Do cheap but v good quality car seats exist?

[Murtette]

We're thinking it would be easier if the grandparents could have a car seat to keep at theirs for each of our DC (one just going into 13kg+ car seat & one going into 18kg+ car seat) for the odd occasion when they need to do emergency pick up from nursery or similar. In all occasions, they won't be going more than a couple of miles and these journeys will always be in 30mph zones. Do I need to spend £100+ on each car seat and go for a maxi cosi/Britax which is what we have in each of our cars? It seems a lot to spend for a back up - although I'd obviously never forgive myself if there was an accident and the DC were harmed when, for the sake of a few quid, they would have been fine had they been in a better quality car seat.
Thanks

[mikkii]

I am fortunate that we have a large family and extra car seats are usually the ones passed from a relative (so obviously we know they have not been involved in accidents.....) for example, the stage 1 seat in Granny's car ame fom an older cousin and one if the boosters in Granny's ar came from another cousin.

[VinegarDrinker]

Our Britax Prince was £50 from Kiddicare

[Murtette]

We are the first in our family (both immediate and extended) to have DC and the age gap between our first DC and that of friends is less than 2 years so hand-me-downs are few and far between which makes child raising rather expense!

[MyBootsAreMuddy]

The Britax eclipse is on sale in halfords(hope link works as im on my phone). for £70 at the moment. Its a good seat. They also have the Britax first class for under £100 as well if gps have long belt buckles this seat has an alternate routing that can be used to prevent buckle crunch.

As for booster i would say look at the britax adventure this is a good quality seat and if you look about can usual be picked up for around £40.

[MyBootsAreMuddy]

Kiddy care have the britax hi-liner (same as adventure) for £30 here.