Thoughts on safety of older car seats?

[frogthistle]

I will soon have 3 DC (third due in next 6 weeks) & we have 3 car seats, the infant one being an old Primo Viaggio from Mamas & Papas.

It was bought in 2004, has never been in a collision, has been cleaned up etc inbetween children but... looking at the Which reports, there are now much safer car seats on the market.

Should I replace it? Is there a best before date for car seats? Has anyone else has similar concerns/experience?

Any thoughts or experience welcome, thanks.

We were given a car seat from my cousin who is now 8 (it's the second stage car seat). I feel as unsure as you seem. We use it for short journeys as my hubby takes DD to childminder on his way to work and I pick up - to meet and put the car seat in a different car would have been impossible. I do have a lovely new maxi cosi for longer journeys - but we regularly travel 4 hour journeys to the in-laws and the older one doesn't look as comfy.

I personally would say that it's probably fine, but if you can afford a new one, that would be even better.

It's tricky but possibly best to err on the side of caution. You wouldn't forgive youself if you had an accident and baby was harmed... there would always be the question of "what if we'd got a new one".

Worth a call to Mamas and Papas for advice.

I used the Britax rock-a-tot bought for Ds1 9 years ago for DS2 when he was born last year. The significant difference now is the Isofix bases and considerably more padding but the Rock - a - Tot was a market leader for safety when we bought it for PFB and it fitted very securely in our present car.

We did buy a new stage 2 seat for DS2 however as I felt that the old one we still had really was inferior, and as we will need it for much longer than the stage 1 it felt a sensible investment. We got the Kiddi Comfort one that's quite new on the market and I'm really pleased with it.

I agree that it's best to err on the side of caution but in the end I had every confidence in the stage 1 seat we used for both children.

Thanks to both. I have spoken to Mamas & Papas directly & they say that although there is no need to replace a car seat purely on the basis of age, they have significantly updated the design of the Primo Viaggio in the last few years 'for safety reasons' among others.

I have also tracked down the specific Which report for my particular car seat & I don't like what I read. New one it is then!

Maxi Cosi CAbrio I think, just need to check on the fitting now...

Thanks again

Part of the update to the M&P Primo Viaggio is a facility in the base to alter the angle of the seat. One of the major safety complaints over the earlier models was that since the base was not adjustable, many babies were far too upright and very young ones struggle to pick their heads up from the position where they had flopped onto their chests and made breathing difficult. Personally, I wouldn't use an old model primo viaggio.

Yes, that's true, I remember that happening with the other two when very small.

Thanks to all.