Anyone buy a cheaper convertible carseat?

TheBuddha · April 2011

I see the posts about shelling out big $$ for carseats and started the discussion with H about what we should buy and when. He informed me that all carseats meet the same federal safety standards.

I found a cosco brand convertible carseat on walmart.com for $40 with really high customer reviews. Anyone buy something other than a Britax (which is what I want ::sigh::) and are happy with it?

emilydholmes1 · April 2011

Paging Dreamsicle.

KaramelSutra · April 2011

We just got the My ride 65 (Gracco) and I love it for the higher weight limits. Rear facing 40lbs, front facing 65lbs. It was 130$ at Target

tkvoisin · April 2011

TheBuddha:
I see the posts about shelling out big $$ for carseats and started the discussion with H about what we should buy and when. He informed me that all carseats meet the same federal safety standards.

I found a cosco brand convertible carseat on walmart.com for $40 with really high customer reviews. Anyone buy something other than a Britax (which is what I want ::sigh::) and are happy with it?

I've ready a lot about the Cosco one. It actually got higher safety ratings than some Britax but lacks the comfort for the baby.

That being said, DH would not let me buy a $40 convertible. We got the My Ride 65 from Target like the PP said.

daronsmommy · April 2011

I got the Safety 1st airRide. I love it.

MNgirl326 · April 2011

I have the evenflo triumph and love it! I think i paid $119 for it, when it was on sale

Jessi+Aiden · April 2011

I got a Alpha Omega convertible that I bought at either SAMs or Cosco for $80 and I love it. It works great for us. I do have a less expensive, more basic car-seat that is installed in my MIL's car. It has never been used, but I wanted her to have a way to get Aiden to the Dr or me in case of an emergency. (She watches him in the mornings while I'm at work.) I don't think you have to buy the most expensive seat for it to be safe. One safety expert I read an article by said she actually doesn't care for Britax seats because she feels there are other, less expensive seats that have equivilant or higher weight/height limits and fit better in more cars. I'm sorry I can't remember where I read the article or I would post it for you here.

While you are correct, all seats have to meet the same basic safety standards, some seats have additional safety features that go beyond the federal requirements (additional foam padding for side impact crashes, more resiliant materials, etc.). Think of it like this: all cars in the US have to meet certain safety requirements, but that doesn't mean a mini cooper has the same safety rating as a Volvo sedan. Chances are you're going to be just fine in a Mini Cooper but you would still be safer in the Volvo in the event of a catastrophic accident.

CourtneySue · April 2011

Jessi+Aiden:
I got a Alpha Omega convertible that I bought at either SAMs or Cosco for $80 and I love it. It works great for us. I do have a less expensive, more basic car-seat that is installed in my MIL's car. It has never been used, but I wanted her to have a way to get Aiden to the Dr or me in case of an emergency. (She watches him in the mornings while I'm at work.) I don't think you have to buy the most expensive seat for it to be safe. One safety expert I read an article by said she actually doesn't care for Britax seats because she feels there are other, less expensive seats that have equivilant or higher weight/height limits and fit better in more cars. I'm sorry I can't remember where I read the article or I would post it for you here.
While you are correct, all seats have to meet the same basic safety standards, some seats have additional safety features that go beyond the federal requirements (additional foam padding for side impact crashes, more resiliant materials, etc.). Think of it like this: all cars in the US have to meet certain safety requirements, but that doesn't mean a mini cooper has the same safety rating as a Volvo sedan. Chances are you're going to be just fine in a Mini Cooper but you would still be safer in the Volvo in the event of a catastrophic accident.

Well said!

Dreamsicle23 · April 2011

emilydholmes1:
Paging Dreamsicle.

Hilarious.

I have the Cosco as a second seat for my aunt (sitter) and it seems totally fine. It doesn't have the slide adjusting straps or some of the other things the fancier seats have. It is also approved for RF for up to 45 lbs. which is a big deal now...most of the other mid-price seats are only 30-35 lbs. RF. I wouldn't want it for my primary seat, not because of safety, but it's not particularly cushy and might not be comfortable for longer road trips.

FirstBabyMomma · April 2011

We have the Cosco Scenera because my sister has used them for both of her boys and bought it for us. DD doesn't use it yet (she still sleeps in the car a lot, so it's easier if she's in her infant seat so I can just carry her in) but I think the convertible seat looks fine.

sillypit · April 2011

CourtneySue:
Jessi+Aiden:
I got a Alpha Omega convertible that I bought at either SAMs or Cosco for $80 and I love it. It works great for us. I do have a less expensive, more basic car-seat that is installed in my MIL's car. It has never been used, but I wanted her to have a way to get Aiden to the Dr or me in case of an emergency. (She watches him in the mornings while I'm at work.) I don't think you have to buy the most expensive seat for it to be safe. One safety expert I read an article by said she actually doesn't care for Britax seats because she feels there are other, less expensive seats that have equivilant or higher weight/height limits and fit better in more cars. I'm sorry I can't remember where I read the article or I would post it for you here.
While you are correct, all seats have to meet the same basic safety standards, some seats have additional safety features that go beyond the federal requirements (additional foam padding for side impact crashes, more resiliant materials, etc.). Think of it like this: all cars in the US have to meet certain safety requirements, but that doesn't mean a mini cooper has the same safety rating as a Volvo sedan. Chances are you're going to be just fine in a Mini Cooper but you would still be safer in the Volvo in the event of a catastrophic accident.

Well said!

Very well said, your child is also going to use this seat until age 4 at least. Why not spend more money for a seat that's going to be used for so long. Seems a silly thing to cut corners on to me.

J+MS · April 2011

sillypit:
CourtneySue:
Jessi+Aiden:
I got a Alpha Omega convertible that I bought at either SAMs or Cosco for $80 and I love it. It works great for us. I do have a less expensive, more basic car-seat that is installed in my MIL's car. It has never been used, but I wanted her to have a way to get Aiden to the Dr or me in case of an emergency. (She watches him in the mornings while I'm at work.) I don't think you have to buy the most expensive seat for it to be safe. One safety expert I read an article by said she actually doesn't care for Britax seats because she feels there are other, less expensive seats that have equivilant or higher weight/height limits and fit better in more cars. I'm sorry I can't remember where I read the article or I would post it for you here.
While you are correct, all seats have to meet the same basic safety standards, some seats have additional safety features that go beyond the federal requirements (additional foam padding for side impact crashes, more resiliant materials, etc.). Think of it like this: all cars in the US have to meet certain safety requirements, but that doesn't mean a mini cooper has the same safety rating as a Volvo sedan. Chances are you're going to be just fine in a Mini Cooper but you would still be safer in the Volvo in the event of a catastrophic accident.

Well said!
Very well said, your child is also going to use this seat until age 4 at least. Why not spend more money for a seat that's going to be used for so long. Seems a silly thing to cut corners on to me.

Exactly. And, the Britax Roundabouts are on sale for 149-159 right now which is like, 20 dollars more than the graco. Totally worth it.

JDO · April 2011

We have the Cosco Scenera. It got good marks on Consumer Reports and you can't beat the price. Because it was so affordable we were able to get two, one for each car. That way we can be sure the seats are properly installed and don't have to be moved. I think that poorly installed car seats cause more problems than anything else. And W loves his seat, he used to cry in the infant seat but seems very comfortable in his Scenera. Personally, I'd recommend it.

angelame1979 · April 2011

J+MS:
sillypit:
CourtneySue:
Jessi+Aiden:
I got a Alpha Omega convertible that I bought at either SAMs or Cosco for $80 and I love it. It works great for us. I do have a less expensive, more basic car-seat that is installed in my MIL's car. It has never been used, but I wanted her to have a way to get Aiden to the Dr or me in case of an emergency. (She watches him in the mornings while I'm at work.) I don't think you have to buy the most expensive seat for it to be safe. One safety expert I read an article by said she actually doesn't care for Britax seats because she feels there are other, less expensive seats that have equivilant or higher weight/height limits and fit better in more cars. I'm sorry I can't remember where I read the article or I would post it for you here.
While you are correct, all seats have to meet the same basic safety standards, some seats have additional safety features that go beyond the federal requirements (additional foam padding for side impact crashes, more resiliant materials, etc.). Think of it like this: all cars in the US have to meet certain safety requirements, but that doesn't mean a mini cooper has the same safety rating as a Volvo sedan. Chances are you're going to be just fine in a Mini Cooper but you would still be safer in the Volvo in the event of a catastrophic accident.
Well said!
Very well said, your child is also going to use this seat until age 4 at least. Why not spend more money for a seat that's going to be used for so long. Seems a silly thing to cut corners on to me.
Exactly. And, the Britax Roundabouts are on sale for 149-159 right now which is like, 20 dollars more than the graco. Totally worth it.

Obviously, we all can't afford to spend upwards of $200 on a carseat especially if we have to buy to. You are doing you research on a carseat that isn't as expensive but is highly rated by other users and regulated by the federal government. If there is a catastrophic accident, I don't think the $300-400 carseats are going to make a difference. Just like the PP post compared the vehicles someone in a school bus that are probably highly regulated could be severely injured or killed in a catastrophic accident and those are highly regulate because they carry our kids. Vehicles are crash tested amongst vehicles of the same size/class. Just because you only spend $100 does not mean that you are not thinking about safety, you are that's why you are doing research and looking at ratings/reviews. You find what's best for your family. What we will probably do is spend more money one that we will use for longer trips and less on another one. We need to buy two and I can't afford to spend $200/$300 a piece

HRMJPC · April 2011

My mom has the Cosco seat for when we visit. DD seemed really comfortable in it. However, the straps twist really easily and the plastic on the harness is kinda flimsy and sometimes its hard to release. It really, really annoyed me.

I am going with a Britax Boulevard 70. I don't care that it costs more because it looks and feels a lot more safe and gives me some piece of mind.

On a snarky note, I have noticed that some people will spend $180 on a exersaucer and $50 for a car seat and I can't help but but shake my head.

TAMLVSCARL · April 2011

daronsmommy:
I got the Safety 1st airRide. I love it.

We got the same one regularly $80 on sale for $60. We haven't installed it yet tho since our LO is still in his carrier one.

J+MS · April 2011

HRMJPC:
My mom has the Cosco seat for when we visit. DD seemed really comfortable in it. However, the straps twist really easily and the plastic on the harness is kinda flimsy and sometimes its hard to release. It really, really annoyed me.
I am going with a Britax Boulevard 70. I don't care that it costs more because it looks and feels a lot more safe and gives me some piece of mind.
On a snarky note, I have noticed that some people will spend $180 on a exersaucer and $50 for a car seat and I can't help but but shake my head.

Holy fuvk, please show me a 180 exersaucer.

HRMJPC · April 2011

J+MS:
HRMJPC:
My mom has the Cosco seat for when we visit. DD seemed really comfortable in it. However, the straps twist really easily and the plastic on the harness is kinda flimsy and sometimes its hard to release. It really, really annoyed me.
I am going with a Britax Boulevard 70. I don't care that it costs more because it looks and feels a lot more safe and gives me some piece of mind.
On a snarky note, I have noticed that some people will spend $180 on a exersaucer and $50 for a car seat and I can't help but but shake my head.
Holy fuvk, please show me a 180 exersaucer.

edit. I thought my MIL spent that much on ours, but, thanks to your reply I decided to double-check. It was $130. I suck at numbers. yeah... but still???

anniebet619 · April 2011

I'm going to need 3 so yeah. I think I will get 2 of the cosco for day care and DH's car. My DC provider drops off and picks up the other kids from preschool and kindergarten and takes DD with her and DH drops her off in the mornings. I drive more frequently with DD than DH does and when we go out as a family, we take my car so I am thinking of getting a pricier one for my car. Still of the 2 I am considering, one is $80 and one is $125. And the more expensive one has a super high height/ weight limit.

J+MS · April 2011

HRMJPC:
J+MS:
HRMJPC:
My mom has the Cosco seat for when we visit. DD seemed really comfortable in it. However, the straps twist really easily and the plastic on the harness is kinda flimsy and sometimes its hard to release. It really, really annoyed me.
I am going with a Britax Boulevard 70. I don't care that it costs more because it looks and feels a lot more safe and gives me some piece of mind.
On a snarky note, I have noticed that some people will spend $180 on a exersaucer and $50 for a car seat and I can't help but but shake my head.
Holy fuvk, please show me a 180 exersaucer.
edit. I thought my MIL spent that much on ours, but, thanks to your reply I decided to double-check. It was $130. I suck at numbers. yeah... but still???

$130 is definitely ridic.

angelame1979 · May 2011

HRMJPC:
My mom has the Cosco seat for when we visit. DD seemed really comfortable in it. However, the straps twist really easily and the plastic on the harness is kinda flimsy and sometimes its hard to release. It really, really annoyed me.
I am going with a Britax Boulevard 70. I don't care that it costs more because it looks and feels a lot more safe and gives me some piece of mind.
On a snarky note, I have noticed that some people will spend $180 on a exersaucer and $50 for a car seat and I can't help but but shake my head.

We spent like $30 on our exersaucer at Once Upon a Child. We spent $61 on the swing and bouncer combined also from Once Upon a Child. I just don't understand people spending that much on that stuff either when they are only in them for like 4 months....unless you are having a few kids then I get that but still. My DD didn't really like the swing so she spent very little time in it. I didn't even register for stuff like that, we just bought stuff here and there before DD arrived. DD has been in the exersaucer and jumper since Xmas but she is starting to crawl etc. and I know it's only a matter of time until she doesn't want to hang out in them anymore.

SuperCuteBenz · May 2011

We have 3 Britax seats, but only because I found them on super clearance. I bought our first Marathon in 2008 for $135, our second in 2009 for $140 and our Roundabout 50 in 2010 for $54 with tax!

Target runs a clearance each year around June/July, so I purchase our seats then. I will likely buy a second one for DS this year.

HRMJPC · May 2011

J+MS:
HRMJPC:
J+MS:
HRMJPC:
My mom has the Cosco seat for when we visit. DD seemed really comfortable in it. However, the straps twist really easily and the plastic on the harness is kinda flimsy and sometimes its hard to release. It really, really annoyed me.
I am going with a Britax Boulevard 70. I don't care that it costs more because it looks and feels a lot more safe and gives me some piece of mind.
On a snarky note, I have noticed that some people will spend $180 on a exersaucer and $50 for a car seat and I can't help but but shake my head.
Holy fuvk, please show me a 180 exersaucer.
edit. I thought my MIL spent that much on ours, but, thanks to your reply I decided to double-check. It was $130. I suck at numbers. yeah... but still???
$130 is definitely ridic.

yep, DH and I were going to get one on craigs list and MIL threw a fit and got her the envenflo jungle exersaucer. DD spends about 10 minutes in that thing a day. she's more entertained by our cell phones or the tv remote.

jessiej7428 · May 2011

We have the Myride65. We paid $130. But this week it's only $100 at Target. We love it. It's super comfy. Jordan does well in it for long car rides (We drive 8 hours to Long Island every other month pretty much). I love the two cupholders.

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Anyone buy a cheaper convertible carseat?

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