frustrated with my choices

R

rose4sas

Guest
frustrated with my choices

My son is right on the edge of the height requirement for his infant car seat. We also have an older son who is 2 1/2, 31 lbs. Right now the older one is in the Fisher Price Safe Embrace

At first we were going to get a toddler/booster for our older son and put the younger one in the Fisher Price seat, which we've liked a lot.

I started to follow the same procedure I did when buying the last two: I checked consumer reports and bought the one that scored highest on the safety ratings. But when I checked CR this time, I was discouraged. The only toddler booster that they would recommend without reservation was a Fisher Price one that has been discontinued. (Did they stop making car seats? Why, when they rated so good?) All the other toddler boosters had serious problems when they were tested.

So I thought maybe we should get another convertible car seat, and just go straight to a booster when the time comes. I can't get another Fisher Price Safe Embrace - since they don't make them anymore. I am also having problems finding others that rated well. The Century 1000 STE did ok on the tests, but when I looked at it, it didn't seem to have much for side impact protection.

I am completely frustrated and confused now. I drive a Saturn. It is not LATCH equipped, but I think we will get a new car before the kids are out of seats.

Please help me
 
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C

Caviller

Guest
Hi- Some comments:

First, Consumer Reports greatly overstated their warning on combination boosters seats. All these models can be used safely. See question #29 in our FAQ:

www.car-safety.org/faq.html#Q29

There are also some comments on Consumer Reports testing in Question #30.

Second, the new Cosco Summit does not have the problem shoulder belt guides as do other combination boosters. Unless you child is above average in height, this may be an option for you. I have a review in our Carseat Reviews forum:

pub59.ezboard.com/fcarsaf...D=32.topic

Good luck!

Darren
 
M

murphydog77

Guest
Re: frustrated with my choices

Here's more help for you: www.carseatsite.com/recom...seats.htm. I have the Century 1500 STE listed in the "Seats to Avoid" section.

I, too, would take the CR report with a grain of salt. It's a good place to get some ideas, but I'm a little leery of the way they tested car seats.

Heather
 
D

DaveCS

Guest
Consumer Reports

I find it interesting that you say to take the CR tests with a grain of salt. I have seen several people come into our shop and tell us they bought this car/truck/van because it got a good rating in Consumer Reports. We say: Well... you shouldn't go crazy looking at their car ratings. Some of their testing is dubious at best, and in our experience the ratings don't always translate into a good/reliable car/truck/van.

I wonder how many other people have come across this jack of all trades, master of none, when dealing with CR ratings.
 
C

Caviller

Guest
Funny you should mention reliability ratings..

One is supposed to believe that something with a half or full red reliability circle is far more reliable than one with black. After all, 25% above average on their scale is a lot better than 25% below average...

That is, until you look deep into their April auto edition to read the text about what average means. Their average is 20 problems per 100 vehicles. On a single vehicle basis, that is 0.2 problems per vehicle over the last 12 months. At that rate, it takes years for a car that is well above average to have even one more serious problem (as defined by readers who return surveys) than a car that is well below average.

Consumer Reports greatly exaggerates small differences in reliability, since their rates prove most vehicles are pretty reliable. It is interesting that they don't give any information on their child seat crash tests. No head excursions measurements, no Head Injury Criteria, no relative risk of injury, nothing. I suspect their convenient circles exaggerate very small differences in many areas.

I subscribe to Consumer Reports, but don't blindly follow their recommendations. I was burned by their 1999 car seat recommendations, as were many parents.

Darren
 

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