Affordable but Quality Car Seat

D-Fog on 28/02/2021 - 20:15

I'm struggling to decide on an affordable and safe car seat (like many other people I assume)

Looking at the latest guide for high safety rating but low price, I've narrowed down to Babylove Taurus II and Infasecure Rover (model also known as Odyssey II, Roamer II, Lantra, Racing Kid II, Rally II, & Groove)

Both: 6 mth - 8 yrs, RRP $150, readily available at Kmart or Big W.

Only big differences are that while Infasecure has slightly higher safety rating, Babylove has a recline position for additional comfort.

Given our baby regularly naps in the car, should we go the Babylove? Or stick to the safer Infasecure?

https://www.childcarseats.com.au/find-and-compare-child-car-…

Poll Options expired

  • 1
    Babylove Taurus II
  • 2
    Infasecure Rover
Toys & Kids Baby Car Seat

Comments

  • dust on 28/02/2021 - 21:14
    +1

    Don't hate me but I'd just go the cheaper one and just drive safely/defensively. (Personally I'm just using hand me down car seats, along with a lot of other kid stuff!)

    • jv on 01/03/2021 - 00:11
      +5

      just drive safely/defensively.

      What if somebody coming the other way isn't ?

    • D-Fog on 01/03/2021 - 09:32

      They are the same RRP price, unless Kmart or BigW do a sale. But they both are on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of cost for a car seat. High safety rating though (4+).

  • apple2016 on 28/02/2021 - 21:40
    +1

    I would choose comfort. The car’s safety features are more important than the seats features.

    • D-Fog on 01/03/2021 - 09:30

      Good point.

      I guess for me the question is 'is comfort worth 0.3 safety points?'

  • [Deactivated] on 28/02/2021 - 23:53

    Go for anything with a strap in the middle, as minimum for a booster seat . So they don't slide under and cause massive injuries. Just my preference and seems like the only $50-$100 justification.

    • D-Fog on 01/03/2021 - 09:33

      Don't quite understand what you mean. Booster uses more than the car's seat belt to secure kid on booster? Do you have an example?

  • nedski on 01/03/2021 - 00:01
    +2

    We got the Mothers Choice Adore AP. Has one of the best safety ratings.

    Brand new currently at $319. For an extra $159, do you want to cheap out on your kids safety? Its something you will be using for at least 5 years.

    Also another guy mentioned, just drive defensively, but what if you get T-boned at and intersection.

    This isnt a "arent your children worth it" comment, im just saying its not that much of a stretch to get something that has a decent safety rating.

    Now admittedly I havent compared the Adore AP against the models you have listed and happy to be wrong if they are rated better.

    • djones145 on 01/03/2021 - 08:04

      indeed
      if it saves u once ITS A BLOODY GOOD YEARRRRRRRRRRR

    • D-Fog on 01/03/2021 - 09:38

      The Mother's Choice Adore has a lower safety rating than the two I have listed. It is also for 0-4 yrs, rather than 6mth - 8 yrs. But a good example that higher price doesn't always equate to better safety.

  • [Deactivated] on 01/03/2021 - 00:07

    Owner of a free britax hi liner. Only negative its it not a 5 point but does have that middle belt which only takes 20 secs to connect.

  • deeevan on 01/03/2021 - 06:50

    Do you mean baby in the actual sense, or are you referring to your precious 6yo as a baby?

    I'd go with neither, as they're both forward facing only convertible boosters. They harness up to the same height as a 0-4 seat, then it's seatbelt booster mode which is illegal <4 and less safe than a harness any age.

    My cheap seat picks depending on age of "baby":
    - BabyLove EzySwitch 0-4, $159
    Ideally you'd keep your baby rearfacing for as long as possible, and this is the cheapest seat to do so but it's a really cheap seat anyway
    - BabyLove EzyGrow 6m-8, $269
    This one does not convert to a seatbelt booster, but keeps them harnessed up to 51cm torso height

    • D-Fog on 01/03/2021 - 09:49

      Thanks for the alternative ideas, but even at rear facing over 12 months, which you would usually assume is safer, the EzySwitch has a lower safety rating; and higher price. Similar lower safety rating for the EzyGrow.

      • deeevan on 01/03/2021 - 10:15
        +1

        There are many issues with the CREP ratings. The first one being that they are only within each category, so the Taurus gets a rating within the 6m-8y seats, while the EzySwitch gets a rating within the 0-4 seats. Ignoring the fact that a 12m is going to better fit and be safer in a 0-4. I don't know if they finally fixed it, but they have given different safety ratings for 2 seats that were rebadges with different covers.

        • D-Fog on 01/03/2021 - 10:33

          I agree, a very difficult website to compare across categories.

          But if you go into each product, you can then chose the corresponding setting, eg rear/forward/booster, and compare ratings across two products using two screens/tabs.

          In particular I look at the safety ratings marked 'critical feature'. I ignore the ease of use ratings, and overall rating, as I tend to have no problem following the manual instructions.

  • bloom on 01/03/2021 - 07:46

    Being able to secure your kid is the most important so pay attention to adjusting the belt while their in it. Amazing how many $500+ car seats you need to be a gorilla to tighten

  • Kimdv1234 on 01/03/2021 - 08:46

    Britax Compaq (0-4yr) is another option. If you're in Sydney, you can get a nice discount through this study: https://www.neura.edu.au/clinical-trial/car-seat-study/

  • D-Fog on 01/03/2021 - 09:58

    How easy is it to return a car seat?

    Maybe I'll buy both and see which one fits better in the car. It's a Camry sedan with non removable headrests so the recline option may not even work on the Babylovew2

    • deeevan on 02/03/2021 - 11:32

      Shops like Baby Bunting will take seats out to your car and let you install them before buying.

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