We have two grands car seats in the car. One we bought from a garage sale in perfect condition. We took the cover off and washed it, wiped down the plastic with a solution of bleach and water, reassembled and good to go! The second is an extra my daughter had. Of course, we lost all use of the back seat : ) because we leave the car seats in the car all the time. Too much work to take in and out since we see the grands weekly. Enjoy your family being so close by!

How old is your grandson? I have to say, I do find it a royal pain to move the car seats. If it will be a regular thing, and you have the room to leave it in your truck, I would buy one and leave it in. I also worry about the taking in and out and if they are set up properly each time with so much movement and sometimes you are in a rush.

I think if you know who you are getting the car seat from a used one is fine, but many say you shouldn't do it.

My 2 cents! I have a 15 month old and a 4 year old. I think if you have a booster seat only that might be easier, which is for an older kid, but I don't have any experience with that. :)

Depending on how old & how often you see them; if infant seat; you can buy another base for $30. For older then infant; you may want to buy your own.

I do not take buying car seats lightly. That's my child or grand child. Just bought a seat last night on clearance at Burlington Coat Factory; $100 off. We wanted the Safety 1st on board 35; has had side impact testing; but they were sold out. Graco also has side impact seats. The one we went with is rated excellent in "everything" according to my daughter; I have to recheck today to make sure it says side impact. If not; it's going back.

If you buy used; make sure you check the expiration date on it

side impact video

Here is a link that might be useful: About Air Protect Technology

Good for you for wanting to do the right thing. I wouldn't buy used since you don't know if it's been in an accident. The law here is that if it's been in any accident, you have to get a new one. I think the idea is that you may not be able to see damage. Also, in our city, you can stop in to any firehall anytime and they will check to make sure you've installed it correctly.

My in-laws who are extremely safety conscious about everything ("oh, do you think you should let her go down the slide by herself?" "Make sure you wash that fork before she uses it, it fell on the floor.") fought me every time I told them my kids needed to be in car seats when they drove them places. I know, as kids, many of us survived riding without seat belts, sleeping in the wheel wells or on the back dash, but many didn't and I'm glad you are willing to take the extra precautions to keep your grands safe. Enjoy!

Car seats are a big deal to me, too. My 8 y.o. only moved out of her 5 pt harness seat last month.

I think your kids are referring to the LATCH system. It does make it easier, but personally I just let my DH do all installs. The majority of seats are installed incorrectly-- you can find a tech to check for you (your local fire dept can help). I do think, if you can, it would be easiest to install and leave in.

How old is he?

When our first grandchild was born, we bought and had installed a new carseat for my car. That thing got lots of use!

When my own kids were infants our 'carseat' was a cheap plastic infant carrier that we placed on the floor in front of the front passenger seat-how scarey is that!

I also purchased a nice used crib (new mattress) that was happily used through 3 grandchildren.

ML

I recommend getting another seat if you will be going often and don't need the space for seating otherwise.That is what we have done with my husbands parents. They keep the car seat installed in their vehicle.

The recommendations are for a car seat to last 5 years and all car seats have a sticker that shows manufacture date. If you do buy used make sure there are no missing pieces or cracks in even the white stuff that looks like packaging materials pressed together packing material. This would mean the car seat no longer will perform as intended in a crash.

There are multiple different ways to attach a car seat. There is a weight limit on those latch connectors and generally the car seat is made to handle a heavier weight than the car was manufactured to handle. We only used those early on as the weight limit includes the seat and the child.

If your seat belt is the locking kind as in when you pull it out all the way and let it go back in and try to pull it forward without going all the way back in and it stays locked then you can use the seat belt to attach the seat. All child seats come with manuals on how to do this.

If you don't have the locking kind seat belt you may need to go to the dealer and buy a locking clip. In one of my older vehicles (1993) I use one of those and it locks the seat belt tight so it holds the car seat tight in place. I said the dealer as you want one that is made for your type seat belt if that is what you need.

You shouldn't be able to move the car seat much at all when installed correctly.

Recommendations for how long to be in a particular seat has changed. I inluded a link. Get one with good weight and height limits based on your grandsons age so he has room to grow and you can minimize how many you'll need to buy while he is still at the car seat stage.

Here is a link that might be useful: AAP Car seat recommendations

We found car-seat.org very helpful when we were looking. You can search the forums on the site for your car make and model and find information about what car seats work best for your model. Consumer Reports also has ratings on car seats.

FWIW, we went used. Craigslist has a lot of carseats for sale in our area. We were able to find a used carseat that fit our qualifications (no accident, under 5 y/o, make/model we wanted).

However, TEST THE CARSEAT IN YOUR CAR BEFORE YOU BUY. Our carseat is very comfortable for junior but it is a beast. Heavy and hard to seat other people in the backseat around it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Car-seat.org

Here is a link to where you can find and have your installation inspected, or they will install it for you.

I'm with Anele - I don't play around with a car seat and my daughter will be in the 5 pt harness until she no longer fits and I bought the one with the heighest weight and height limit as my daughter is tall for her age - she is 4, but is in the 97% for height. She has qualified for the legal limit for a while now of just using a booster and the regular belt, but I feel I want to do what I can to protect her for as long as possible. No I'm not a helicopter parent, but growing up in Sweden this is just one thing ingrained into me.

Here is a link that might be useful: Car Seat Inspection Station

Using the double post for more info.

Anybody using the latch connectors should pay attention to your vehicles weight limits on those. Not what the car seat says and remember the total weight limit is the seat and the child. Once my daughter hit 20 lbs we started using the seat belt to anchor the seat.

Here is a link that might be useful: Latch connector weight limit

This post was edited by lyfia on Mon, Jul 15, 13 at 10:55

Check into the inspection stations. You can check with your local law enforcement agency too.

When I went to one when my DD was about 1 I found out my seat which was used had been recalled. They gave me a new one for free and installed it properly using seat belts. I would have never know to install it that tightly.

I have a car seat for my grand and had it installed in the center of the back seat for maximum protection. Local law enforcement certified in installation came and put it in for me (dil works with them so her son got special treatment). When he got older and it had to be turned to front facing, we went to a car seat clinic held by law enforcement, so it could be installed and he could be fitted correctly. It took them nearly an hour to get it in correctly, so I NEVER have taken it out. It is hooked to those clips you mentioned but it also requires a seatbelt.

I would be worried about having a car seat in a truck. It would be like having a car seat in the front seat of a car and the airbags are a concern (if your 1999 has air bags - if not, disregard). I have a 2003 truck and the airbag on the passenger side can be turned off in order to protect a child from injury from it, should it deploy. So I'd check that aspect before shopping for a car seat.

I wouldn't buy used... I bought a Recaro because it was highly rated, not made in China (one of my criteria) and it has an adjustable back so it grows with the child longer than most seats. My grandson has outgrown the car seats in both his parents' cars, but the one I have still fits him and will for a while longer.

Here is a link that might be useful: recaro car seats

Good advice already given. When our grandson was born, we bought two infant seats--one for them, one for us. Same with the older half-brother--two booster seats. I was (am) the babysitter, so it was worth it not to need to transfer seats between vehicles. I found the seat belts easier to use than the clips.

Enjoy those grandkids! :)

Is your truck a regular cab truck? If it is, that complicates matters. Car seats take up so much room and are not as safe in the front seat.

We call my husband's old SUV a truck even though it probably technically isn't a truck. So hopefully you have a SUV/truck and not a truck/truck.

Another vote for buy one and leave it. I don't know if you truck will have the built in metal U pieces for the car seat clamps to click on to. Maybe too old? Don't know. All of our vehicles are newer and all have them. At first he was using a carrier/car seat, so I just bought an extra base. When it came time for car seats, we watched for sales and I ordered 3 - DD2, me and DH car. No changing them out - you have to get your knee and all your weight into the seat to get them 100% secured/non-moveable. We've always taken to the Fire Dept near her house, as they are certified to install. Not all FD are.

Thank you for all the info.Certainly a lot to think about. I will have to talk to DIL and DS when they get time to take a deep breath and see how we want to proceed. Our truck has a "3rd door" so has a backseat. No airbags in back. We have the regular seat belts in the back not the retractable ones that lock as we have in the front. Baby is 20 months old and 97th % in height and weight so will need to consider all of that. They are already on #2 car seat as he outgrew the first. They do have one that is a bear to deal with but is the top rated and has the side impact protection.

Allison , no we don't have the clamps..that is what I was referring to that the kids have in their Honda, and I assume that is what others are referring to when they say that they are not safe at some point when used without a belt. So we will have to see. I will also have DIL and DS get the fire dept to check and make sure it is installed correctly...I am guessing that it is as DIL is very particular.

Again THANK YOU ...a lot of info and stuff to sift through and think about. c

If you google car seat recalls; you will get a PDF list. You can see who has recalls & who doesn't. The seat we bought yesterday had none. Go to as many stores as you can to see what they look like. You will see how nice the air ride ones are & how cheap the others appear. I was reading reviews the other day; people were talking about how they brought various seats back because there was no padding & cheap hot material that the child cried while sitting in.

One of my biggest peeves are those backless "booster" seats that are sold. I cringe when I see a 2 year old sleeping with their body slumped over. I've tried to educate a few people who told me their child was tall & their peds said it was fine. I've linked to crash test videos that they probably never watched. All I know is that in my car; my grand child will be in a full seat. My daughter never rode in the front seat until she was 15.

Appreciate the links; we haven't had much time to prepare & haven't told anyone yet. She found out at 7 months; we've been trying to figure out why her flow stopped March 2012. We missed going back in January. It's been a lot of running to doctors. She has a few more weeks & a lot more appointments. Cardiologist; anesthesia; weekly ultra sounds; probably a brain MRI before delivery to see how large her herniation is & if she can deliver..

This post was edited by roselvr on Mon, Jul 15, 13 at 17:23

FWIW, I do not pay attention to minimum requirements as much as I do the maximum. By that I mean, even if my child technically can "move up" into a seat with less protection, I do not do it unless my child exceeds the max capability of a given type of seat. We look for seats with the highest limit of weight and height. I also avoid placing a child foward-facing as long as possible, even if their feet are a little smooshed (better broken leg than neck).

Re:used/new-- being used is my usual first route with many items, but I would never buy a used car seat. This has added up to a lot of $ with 5 kids and changing needs, but to me it is critical. I have only had a used one from a friend who was highly trustworthy. When people sell, they can say anything, as evidenced by my basement that "never floods," yet flooded in less than a yr of us buying the house.

Whenever I take my 2 grands, I take DD's car since I know the seats have been put in right, and are a real pain to put back in. One of the kids is almost at the 40 pound 'ruling', and I already have the booster seat, not even remotely close to the 'installation' of a regular car seat.

Taking both at the same time is rare(and getting impossible!)so it will just be the older one for awhile, and then I'll apply the 'take turn ruling' and put the booster in my car. LOL

We trade vehicles with my dd and son in law. Then the Car seat stays in place.

I do have 4 car seats that are in perfect condition from my twins that I can use later when my grandson outgrows the seat he is in now.

They are Britax. They are 2 different sizes. I remember researching them to death. They were not in any accidents and should be fine to use.

red_lover - car seats expire after 5 years so just keep that in mind.

patty_cakes - even though they may meet the legal requirement for a booster - doesn't mean it is the best choice. A 5 pt harness booster for as long as possible is the best and they are installed like a car seat.

This is very near and dear to my heart. Our #1 Grandson was in a head-on collision and besides the crash itself, the carseat broke (a major brand) and he was thrown around the car. After the accident my daughter researched more than you can imagine and purchased the best Britax available. We also purchased the same one. Expensive but worth every penny. I think the one we have fits 5 lbs up to 100. I would also say never buy a used one unless you are absolutely sure it hasn't been in an accident. You wouldn't always see the damage although in our case we could see where it broke (as had several others of that brand in the same location). Research and buy the very best you can find.

I'm so happy for you and your family to all be together.

We bought our unexpected but dearly loved great grandson a Britex. Not cheap but worth every single penny. That car seat was in and out of so many cars that I decided to buy a dedicated car for it. LOL. My GD was 19 when our GGS was born and didnt have a car. She was constantly installing it in other peoples cars. It was a disaster so Grammy Crackers (me) bought her a used Prius. End of problem. I sleep at night knowing our baby is in a safe car seat inside a safe car. The car is new enough to have all the right clips. Best money I ever spent.

You may want to pick up a dedicated car for the car seat. I'm serious. It can be used.

We bought new for our vehicles when grands arrived. We have two Britax car seats and one Britax booster. Whatever you chose, do the research. Even within the Britax brand, some models have a higher degree of side impact safety than others.

Thanks for all the info ! DIL and DS1 have a Britax and it was installed at their local firehouse. It is going to stay in their car at present and we will borrow baby/car when we need to take him anywhere. Mostly he will be dropped of here by DS and that will be that. We can walk to everything that we want to do while he is here with us. We have all decided it is best to see how things play out as far as activities etc and see what works when before we spend $$$ on a seat that may or may not get used very much. DIL doesn't drive and says she is finally going to learn...we'll see if that happens. DS will be walking distance from work/bike also and DIL will be walking distance from everything too.

I appreciate hearing how all of you deal with this. Very enlightening. I should start another thread about "how do grandparents do it ???"...it takes more energy to play with baby than to run a 10 k :) c