Car Seat Nightmares

Well, we thought we were in great shape with our car seats for the boys. In January we bought two Recaro Young Sport car seats, and man are they posh! However five months later the EPS styrofoam is falling off the seats, and the company's response was to send us new foam pieces and have us hot glue them in ourselves. Yeah, prove to me that's safe! So I am getting the seats replaced, then will try to sell the brand new ones. Yesterday I tried out the Evenflo Generations seats, but they tore into the boys' necks so much we returned them. We settled on the Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite seats, they were within our price range and seemed to be exactly what we want. So far they don't cut into the kids' necks, and the no re-threading harness adjusting is really a bonus. The seat covers are time consuming to get off to wash and put back on, but seem to be great quality. Best of all we bought them at Babies R Us, where they informed us that if we buy the $12.99 insurance on the seats in fourteen months we can return them for the full price we paid to get store credit for new ones! OMG yes, I would LOVE a new carseat every year and a half! Excellent plan - I'll keep those receipts for SURE! Why wouldn't everyone do this?? Well, I did have to call the store to find out about it and am going back today to actually purchase the plans, the salesman who sold me the seats explained it as protection in case the fabric rips... guess I get the bonus for calling!!


*Update 6/1/10
Well, the alpha omegas went back too - the kiddos fell asleep in them and their heads were almost on their knees, which I didn't think was possible in a harness! We have been using the evenflo titan elite something or other, and they are just AWESOME! We'll gladly use these until it's time to trade in, yay! The boys love the seats, they are a perfect fit for two yr old toddlers. They are however huge and don't fit next to each other, so big bro is stuck in the third row seat and anyone who has been in the back row of a Pilot knows there ain't much room for him... and he's so big already! ARGH! I see a minivan in my future... or maybe a suburban? Haven't owned american in years, course I haven't had a car problem since I stopped buying american... isn't that awful?!

*Update 9/1/10
The evenflo seats, while an excellent seat, are down to one. I took the covers off to wash on delicate, in cold water, and one cover came out with the stuffing so stuck to itself it became useless. I called Evenflo and requested a replacement cover at no charge and they said great, but your seat has been redesigned and your cover is no longer available. They told me they would send me a different cover that would work for the seat, and after a month of waiting (borrowing one carseat mind you) I called them back to ask w.t.h. and they said the cover ordered was backordered. Thanks for telling me!! They said they would send me another one, and that never came. Nice. I called in the meantime to the replacement plan, which will only replace your seat if it has a broken part that "compromises the safety of the seat". What??? I can't use the seat because of a fabric defect and it doesn't affect the "safety" of the car??? What the hell ever. I took the seat and receipt back to Babies R Us and got a refund for the insurance, and credit for the seat. Thank you Babies R Us! I was on day 89 of their 90 day return policy, thank god! I am now the proud owner of a graco nautilus. Kiddo loves it, and we realized we will quickly need another since the evenflo shoulder straps don't raise any higher and kiddo is right at the point where he's almost too tall for the seat. Thanks evenflo! I should become a professional reviewer of car seats at the rate I'm going!!!

*Update 12/6/10
We have been happily using our Graco Nautilus carseats since September, they are just awesome. PERFECT! Finally, a seat that will last!!! I have washed them, moved them, and abused them and they are still going strong! Finally...