics?

I had sort of mentally prepared myself for at least spending a few hundred to get the next car seat so I'm a bit surprised that the one everyone is recommending is $149. Is there no difference between this and pricier models?

Should I even look at the more expensive brands or is it all just branding rather than better design?

I see all these car seats for around the $500 mark - are they just overpriced? http://www.babybunting.com.au/car-se...s-0-4-yrs.html

[BlackDiamond]

For me it was it's design, it's easy installation, the fact infasecure is 100% Australian owned and operated, it's been crep tested, it's height markers and it's price.

Definitely look at all brands and all price ranges. What I like and what works for me, may not be the same for you. Just don't let a name or price sway you. Look past that and choose based on design and features. I remember choosing a car seat for our first and I actually cried about it! It's so hard!

[BlackDiamond]

Oh and the fact it fit perfectly in my small car!

[bbhope]

I was also planning to spend a fortune to buy a car seat. However, after reading the reviews and CREP ratting, I realised that the most expensive one doesn't necessary equal better. I am not sure if this is true. Read it somewhere so don't take my word for it. The moulding of Safe n sound car seat is done in Oz and infa secure in China. Perhaps this changes the manufacturing cost. Infa secure is Australia owned so I won't be too concerned that it is made in China (pretty much everything is these days). Different technology and thus why it doesn't need AHR like safe n sound seat. My friend also owned an Infa secure. I am not sure which model but not neon. She really likes it and she is the one pointed to me about CREP.

Psychologically, it can be due to branding. Just like everyone knows bugaboo.

I am going to check out a few today.

[AdornedWithCats]

My impression of the neon is it is so cheap because it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of other seats, not that its poorly designed or anything. Can't you get seats with cup holders & hoods etc? Haha

Eta: yes it was on sale in Feb.

[WiseOldOwl]

Personally, I don't have a Neon and I would only buy one if it was all I could afford. I don't like that the child's head can be out of the shell before the shoulders reach the exit marker. I know it's safe until the eyes are in line with the top of the shell but I just don't like it. I would however buy an Infa if they had easy adjust harnesses and adjustable headrests on their seats because that is a feature that is important to me and why I prefer Safe n Sound. I like Infa's blow moulded shell technology and I'm hoping when they release the new A4 seat later this year it will have everything I'm looking for in a seat. Currently there isn't a 0-4 seat on the market that has all the features I want in one seat.

I think it's a matter of working out the features you want and finding the seat that fits in with those the best.

[Mod-Wise Enough]

Well the meridian has the tilt and adjust feature. I'm not sure if it that one of the maxirider that has iPod connectivity. Never used that. Useless feature.

I've bought expensive and I've bought cheap. To me it comes down to the individual seat. I love the neon which is cheap, I also love the evolve which isn't cheap...

[ScubaGal]

Well the meridian has the tilt and adjust feature. I'm not sure if it that one of the maxirider that has iPod connectivity. Never used that. Useless feature.

I've bought expensive and I've bought cheap. To me it comes down to the individual seat. I love the neon which is cheap, I also love the evolve which isn't cheap...

Yeah see I think cup holders or iPods are useless and wouldn't pay for them. However someone just pointed me to the CREP website which compares models and it lists only the SNS Meridian and Platinum as allowing rear facing to 2.5 years. Does that sound right? It certainly narrows down the search 😳.

[WiseOldOwl]

Well Maxi Cosi had them too but they have been withdrawn from sale in most of the bigger baby stores because they haven't been certified yet as A4 seats.

What I'm looking for in a car seat is a compact design with A4 markers, isofix compatible, easy adjust harness. This seat does not exist yet. Hoping it will soon. I don't care about cup holders or headphones either.