Car seat from a car rental company

[NJlauren]

In the distant (May 2016) future we are considering a trip to DLR. I am thinking of hitting a few spots in Southern California so we would rent a car.

DH would be out west for a work event Thursday-Saturday (Sunday), I would fly with DD out and meet DH. DD would be 22 months but flying jut me and her I think I would get her a seat. But I'm also thinking/worried about a car seat and stroller with just myself in the airport would be crazy and never work....

Has anyone rented a car seat from a rental company? Are they normally ok?

Another option is ship a stroller to a friend and pick it up so I have the car seat for the plane and car.

I will look into renting a stroller but since I think we will fly in and out of different airports I'm not sure it would work...

Thoughts?

 

[Habbott]

Take your car seat! Seriously. Rental car seats are usually yucky, expired, or you're paying more for a brand new seat that you don't get to keep. Since you're traveling alone, I would get a cosco scenera next. The install is smooth without the need for pool noodles (unlike the original scenera). I think it's around $50 at Walmart.

For easy travel with the stroller and the car seat, you can place the car seat on top of the stroller, or you can bungee cord it to your carry on. When you arrive at your gate, you can see if they have someone who might help you get everything to your seats. They are usually happy to help. As you're getting ready to board, have your stroller folded already. If nothing else, the people can assist you to getting that to gate check. It sounds harder than it will actually be. Just ask and accept help when needed.

 

[Alesia]

She has to have a seat on the plane anyway, you may as well have her car seat for her to sit in (she'll be more comfortable.) And it will be so much easier to get through the airport with a stroller than without.

There is no guarantee that a rental seat will be clean or safe.

 

[NJlauren]

Take your car seat! Seriously. Rental car seats are usually yucky, expired, or you're paying more for a brand new seat that you don't get to keep. Since you're traveling alone, I would get a cosco scenera next. The install is smooth without the need for pool noodles (unlike the original scenera). I think it's around $50 at Walmart.

For easy travel with the stroller and the car seat, you can place the car seat on top of the stroller, or you can bungee cord it to your carry on. When you arrive at your gate, you can see if they have someone who might help you get everything to your seats. They are usually happy to help. As you're getting ready to board, have your stroller folded already. If nothing else, the people can assist you to getting that to gate check. It sounds harder than it will actually be. Just ask and accept help when needed.

She has to have a seat on the plane anyway, you may as well have her car seat for her to sit in (she'll be more comfortable.) And it will be so much easier to get through the airport with a stroller than without.

There is no guarantee that a rental seat will be clean or safe.

Thank you both! I was worried about the rental car seats.... I do think the airport will be a challenge... Maybe I will ship the stroller, I want to just take the umbrella. Or maybe DH can take it with him.

I was think this for the airport with if I don't have a stroller with me http://m.toysrus.com/skava/static/p...ain=http://www.toysrus.com&productId=12320162

 

[Habbott]

One thing you could do is check the stroller at the ticket desk as soon as you check in for your flight. Maybe even pay a few bucks more for the curbside service.

 

[NJlauren]

One thing you could do is check the stroller at the ticket desk as soon as you check in for your flight. Maybe even pay a few bucks more for the curbside service.

I'm just worried for the stroller or car seat to be check with luggage and not gate check.

 

[Habbott]

I would definitely not gate check or check a car seat. Our stroller was gate checked on the last flight and did have damage. But, it was 4 years old with a lot of wear. The damage seemed minor, just a spring, but it was what open and closed the stroller.

But we've checked a stroller before at the ticket desk with no issue. It really is hit or miss and a tough decision.

 

[NJlauren]

I agree if I bring a car seat it will come in the plane with us....

Thank you for your help!

 

[galaxygirl76]

We brought the stroller and the car seat, both fly for free with most if not all airlines. We checked the seat and gate checked the stroller. Yeah it's a bit of a hassle at the airport but in the long run it was so worth it at the parks.

 

[DisTXMom]

We have done both. I have no problem with rental car car seats. If you think one is dirty, you can swap it out (I usually see many of them on hand). You pay a premium to not have to haul the seat, However it saves you the hassle of flying with the seat. Installing the seat on the airplane is a hassle and it has to be in a window seat I believe. Once it's in, it's nice to have them ride in, but for a 22 month old, we would lean toward not taking it. If you do take it, we've had good luck using bungee cords to secure it to our rolling bag or stroller, however you only have 1 set of hands- will the child walk? If so, strapping the car seat to the stroller and just using a backpack for luggage may be an option. Keep in mind you need to be able to fully maneuver luggage plus kid plus whatever else you take. On single trip, we would take a stroller and rent the car seat- you'll have to maneuver luggage/stroller but may be able to do that for a short walk from luggage claim to car rental. Good luck!

 

[Alesia]

I have no problem with rental car car seats. If you think one is dirty, you can swap it out (I usually see many of them on hand).

I would be much less concerned with cleanliness than with safety. It is completely impossible to tell if a car seat has sustained damage by looking at it. The only way to find out is by having the seat fail during an accident. I wouldn't feel safe driving my child around in a car seat that I didn't know the history of.

 

[NJlauren]

We have done both. I have no problem with rental car car seats. If you think one is dirty, you can swap it out (I usually see many of them on hand). You pay a premium to not have to haul the seat, However it saves you the hassle of flying with the seat. Installing the seat on the airplane is a hassle and it has to be in a window seat I believe. Once it's in, it's nice to have them ride in, but for a 22 month old, we would lean toward not taking it. If you do take it, we've had good luck using bungee cords to secure it to our rolling bag or stroller, however you only have 1 set of hands- will the child walk? If so, strapping the car seat to the stroller and just using a backpack for luggage may be an option. Keep in mind you need to be able to fully maneuver luggage plus kid plus whatever else you take. On single trip, we would take a stroller and rent the car seat- you'll have to maneuver luggage/stroller but may be able to do that for a short walk from luggage claim to car rental. Good luck!

Thank you! I'm hoping to meet DH at luggage claim when we land so hopefully by the time we head to car rental I'll have more hands!

I'm more worried about the departure airport boarding abd deplaning... It's a lot of things to carry!

 

[mcjaco]

I would be much less concerned with cleanliness than with safety. It is completely impossible to tell if a car seat has sustained damage by looking at it. The only way to find out is by having the seat fail during an accident. I wouldn't feel safe driving my child around in a car seat that I didn't know the history of.

Dealing as a long ago liability claims adjuster, I'd be hard pressed to think that a rental company, especially a large well known one, has seats that have been in an accident or have aged out in their inventory. It opens up a HUGE legal problem should anything happen due to the seat. By providing the seats they create a legal basis that the seats are in working order without defects.

Now, that's not to say there may not be seats in circulation that aren't in the greatest shape at certain locations. You still have the human element of laziness that comes into play.

We've decided to rent to car seats for our trip to Hawaii this summer, as I could not handle carrying them through two airports and transfering them during our connecting flights. The last trip to WDW was a PITA with them, and the strollers.

 

[AFwifelife]

Thank you! I'm hoping to meet DH at luggage claim when we land so hopefully by the time we head to car rental I'll have more hands!

I'm more worried about the departure airport boarding abd deplaning... It's a lot of things to carry!

Have your husband ask the ticket counter if he can get a pass to go through security and meet you right at the gate. It's what we do every time I fly alone with DS and it's much easier to only have to juggle everything for a few minutes getting off the plane and through the gangway.

 

[NJlauren]

Have your husband ask the ticket counter if he can get a pass to go through security and meet you right at the gate. It's what we do every time I fly alone with DS and it's much easier to only have to juggle everything for a few minutes getting off the plane and through the gangway.

Great suggestion! Thank you!

 

[sprousehouse]

I flew alone with my daughter a bunch of times and I just used the Cosco Scerna (great investment really) and I set it in our umbrella stroller and then wore her or put her in it (attached the carseat to the stroller with a bungee cord) - worked great! You have to walk a little more slowly but it really did make things easy. And having it for her to sleep on in the plane was great too as she was used to being in the seat and was not as apt to move around as she would have been without the seat. We took the seats on until she outgrew it at 5-6 years old.

 

[Habbott]

Dealing as a long ago liability claims adjuster, I'd be hard pressed to think that a rental company, especially a large well known one, has seats that have been in an accident or have aged out in their inventory. It opens up a HUGE legal problem should anything happen due to the seat. By providing the seats they create a legal basis that the seats are in working order without defects.

Now, that's not to say there may not be seats in circulation that aren't in the greatest shape at certain locations. You still have the human element of laziness that comes into play.

We've decided to rent to car seats for our trip to Hawaii this summer, as I could not handle carrying them through two airports and transfering them during our connecting flights. The last trip to WDW was a PITA with them, and the strollers.

You would be surprised. Not long ago I saw a picture of a person's car seat selection from a rental company. In that selection was a travel high chair (you know, the kind you strap to a dining room chair). I do think that the majority of people working at a car rental places are clueless of car seats or that they even expire. Or what a kid should be riding in. I do think it's gotten better since there have been major shows on this (20/20 comes to mind). But, considering most cops tell people their seats are fine after crashes, I wouldn't expect a rental car staff to know differently either. For the record, most car seat manuals say to replace after any accident. I'm pretty sure britax is the only one that says differently, though with the release of the click tights, that might have changed.

So yes, a huge liability, but at the same time, the majority of people just aren't educated on car seats.

 

[Jey12]

I agree renting seats opens up the company to being liable if something should happen or an injury due to a faulty seat. At the same time I just think the companies have been lucky something hasn't happened because in my experience the seats provided are not ones I want my kid in. We used rental car seats for a transfer from Orlando Airport to our hotel for a Disney cruise. They didn't bring enough seats. The belts were not working where DD needed to sit, nor would her seat work with the belt of the van either. I was unhappy my 4 year old had to ride from the airport to cocoa beach without a car seat. When we picked up a rental car last year they thought we were renting a seat and brought 3 out to pick from. I would have picked zero. I wouldn't do it. What about the seats you can wheel through the airport? They double as a stroller. Or I think there's even an attachment that you can strap the seat you already have onto and it allows your regular seat to be pulled behind you with the child strapped in if you like.

 

[travelgirl06]

We have two kiddos in carseats, so getting through the airport can be an adventure! We found a car seat backpack that helps a ton! We actually nested both car seats in the backpacks and were able to carry the, while also managing the kids, strollers, luggage, etc. We have always checked/gate checked car seats, but if you want to carry the seat on the backpack will be helpful (it rides very high on the back, and I'm not sure how great it is for carrying for an extended period, but for a little hit its fine). Around age 2, our DD was pretty good at staying in her seat on the plane , we were just very strict that she had to stay buckled.

Just have a plan for boarding logistics. When I flew alone with DD my hands were full enough with carry-on, DD, strolłer, etc. DH was flying home a few days later and I had him keep and bring some of the extra luggage with him, which helped!

 

[DSNY4ever]

Sorry if this was already addressed, but do you need a car? It usually is not necessary in Disneyland depending on what your plans are. Maybe you could avoid all this and just use the shuttle? But it depends on if you are staying in walking distance and what your other plans are.