Another question-carseat protection mats

Momma2Michelle

Geez-you'd think my kid was a newborn instead of a 3 1/2 year old.  We've recently purchased a new vehicles, one of them is a lease.  We decided to buy the protectors that go under the seats, so the leather isn't gouged from the carseat-particularly in the lease.  But in my carseat research-I'm finding that the seat protectors apparently make the car seat less safe.  What are your thoughts on this?

Do you have seat protectors on your seats?

 

Angela814

DH insists on using them because he doesn't want our leather seats damaged. He installs the seats, and he can get a tight fit with the mats, so I don't fight it. If the seat was loose with the mat under it, I'd make him take it out.

true_norskie

Never have and we've had leather interior the entire time we've had kids.  I recently traded in my older Honda Accord (leather) that had carseats in it continuously for 5.5 years and there were no gouges or even permanent indents.

Momma2Michelle

Yeah, that's what my DH said too.  He does install them super tight,  I can't move them, so I guess it's ok.

AnnapolisLari

I bought 2 bath sheets at BB&B and have one on the back of the seat and one across the seat itself. It protects the upholstery without interfering with the safety of the installation and is totally washable when they drop ice cream on it. My seats look brand new after 3 years of car seats in back.

penguingrrl

If he's insistent I would make sure they're tight enough. To do this install the seat without the mat. Make sure there's less than 1" of movement. Mark the spot where the belt is with chalk. Uninstall, add the mat, then make sure that the belt is tight enough that the chalk is where it was.

Mickschick

When Nathan and Morgan were born we were both leasing vehicles and my vehicle had leather interior. We bought the carseat protection mat to install under the seats in my vehicle since that's where the kids would be the most (and mostly because it was a lease and they would charge back for that- DH is in sales and I was leasing from his dealership obviously).

I went to a carseat checkplace to have them installed and the car seat tech warned me against how they aren't safe. Once I explained how the car was a lease he was understanding and he installed the seats for me while using the mat and then set up an appointment with me for every 6 weeks to make sure that they were still installed tight enough. I ended up trading in that vehicle when the twins were 6 months old though and then no longer needed to use it.

J&A2008

The car seats are not guaranteed with the seat protectors, so I wouldn't use them.  They're just a gimmick, imo, and one that jeopardizes your kids' safety.

We've had many different carseats in six different vehicles, most with leather seats, all long term, and we've never had the car seats harm the vehicle. 

CubbyMama

We just have cloth seats, and I put a towel (folded in half) under each car seat, mostly to reduce stains and food junk getting all over them.  The girls hardly sit still to eat when we're at home, so I tend to pack a lot of snacks, juice boxes, etc. for when we're in the car, b/c it's the only time they'll really eat well!