My Safeguard Broke!!!

Dillipop · Dec 20, 2006

As some of you know, I got a brand new safeguard seat a few weeks ago for a fantastic deal!

Never used, from a tech, etc... The harness adjuster nob broke off the right hand side yesterday!

My son picked it up off the floor and asked me what it was for.

I am so bummed that I used the seat for less than a month and it already broke. I have to call safeguard tomorrow to see about mailing it in under warranty. Has anyone had any experience with warranty work with IMMI, the makers of the safeguard. Will I have to pay shipping for the seat? How much is that going to cost me?

Really, I am just so sad the seat broke and now I have to weigh DS everytime we get in the car to make sure he doesn't go over 40 with whatever he is wearing or take DH's car for the next few weeks. I am just really bummed out about this!

scatterbunny · Dec 20, 2006

Aww, that totally sucks.

I know someone on another board that got one of the very first Safeguard's made and had some issues with the cover. I know she had good dealings with IMMI. Fingers crossed that you do, too!

scatterbunny · Dec 20, 2006

http://www.car-seat.org/member.php?u=1114

Steve Wallen, of IMMI, posts here sometimes. That's his profile page, which includes a link to email him directly. Maybe you could contact him instead of dealing with customer service?

SafeDad · Dec 21, 2006

I would definitely contact customer service first. If they can't help you, then perhaps email the address Jenny mentioned. They are a very good company and have always been responsive to my inquiries.

Dillipop · Dec 21, 2006

Safeguard Customer Service is Awesome!!

I called today and even though my registration had not gone through, the woman I talked to helped me out tremendously. She transferred the registration into my name while I was on the phone with her. No problems that I was not the original owner or anything.

I was given the choice of having a new seat sent immediately and getting charged for it, then having the charge removed when the seat was inspected and found to be a warranty problem. Or I could send them the seat and when it was inspected, they would send me out a new seat. Since we have a few pounds in the cargo (without shoes on) I chose the second option.

When I got off the phone, I had a promise for a return shipping slip on my email. When I checked email an hour later, there it was, along with a personal note from the rep I talked to. I have to call her in the AM so she can set up a pickup FOR me. This is above and beyond!!!!

I can't wait to get this taken care of and have a new seat in my possession. The safeguard is really such a nice seat. Maybe with this next one, I can try it with LATCH....

Jeanum · Dec 22, 2006

Impressive customer service so far, that's great. Please share any updates.

Dillipop · Dec 22, 2006

The rep is calling UPS and is scheduling my pickup for Tuesday. She has assured me that their business hours are normal after Christmas is over. I figure I won't hear anything for at least a week (just because of shipping), but will let you know what happens.

I talked to Julie both times. Very nice and great service skills!

scatterbunny · Dec 22, 2006

Oh, that's awesome.

SteveWallen · Dec 29, 2006

Dillipop said:
I talked to Julie both times. Very nice and great service skills!

Dillipop,

I am truly sorry for the problem you had with your seat. I am glad you have had a good customer service experience so far, and I expect you to let me know if it doesn't continue to be a good one. We are a small company, but we take great pride in our customer service. Sorry again for your problem - it is rare, but we'll get it fixed.

Thanks,

Steve Wallen
General Manager, SafeGuard

Dillipop · Dec 29, 2006

Thanks! The seat is so nice! I can't wait to get it back and into our rotation. The seat has made it to indiana and I am just waiting for it to be looked at. I have had a great experience with safeguard so far and am sure it will continue!

becca011906 · Dec 29, 2006

I had no idea that safe gaurd seats are made in Indiana, kinda cool i live here... LOL you think i could get a hoosier discount! LOL

Hope you get your seat back soon!

Patriot201 · Dec 29, 2006

That is incredible... such good customer service!!

I will definitely have to keep Safeguard in mind. Perhaps their GO seat will be a good option for my family in a couple of years.

SafeDad · Dec 29, 2006

Dillipop said:
Thanks! The seat is so nice! I can't wait to get it back and into our rotation. The seat has made it to indiana and I am just waiting for it to be looked at. I have had a great experience with safeguard so far and am sure it will continue!

I like to think SafeGuard takes extra special care of Car-Seat.Org users, but I imagine they give the same quality of service to everyone;-)

jen_nah · Dec 29, 2006

CPSDarren said:
I like to think SafeGuard takes extra special care of Car-Seat.Org users, but I imagine they give the same quality of service to everyone;-)

I would love if they gave us a DEEP discount. I so would buy a SafeGuard in a heartbeat if it was in the Britax price range. But, Dh would FLIP if I spent over $450 on just 1 carseat.

jessica52877 · Dec 31, 2006

I AM REALLY INTERESTED IN ONE OF THESE> DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW HIGH UP (INCHES) THE CHILD SITS FROM THE SEAT OF THE CAR> I THINK I SAW IT WAS TWENTY EIGHT INCHES TALL BUT DON"T WANT SOMETHING WHERE HE SITS AS HIGH UP AS THE BOULEVARD>

Sorry computer had gone wacky! Also, how much is too much for a car seat. I was fine with $300, even a bit more but this price has me going hmmm?

SafeDad · Dec 31, 2006

It's like any other product. The more features, the higher the price. Plus, when you don't sell hundreds of thousands or millions, you have to charge even more to recover the costs of the additional testing and other startup costs. Whether it is worth it or not is really up to each parent. Sure, you can buy a Boulevard for less, but you can buy a Cosco Scenera/Touriva at Walmart for $40, too. All are safe when installed and used correctly.

I have a review of the SafeGuard Child Seat here:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=7391

jen_nah · Dec 31, 2006

CPSDarren said:
It's like any other product. The more features, the higher the price. Plus, when you don't sell hundreds of thousands or millions, you have to charge even more to recover the costs of the additional testing and other startup costs. Whether it is worth it or not is really up to each parent. Sure, you can buy a Boulevard for less, but you can buy a Cosco Scenera/Touriva at Walmart for $40, too. All are safe when installed and used correctly.

I have a review of the SafeGuard Child Seat here:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=7391

While I agree with you 100% you pay for those add'l features but there is a point you price yourself out of the market too. Trust me I really like the Safe Guard and would so love to own one (okay two).

I just think they are limiting themselves to a select finanical class of parents and leaving out mid class families like most of us on this board. If they lowered their price to Britax prices I think they would sell more which would increase their profits to help cover all their testing and startup costs.

SafeDad · Jan 1, 2007

jen_nah said:
While I agree with you 100% you pay for those add'l features but there is a point you price yourself out of the market too. Trust me I really like the Safe Guard and would so love to own one (okay two).

I just think they are limiting themselves to a select finanical class of parents and leaving out mid class families like most of us on this board. If they lowered their price to Britax prices I think they would sell more which would increase their profits to help cover all their testing and startup costs.

There's no doubt they would sell more at lower prices, though that doesn't necessarily mean they would be more likely to cover costs or make profits. There is a sweet spot on the line for every product. Only SafeGuard knows where that is for their Child Seat. Who knows- maybe they don't necessarily want to compete in price with the more mainstream child restraints. After all, many of their competitors are also customers for components like harness systems. It could be the case where a significantly lower price could cost them money on other products in the long run. Another benefit of just having the SafeGuard Child Seat on the market may be that it serves as a nice showcase for new/advanced features that they might sell to other carseat manufacturers. That's all just speculation on my part, of course.

Dillipop · Jan 1, 2007

The safe guard is much lower to the seat than the marathon and clones. The top slots are at least 2 inches higher. I can see my son in this seat until he is past 6, maybe 7-8, whereas he is in the top slot of our marathon and might make it to 5 or so.

With the safeguard, you are also paying for a fantastic warranty. 7 years for all parts, except the harness and cover- which are 1 year, due to the fact they are fabric, IMO. Their sole remedy for warranty work is a brand new seat. No fixing, just replacement.

The seat is good for 7 years, instead of Britax's 6. I love my Britax's, but I am loving the extra year for safeguard and for the radian.

If I hadn't gotten such a good deal on mine, would I have gotten it? Probably not. We have a limited income and I can't see DH oking $430 for a new car seat. I could have talked him into it, but the other seats we have are just as safe and since I didn't pay more than $215 on any of them, that's a dramatic difference. I wish other companies would take a look at safeguard and incorporate some of their features. Mainly higher top slots to go with the higher weight limit, with a smaller footprint than the husky/regent.

jen_nah · Jan 1, 2007

Dillipop said:
The safe guard is much lower to the seat than the marathon and clones. The top slots are at least 2 inches higher. I can see my son in this seat until he is past 6, maybe 7-8, whereas he is in the top slot of our marathon and might make it to 5 or so.

With the safeguard, you are also paying for a fantastic warranty. 7 years for all parts, except the harness and cover- which are 1 year, due to the fact they are fabric, IMO. Their sole remedy for warranty work is a brand new seat. No fixing, just replacement.

The seat is good for 7 years, instead of Britax's 6. I love my Britax's, but I am loving the extra year for safeguard and for the radian.

If I hadn't gotten such a good deal on mine, would I have gotten it? Probably not. We have a limited income and I can't see DH oking $430 for a new car seat. I could have talked him into it, but the other seats we have are just as safe and since I didn't pay more than $215 on any of them, that's a dramatic difference. I wish other companies would take a look at safeguard and incorporate some of their features. Mainly higher top slots to go with the higher weight limit, with a smaller footprint than the husky/regent.

Again, I agree you do pay for their features and such. But, I still think they are overpriced for an excellent product. They are limiting themselves to a select finanical class. My point exactly just from your post about being a limited income family. I think most of us on this site are not rolling in the dough and could drop $430 for one carseat no matter how good it is. Granted I too could most likely talk my dh into one maybe two but like yours he would say our current Britax's are just as good. Which he is correct but like you said those add'l inches and low profile would help us in our current carseat quest to replace a Roundabout & a CarGo but needs to fit in my dh sports car.

But, Going back to the price issue. If they even dropped their price to the low to mid 300's I think they would draw more of a crowd. As they would not be much more then the current Britax prices. Say if they were $330 (so $100 less then their current price). They would only be $60 more then a Marathon. I know I would spend an extra $60 for a SafeGuard over Britax. That I could stomach as could dh.

Lower market price could mean higher sells profit but without hurting their buyers either. They wouldn't be in direct dollar for dollar compition with their buyers like Britax.

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