Silly question

[CupcakeParadise]

So, looking at car seats and travel systems, we're thinking of getting a car seat that's birth to 4 / 7 / 12 or whatever it is. As baby can't be in there for long periods anyway we felt that getting one that stays in the car and lasts a longer time made more sense.
My question is, when they arrive how do people get them from the hospital to the car? I've been told you can't carry them, fair enough, and from 'first pictures' and general conversations with people everyone seems to carry them out in the car seat! Is taking the pram up a bit faffy? Can they leave in just the carry cot?

I'm definitely overthinking this but for some reason its bugging me

We were told to leave the carry cot bit that is the car seat on the car until ready to take baby home - then partner went and got it and we left with DD strapped into that and then into the car

If I'm honest I wouldn't worry about buying a seat that last 0-12 years - they take a LOT of abuse - getting wee'd on etc so I wouldn't be comfortable in keeping mine that long

The baby ones you get that also click into the pram probably lasted a good 12-18 months and are easier than leaving in the car all the time for us and then we got one that lasted 18months to 5 years which did stay in the car all the time. By the time DD was 5 she was ready for the ones that use the actual car seat belt and trust me it so much less faff!