Question Best carseats for variable passengers?

My husband and I are in the process of becoming foster parents, we will be licensed for 1 or 2 children at a time, between the ages of newborn (including preemies) to age four...

So I'm wondering what car seats to get? We are thinking we should get two convertible car seats since we could end up with two newborns, two four-year-olds, one of each or anything in between-- and then it could change a week later. However, I am concerned because I have heard that convertible carseats are less safe than size specific ones.

It sounds like the Britax seats are the safest, but they cost quite a bit, right? I have not price checked them yet...I know that buying carseats used is supposed to be a no-no, but how dangerous is it really? Basically I am wondering if a child would be safer in a Britax carseat that was used (but not expired and hasn't been in an accident) than they would be in a brand-new but lower rated car seat?

I'm hoping we can spend $200 approximately, total (about 100 for each car seat, in other words.) However, if to be safe, we really need more than 2 convertible car seats, we are obviously going to have to do that, but I just cannot see us being able to afford like $400 in car seats!!!

Thank you for the advice.

It's wonderful that you're going to be fostering! What a great gift.

All carseats pass the same testing. A used seat can be deadly if you don't know the history. Has it been crashed? Recalled? Is it expired? Has it been treated properly? Has it been checked as baggage on an airplane? Has it had the harness washed in the washing machine? A used Britax from an unknown source is just as untrustworthy as a used Scenera from an unknown source. If Britaxes are out of your price range, fine. They're not the best, they're not the worst. They're one brand of many. I can afford Britaxes, and I choose not to, because I can get seats for less money that will last longer.

If you need seats for newborn to four years old, the first I'd look at in your price range would be the Cosco Sceneras and the Evenflo Triumph 65s on a good deal. The bonus of the Evenflos is they fit newborns up to age five or six or so, and they have a harness you never rethread. It adjusts to whatever child is in the seat. And because it rear faces to 40 pounds, most of the kids you'll have can rear face in it, making your life easier. Less reinstalling to do.

Here it is. http://homestoreproductsonline.com/evenflo-triumph-65-convertible-car-seat-santee-p-197.html One of my favorite seats. Easy to install and use, and very long lasting.

Do you know of the recommendations to rear face to the maximum limits of the convertible carseat, or to as close to four years old as possible? http://carseatblog.com/5168/why-rear-facing-is-better-your-rf-link-guide/

HTH!

Wendy