Yes, it's alot of money, but it IS worth it (OR, Britax saved my dd's life)

[JodiM]

I wanted to post 'our story' because I hear people talk/whine about how much money Britax cost.
I (Just MY opinion) am a firm believer that if you afford it, go with a Britax.

We had a roundabout for my daughter (now 7.5yo) when she was a infant, we were in a Chevy Astro turning and we were broadsided by a pickup that decided he wasn't going to stop. My van was completely totalled, and I ended up with a stay in ICU. (If you have ever seen a Chevy Astro, they are made SOLID.. A EMT friend of ours told me one day that my van ended up looking like a Geo Tracker afterwards)

My dd's roundabout had a big crack running through back, and a hairline crack running around the side from the back crack. It was totally destroyed, but the foam was intact.

She walked out of the accident with some bruising and a few really nasty scratches from the car seat harness straps.

We live in a small town, so we know the emergency workers who were on the scene, and they were amazed she lived through it, let alone had NO injury. (they didn't consider the scratches/bruises injuries)

One of the police officers that pulled us out of the vehicle came by my house a few years ago and asked me what kind of car seat it was that we had, if I even remembered. He was expecting his first child and he still remembered how dd's Britax held up.

We sent Britax a note thanking them, along with pictures of our vehicle and the car seat's breakage.

They sent us a new car seat... I couldn't believe it.

IF you can find away to afford it, please don't hesitate to spend the extra money. As a Britax saved my dd's life 7years ago.

[Wife_and_mommy]

Wow. What a story!

I agree it's worth the money. I know *some* people can't afford it but it bugs me when people won't spend an extra $50-150 on a carseat when they spend that money on infinitely unimportant things.

Thanks for sharing.


E

mom to dd 4/5/2004

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]
Hooray for us! We've made it 13 months.

[LisaD_MomtoEmily]

Thank goodness all are ok. I agree with you, it's worth every penny, esp. when you consider that they are good until the child is 45-65 lbs depending on the model.

On that basis, I decided to keep my Wizard as the extra seat in DH's car in addition to my new Decathalon.

Lisa D.
SAHM to Emily Rose born 6/22/04

[MaisyBabies]

I really hesitated responding to this post, but I think that it's important that you all remember that the *some* (whatever the asterisks around the word mean) people DO read this board!

Testing is done on ALL car seats that are sold in the US (I don't know about other countries, as I don't live there) and if they are not deemed safe, then they aren't on the shelves. OR you have some products that cost a lot, like the Combi that just got bad crash ratings. This proves that just because it costs a LOT doesn't mean it's the BEST!

It's NOT a matter of how MUCH the car seat costs, it's a matter of IF the user is using the seat/installing the seat correctly!

We will NEVER know if a non-Britax seat would have saved this child's life, so it's VERY unfair to make a blanket statement that only Britax car seats WILL save your child's life. A better statement would read, ALL car seats (with good safety ratings), installed PROPERLY and used properly, WILL save lives - so get your car seat checked today!

Or how about posting this link to the Consumer Reports, May 2005, article stating their recommendations for what they call "Best Buys" based on their independent crash tests, ease of use, etc.

http://www.consumerreports.org/main/content/display_report.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=581727&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=333145&bmUID=1116944783747

It's very hard for anyone to understand other's financial situations, and unless you are walking in their shoes, you will NEVER understand. I would prefer to see ALL children, regardless of their parents financial abilities or the guilt factor, purchasing a safe car seat that they can afford, and using it correctly.

[Joolsplus2]

I love reading about any child being saved by *any* seat.

:)

Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

ps, see? I'm agreeing with everyone ;)

[JodiM]

Heather,

I apologize if I offended you.. my post was actually not directed to anyone here, but more so people I know IRL or "know" on the PC that talk about how ridiculous it is to spend that kind of money on a car seat.(meaning Britax)

I agree that not everyone can afford it, but I know many people who have expensive cars, go eat mosr every night & buy lots of stuff they don't need, and their child is riding in a barely meets safety standards car seat.

And yes, I do know it was the britax that saved her from serious inujry... back then it was the *only* car seat with the foam, and the foam is what essentially protected her, since her seat broke.
I saw the seat, and the vehicle.. I know what else was on the market then (this was 98) and I can safely say it was the britax (and our wonderful Lord) who kept my child unharmed/

I thoroughly agree that probably 80% of it is proper installation, but I think a good car seat makes the difference, and if the person can affprd it, then they should go for the safer seat.

Just my .02

[stillplayswithbarbies]

The safest seat is the seat that is installed correctly and used correctly, every time.

What your extra dollars gets you with Britax is a seat that is easier to install and easier to use correctly. It's not any safer than a cheaper seat, if they are both installed and used correctly. If someone is willing to take the extra time it takes to install and use their seat correctly, then it does not matter how much or how little you paid for it.

If a person doesn't mind untwisting the twisty straps on a cheaper seat *every* time, if they don't mind spending an hour getting it installed correctly, or taking it back to exchange for something else if it does not fit in their car, then a cheaper seat is no big deal.

But if one is the type of person who wouldn't bother to untwist those twisty straps every time, or who would settle for a less-than-correct install because it was taking too long, well, that is the type of person who needs a Britax. (because a Britax is easier to install and use, generally speaking, than other brands)

Or if the child is the type who is uncomfortable in a seat that is less comfortable, then that is when a Britax is a good idea.

It wasn't just the foam that protected your daughter. It was a carseat that was correctly installed and used correctly. YOU protected your daughter by knowing how to install it and use it, and by doing just that. It wouldn't matter what brand of car seat it was.

[loveofmylife]

Thanks for sharing your story Jodi. I am actually from the caribbean where car seats are not used as much, forget about britaxes. Many of the parents I know still don't use car seats mainly because they are unaware of its effectiveness. I will be sharing your story with friends and relatives who think that I am such a paranoid mom.

Although I am a single medical school student on welfare, I was fortunate enough to receive a britax marathon and other high end products as shower gifts from my more established friends and family; however, there are so many people who can't afford britax seats and could surely use that extra money on other things. As other posters mentioned, the main lesson should be to use a properly installed seat every time your child rides in a car.

[Wife_and_mommy]

I completely agree with Jodi and Karen that spending a little more on a carseat that is *much* easier to use *every single* time can and will save lives. Thank you ladies for saving me from having to explain.

I stand by what I said earlier. It's one thing to truly not be able to buy a Britax. To ME, it's a different story when one is eating out and spending money on cars, meals out, and other "things" but won't spend an extra $100 on a Britax that is SO much easier to use on a daily basis. We are not swimming in pools of cash but I knew before we had dd that a carseat and a stroller were two things worth spending a little more on.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the asterisks are a more polite way of emphasizing a word than using CAPS.


E

mom to dd 4/5/2004

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]
Hooray for us! We've made it 13 months.

[Gena]

Wow. I usually lurk, but this just blows me away.

I guess I’m one of those people who bug you, because we do sometimes eat out and we recently bought a new car and yes, we even buy other “things�, but we didn’t buy a Britax car seat.

Some things are a matter of personal preference. Just because *you* like the Britax seats the best and think they are worth more money doen’t mean everyone else agrees with that assessment.

Ease of use is a very subjective thing. When we were buying our convertibles, we looked at several brands. We did research. We even took them to the parking lot and tried them out in the car. And we didn’t choose a Britax seat. Not because we don’t value our son’s safety. But because we honestly don’t believe that the Britax is a safer or better seat than the Evenflo Triumph 5 we purchased. (Actually we bought 2 of them – one for my parents’ car too.) When we were buying, we found the Triumph to be easy to install and easy to use. We’ve been using the seats for almost a year and still find them easy to use (as do my parents). I admit the Britax seats look nicer, but to us that wasn’t a difference that justified the price.

I’ll be honest, I don’t understand *some* of the Britax owners who post here.

I've seen Britax owners post about how Britax is the safest seat out there and if you really value your child’s safety you will spend the extra money because the wonderful unique features of Britax are worth the several hundred $ price tag. I've seen some of these Britax owners post in other threads that while they have the Expensive-and-Amazing-Britax-Wonderseat in their main car, they use a $40 (or less) Costco seat in their second car. And they say it's just fine becase after all every seat on the market undergoes the same testing and is held to the same standard, so it’s just as safe.

So apparently the only seats worth having are the most expensive and the least expensive seats on the market. Buy anything else and you’re made to feel that the seat “barely meets safety standards�. In reality that is simply not true.

I think it’s hilarious that when Consumer Reports gives high rating to the Britax seats everyone points to it as independent proof of how wonderful the seats are. But when another seat is rated higher than a Britax seat (as the Evenflo recently was), some Britax owners cry foul and tell everyone that CR isn’t reliable and shouldn’t be trusted.

If Britax owners love their seats, that’s great. It’s good to know that they are happy with their purchase and confident in the product. But just because someone else didn’t buy Britax does NOT mean that they settled for a lessor product or that they are risking their child’s safety.

[Wife_and_mommy]

>I've seen Britax owners post about how Britax is the safest
>seat out there and if you really value your child’s safety
>you will spend the extra money because the wonderful unique
>features of Britax are worth the several hundred $ price tag.
>I've seen some of these Britax owners post in other threads
>that while they have the
>Expensive-and-Amazing-Britax-Wonderseat in their main car,
>they use a $40 (or less) Costco seat in their second car. And
>they say it's just fine becase after all every seat on the
>market undergoes the same testing and is held to the same
>standard, so it’s just as safe.
Buy
>anything else and you’re made to feel that the seat
>“barely meets safety standards�. In reality that is simply
>not true.
>
But just because someone else didn’t buy
>Britax does NOT mean that they settled for a lessor product or
>that they are risking their child’s safety.
>



You put words in my mouth and I don't appreciate it. ALL carseats are safe if used *correctly EVERY time*. Most aren't. That was my point.

I am more than ecstatic if you bought the Triumph and use it correctly every time. I can't say I would do the same If I didn't have a seat that was so easy to use. THAT'S why I bought a Britax.

If you're happy/comfortable with your seat purchase then why get offended by my opinions? I'm not bothered by yours.

Have a nice day.



E

mom to dd 4/5/2004

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]
Hooray for us! We've made it 13 months.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

>I completely agree with Jodi and Karen that spending a little
>more on a carseat that is *much* easier to use *every single*
>time can and will save lives. Thank you ladies for saving me
>from having to explain.
>

That is not at all what I said. You have completely misrepresented my post. I was actually disagreeing with you.

Using a car seat correctly every single time will save lives.

It does not matter how much you spend on your car seat. One can buy the cheapest one or the most expensive one. As long as it is used correctly every single time, it may save a child's life.

[loveofmylife]

I have been most bothered by the fact that so many britax owners don't take the consumer reports seriously. As a britax owner I wanted my more expensive seat to surpass the others and was quite disappointed that it didn't. After all, the more expensive seat did not equate to the safest. Personally, I love my britax seat and use the seat belt to secure it since consumer reports found that with the latch in rear facing mode the seat tilts back to far in the event of a crash. I did get the seat as a shower gift and would have probably requested the evenflo triumph if the consumer reports had been out at the time. My seat was installed by a CPS tech and is rock solid but I am pretty sure that the CPS tech could have installed any other seat just the same.

We should be aware that many parents who buy the baby bargains book do come to this site for more products info. As a first time parent and the first of my friends to have a baby, I used this site religiously for advice on products etc; therefore, I get really angry at posters when they are offensive or have no regards to the views of others. I have to also express my thanks to those parents (who are the majority) who take time out to give valuable info...You are indeed appreciated.

[Joolsplus2]

Here, check this out, it might make you feel better about the Consumer Reports thing http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-ppcarseats&msg=56532.1

Consumer Reports factors price into the rankings...of course a seat that is cheap and performs well will rank higher, regardless of how hard it is to adjust the harness, or how low the top slots are, or that it can't be used for rearfacing as long. They don't test every seat. They tested the Regal Ride and Touriva (the SAME SEAT) but not the Intera...what was the point? Not very thorough, IMO.

Anyway, just want to put their rakings in perspective...the MA had the same overrotation issue last year and ranked much higher, indicating it's not really a concern (and the government standard for 70% recline during the crash is not any indicator of increased injury, they just made it up...I don't know why the MA doesn't pass, though, it actually DOES bother me, or I wouldn't even talk about it!).

Other seats have gotten WAY WAY WAY better in the last couple years, because product reps do their research, they lurk here, they know VERY WELL, that unpadded seats with twisty straps are no longer acceptable to savvy consumers, and if it took raving about Britaxes to get other companies to improve, I don't think there's anything wrong with that....it just means every parent has a much better chance of finding the seat that works for them and they can use properly. I've seen heaps of misused Britaxes...just because a seat is easy to use right, doesn't mean it will be used right, unfortunately.

But anyway, I stand by my original statement, I'm just happy to read about any child who was saved by any seat :)

Oh, and there are boards that are considerably more Britax-biased than this one, trust me...on some other boards, even techs will say certain seats are sh!t...can you imagine if you went there with that seat and read that, how bad you would feel? That's what I love about this board, everyone gets to share their positive and negative experiences in a safe way, at least I hope so.


Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[Splash]

I agree with you Gena. You can make any seat safe, just use it right.
We have a boatload of carseats, due to having to have them on hand at any time for any age child (emergency placements normally do not happen during BRU regular business hours). Of all the car seats I own, and have owned (including almost every Britax, except the DC and the baby seats) my fav seats are my Evenflo Vanguards. Nothing special. They cost $70 and you can get them almost anywhere (though they are only Vanguards at "baby" stores (BRU) and Titans everywhere else). I used them as my primary seat for my oldest one until she hit the RF height limit, then moved her to a MA. I like the big britaxes better for her because she's tall, too tall for most other convertible or combo seats. I always used these when we traveled, and the only ones I have taken on airplanes. I have never ever felt that my kids were unsafe (and CR backs me up, always giving the Titan very high marks, and the crown this year, though I do not rely exclusively on CR).
Every car seat has the exact same safety tests. Yes, thick padding and EPS foam and side impact protection are nice, and might make a marginal safety diffence, but if they were truly a make or break thing, they would be required on all car seats.
I've been in wrecks before, and had my kids walk away from them. Actually, the worst wreck I have ever been in I had a very tall 2 year old in a century breverra ascend (one of the first combo boosters, and I totally loved them) in the harness. It was winter in MN and we got slammed by a big pickup and thrown into the ditch, where we rolled completely once and then stopped upside down. I was in the hospital for a day, and the baby was taken to the hospital, was bruised and scratched and they did some x-rays to be safe, but she was completely fine, just scared. Her car seat was pretty mangled, but it saved her life. I went out and bought her the same seat. It cost $60 at the time (about five years ago). It kept her just as safe as a MA or WZ would have, maybe even moreso, we'll never know. Had she been in a britax, she might have been killed (sitting up higher on the seat, the roof crushed in, anything could happen).
If a person is completely comfortable with a seat, can afford it, knows how to use and it and DOES use it correctly every time, and it is a good fit for their vehicle, there is absolutely no reason they should not buy that seat (as long as it is new and meets safety standards and is not on a recall list). It does not matter who made the seat.
If you love your evenflo (I like that seat too, but it didn't work for us, though I think for babies it is probably the best convertible seat if you are skipping the baby basket, because of HOW it reclines, not just how much), great. You made the right decision and your baby is safe.
Now, someone who buys a seat from the paper or a consignment shop or something, or someone who uses one after they have been in a bad enough accident to require the seat to be replaced, I have a problem with THEM if they truly can afford a better seat. But if the only seat you can truly afford is $20 from a consignment shop, and there are no public interest programs to give you one, then at least the baby is in some kind of seat.
E

[Wife_and_mommy]

I apologize. You're absolutely correct. After reading what I wrote, I absolutely did misrepresent you. I meant to say:

I agree with Jodi and Karen that any seat that is used correctly EVERY time is safe.

I don't have time right now to add anything else. Again. I apologize.


E

mom to dd 4/5/2004

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]
Hooray for us! We've made it 13 months.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

>I have been most bothered by the fact that so many britax
>owners don't take the consumer reports seriously.

It's not just Britax owners who don't trust Consumer Reports to test and report on car seats.

I have never yet met a CPS Tech who says "go with whatever Consumer Reports says to buy". That tells me something. If the people who are trained to install car seats don't trust Consumer Reports, and they have explained why they don't trust them, then I will go with that.

[Wife_and_mommy]

This is what I get for trying to have an intelligent conversation while simultaneously taking care of a 13-month-old, all while being sleep-deprived for the last several days.

I didn't mean to offend anyone. I hope everyone *uses* a carseat, *installs* it correctly, and *uses* it correctly *every* time.

I have a Britax because I install my own and the locking clips, *to me* are worth the extra money. I think Britax is the best for ME and MY CHILD--not the best, period.

I don't have anymore brain cells to use on this discussion so I agree with whatever Julie says. :P


E

mom to dd 4/5/2004

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]
Hooray for us! We've made it 13 months.

[Joolsplus2]

Bippity boppity boo ;)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[JodiM]

>I guess I’m one of those people who bug you, because we do
>sometimes eat out and we recently bought a new car and yes, we
>even buy other “things�, but we didn’t buy a Britax car
>seat.

Yes, if you have a crappy car seat with a shield, and spend all your money out and put your child last, and then whine at me that I spend too much money on car seats for my kids, yes you would "bug me"

If you read my post correctly, you would see I was more or less complaining about people I know that tell me I'm wasting my money.



>Some things are a matter of personal preference. Just because
>*you* like the Britax seats the best and think they are worth
>more money doen’t mean everyone else agrees with that
>assessment.

Yes, it is a matter of opinion, but I wanted to share my story of how britax helped save my child's life. If you don't like my assesment, fine- no one said you have to, which is why we all vary so much.
I firmly believe in Britax (or any car seat with the EPS foam, would be more accurate) that is MY opinion.

If you are happy with what your children have, and feel they are secure, great- that's all the matters.

[MarisaSF]

Edited to say that: oops, I didn't realize this discussion got so heated. I just wanted to say,

Wow, that's a really powerful story, Jodi. Thanks for sharing. I'm glad you and your daughter are okay. Your descriptions of life in a small town are very touching.