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restrain all your passengers correctly, drive unimpaired and drive undistracted
the most important things are to restrain all your passengers correctly, drive unimpaired and drive undistracted. Those factors are far more important than your choice of vehicle or carseat.
If you were to read my posts correctly you would see that I was asking about people buying "NEW" cars. I said if you have the money to buy new why not buy the safest car? I understand not everyone can afford new, BUT IF YOU COULD afford new why not pick safer? I have been fortunate enough to always have a new car, but if I had to buy a used car I would still research the same way and find a used car in my price range that was the safest "at the time". Whether it is a $1000.00 car or a $10,000.00 car. I know there are more safety features on newer cars, but used cars still have good crash ratings or bad crash ratings. This thread was started to find out why people buy "unsafe cars" or cars that have had "Bad Crash" ratings whether newer or older.
Good point. There are certainly differences in safety among new and used vehicles at all price points. I don't think anyone is saying that people should trade in their current vehicle for one that is safer or that someone is a bad parent because they happen to have some particular model.
The point is that at some time in the future, you will probably be trading in your current model for a different one. At that time, please look carefully at the differences in crash test results, safety features and crash avoidance features (handling, braking, tires, etc). This is a great place to ask if you want advice in comparing vehicles. Let's keep it that way;-)
If you were to read my posts correctly you would see that I was asking about people buying "NEW" cars. I said if you have the money to buy new why not buy the safest car? I understand not everyone can afford new, BUT IF YOU COULD afford new why not pick safer?
Hi Melissa! FWIW, I never saw your post as saying anyone is a bad parent for doing the best they can with what they've got -- I can understand what you're saying & fundamentally I agree, but even when someone can afford to buy new it doesn't mean they can afford all the safety features....
For example: I had a 99 Chevy Blazer that I desparately needed to trade in (unsafe crash ratings + a rear center lap only belt for which the manual said NEVER install a carseat so my SS had to sit up front because SD was in a booster & DD was RF). I could barely afford a replacement, but only if it was worth enough for the bank to approve the trade in since I still owed on the Blazer. The higher new car insurance wasn't good. I opted for a hybrid that luckilly had side impact curtain airbags throughout, but it's crash ratings were still not as good as I'd have liked. Then the dealer broke the hybrid engine & there was a stressful mess over replacement, etc. & I ended up with something without side curtain airbags & worse gas mileage
This is why I said this leads into my hate for dealerships, LOL & on that note it would be oh so nice if more safety features were STANDARD on more affordable vehicles!
THANK YOU for finally understanding what I am trying to ask! This isn't to point fingers this is merely stating facts and asking important questions. Noone on this forum is a "BAD PARENT", we are all good parents on here wanting to keep our kids the safest we can. With that said, that is why I asked the original question.
Hi Melissa. I know you didn't mean it that way, but it was easy to perceive that way at first. But, I realize that the question your asking is one like why people don't use car seats for their children. Thats what I REALLY don't understand. I even see people driving around all the time with a car seat in their car and their child is either sitting in it, not strapped in, or not sitting in it at all. So, thats the same kind of question, right? If they have it available to them, why don't they use it!? I actually have cousins that are like that - they have booster seats in their van for their kids, but the kids are never buckled in, always jumping around, etc.... Its so maddening!
I couldn't disagree with you more. At least with Honda's your repairs would be virtually none. With a Cavalier you are almost guaranted repairs. The reason people buy Honda's is because of the low maintenance and unbelievable reliability. I have never ever ever ever had to fix one of my cars. Honda's, Toyota's, Lexus's, go FOREVER!!!! Plus my Ody has a warranty of up to 80,000 bumper to bumper. I would NEVER put myself let alone my child in a Cavalier (COFFIN)!
Any foreign car is going to be more pricey to fix over American. At least you don't have to repair Foreign near as much as American!
I used to want a camper, but now I'm terrified of them. AND? ITS ALL YOUR FAULT! lol (Seriously after reading how there are only two safe seating positions.... ugh). (A Camper was a dream things).
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