Have you done this with a car capsule?

**CinderToriella** · May 12th, 2013, 08:30 PM

So I have never liked the idea of a second hand capsule /car seat for safety reasons .. I always worry about how old , and if they have been in a accident etc
But DH brought this to me and I thought I would see if anyone has done it .

The capsule we need we have found on a hire website , big website that does many baby products . You can hire it for how ever many months or they have some ex hire stock that they are selling for 150 less than we could buy in a store , it says "carefully cleaned , serviced and safety checked "
I still have my concerns a out second hand .
Has anyone ever brought second hand or hired or brought ex hire car seat/ capsule?
What are your thoughts ?

**Little Chicken** · May 12th, 2013, 08:33 PM

I have hired, and you couldn't even tell that the capsule was used. So much cheaper then buying one.

**FabFiona** · May 12th, 2013, 09:02 PM

I hired a maxi cosi. I was the first one to hire it, but that was a bonus. Hire companies rely on good service and a good reputation to stay in business. Ask around where you live.

I wouldn't buy a capsule. So expensive compared with how long they can be used for.

**MummyNaomi** · May 12th, 2013, 09:08 PM

On the flip side, I sold our capsule to a friends brother and his wife. My DD had used it for about 11 weeks tops, it was in perfect condition, not a mark or scratch on it. It was in perfect condition as when we'd taken it out of the box ourselves. Frankly the people we sold it to got a great buy. I bought it for $279 and sold it for $100 as new.

These days they can be taken apart, all parts washed and cleaned etc so are very easy to keep in fabulous condition. The only unknown I guess is has it been in an accident. I would assume the hire places would inspect them quite thoroughly for wear and tear.

**Doing my best** · May 12th, 2013, 09:12 PM

I hired a capsule both times. Ours clearly stated that it would be replaced if in an accident throughout the hire period at no extra cost, so I assumed that people would've declared if it had been in an accident and it would have been removed from the stock.. Maybe in hindsight, I shouldn't be so trustworthy of others, but I had no problems..

**wysiwyg** · May 12th, 2013, 09:40 PM

l hired both times through council $80 for as long as they were within weight limit. They are checked each time after / before use. I felt totally comfortable using them they picked up and dropped off went though all safety stuff. I would pick a hire service over ex hire as would be curious as to why no longer suitable for hire

**Mrs P** · May 12th, 2013, 10:49 PM

We are currently hiring a maxi cosi. We were also told to notify if it was in an accident. We didn't have a capsule with #1 and I wish now that we did. I would purchase one if it was my first baby (in hindsight) as the cost of hiring twice is more than purchase plus resell if that makes sense.

**CinderToriella** · May 13th, 2013, 06:34 AM

We a really need the maxi cosi as we have a baby jogger pram , so that's what we would be getting , but they are $350 to but and we just can't afford that for only 6 months ish worth of use .
For my DD we brought a capsule and sold it after we had finished using it ..
For those who hired one , how long did you hire it for ? Did you choose a flexi time frame hire (month to month ) or a fixed term , eg 6 months ? Also when do you start a hire period , as I guess it starts as soon as you pick it up but how long before your due date would you do that considering bubs cups come early or later , I wouldn't know when to get one ..

**FabFiona** · May 13th, 2013, 07:03 AM

I had mine for 6 months but stopped using it as a capsule when baby was around 4 months. It just got too heavy and awkward to move in and out. That being said, it was fine as a car seat until that point.

I had blood pressure problems so knew I wouldn't be going to full term. We had it put in when I was 34 or 35 weeks. Baby was born at 36. Compared with the first time when I had the baby and it wasn't in yet! Quick call fixed that as the hire place came to my home to put it in.

**Mrs P** · May 13th, 2013, 10:05 AM

We have hired for 6 months and I picked it up a week before my due date. I'm using it with my BJ City Mini and its great

We've already managed to transfer a sleeping DS from car to inside a number of times!

**Liviam** · May 13th, 2013, 12:31 PM

I've hired a capsule and it was fabulous.

**Taurean** · May 13th, 2013, 01:10 PM

I've had several friends hire their capsules without any issues.

**CinderToriella** · May 13th, 2013, 01:32 PM

Just emailed a place and they said its their policy that if someone has an accident they not tell them straight away and return the car seat to them , they then cut off the seat belts and replace them with new ones..

**Charlotte91** · May 13th, 2013, 02:20 PM

We bought second hand, and it was perfect.

**Duchess** · May 13th, 2013, 03:56 PM

I got a baby seat that lasted my DD1 until she was 4 and now DD2 has been in it for two years and this next bub will use it too! I'd say we have got our money's worth.
My hubby buys second hand car seats and seems fine with it, and I trust him to check it properly before he uses it.

**willow5** · May 13th, 2013, 06:05 PM

I haven't read all the replies sorry.
I wouldn't buy a seat second hand unless I knew the people and history of the seat. A seat that has been in an accident doesn't always appear damaged to look at.
I have hired a capsule though for DS3. But I wouldn't again. The hire place would have to rely on the honesty of the last customer to know if the seat/capsule had been in an accident. So if they aren't honest or just don't think it's a big deal, you could end up with a less than safe seat. I wasn't as much of a car seat safety freak back then as I am now and it's just not something I would risk.

There are other things that can effect the safety of a seat that aren't always obvious to look at. Like if someone has washed harness straps by submerging them in water. That can weaken the straps making them not perform as they should in an accident and may not do their job, leading to the child possibly being ejected from the seat.

So for me it's a no, unless I absolutely knew the whole history of the seat.

**willow5** · May 13th, 2013, 10:05 PM

Just emailed a place and they said its their policy that if someone has an accident they not tell them straight away and return the car seat to them , they then cut off the seat belts and replace them with new ones..

That wouldn't make me feel better about using it either

The harnesses may have stretched during the accident so the new harness would be fine, but, the plastic shell may have been weakened too and not hold up again of there were another accident. I'd like to know if that practise is manufacturer approved too, I've never heard a manufacturer suggest that. SnS have a replacement scheme where if your insurance won't replace the seat after an accident they will with a brand new complete seat, no replacing the harness. I really wouldn't be confident with that at all.