Am I a magnet for bad advice?

MariaGlez

New member
Quick recap....looking for a seat for DS 20 month old, 33lbs 34.5 inches (had his Dr visit today so measurements are updated). Need a seat that will fit RF in small car (VW Polo) (the car is overseas)
Went to USA BABY and got bad advice (on different post)

NOW...finally got it down to Graco MyRide and Safety 1st Complete Air since Radian wont fit and I need something that RF to 40 lbs...there is no point getting something that will last just another 2lbs.

Went to BRU this weekend and the usual guy in charge of the car seat section was not there, he is quite knowledgeable....instead the weekend guy (WG) was there.
I got a friend who drives a small car to come along so we could get an idea of how the seats would fit. I asked to take seats outside to put them in the car, WG brought them out, but it was like he was saving my life and was in a hurry to get back in the store...the MR was a very very tight fit, the CA seemed better but still tight.
WG tells me to just turn DS around FF as he is "too old to RF anyway".....here we go again, I explained how it is much safer to RF as long as possible, he tells me that is "just not right" but in any case why dont I just get any of the other smaller seats that will fit the car? I said because these r the only 2 that will RF to 40 lbs...he tells me that weight makes no difference...u can put a child on seat regardless of weight "if u can get him in there"...what? I showed him the big sign on the car seat that said RF to 40lbs...he says oh yeah, whatever, they say that but if u can get the kid in there it doesnt matter....he then tells me how he FF his son "as soon as he could get that sucker turned around" he "couldnt wait" so the kid would be more comfortable and see out of the window. I tried to explain but it fell in deaf ears...he just said, well looks like these seats wont work for you anyway since u refuse to FF your son...and just walked back into the store with the seats!!
My friend and I looked at each other in disbelief....my first instinct was to go after him, ask for the manager and give him a piece of my mind but in all honesty it was 90 degrees, DS has started crying cause he was hungry and I was too PO to go in there and rationally make my point. I was going to write to the store manager but thought I would ask you guys what the best course of action is..manager, head office, letter, phone, in person?

On a positive note, I asked about the 20%off if u trade your car seat in and I was told it would start Friday Aug 28th, they wouldnt do it any sooner, and they had no other coupons available. I am sure there is somewhere on this site I can post this upcoming discount so others can take advantage but where?
 
ADS

InternationalMama

New member
I'm sorry you're not getting good advice on your seats.

I just happened to notice that you are going to install them in an overseas VW Polo. Does that mean you are planning on buying them in the US and then take them back with you to another country?

If so, I'd encourage you to ask for advice on the International Issues board as you might end up with some very different seat recommendations. There are questions about which seat would fit best on a plane, which seats are legal, and which seats install well in overseas cars (for example, with non-locking seatbelts) that you might want to consider before buying.

HTH.
 

Misty-Bug

New member
I would go in to the store and talk to the manager in person. Maybe go in armed with some print off's of the proper information from techs here. Do you have WG's name? If not make sure you mention what he looks like, what day it was and time so the manager can narrow it down.

sorry you got bad advice.
 

Pixels

New member
Unfortunately, no, I don't think you're a magnet for bad advice. It's just SO common.

The (correct) word is spreading, though.
 

monstah

New member
I wouldn't say you are a magnet for bad advice. In fact, if you got the proper, safest advice, we would all be hootin' and hollerin' in joy!! It's unfortunate car safety often falls on deaf ears, but things are starting to look up. :thumbsup:

I would call corporate if you can find the phone #.

And, if you feel so inclined, print off some best practices information and give it to the store manager (not the manager on duty). Just call ahead and ask when he will be there. :thumbsup:
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
No, it's just that BRU seems to be a magnet for employees who are car seat morons.
:twocents:

Hey! I'm sure we know more than the average...er... Taco Bell employee... maybe a little more... :whistle:

I was so disgusted with the advice the BRU employees gave me that I got a job there ;) I don't think writing a letter will do any good :(
 

loverbugsmommy

New member
if your going to choose one of those i would go with the myride... the complete air is not worth the 250 that it costs... why wont the radian fit? its smaller than the myride...
 

Jennifer mom to my 7

Well-known member
probably because the radian takes up a butt load of room rear facing. The complete air will last much longer than the myride by height. And can And with the 20% off for the turning in of an expired seat, and maybe another coupon, it will be less than 200.
 

MariaGlez

New member
The Radian took way too much space RF, no way would it fit in the Polo.

International mama, I am buying in the US and taking the seat overseas with me. I am not at all concerned with getting in trouble for taking a foreign seat there. I have NEVER seen any kid RF pass a year old or so and many kids actually ride with no seats at all, yet I have never heard of anyone, no one, ever, getting a ticket for it (I am sure someone has, but we have never heard of one). I have seen mothers carrying their infants in their arms in the front seat more times than I can count. Of course they love their kids, they just dont know any better.
I asked a friend of mine who is a trooper (equivalent) over there and his answer was, we would just b happy to see him riding in a seat at all.
I will go to the international board though, they probably have some advice I could use, thanks!

I really like the CA, DS looked like he had more room in it even though the seat itself seemed smaller than the MR. My only concern is that given DS size (20mths, 33 lbs, 34.5 inches) he may outgrow the CA too soon once he FF since the limit is only 50lbs? What do u guys think? To what age is he likely to go FF on the CA?

Also, Jennifer mentioned combining 20%off with "another coupon" where would I find one? I asked at the store and was told they dont have any.
 
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joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
The top slots for FF are about 17.5 on the CA, and 16 on the MR. The weight limits on each aren't really accurate, as *most* kids will be too tall for them before they are too heavy. 50 pounds is an 'average' 7 year old, and most kids at 5-6 are fine in a good highback booster.
 

InternationalMama

New member
I wasn't particularly thinking of the legal issues as the main concern although they are there. I just really don't think that the CA or the My Ride are seats I would want to travel with. Especially the My Ride. I know they are both FAA-approved, but with two built-in cup holders I think the My Ride is very wide to fit on an airplane seat. If you are flying a non-American airline I bet they won't let you on the plane with it. British Airways, for example, says the seat has to be 43 cm or less. Of course, you may be planning to have your DS be a lap child?? If that's the case, the international board can give you suggestions about how to check it, but many people don't recommend it.

One question I would ask you before you exclude the Radian is, do you picture yourself driving in your car a lot with lots of other passengers? If not, I could imagine that if you moved the vehicle seat for the front passenger all the way forward you would be able to fit a Radian in a VW Polo. No? You'd have to ask someone more familiar with the seat and the car to be sure, but it's a scenario I could see working. The Radian is such a much more friendly seat for traveling than the other options you're considering.

Also, depending on how important saving money is vs. convenience etc. you could order a Swedish rear-facing car seat for your son to have mailed to wherever you live. I know there are posters on the International board who could confirm for you for sure which of these seats will fit in a VW Polo so there would be no guessing or hoping that it fits and they have awesome rear-facing weight limits (40-55 lbs). If legal issues -aren't- a concern for you and you do plan to return to the US again you could even bring this seat back with you and you'd be the envy of lots of people here at c-s.org.

I don't know what your situation is exactly, but if you want to post details I bet people over on the international board would have some good suggestions. Not trying to be pushy though.
 

MariaGlez

New member
I know what u mean about flying with the MR, I really do like the CA better, my only concern is the lower 50lbs FF limit since DS is already 33lbs @ 20 months. Everytime I have flown in european airlines they have taken the seat away, they will let me take it on board (plus stroller too) but they wont let DS seat in it, even though I bought a ticket for him. At least he should b able to use his seat on the longer leg of the journey (US Airways).

I did think of what u mentioned...pushing the passenger seat all the way forward which would mean only 1 other person would fit in the car. I rather aviod that configuration but it is an option. This whole thing is driving me so crazy I was thinking of swaping cars altogether....looking into the possibility of getting a car with more room in the back...the Polo is manual and I rather have automatic, specially for safety sake, I am simply not that good with gears. Its all about the money now, but I am looking, it would solve all the car seat problems. Wish me luck!!

I did contact a swedish car seat provider but their seats are sooo expensive, I could buy 2 XT and still have change left for what I could buy one of theirs.

Thanks for all the advice I really do appreciate it and I didnt think u were pushy for a minute. I will go try to find the International board and post. THANKS AGAIN!!!
 

InternationalMama

New member
Every time I have flown in european airlines they have taken the seat away, they will let me take it on board (plus stroller too) but they wont let DS seat in it, even though I bought a ticket for him. At least he should b able to use his seat on the longer leg of the journey (US Airways).

I hope they gave you your money back for the seat you bought! What airline was it that took your seat away? Did they give you a reason? You have to be very careful when flying with European airlines that you check their specific policies and have a seat that meets their specific guidelines. (They don't have to accept all FAA-approved seats.) Many do not allow rear facing seats, for example. Many also do not allow seats for children younger than a certain again. Also, they have stricter width requirements. The good news is that many are changing their policies now to make it much easier to use a seat onboard.

If you do think you might need to check the seat that would be another reason I would recommend the Radian. I personally would feel more comfortable checking the Radian because it has a steel frame.

I did think of what u mentioned...pushing the passenger seat all the way forward which would mean only 1 other person would fit in the car.

If you ever did need to put 2 other people in the car you could always flip the Radian forward-facing just for that trip. I don't know where you are going to be living and how much you are planning on using your car, but many places in Europe you can live quite happily without ever owning one so I'd hate to see you get a more expensive car just for a particular car seat and then find you don't even use it very often. Different people have different needs though.

I did contact a swedish car seat provider but their seats are sooo expensive, I could buy 2 XT and still have change left for what I could buy one of theirs.

Yes, it's true, but some of the seats will rear face much longer than the American seats, which might be of interest to you since your son is at the 90th percentile for weight (of course his growth could slow down). Also, you might want to consider the cost of the seat vs. the cost of renting/buying a larger car wherever you live. It might not seem so expensive in comparison!

I hope whatever you decide to get works out great for you!
 

MariaGlez

New member
No, they didnt give me my money back, I did ask twice but was told DS had his seat, but regulations did not allow for a car seat. I even had flight attendants bring the regulation book once, because they didnt even know what the rules were themselves...they said they had never seen anyone trying to fly with a car seat before (that was a regional airline) Even larger companies such as Thomas Cook have not allowed me to seat DS in his seat during take off and landing, but some would allow him to seat in it for the rest of the flight...? I have never been asked to check it in, I was allowed to bring it onboard and then it was taken to "the back" either for the whole flight or for take off, then given back to me for flight, then taken away again for landing....Next flight I will get it in writing from HQ what their policy is and bring print out with me.

Regarding the amount of use, you are right, I have lived in some places where a car was more of a hindrance than anything else. Where I will b living I will b walking (DS in stroller) for the day to day of going into town, but for 2x weekly grocery shopping, dr's visit or just going to visit anyone or anywhere that is not in town I will need the car. I certainly will not b using the car everyday but at least 3x week.
The idea of changing cars will only work if I can sell mine and get the new one (second hand, new to me) for pretty much the same price...otherwise I cant afford it. My reasons for changing cars would be mostly in order to get an automatic so I can feel safer. I wouldnt just change cars to get a car seat in there as there are seats that would fit.
My concern with the Radians are that everyone says they are so difficult to install ...I would hate to get there, not b able to install...then what? I understand CA is easier to install?
 

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