Expiration dates...

Unregistered · Jan 5, 2009

How hard and fast are carseat expiration dates? My oldest dds Marathon expires this month. We won't be able to purchase a new seat for her until late February. Is it okay to use her seat for a month expired? Or is unsafe the day it expires? We don't leave the house often, but we do go out once a week. And we have a couple fo doctors' appointments. I can stay home for a month I suppose, but I think we will all go crazy. We had planned to use the Scenera from my mom's car in the interim but I just found out she is 43 pounds. Help please.

TXAggieTech · Jan 5, 2009

They are hard and fast but the seat is not going to disenegrate the day it expires. Ideally you would have a new seat before the Marathon expires but since it is not possible I would limit trips and understand that you are taking a risk. I would not use the Scenera at all with her being over the weight limit.

Is there no one that you can borrow a seat from in the mean time? Or is public transportation an option?

How old is she? If she is old enough then you may want to consider a high back booster as a temporary solution.

carseatcoach · Jan 5, 2009

A Nautilus is about half the price of a Marathon (well, depending on where you shop) and would be a fine choice for a 43-pound child. Could you swing that?

mommy-medic · Jan 5, 2009

That is something you are going to have to weigh on your own. The seat does not magically become unsafe at 6 years and 1 day, but at some point in time it does begin to los it's structual stability- and we don't know if that is at 6 years, or 8 years, or what. At 43 lbs it would be a close call as to wether she actually fit a booster well or not, and the scenera is out of the question completely. You know your seat is expired and needs to be replaced, but you also know the history of the seat, so only you can decide if you can squeeze another month out of it or if it needs to go right now.

Unregistered · Jan 5, 2009

We are planning to get her a Nautilus. We are low income and cannot squeeze out that much money any sooner. She is 4 and quite tall, she's even with the top slots in the Marathon, so she's outgrowing it too. She is nowhere near mature enough for a booster. She's way too wiggly and has a terrible time being still. We have no public transportation in the area. It really stinks. I wouldn't consider using the Scenera anymore. I was actually using at the doctors when I found she was too big and I was freaked out because I had to drive her home for 30 minutes. Thanks for the opinions.

skaterbabs · Jan 5, 2009

chickabiddy said:
A Nautilus is about half the price of a Marathon (well, depending on where you shop) and would be a fine choice for a 43-pound child. Could you swing that?

:yeahthat:

I'd attempt to get a Nautilus. Britax makes great seats, but they're not the best of the best any longer.

bobandjess99 · Jan 5, 2009

well..officially as a tech I can't advise you to go against a manufacturer's expiration date.
however, speaking solely as a mom.....of course the seat doesn't magically turn to dust on the very day it expires. The breakdown of the plastic is a gradual process over time. It is my personal belief that the manufacturers "pad" their expiration dates...of COURSE they do!! I mean....they obviosuly don't want to be liable for their product breaking down.....so I am certain that their expiration date is a CONSERVATIVE date...as in, they are certain that at that point in time, their product is still totally completely 100% safe. At some point after that date, the seats will start to break down to the point where you will get issues like straps pulling through, seats cracking and breaking in a collision, etc. but is that date at 6 years and 1 day? clearly not. is it even at 6 years and 1 week or 1 month. no, I truly do not believe it is. Because if the seats were failing at 6 years and 1 month, then how could they be totally certain they wouldn't fail at 5 years and 364 days? they dcouldn't. My personal belief is that exp dates are padded by at least 6 months, but I have no evidence for that, it's just what makes sense to me. Of course, I would never plan to use a seat past it's expiration, but would I worry AT ALL and/or limit my driving., etc for a seat that is 4 weeks or less past it's exp date?? absolutely not. not even a tiny glimmer of anxiety, worry, doubt or fear. 4 weeks worth of additional plastic breakdown, compared to a 6 YEAR guaranteed lifespan of a seat, can not possibly make enough difference to matter....just knowing a little bit about how plastic breaks down and loses integrity tells me that.

however...i am a bit concerned about one thing..you say your oldest daughter is 4 years old? Are you the first/only owner of this marathon? Because since they have a 6 year expiration, you either bought one that was already a couple years old, or else you got this one secondhand/handed-down. If that is the case, are you CERTAIN the seat was treated properly prior to you getting it?

emandbri · Jan 5, 2009

If it helps amazon has a nautilus for $129. You also might could sell the cover of the marathon to help pay for it, even worn covers can be sold for something.

Joyofbirth · Jan 16, 2009

chickabiddy said:
A Nautilus is about half the price of a Marathon(well, depending on where you shop) and would be a fine choice for a 43-pound child. Could you swing that?

Hi, I'm the OP. We plan to get her a Nautilus. We have to wait till we get taxes back. And honestly, we really can't afford to spend any of that, but have no choice, we must have safe seats.

bobandjess99 said:
well..officially as a tech I can't advise you to go against a manufacturer's expiration date.
however, speaking solely as a mom.....of course the seat doesn't magically turn to dust on the very day it expires. The breakdown of the plastic is a gradual process over time. It is my personal belief that the manufacturers "pad" their expiration dates...of COURSE they do!! I mean....they obviosuly don't want to be liable for their product breaking down.....so I am certain that their expiration date is a CONSERVATIVE date...as in, they are certain that at that point in time, their product is still totally completely 100% safe. At some point after that date, the seats will start to break down to the point where you will get issues like straps pulling through, seats cracking and breaking in a collision, etc. but is that date at 6 years and 1 day? clearly not. is it even at 6 years and 1 week or 1 month. no, I truly do not believe it is. Because if the seats were failing at 6 years and 1 month, then how could they be totally certain they wouldn't fail at 5 years and 364 days? they dcouldn't. My personal belief is that exp dates are padded by at least 6 months, but I have no evidence for that, it's just what makes sense to me. Of course, I would never plan to use a seat past it's expiration, but would I worry AT ALL and/or limit my driving., etc for a seat that is 4 weeks or less past it's exp date?? absolutely not. not even a tiny glimmer of anxiety, worry, doubt or fear. 4 weeks worth of additional plastic breakdown, compared to a 6 YEAR guaranteed lifespan of a seat, can not possibly make enough difference to matter....just knowing a little bit about how plastic breaks down and loses integrity tells me that.

however...i am a bit concerned about one thing..you say your oldest daughter is 4 years old? Are you the first/only owner of this marathon? Because since they have a 6 year expiration, you either bought one that was already a couple years old, or else you got this one secondhand/handed-down. If that is the case, are you CERTAIN the seat was treated properly prior to you getting it?

I really wondered about this because of my dh's OSHA class on his hard hat (made of the same plastic as the seats) and his safety harness (same material as carseat harnesses). They were told they are bad the day after they expire and are unsafe to use. I see your point and imagine this is a liability issue for them too. Thanks for your input. Yes, my seat was a used seat. It's the only way I could have Marathons. It came from my sister. So I know exactly how it was used. And it was used very little and put in a closet in her house because my niece pitched a fit about sitting in a baby seat while her sister was in a big seat (booster) until my sister got her a booster. i appreciate the concern and all the education I get here. I'm prettyt car seat savvy and have learned a thing or two. I love it here.

zeo2ski · Jan 16, 2009

Question: what is your 2.5 year old in? If it's something your ODD could fit in then the 2 year old could do the scenera.

Expiration dates...

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