KatieJ Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Are there any options for expired carseats or do you have to pay to have them recycled? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Jen* Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 You can trade them in at a BabiesRus event for a 25% off coupon. They generally do a trade in event in Feb/March and then again in the fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 You can trade them in at a BabiesRus event for a 25% off coupon. They generally do a trade in event in Feb/March and then again in the fall. Good to know! We have an expired infant seat and will need a replacement in August :) All the other car seats are only 2 years old because insurance replaced them after a wreck (I had the seats, but not the kids in the car with me.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Some hospitals will sometimes take infant seats for the nicu to do the carseat tests for the babies. Otherwise, our recycling takes them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Definitely BRU for the trade-in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuzu822 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 If you recycle them, make sure you cut the straps so they can't be reused. :iagree: Definitely recommend the BRU trade-in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunD Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 If they're especially cushy convertible seats and you still have kids who fit in them, remove the straps and use them for seating inside the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomandlorih Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Car seats expire??? In my state it is "recommended" that you replace them after 5 years but unless they have been in a wreck it is not illegal to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravinlunachick Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Car seats expire??? In my state it is "recommended" that you replace them after 5 years but unless they have been in a wreck it is not illegal to use them. Yes. The plastic degrades. All seats will have an expiration date stamped on the back of the seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choirfarm Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Yes. The plastic degrades. All seats will have an expiration date stamped on the back of the seat. Umm.. mine doesn't. But it is in the attic. I bought it 15 years ago and was planning to use it for the grandchildren.... Guess I can't???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 I found in that here in the Uk several of our seats have not had any advisory that they expire or any expiry date and the manufacturer doesn'ttell you anything on their website, but then some car seats here do. It's quite confusing, shame there isn't a standard length of use on every seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 I didn't realize they could be recycled. We always threw ours away when they expired. I read somewhere to cut the straps first, so we did that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Car seats expire??? In my state it is "recommended" that you replace them after 5 years but unless they have been in a wreck it is not illegal to use them. Oh my gosh, YES!!! It may not be illegal to use an expired car seat, but frankly it's stupid. You may not see the plastic degrading, but it DOES. When a carseat expires, remove the padding, cut the straps, and let DH loose on it with a sledgehammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravinlunachick Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Umm.. mine doesn't. But it is in the attic. I bought it 15 years ago and was planning to use it for the grandchildren.... Guess I can't???? I think the typical life is around 6 or 7 years. Hopefully, there's a carseat tech here on the board who can correct me if I'm wrong. Watch this video. There was a time when I didn't know either. I remember being surprised and more than a bit skeptical. In the end, I figure I'd rather err on the safe side than have my child injured because I was a cynic. Know better, do better. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 I think the typical life is around 6 or 7 years. Hopefully, there's a carseat tech here on the board who can correct me if I'm wrong. Watch this video. There was a time when I didn't know either. I remember being surprised and more than a bit skeptical. In the end, I figure I'd rather err on the safe side than have my child injured because I was a cynic. Know better, do better. :) Isn't that about the time kids stop riding in car seats anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravinlunachick Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Isn't that about the time kids stop riding in car seats anyway? For some people. Others, like myself, pass down carseats from kid to kid as they get outgrown. IME, it's pretty rare that one carseat lasts a kid from infancy until they are in a seatbelt only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Umm.. mine doesn't. But it is in the attic. I bought it 15 years ago and was planning to use it for the grandchildren.... Guess I can't???? No, I personally would not use them any longer. Not only does the plastic degrade, but 15 years ago, car seat technology and testing weren't as advanced as they are today. I would absolutely invest in something current for the grandkids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 For some people. Others, like myself, pass down carseats from kid to kid as they get outgrown. IME, it's pretty rare that one carseat lasts a kid from infancy until they are in a seatbelt only. They are getting better. :001_smile: This one does go from birth till seatbelt and has a 10 yr lifespan. If I didn't already have seats I would be getting it for the new baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlylocks Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Oh my gosh, YES!!! It may not be illegal to use an expired car seat, but frankly it's stupid. You may not see the plastic degrading, but it DOES. When a carseat expires, remove the padding, cut the straps, and let DH loose on it with a sledgehammer. Ummm...WOW...rude much? :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 (edited) Umm.. mine doesn't. But it is in the attic. I bought it 15 years ago and was planning to use it for the grandchildren.... Guess I can't???? Car seats purchased 15 years may not have an expiration date on them. They may have started that afterward. But this mommy would be very upset to find her kids riding in a 15 year old car seat. I've seen the videos of what happens in just a 10 year britax (good brand) car seat in an accident. The harness rips right out of the shell! ETA: OTOH if I had an inkling you might need to transport my kid, I'd also be asking questions/pulling the car seats out of my own car to install in yours so it would not turn into an issue because I know this is an issue that not everyone is up on the latest research with. Edited December 19, 2011 by vonfirmath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Ummm...WOW...rude much? :001_huh: Nope, just honest. Carseat safety is very important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reeciecup Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Nope, just honest. Carseat safety is very important. 15 years ago, things were different. If the last time you bought a carseat was 15 years ago, you might not know the new standards either. Educating someone on new standards is a good thing. Telling someone their plan is stupid is very rude. Especially when the person being called stupid is obviously trying to learn something new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravinlunachick Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I have often wondered if steel-framed seats like the Radian would even have an expiration date. The harnesses are made of the same material as seat belts, right? Those don't have an expiration date (although maybe they should, IDK). curlylocks, please don't feel bad. Like I said, when you know better, you do better. Few people would choose to put their kids or grandkids in danger. Most just don't realize that what they're doing is dangerous. Carseat laws are notoriously vague or not strict enough, so they don't really provide a good idea of best practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I have often wondered if steel-framed seats like the Radian would even have an expiration date. The harnesses are made of the same material as seat belts, right? Those don't have an expiration date (although maybe they should, IDK). curlylocks, please don't feel bad. Like I said, when you know better, you do better. Few people would choose to put their kids or grandkids in danger. Most just don't realize that what they're doing is dangerous. Carseat laws are notoriously vague or not strict enough, so they don't really provide a good idea of best practice. I think it's the plastic that's a problem, and in a crash, a shattering plastic shell is probably quite a hazard. Unfortunately, I've also come across quite a few people who are very dismissive of car seat safety rules, moving their kids up and out as soon as possible (or sooner), figuring that any seat is better than nothing (rather than spend the $40 for a new, certified seat), or that we rolled around the car as kids and lived to tell the tale. So it's not always a case of "know better, do better." I don't think that's the case here, but I'm often shocked at the choices people make surrounding their children's car seats :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Umm.. mine doesn't. But it is in the attic. I bought it 15 years ago and was planning to use it for the grandchildren.... Guess I can't???? Don't store cars eats in the attic either. The extreme temps can cause damage to the plastic too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trresh Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Don't store cars eats in the attic either. The extreme temps can cause damage to the plastic too. Really? I can't think of anything harsher than the inside of a car. Surely, you're not supposed to bring the car seat in every time you get home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah C. Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Really? I can't think of anything harsher than the inside of a car. Surely, you're not supposed to bring the car seat in every time you get home. Agreed. Carseats usually stay in parked cars...in the sun...and you can bake cookies in parked cars during the summer, at least in TX. My siblings did it at least twice this past year - and not even at the height of summer. I like the idea of cutting/removing the straps and using the old carseat as a child seat inside the house after it's expired. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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