What to do about the cosco hbb?

christineka

New member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #1

A reputable person in my town gave me a never used cosco hbb. It was manufactured in March of 2011. I have no use for this seat myself, but I see it as a brand new car seat that I could sell or give away. I am having moral cpst issues, knowing that the seat didn't fare well in the recent consumer reports crash tests. Is Dorel issuing refunds, exchanging seats or anything?

 

T4K

Well-known member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #2

Why would Dorel issue a refund?

Manufacturers can't hand out refunds every time they get a bad review on a seat.

I would keep it and pass it along to someone who may need it. I would think that maybe a 4 year old that uses it correctly would be better off in it than the seatbelt alone. You know?

 

Pixels

New member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #3

I would have greater moral CPST issues with a possibly unknown history seat. Unless it was NIB, tags attached, you don't KNOW it's brand new and never been used, you know?

The CR crash tests said that the seat passed all requirements of FMVSS 213. A child is undoubtedly safer in that seat, even if it cracks, than in nothing or in an outgrown seat.

 

hrice

New member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #4

I thought the issues with the Cosco HBB were those manufactured before 2011?

 

christineka

New member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #5

I know the person that gave it to me. I know she's an honest person (with too much money). I also know that neither of her vehicles have been in any accidents in the past 5 years. Nor has she washed any of her car seats. This one was bought for her husband's car and they couldn't get it to install, so never used the seat. I'd trust this lady's car seats with my own kids' lives.

According to consumer reports, the cosco hbb was changed in May 2011 and those later seats don't crack.

 

Pixels

New member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #6

I understand that you trust her with your kids' lives. But if the seat is used or not NWT, then you are making that judgement for someone else. That someone else doesn't have a chance to decide if they trust the seat's history or not.

Consumer Reports did not say that the seat was changed in May 2011. What they said was they tested seats with March 2010 DOMs, and those cracked. Then they also tested seats with May 2011 DOMs and those did not crack. There are visible difference between those two DOMs, but nobody (except Dorel) has any idea when the changes were made. It might have been in April 2010, or it might have been in early May 2011, nobody knows. It's likely not all 2011 DOMs that are "new."

 

christineka

New member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #7

Seriously, the seat hasn't been used! It hasn't been in an accident or anything. Yes, I have to trust this person's say, but I trust this person. Really, there aren't gobs of people out in the world who get into car accidents and then lie about car seats by claiming they've never been used. I've known this person for many years and she is NOT a lier.

 

bubbaray

New member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #8

I'd donate it to someone. Whomever I donated it to, I would tell them the history you told us and they can decide for themselves.

In a perfect world, everyone would purchase NWT seats for their children. However, the world isn't perfect and there are people out there who aren't using seats at all (when they should be) and IMO, a NWOT seat with a history you are comfortable with is better than nothing.

JMHO

 

mominabigtruck

New member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #9

it's not a moral issue to me at all. If you are giving that seat to someone who otherwise wouldn't have anything than it's a win win situation. Yes, it would be great if they could afford to run out to target and buy something, but if they have to choose between buying food or diapers and a new seat I would hope most parents would pick the food/diapers. I don't know about ya'll but where I am people have to make choices like that.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

canadiangie

New member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #10

Is there a chance she gave you the seat because she saw the CR results and won't use the seat anymore? If it's never been used why can't she return or exchange it?

Realistically, I wouldn't be able to pass it to anyone. A) it's not new. It's out of the box, and it's been installed. B) the CR results were unfavorable enough that I would feel guilty passing the seat on. I suppose a full disclosure conversation could solve some of that (let them decide for themselves), but it's just not my style to have awkward conversations like that.

I'd keep it as a sample/training seat.

 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter

• Mar 3, 2012

• #11

If I know the seat, the I pass it on for free to someone else. Do I do this much? heck no. I don't trust a lot of people with car seats. Carseatponcho gave me a seat. I passed it on to a family and checked the other seats in their car.

 

tiggercat

New member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #12

Can someone link me to the CR stuff on the cosco hbb? I missed something.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

 

soygurl

Active member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #13

tiggercat said:

Can someone link me to the CR stuff on the cosco hbb? I missed something.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

Click to expand...

It was talked about in a post on carseatblog.com a few days ago.

 

turtlemama

New member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #14

I thought Consumer Reports didn't count for anything? I see it all the time when people mention they checked Consumer Reports for this or that car seat. Techs often chime in with "I wouldn't trust anything Consumer Reports has to say."

 

soygurl

Active member

• Mar 3, 2012

• #15

turtlemama said:

I thought Consumer Reports didn't count for anything? I see it all the time when people mention they checked Consumer Reports for this or that car seat. Techs often chime in with "I wouldn't trust anything Consumer Reports has to say."

Click to expand...

From what I've heard (see this carseatblog post from about a month ago), CR and their testing methods have significantly improved. :shrug-shoulders: