Seeking Car Seat Techs / CPST in MA!

[magnoliaparadise]

Hi,

Well, I am going to Boston tomorrow and have bought the Britax Frontier 85 for my DD as suggested by Joolsplus2 and others on this board (thank you). And now I am seeking to find a CPST / car seat tech in the Boston-suburb area who might be able to help put it in my mother's car tomorrow afternoon (Saturday). Does anyone have any recommendations of CPSTs (or simliar folks - don't know what they're called exactly) in that area? How much should I expect it to cost? Joolsplus2 or Bubbaray, if you are here and you have thoughts, I"d love to hear your views.

And if you know someone good, but they aren't available tomorrow, that's ok -please pass their name because I can use them again another time.

Or... if I can't find someone to help me, if anyone has suggestions on putting the car seat in from your own experience, I'd love to hear your advice.

Thanks all.

[Swimfreak78]

I know the name of a tech who's part of the Andover PD. I'd suggest calling the police department in the town you are in and they might be able to help.

[mom2binsd]

Watch the Britax install videos and check youtube, the Frontier 85 is honestly not too bad to install like the old Frontier.

If the child is under 40lbs you can use Latch if your car has latch (outboard usually unless your car specifies it can have a center latch install). Or seatbelt if you get a better install.

[Joolsplus2]

I facebooked someone who I know lives in that general area, I'll get you two in touch if she gets back to me. But assuming you can't meet her today, I also do highly recommend just giving it a shot yourself after reading the manual thoroughly and watching the videos, it really isn't too hard as long as you know basics (like how to lock your seatbelt and where to find your tether anchor :))

[Joolsplus2]

There's a check today here... "there is a public clinic today in Greenfield, 48 Sanderson Street"... I can find someone more Boston-y and less Amherst-y if you need, though.

[cckwmh]

I am not sure where where exactly you live, but I remember when DD was little that Wilmington did weekly checks. They had a garage bay set up like a drive-thru and 2 techs from the police that would go through everything with you. It looks like it is not until wednesday, though.

http://www.wpd.org/childpassengersafety.html

I do not live in Wilmington, but they did not care. I kept calling our local fire dept tech for weeks and never got a return phone call.

I also have a frontier and it is really easy to install. much easier than non - britax seats and much easier to manuever than the beast of a regent.

[yankinweimar]

I'm not sure which part of MA you are coming to, but here's the info from the Cambridge MA police department:

Contact Information

Child Safety Seat Installation/Inspection Appointments:
Call Officer Carlos Figueroa (617) 349-3238

And up here on the NH border, I have been to a GREAT police officer in Amesbury. His name is Dave Clark and contact info is below.
Contact: Officer David Clark
Phone: (978) 388-1212
Email: [email protected]

When I lived in Germany and needed seats installed in my parents' cars so they could pick me up at the airport with minimal fuss, I asked a local friend to go over and install it (a friend I trust of course!) and then just checked it myself upon arrival to make sure it was solid. Do you have any friends/family in the area who are familiar with installation?


Hope that helps!

[magnoliaparadise]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the great advice.

Greenfield and Wilmington are a little far, but great idea to look for car checks - I didn't know that they did those. I am closer to the Waltham/Concord/Belmont/Lexington/Newton area, kind of the first or second wave of suburbs from Boston.

I'll try myself and then call the police station or ask a family friend - there is, in fact, someone, who is a grandfather and very good at these carseats.

We are on the train so I wasn't able to access the installation videos. I bought the carseat in NY and am hauling it back to Boston - OMG is it heavy and big! The good news, so far, is that my DD saw it last night and was wide eyed in love with the pink color of the seat. Normally I wouldn't buy such a girly color with such an expensive item because of problems with resale and also the dirt factor, but I knew she'd love the color and I just want her to want to sit on a car seat without hassle!!

Jools, thanks for contacting the person on FB. Hope that they write back.

Thanks!