would you use a group 0 second hand car seat?

[clpsmum]

I have been offered a car seat for my baby when it arrives that is second hand, it has not been in any sort of accident or damaged in any way. what would you do? use it or buy a new one?

If I was 100%, without a shadow of a doubt sure it hadn't been involved in an accident, I'd use it.

i would if it was from someone I knew and trusted and i was certain it hadn't been in an accident
oh, and only if it was a recent seat too, because they do improve in terms of safety and most will also have a timestamp on them that they shouldn't be used after

I agree with the others if you know where it comes from and trust that it definately hasn't been in an accident then yes I would.

Yes, I wouldn't buy one from an unknown source, but I would certainly use one from a known source given as a gift that had not been in an accident - why on earth not?

The exceptions would be
a) if it was really old - plastic does degrade with time - and modern standards are better than old ones, but I wouldn't think twice about anything less than five years old.
b) if I needed it to be compatible with my pram/travel system.

Yes if it's as you say. I'd have to know it's history and how old. As Dilys says the plastic on them degrades. Extremes of temperature in cars affects it after a while.
BBut yes I did use one for that age of baby. After that they were all new though.

If it is from a trusted friend, yes I would. The problem if you don't know the person offering it to you is you don't know what their definition of being "careful" with the seat is. It might have been roughly handled or dropped for example.

Also, be sure that the carseat is no older than about 8 years, and make sure it's a current model, or it might well be that a cheap one currently on the market is actually safer.

Only if not past date and from a well known, v. trusted source.

I don't think they tend to have "expiry" dates in this country by the way. Sometimes they have a date stamp of time of manufacture, though.

I wouldn't, because I want one that fits with my travel system anyway. Apart from that, I would only accept a second hand one if I 100% trusted the giver that they would have looked after it, it wasn't very old at all, hadn't been kept in a garage or attic and hadn't been used in a car with a smoker.

It would totally depend on the source.

My B & SiL are using our old one. it had been used for our 2 boys and is now being used again. It feels great that it hasn't just been thrown away.

Yes, if still in good condition and I knew source and could trust them. I mean DS2 is using DD's and DS1's car seat.

The thing is it is not a trusted friend its a friend of a friend think actually more of an aquaintance of a friend. really don't know what to do. Would anyone lie about the condition of a car seat? really cant decide what to do and don't want to mess the person who has offered me it around

We're using a seat that is from an a friend of a friend - I just felt I could trust their judgement as they'd been using it for their own DC too. I think most people are generally trustworthy and far more seats are outgrown than put out of use by accidents.

It will probably be fine but to me the car seat will be my number one priority when it comes to spending my budget for the baby, I am probably overreacting but it just feels like there are so many other things where it doesn't matter at all to the baby's safety whether they are second hand or not (clothes, pram etc). As well as damage from crashes, I have read that the straps become less effective over time. That said, I am sure the manufacturers over-egg the risks of second hand to boost sales.

Unfortunately my first boyfriend was killed by a car accident so I tend to see cars first and foremost as dangerous and will spend any amount on a car seat if it will reduce the risk by even a miniscule amount. I know I am possibly being quite neurotic about this though.

Yes, 2nd hand ones used here.