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Mothercare Journey car seat

9 replies

Papergirl1968 · 10/11/2024 16:13

I bought a Mothercare Journey travel system for DGD1 nearly six years ago. It was never actually used as DGD1 went into care right from birth and was subsequently adopted which was absolutely the right thing in the circumstances.
So DDD3 is now due (my other daughter’s second baby) and I have dug the Journey out of the garage and looked at the car seat. It’s an R44 which I see was sold up till September 2024 and they’ve now been phased out in favour of R129 car seats which go on a child’s weight not age.
Do you think a parent would want to buy the Journey as a package, including the car seat (it still has wrapping and box) or would you let DD have the car seat for new baby as parents wouldn’t want a second hand one anyway even though it’s not been used, and would want an R129 one?
DD really needs a double pram as she will have a 20 month old as well as a newborn. So I could either sell the pram with or without the car seat or keep pram till the toddler is a little older and able to walk further.
DD is a single parent and short of money as am I.
The other thing to consider is that oldest daughter may be upset by seeing her niece in the car seat and pram bought for her daughter but we don’t see that much of her and she’s given me her permission to sell it.

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Lifeglowup · 10/11/2024 16:15

The plastic degrades over time. Most clued up parents wouldn’t want to use that car seat.

Mamma2837 · 10/11/2024 16:56

Lifeglowup · 10/11/2024 16:15

The plastic degrades over time. Most clued up parents wouldn’t want to use that car seat.

Check the expiry date. If it's within the expiry date and is a good deal then other parents would be willing to buy it - travel systems are so expensive.

BloodySock · 10/11/2024 16:59

I personally wouldn’t want to buy it if it’s been stored in a garage for 6years with damp/mould issues. But if you list it honestly as having been done so, and what it is/age and the rating then it’s up to people if they want to buy it. But most people are clued up about the not buying second hand car seats, so be prepared to not get very much at all for it.

Papergirl1968 · 10/11/2024 19:55

I’ve had another look at it and can only see a manufacturing date (08/18) not an expiry date. Online says 6-10 years is generally the life of a car seat.
It doesn’t feel damp at all and there’s no mould on it. It might even have been better in a cool garage than in a car where temperatures can be very hot in summer and very cold in winter. But obviously aware that parents may not want to buy a second hand car seat even if it is still all wrapped up.
A colleague used to work in Mothercare so I’ll ask her what she thinks in terms of using it for our own new arrival.
Thank you all.

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leanna2022 · 12/11/2024 12:31

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BertieBotts · 12/11/2024 14:13

I don't think it will make a huge amount of difference to the price you'll get for the travel system. So I'd just plan for either selling the buggy and you can throw the car seat in for the buyer as an optional extra, or keep it as a spare seat if the buyer doesn't want it, bearing in mind it won't be compatible with other prams as it was only that one it worked with.

In terms of safety if it's brand new and boxed and never been used, then it's fine even though it's been stored for 6 years. 6 years is on the longer end, but not that unusual in terms of storage after manufacture. If it was used though, even once, and then stored, that's where you may get an issue especially if there was any milk/sweat/nappy leakage etc (maybe invisible) on the fabrics and they weren't washed. But age in itself isn't that destructive to car seats - it's wear and tear which is a problem, the fact that the history of the seat becomes less clear when it passes between multiple owners, and the fact that car seat safety and features improve over time, so a new seat compared with one which is 10+ years old is likely to have better safety and be easier to use (which improves safety). Those reasons are why American car seats have expiry dates. European ones don't. The R44 safety standard is still fine as well.

Because it was a basic seat to begin with you probably will see differences between this model and the seats on sale today, even though it's less than ten years old, but I personally wouldn't be concerned about the safety of it, and would happily use it for a few more years at least, maybe 2 babies? As long as it doesn't smell musty/mildewy.

I think the leanna poster is a bot BTW, beware of any links there.

Papergirl1968 · 13/11/2024 12:23

Thanks@BertieBotts that’s really helpful.
I was talking to a colleague who said she bought a car seat off Facebook marketplace for £10 for grandparents’ car so people do still buy them secondhand despite the advice not to in case they’ve been in a collision.
I’ll aim to sell as the package but if the buyer doesn’t want the car seat I’ll knock some money off and give it to DD for the new baby.

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BertieBotts · 13/11/2024 16:56

Oh yes, agreed - people definitely do still buy them. But I think people aren't normally willing to pay very much money for a second hand seat, that's all that I meant :)

Papergirl1968 · 13/11/2024 17:39

BertieBotts · 13/11/2024 16:56

Oh yes, agreed - people definitely do still buy them. But I think people aren't normally willing to pay very much money for a second hand seat, that's all that I meant :)

Yes, I get you.
DD is having trouble selling a second hand icandy even without a car seat.

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