Buying second hand

emz8

Planning on buying a travel system second hand, what should I be looking for when I go see them!? Should I be trying the car seat in my car? I know the one I'm looking at fits as I tried it in the shop..

Chattastrophe!

emz8 wrote: »

Planning on buying a travel system second hand, what should I be looking for when I go see them!? Should I be trying the car seat in my car? I know the one I'm looking at fits as I tried it in the shop..

It's generally very much advised not to buy a carseat second-hand, unless maybe if it's from someone you know. You just can't be sure of its history, if it's been involved in an accident previously etc. So I'd buy that new, if I were you.

Other than that, I'd probably go to a shop and have a good look at the travel system you're interested in (if possible) and get them to show you how to take it apart and put it back together, and any special features etc. Then, when you go to view the second-hand one, make sure to put it all together and take it apart a couple of times, and make sure everything is working as it should be.

pwurple

+1 Don't buy a car seat second hand unless you are very sure of its history.

FurBabyMomma

I'm all for buying second hand but the car seat seems to be the one item that people are universally advised to buy new.

Moonbeam

I would not buy a 2nd hand car seat unless it was from friends or family and I knew its history.
With the buggy check the suspension,make sure it is washable and bring it for a test drive!

PuddingHead

+1 with the car seat get it new, but you can get the maxi-cosi carbriofix (which seems quite popular and can be used with quinny) for 90 euro in smiths to its 170 in mothercare.

Check the system in the boot of your car! That was a bit of an oversight on my part with ours...