Dollar Car Seats

[DsneyDude1]

Does anyone have experience with renting a car seat from Dollar? Can you tell me what brand they use? Is the seat in the car when you get it? Or do you grab one from somewhere and put it in yourself. Any help you can provide is appreciated! Trying to decide if I need to bring ours on the plane. TIA

 

[EACarlson]

The seat will not be installed in the car when you pick it up. That would make the company liable if it were installed incorrectly. What I've been able to find is that they hand you a seat when you check in.
Personally I would much rather bring my kids' seat and use it on the plane. It will keep them better secured, they will be more comfortable in it and it will be readily available when you land. There are harnesses you can buy that strap the car seat to a carryon, works great for getting it through the airport. It also frees you from questions about what that rental seat has been through. You have no idea if or how many accidents that seat has been in.

 

[DVC-Don]

Been a long time since we used a car seat, but last time we did use a rental car child seat, they just handed it to us at the counter. It was some cheap generic seat.

 

[dez1978]

I would never, ever rent a car seat. You have no idea how it's been taken care of, if it's been washed improperly, if it's been thrown around in the back room, if any parts are missing etc.

 

[Willow1213]

Our last rental, we saw the stack of seats at the rental counter (National/Enterprise/Alamo area). They were all new in plastic Cosco brand seats. Buy/bring one from home as all airlines will check for free.

 

[Lumpy1106]

We always purchased a seat on the plane for each of our kids regardless of age, so we always had a car seat for them on the other end. IMHO, it is absurd that the airlines allow you to hold your kid on your lap while requiring you to be securely buckled in.