echoing scatterbunny's comment, i think people are forgetting that this a major new product launch by recaro. and now that we are in the internet age and this forum is much larger than it was a few years ago, products are getting hyped up more than ever before they even debut. this is inevitably setting up the manufacturers for massive criticism when their products are finally released and don't live up to the hype. i was told by someone here that there was a very similar backlash against britax years ago when they were new to the carseat industry. but look at them now. that seems to have been forgotten. i've heard stories about how britax lock-offs fail after a couple of years. and how the HUGS pads rip easily. and how the adjuster straps get frayed (and even break!
). and how the bases stop locking into position after the seats have been RFing. why don't these stories shake people's confidence in britax???!!!
i've mentioned in another thread that this new line of seats (como/signo/vivo) represents a new departure for recaro, who has traditionally only made boosters (start, yong style) and combo seats (young sport). for the US market, those seats were also made in the US and were (are) very high quality. my YS is unbelievably sturdy (blow-molded frame). recaro has made a departure with its new line of seats, as they have branched out into the convertible seat market and have also started making their seats in china. they are BOUND to have glitches that will take a few months or even a year to work out. according to katherine, recaro is already working on revisions to all the complaint items they've heard about, and will be continually improving the seats until all the concerns are addressed. probably by this time next year, the signo/como will have all the bugs worked out and will be truly great seats. and i feel perfectly safe with the early production versions that i have now. there is no other seat than the signo that really fits the majority of our needs, our DD, and our car. and i just wasn't willing to allow our DD2 to be uncomfortable (headwings) in a BV.
i would recommend that unless you have actually used a previous recaro product or had the chance to play with one in a store, that you don't comment on their quality.