Australian car seat $$$ comparison

[Joddle]

Hi everyone,
I am from Australia and just wanted to point out and question the price differences between Australian and International car seats.

The first car seat pictured is "Go Safe" brand. The least safe car seat in Aus, although it meets Aust Standards. It is extremely flimsy, has low belt slots, and only RF to 19lbs
It also installs terribly, no lock offs and awful belt paths.
It costs AUD$179 ON SALE!!! About $200 not on sale.

The second car seat pictured is a "Safe N Sound (aka Britax) Platinum AHR Air Cushion". It is by far the safest car seat in Aus, with air bags beside bub's head. It is strong and has a secure install. HOWEVER it still only RF to 26lbs! It retails for..... wait for it.... AUD$670!!!!
IMO, it doesn't matter how safe a car seat is FF if a child cannot RF until at least 2yo.

Anyway, from what I've been reading on here, it seems the Radian is your most expensive car seat? PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong, I only want to know the differences! I found it online for about AUD$240.

I think that the difference in standards is ridiculous.
Australian Standards are supposedly some of the best in the world, but my research over the past 6 months has definately shown me otherwise!!!

 

[Neatfreak]

I think that every country thinks that their own standards are the "best in the world"

I think that there are a few seats in the US that are pricier than Radians. Recaro, maybe?

 

[msg221]

The Britax Advocate CS is probably the most expensive I can think of, $369.99 when it's not on sale.

Joddle, I have a lot of family who live in Australia. I was shocked when my cousin's wife told me that Australian law also allows FF at 6 months! I asked her about it after she posted a pic of her then 5.5 month old nephew sitting FF. (yes, he shouldn't have been, but she said his mother said he was too fussy sitting RF. Also, the harness was horribly loose on him. That photo made me cringe, which is why I asked her about it. That's when I also learned about such low RF weight limits on seats there.

 

[mommy-medic]

What about the "Orbitz" baby system (that I personally feel is targeting celebrities/status symbols- wo else could afford the darn thing?) http://shoporbitbaby.com/product/stroller-travel-system-g2/ (for just the "starter kit" )

To the OP- I personally LOVE the Radian- mine RF's to 45 lbs (about 20 kg). As much as you have researched I'm sure you've found out a lot about it. I can't believe the price differences you have there either- and that the radian would be so, well, "cheap"

 

[Joddle]

Wow, that Orbitz thing is ridiculous!!!
Marsha, my Godson has just turned 6 months and his mum wanted me to help her turn his carseat around (she knows what I'm like ). Thank God I talked her out of it though, as I found out not long after he only weighs 11lbs!!!
I just don't understand why Aus has a branch of Britax seats over here, but have none of the features/weight limits to match.

 

[finn]

I'm in New Zealand, the Radian is $500 NZD, which is $370 USD or $380 AUD!

 

[AmieRubyJonah]

Where are you getting your info from? The go safe actually did quite well in the CREP tests and we don't know how safe the platinum is as its only new on the market and wasn't tested in the last round of results.

 

[AmieRubyJonah]

I do agree with you in aus standards abs laws though. I imported 2 radians to keep my 13mth old RF and my 5yo harnessed. They came to about 500AUD including shipping.

 

[AmieRubyJonah]

CREP results 2010:

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/downloads/children/crep.pdf

 

[Joddle]

In the tests I looked at, Go Safe convertible only got 2 stars. I know i shouldnt have, but i assumed the platinum was the safest as it is similar to the meridian AHR, just with the added air cushions. I was more doing this as a price comparison than safety comparison.
I have to note though, that NONE of the car seats tested in any category got 5 stars, and hardly any got 4 stars. Unacceptable IMO!

 

[AmieRubyJonah]

The meridian ahr only recieved 1 star in RF mode and 2 stars in FF mode. So quite down there on the list for one of australias most expensive seats!!

FWIW though, I don't think they are 'unacceptable'. Aus has quite high testing standards. Includie double the g force of US standards, and includes rear impact testing, side impact testing, and genital testing. Standard US government testing does none of this. That's why I chose the radians, as they are NCAP tested.

If aus pulled there socks up and had seats that RF beyond 12kg and harnessed beyond 18kg, then I would have no probe using our seats.

Www.childrestraints.co.nz has more info on what countries do what testing, and as you can see Australia by far exceeds them all, they just need to get with the times in other areas!

 

[Joddle]

The Meridian tested was NOT the AHR or Tilt and Adjust, it was the original model that had no sidewings. Independant testing by Safe N Sound and the ACRI have proven that this ARH technology does make it one of Australia's safest seats.

 

[mumof2]

I have to laugh the the most expensive carseat in australia (least it seems to be) is more expensive the the radian which rearfaces to 20kgs (45lbs) compared to the 12kgs (26lb) Safe n sound and the radian also harness FF to 36kgs (80lbs) where was the SnS only FF to 18kgs (40lbs).

I have a radian for my daughter and love it as does she

 

[mumof2]

Wow, that Orbitz thing is ridiculous!!!
Marsha, my Godson has just turned 6 months and his mum wanted me to help her turn his carseat around (she knows what I'm like ). Thank God I talked her out of it though, as I found out not long after he only weighs 11lbs!!!
I just don't understand why Aus has a branch of Britax seats over here, but have none of the features/weight limits to match.

wow 11lbs glad you managed to talk his mum into keeping him rearfacing. 11lbs is way too little and actually even 6 months (no matter what they weigh) is far too young to FF