1. Cheap Car Seats Buying Guide
One of the first purchases new parents make is a car seat for safely transporting their
baby. Many opt for a rear-facing infant car seat because babies must ride backwards for
the first year and until they reach 20 pounds.
Rear-facing seats are sometimes combined with a stroller and can be moved back and
forth between that foot-powered mode of transit and the high-tech mechanical kind (i.e.,
your vehicle), or simply carried around while you go about your daily business. Forward-
facing seats are designed for children weighing at least 20 pounds and up to 80 pounds,
and measuring about 57 inches in height; these seats are much less mobile and usually
stay put, latched to the rear seat, but can be moved from car to car. In between these two
options is the convertible car seat, which is designed to do double duty by facing either
front or back, depending on the child's age, weight, and the parents' personal safety
standards.
Clearly, you get the most value for your money with a convertible car seat that can carry
a child from birth through the pre-kindergarten years, or until the child weighs 40 pounds.
Note, however, that government and medical experts recommend newborns be
transported in special infant car seats because convertible car seats are rarely a good fit
for young babies. But even if you decide to start out with an infant seat, you'll need a
convertible seat at some point in the near future; the weight limit on infant seats is usually
30 pounds, the point at which experts say it's OK to let the child face forward.
Convertible car seat prices range from $50 all the way up to the three-digit stratosphere.
The market is dominated by products from Cosco, Evenflo, Graco, Safety 1st, and Britax,
the latter offering the car seat of choice for parents willing to break through the Cheapism
barrier. But listen up, dollar-wise shoppers: the most expensive car seats may not be the
best buy even though they have a certain amount of aesthetic and brand appeal. Cheap car
seats come in an assortment of styles and fabric patterns, sport convenient features, and
safely accommodate both rear- and forward-facing passengers. And based on scores of
convertible car seat reviews, parents and caregivers appreciate the value they get for the
money they spend on cheap car seats.
Every cheap car seat (and pricier models, as well) includes three critical components:
body, harness, and latch system. The body provides the seat's support structure and is
usually made of durable plastic. It should be sturdy and well-constructed.
The harness refers to the straps that create a seat-belt system and securely hold a child in
place. The safest strap system is the five-point harness, which has two straps over the
shoulders and two around the hips, in addition to a crotch strap. The three-point system,
with two shoulder straps that come together with a buckle and fasten between the child's

2. legs, is effective but less secure. You will not find many three-point harness models on
the market these days, and those we did find do not fare well in car seat reviews. Users of
the Cosco Scenera with Versa-Fit Overhead Barrier (starting at $90, Amazon), which
features a three-point harness, complain in car seat reviews on Amazon that the straps are
too wide and hard to tighten, the overhead barrier makes the harness difficult to
maneuver, and the harness wouldn't prevent a child from falling over the barrier. The
five-point harness gets a nod of approval in a car seat review by a parent of two boys who
owns at least one Safety 1st Vantage Booster (starting at $80, Amazon) and writes on
Buzzillions that it's the safest design because children can't wriggle out of it. Regardless
of which cheap car seat you buy, experts at Keepkidshealthy.com stress the importance of
positioning the harness so it fits your child properly (at, or just below, the shoulders when
rear-facing and at, or just above, the shoulders for front-facing), placing the chest clip at
armpit level, and tightening the straps.
The latch secures the convertible car seat to the automobile seat. Parents of children who
no longer need car seats and owners of older cars are surely familiar with the hassle of
using seat belts to fix the car seat in place. But most cars and car seats manufactured
since September 1, 2002 are equipped with the new LATCH system, which relies on a
tether behind the top of the car seat and two side anchors to hold the seat in place. If you
have an older car, you can buy a kit and install the LATCH system yourself;
alternatively, you can secure the seat with the seat belt.
Cheap Car Seat Materials
Opting for a cheap convertible car seat doesn't have to mean sacrificing style or
convenience. Inexpensive car seats come in a variety of fabrics and colors, and those
intended for everyday use are often made of nylon or a similar easy-to-wipe material.
Spills happen, so you might want a seat cover that is easily removed and machine
washable. One happy consumer writes in a car seat review on the Walmart site that the
seat covers of the bargain Graco ComfortSport with Graco Pedic Foam (starting at $80,
Amazon) look like new after being washed. Although you may fancy a designer fabric,
like that found in the Eddie Bauer Black Leather 3 in 1 Car Seat (now unavailable),
remember that such covers can be hard and costly to clean -- and leather doesn't adjust
well to temperature changes.
Inexpensive Convertible Car Seat Recline
Many cheap car seats have a recline feature that lets you adjust the seat angle to enhance
the young passenger's comfort and safety. The experts at CPSafety say young babies
should recline at a 45-degree angle to keep their airway open, but older children should
sit more upright even in the rear-facing position. The Evenflo Titan Elite Convertible Car
Seat (starting at $92, Amazon), Safety 1st Avenue Convertible Car Seat (starting at $85),

3. and Graco ComfortSport feature an adjustable recline. A car seat review by a parent on
Overstock.com notes that getting just the right angle can be tricky in some cars when the
seat faces rear. Some parents also report that car seats adjusted to the full 45-degree rear-
facing recline don't always fit in the back seat (much depends on the vehicle you drive),
so you may have to try out one or two different models.
Cheap Convertible Car Seat Size
The overall size of cheap car seats varies tremendously depending on the model and
features included. Activity trays, cup holders, and extra padding add to a car seat's bulk,
but many consumers seem willing to shoehorn a seat into the car if it means more
comfort for the passenger; one parent tried sitting in the Evenflo Titan Elite and in a
report on Buzzillions notes it is "generously wide." But buyers beware: make sure the
budget convertible car seat you choose fits into your car. One user warns in a car seat
review on Amazon that the Graco ComfortSport fit nicely in one of the family vehicles
but was too large for another. And a parent writes on the Walmart site that the side-
mounted cup and activity attachments on the Evenflo Titan Elite hog space and may not
leave room for adult passengers when the unit sits in the center of the back seat.
Budget Convertible Car Seat Weight/Height
A car seat's advertised weight includes the seat unit with the attachments and padding.
Parents seem to prefer a car seat that feels strong enough to support and protect the child,
but light enough to carry into an airport or transfer from one car to another; a consumer
posting a car seat review on Mysears.com, for example, says the Safety 1st Avenue is
great for travel. One user of the 10-pound Cosco Scenera Convertible Car Seat (starting
at $55, Amazon) writes on the Toys R Us website that the seat seems flimsy and the
frame twisted during installation, whereas the Graco ComfortSport and Evenflo Titan
Elite are described as "sturdy" in car seat reviews on Buzzillions and Walmart. If you're
willing to go for broke, consider the 21-pound Britax Marathon (starting at $200,
Amazon); parents posting car seat reviews on Viewpoints.com say that if price is not an
issue, the safety and comfort of this high-end and heavy model is worth the investment.
A related design issue is the height of the seat and the shoulder harness. Adults seem to
like the seat height of the Graco ComfortSport because it lets tiny passengers enjoy the
view out the window, keeping them happily occupied (sigh), as one mom notes in her car
seat review on Amazon. Others, however, gripe on sites like Walmart that the shoulder
straps on the Graco ComfortSport don't comfortably fit children who weigh less than the
advertised 40-pound weight limit even when threaded through the highest slots. The issue
crops up often enough that a number of parents specifically comment in their car seat
reviews of the Graco Comfort Sport that they don't have this problem; inadequate harness
height occasionally surfaces in reviews of other car seats that we researched. By the way,

4. the Evenflo Titan Elite appeals to consumers posting on Walmart and Buzzillions
particularly because of the 50-pound weight limit, which exceeds the usual 40-pound
maximum of most convertible car seats.
Low-cost Convertible Car Seat Frills
There are some useful extras commonly found in convertible car seats that won't add
much, if anything, to the final price. Even cheap convertible car seats often include
convenience items such as cup holders, activity trays, and pockets for crayons and books,
although you may have to forego luxuries like the four-position headrest on the Eddie
Bauer Deluxe Convertible Car Seat (starting at $150, Amazon). A convertible car seats
review at ArticlesBase considers this model a good choice if you're into extravagance but
concludes that frugal shoppers would be just as satisfied with something cheaper. Indeed,
one owner of the Safety 1st Avenue writes on Buzzillions.com that the padding, head
support, strap covers, and low price are worth more than the bells and whistles on fancier
models.
Bargain Convertible Car Seat Installation
Regardless of a car seat's size and features, it should be easy to install and/or transfer
from one vehicle to another. In general, cars and car seats equipped with the LATCH
system facilitate the installation process, although the LATCH anchors on some back
seats may be difficult to locate and some cars do not have anchors for the mid-seat
position.
Most purchasers report installation is fairly quick and straightforward for the front-facing
position. One Walmart shopper says in a car seats review that the process took her all of
15 minutes with the EvenFlo Titan Elite, and a self-described technologically-challenged
mom writes on Epinions that the Evenflo Titan Deluxe Convertible Car Seat (starting at
$72, Amazon) is quick and easy to install. We found similar comments about the Graco
ComfortSport on several review sites.
Rear-facing installation may be more of a trial, depending on the car and car seat.
Reviews of cheap car seats on Overstock.com indicate that the Safety 1st Avenue can be
hard to position at the correct angle and may need a rolled-up towel to make it level.
Users of the Evenflo Titan Elite and Graco Comfort Sport likewise report using towels
and pool noodles to prop up rear-facing seats. Convertible car seat reviews on the Toys R
Us site are far less enthusiastic about the Evenflo Tribute V Convertible Car Seat
(starting at $55, Amazon), which they contend is very difficult to install, and even at its
tightest, it seems to move more than it should; one user reports that the seat was still not
properly installed after a 30-minute struggle. All bets are off if you have to rely on the
car's seat belt to hold a convertible car seat in place; one dad suggests on a convertible car
seats review on Amazon that you put your full weight on the seat while buckling it up.

5. Parents who are more frugal about their time than their budget may want to consider the
Graco MyRide 65 (starting at $170, Amazon), which features color-coded belt paths that
indicate which to use for rear- or forward-facing installation.
Cheap Convertible Car Seat Comfort
The perils of an uncomfortable car seat are well-known to parents and caregivers: a
crying baby, a squirming toddler, and a whining four-year old who keeps asking when
you're going to get there. The Safety 1st Avenue, Graco ComfortSport, and Evenflo Titan
Elite convertible car seats all win praise from adults, at least, for perceived comfort and
sufficient cushioning. Relieved parents and caregivers write about children easily falling
asleep, sitting peacefully through long car trips, and generally seeming secure,
comfortable, and happy. In a convertible car seats review on Buzzillions, a nanny writes
about buying the Evenflo Titan Elite on the advice of her young charge, who indicated it
was his favorite among all the car seats he sits in.
Insufficient head support is a common complaint about cheap convertible car seats.
Although Safety 1st Avenue reviews on Mysears.com, EvenFlo Titan Elite reviews on
Stayathomedads.about.com, and Graco ComfortSport reviews on Amazon note
satisfaction with the head support on these models, critics grumble about inadequate
recline and no place for sleepy heads to rest. (This latter matter can be resolved with an
add-on head support that costs about $10-$15.)
For some users of the Evenflo Titan Elite and Graco ComfortSport models, the shoulder
straps are a sore point. The Evenflo takes a few hits in several convertible car seats
reviews by parents on Buzzillions for excessive twisting while moving the child in or out
of the seat, and the Graco is charged in several Amazon reviews of cheap car seats with
uneven tension in the straps, although the two-piece chest clip is praised as user-friendly.
Adjusting the straps in the rear-facing position can be daunting on some inexpensive car
seats and in some cars.
Cheap Car Seat Durability
The fabric on cheap car seats affects perceptions of durability and the length of time
you'll use it. According to cheap car seats reviews, the consensus among experienced
parents is that material quality trumps pattern when deciding which car seat to buy.
Because convertible car seats should accommodate a child for several years, be sure to
choose one that suits your lifestyle. If you expect to dine in your vehicle more often than
not, remember that lighter-colored materials may be more aesthetically appealing but
they show stains and spills more readily. Features like additional seat covers, or covers
that are easy to remove and wash, will increase a seat's longevity and improve its
appearance. As an aside, a very unhappy user of the Cosco Scenera with Versa-Fit

6. Overhead Barrier complains on Amazon that little passengers can easily pull the material
off the barrier, which is held in place only by small pieces of plastic.
Most new convertible car seats have a one year manufacturer's warranty. Remember to
fill out and mail the warranty card immediately so you can be contacted if your
convertible car seat is ever recalled for safety or durability problems.
One last and very important word of advice: Safety experts recommend that you shouldn't
use a car seat that's been in an auto accident. More specifically, if an impact caused the
air bags to deploy or damaged a door nearest the car seat, replace it immediately. If at all
possible, spring for a new car seat rather than a second-hand unit -- you don't know where
or how it was used, and safety features tend to improve over time.
The federal government has posted a lot of useful information about child passenger
safety on the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) website, as
well as ease-of-use ratings for many car seat models.