I did a big no-no today...

Karen

New member
... I bought a seat from a garage sale. :whistle: It is a ss1 with a 01/08 DOM. I talked to the owner about it, who used it for her DS who just turned one. (I didn't even go there with the ERF discussion. But it was on the highest harness height, so maybe it was a really big kid.) She said it had never been in an accident and that she had never taken the seat apart to wash anything. It has a few barf spots on the harness, so I believe that she didn't wash them. We live in a pretty nice neighborhood, and I hate to follow stereotypes, but I trusted her. I talked to her for a while about it. She said she got the travel system as a gift at her baby shower, but that she is still using the stroller. Here's the kicker, I got it for $25. I thought worst case I could just sell the cover. I inspected it, and I see no stress marks anywhere. The silver on the sides is a little scratched on both sides. Is that normal wear for this seat? Would anyone else but me even THINK of using this seat? I guess I could get all crazy on her and go knock on her door and ask her more questions if I have them. She lives right down the street, and I've said hello to her before. Give me your :twocents:
 
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ADS

abigaylebelle

Active member
Hey I would use it. I'm generally pretty trusting of other people, and I think a neighbor wouldn't want to lie to you because you know where she lives. Once my kid finally outgrows the ss1 I will probably try to sell it and I hope someone will trust me and buy it!
 

Maggie

New member
Sorry, I can't agree with you. You just NEVER know. Really. I'd never do it.

Is it really worth it? I mean, it's your kids safety you're risking. So not worth it.
 

Spam

New member
I'd probably use it. It's neighbor, and mostly likely if they've been in an accident within the last year, you've known about it. I don't even talk to my neighbors on a regular basis, but do know their cars and would know if something happened. It's not like it was a complete stranger 200 miles away.. I'm trusting of people.
 

Karen

New member
Ah, well I don't really NEED it. It would just be nice to have a big bucket. I thought about buying a new one, but it just wasn't worth the money considering that she has a big torso. I have plenty of convertibles. For those of you that never would, would you buy one off the swap here? Like, is it a blanket "no used seats," or just none from people that aren't into CPS? Maybe I will just sell the cover. But I mean $25. Seriously, I had to get it. It was marked at $50, but then she said I could have it for $25.
 

BookMama

Senior Community Member
I wouldn't use that particular seat, considering that you really don't know the neighbor, and you really don't need the seat.

For those of you that never would, would you buy one off the swap here? Like, is it a blanket "no used seats," or just none from people that aren't into CPS?

I might buy a seat from someone here if it was a long-time member whom I really felt I could trust. I guess I just worry about the anonymity of the internet, and I have seen a couple of situations where the seller/trader was less than honest about the history of the seat. That said, I'm not saying that you categorically shouldn't buy from someone else here, just be careful -buyer beware, as with anything on the internet.

(In fact, I'm purchasing a Radian from someone on this board ... but I know her in person, too, and in fact I think we might have worked our first seat check event together before I knew she was on car-seat.org.)
 
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Pixels

New member
Nope, no way, no how would I use it.

Sometimes a vehicle can be in a moderate crash and you can't tell by looking at it. I got rear ended at about 30 mph by a mini van with brake failure. It was a hard hit, $4K worth of damage to my car, 3 weeks in the body shop, bent frame, crumpled the crumple zone, the whole nine yards. But if you didn't look closely, you couldn't tell by looking at the exterior of my car. Most of my neighbors who live in the same 14-unit building, park in the same parking lot, and see my car every day had no clue there was anything wrong.

For those of you that never would, would you buy one off the swap here? Like, is it a blanket "no used seats," or just none from people that aren't into CPS?

Maybe. I honestly can't come up with a scenario where I would want to, because I want the full lifetime (at least for now). Although I wouldn't have a problem with my DD riding in, say, one of pastrygirl's seats. She's a tech, on this board, and I know her IRL.
 

Maedze

New member
There are some here I would purchase from, and there are some here I wouldn't. I would never buy a seat out of a yard sale or off craigslist unless it was new with tags.


I trust people. I trust that people will do stupid things to their carseats and not realize they're stupid, and I trust that people will conceal history because they think you're making too big a deal out of it, etc. :twocents:
 

Karen

New member
I appreciate your input. I know as a tech that I would NEVER recommend buying a used seat. Herein lies my conflict. And I totally agree that I would be more OK with it for a person that COULDN'T afford a new seat, which I totally can.
I guess I am just caught up in the idea of a $25 bucket that DD would still fit in. Honestly, she would probably wake up if I tried to carry her in napping anyway, which is the only reason I'd carry it out of the car. I moved her into the BLVD at 4 months. I guess the grass is always greener!
 

BookMama

Senior Community Member
I guess I am just caught up in the idea of a $25 bucket that DD would still fit in. Honestly, she would probably wake up if I tried to carry her in napping anyway, which is the only reason I'd carry it out of the car. I moved her into the BLVD at 4 months. I guess the grass is always greener!

I totally understand, believe me. We'll need a new infant seat for this little one, and I love to go to garage sales - every time I see a nice looking SS1 for $25, I think, "Oh, if only ... " :p Then I remember that there are probably about two infant seats that will fit in my Focus and Escort along with a convertible and a booster, and the SS1 is not one of them. (Now, if I see a Keyfit or a Combi infant seat at a garage sale, I'll be sorely tempted, but still won't buy it.)
 

lorismurph

Senior Community Member
I would use it. I bought one off Craigslist with no base for only $10 just to have a spare cover for mine (I don't plan on using the seat itself). Since you talked to her, I also tend to be trusting. If you feel comfortable, go ahead. I do agree, the Deco cover is super cute!
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
There are some here I would purchase from, and there are some here I wouldn't. I would never buy a seat out of a yard sale or off craigslist unless it was new with tags.


I trust people. I trust that people will do stupid things to their carseats and not realize they're stupid, and I trust that people will conceal history because they think you're making too big a deal out of it, etc. :twocents:

Yes to all of this. I would buy seats from some folks here, and I would not buy seats from some folks here (and in the "wouldn't" category are people I don't know well -- that doesn't mean that I think they're evil, but I'm not ready to trust them with my child's life).

I also agree that trusting people to have good intentions is different than trusting them to know and care about keeping carseats safe.
 

canmom

New member
I wouldn't use it. I wouldn't buy one from anyone on c-s.prg personally unless it was someone I know in person... lets face it, none of us really know eachother :twocents:.
 

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