With a limited budget, is it better to invest in a new car seat, or get a used one with a base?
19 Dec 2019
Hi!
It is quite a general question, so I will try to explain the best I can. The emphasis is on choosing a good quality brand with good results in the car seat safety tests (crash tests). That would be my first criteria. If we are talking about a used car seat, the second most important thing to consider is the age of the car seat and the base - how long was it used for. The car seat safety is decreasing by long-term use, being exposed to temperature fluctuations in the car, direct sunlight, etc. The newer the car seat, the better (in this case!. The last important thing to consider is your lifestyle and how often, and for how long, will you be driving with your infant? Do you need to drive with your baby every day? In that case, the base, where you can simply click the car seat in place, will save you a lot of time and effort. On the other hand, if you are using the car only occasionally, the base won't be as important, and a new car seat (without the base) might be the better option for you. Good quality and properly installed car seat is sufficiently safe, even without a base.
To conclude, I would go for a quality brand, no matter if new or second-hand - but only such that was used by only one child before you (so it's not that old). If you are traveling by car frequently, I recommend the base, thus a used car seat. If that's not the case, go for a newer model of some good-quality car seat brand.
Your -very berry- Eli.