Would you feel safe buying Triumph Advance?

mom2boys · Jul 17, 2007

I had just bought a Triumph Advance the day before the Chicago Tribune article came out on Dorel and Evenflo. Now, I am having issues trusting Evenflo enough to keep the seat (still in the box). Am I being overly paranoid? I liked the Triumph Advance because it seems almost the same as the Boulevard but half the price. The seat is for a 16 month old who is 50% for weight, and 90% for height. I would like a seat that will last him until my 4.5 year old outgrows his Regent (if that happens before the 6 year expiration date). I had my search down to the BLVD, Triumph Advance, Como/Signo. Should I just go with a Britax or Recaro now since these brands are considered high on the safety factor? This is so confusing!!

I am just wondering if anyone else has ruled out the Evenflo Triumph Advance because of this article.

skipspin · Jul 17, 2007

First, I didn't read the whole article.

That being said, I would use the Triumph Advance for my child if it fit my needs. Most likely it won't since I will need three-across at some point and it's wide. Evenflo isn't my favorite company, but I have a Chase that I have had no problems with. I mostly don't like their infant seats. I wouldn't buy an Evenflo infant seat unless for some reason it was my only option.

ZephyrBlue · Jul 17, 2007

I wouldn't use it, or any other Evenflo or Dorel seat. Not that I think there is an inherent problem w/the Triumph Advance, or Scenera, etc. BUT these companies have proven that they are willing to risk the lives of children in favor of profit margin. And while all companies have recalls, the way that Evenflo and Dorel have handled knowledge of problems with their seats is heinous, IMO. I just can't put the lives of my children in the hands of a manufacturer who knowingly puts lives at risk. So, along with the fact that I don't trust them to correct/pull a product that they know is dangerous, I don't feel right supporting them and endorsing their ethics by purchasing their products. That's just my :twocents:

Kellyr2 · Jul 17, 2007

Personally, yes, I would. If I needed a new convertible, and did not have room in the budget for a Britax, I'd get the Evenflo. The only other thing I'd consider instead would be a Scenera (but you're still trusting Dorel there) to get the extra 2 lbs RF, and then a FPSVD to get the extended harnessing. Buying the evenflo accomplishes both of those, so it just seems simpler to go with it. But if I had the funds, I'd go Britax instead, even though they RF 2 less pounds.

arly1983 · Jul 17, 2007

I am torn....but I think I would rather get a FPSVD, it is narrower and I recently saw one IRL and was very impressed.... (or even a radian if I could get a good install, it has more height room)

The only way I would get a Triumph advance was if I knew space would never be an issue, and my child was really young and heavy and I needed the extra two lbs RFing to get him to age two at least (and I couldn't afford or wait for a recaro) ....

Did I rule the advance out purely based on that article? No, but it did influence me in a direction I was already headed in...

mimieliza · Jul 17, 2007

I was considering the Triumph Advance, but the article has made me reconsider.

It seems like a great seat, but there isn't a lot of real world data with it. I guess if I was going to trust an Evenflo or Dorel seat, I'd like something that's been on the market for awhile (although that's no guarantee, either).

It's hard, though, because the Advance seems like such a great seat! And while I was apalled at Evenflo's conduct in the article, I do really like that they have produced a HWH seat that seems easy to use and allows for both extended rear-facing and harnessing.

abacus2 · Jul 17, 2007

While I don't like how Evenflo conducts themselves, I definately rate them better than Dorel. It seems to me that Evenflo is just really, really bad at designing infant seats, but Dorel cuts every corner that doesn't put them out of business to maximize profits. This article wouldn't make me avoid the Triumph Advance, but it makes me very, very glad I didn't buy an Apex.

natysr · Jul 17, 2007

Yes, I would feel comfortable using the seat. It may not be my first choice of seats, but It is definately in the list of seats I would use. I would also feel comfortable recommending it to others.

As far as the company's practices...can't say I'm happy with it...but...as far as I can tell, they are not going away, and they are not going to stop making seats. So, if consumers show the company with their $$ as to the types of seats they want, then that is a good thing and they maybe continue to make better seats and maybe better choices.

all together ooky · Jul 17, 2007

:yeahthat:

Wineaux · Jul 17, 2007

ZephyrBlue said:
I wouldn't use it, or any other Evenflo or Dorel seat. Not that I think there is an inherent problem w/the Triumph Advance, or Scenera, etc. BUT these companies have proven that they are willing to risk the lives of children in favor of profit margin. And while all companies have recalls, the way that Evenflo and Dorel have handled knowledge of problems with their seats is heinous, IMO. I just can't put the lives of my children in the hands of a manufacturer who knowingly puts lives at risk. So, along with the fact that I don't trust them to correct/pull a product that they know is dangerous, I don't feel right supporting them and endorsing their ethics by purchasing their products. That's just my :twocents:

My feelings exactly! I would just be continuously asking myself, "Will it fail if the crash is 0.8mph faster than the NHTSA's requirements...
:thumbsdown::thumbsdown:

southpawboston · Jul 17, 2007

Wineaux said:
My feelings exactly! I would just be continuously asking myself, "Will it fail if the crash is 0.8mph faster than the NHTSA's requirements...
:thumbsdown::thumbsdown:

people have mentioned britax and recaro as "trustworthy" brands even though there isn't any *hard* data to back that up (i'm sure marketing plays some role in that), yet no one has mentioned graco in this thread. if you recall the flawed CR test of detachable infant seats, graco was one of two (?) infant seats that remained intact and attached at the miscalculated crash speed of ~70 mph. IIRC correctly, the britax companion failed.

i think people are overinterpreting and overanalyzing the difference between "meeting" and "exceeding" government specifications, and placing too much importance on exceeding. we live in a society where everything around us has to be built to certain specifications, and some barely meet them and some exceed them. we rarely know which is the case with a particular product, so at some point we just have to have faith in the system that regulates and sets those specification standards.

i have a problem buying britax when they put positive spins on all the patches they've made to their seats for preventing them from failing government standards. that to me is immoral. sure, it's business, but it's the moral low ground if you ask me. i would have no problem whatsoever trusting the new evenflo advance.

scatterbunny · Jul 17, 2007

Yes, I'd use the Triumph Advanced.

I feel the same as Wineaux and others who mistrust the carseat companies, however my mistrust is equally spread out among all the companies, I think. I just have no faith in the self-certifying system that's currently in place, it really bothers me. If a company is not willing to be open about testing procedures and results, I worry. I can't help it, it's just how I am.

But at the same time, I've got to choose SOMETHING, right?

So I choose what fits my daughter best, what works in my vehicle, what I feel will protect her the most. But how I do really KNOW? SPB points out that in today's society we rarely know which products just meet or exceed set standards, and that might be true, but carseats are one item that we should be told all the details about: I want to know it all, and if one or two of the companies see fit to release testing data, there's no reason all of them shouldn't, unless they have something to hide.

I'm feeling a bit pessimistic right now, maybe I shouldn't be posting.

southpawboston · Jul 17, 2007

do you remember the firestone/ford fiasco with the blowout tires that came on explorers back in the 90s? that's yet another example of a manufacturer (firestone) of a *critical* safety device who KNEW their product was unsafe, yet continued to produce it and equip new vehicles with it. does that make you question the test data for every brand of tire you buy for your car? i highly doubt it. this is what i'm getting at. carseats aren't the only safety device for which safety data is witheld. but in this world, it's just impossible to keep on top of all that info and weeding out the good from the bad. all we have are consumer reviews and standardized testing agencies. we can speculate all we want about what companies *seem* more upfront and honest about their products, but in the end, we really don't know what's going on in the corporate conference rooms and what deficiencies in a product are known and hidden from us. even *if* a company like britax seems to be upfront and open with their info like they seem to be with the LBP/SBP snafu, lord knows what other safety problems they know about but will NEVER tell us (in the same vein as dorel and evnflo)... it's all about public perception, and i'm not going to get sucked into that game.

Kellyr2 · Jul 18, 2007

I was just re-reading. I left Recaro out. Because if I was in the market for a convertible right now, that would actually be my first choice. But still, yeah, if I didn't have the budget for Recaro or Britax, I'd go with the Triumph Advance.

LuvBug · Jul 18, 2007

scatterbunny said:
however my mistrust is equally spread out among all the companies, I think. I just have no faith in the self-certifying system that's currently in place, it really bothers me. If a company is not willing to be open about testing procedures and results, I worry. I can't help it, it's just how I am.

:yeahthat:

My distrust is very equally spread out. So far the only one I know that releases some of their test results is SKJP... and thats kind of scary being they make all those aftermarket products...

Id still use the triumph advance.

mimieliza · Jul 18, 2007

people have mentioned britax and recaro as "trustworthy" brands even though there isn't any *hard* data to back that up (i'm sure marketing plays some role in that), yet no one has mentioned graco in this thread

Okay, I'll mention Graco! I feel great about my Graco infant seat, and I haven't really heard any horror stories about Graco that really raise red flags for me.

If Graco were to come out with with a HWH convertibe that was easy to use (maybe with ingenious Safeseat-style lock offs), I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Re: Britax. I think comparing this Regent fiasco to what Dorel and Cosco have done is really stretching. I mean, we have hard evidence that children were maimed or killed by Cosco and Dorel seats. We do not have that type of evidence about any flaws in Britax seats.

arly1983 · Jul 18, 2007

mimieliza said:
Okay, I'll mention Graco! I feel great about my Graco infant seat, and I haven't really heard any horror stories about Graco that really raise red flags for me.QUOTE]

Considering how many people have the most-stripped down model of the snugride, I think we would have heard about it...

Also, I said I wouldn't get the triumph advance, well, I am just not sure, it is still on my list right now so....

But generally, yeah, the whole now knowing about how any of the seats preform does bother me....

Can we do a poll of what kind of carseats the carseat manuacturer's kids and grandkids are in?

LuvMyGirls · Jul 18, 2007

I haven't liked any Evenflo products, so no, I wouldn't buy one of their car seats. I just don't have any faith in them. I'm afraid I would just have a bad feeling in my gut everytime I strapped my baby into it. That's just me.

As far as Graco, I do trust the SnugRide and was very glad to see the Consumer Reports test results on it. I know the testing wasn't done right and we don't have all the details about it, but I really wish all car seats were tested at the more realistic 70 mph or whatever they did for that report. I also have two Graco ComfortSports and a Graco hbb that I'm very comfortable putting my girls in.

And, yes, I would also like to know what car seats all the baby company execs and employees put their kids in. I asked Russ of SK and he does put his own three year old son in a Radian80.

scatterbunny · Jul 18, 2007

Re: CR's 'more realistic' 70 mph testing--

Something like 97% of crashes occur at speeds LESS than 30 mph; while we might travel on roads with 55+ mph speed limits on a daily basis, the VAST majority of crashes statistically do not happen at those speeds.

So while it might reassure us that some seats don't fall apart in a 70 mph test, it's important to note that it's unrealistic to expect a seat to perform perfectly in extreme crashes, like a 70 mph crash. Crashes like that, while they make headlines, are not "the norm".

Jeanum · Jul 18, 2007

Not to mention a crash truly occurring at 70 m.p.h. is going to be catastrophic in terms of likely survivability.

Would you feel safe buying Triumph Advance?

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