I'm looking to buy a convertible car seat for LO (who is currently almost 5 months, 16lbs and 26&some inches), but with an already strapped budget and possibly losing my job this week (huge bummer) it needs to be cheap. I'm looking on Amazon and trying to read reviews as I want a balance between cost and safety, you know. Any Bee suggestions?
This one at Walmart is $39, which is around my budget.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Cosco-Scenera-Convertible-Car-Seat-Renaissance/16932760
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
I do not like that seat for everyday use. It is really difficult to get a good rearfacing install and the straps get all caught up in the back while front facing. I use it on airplanes and for travel because it is light and has a narrow base.
apricot / 319 posts
@looch: That good to hear about for travel. I would probably see if the fire department can help us install it this time, we're so clueless about car seat installation! @stargal: The price is really what I'm going for, haha. I figure if I do get this and it's not my favorite, we can always save up for a different one. I just want to get him in a better seat. He' only got another inch and some before he's outgrown the one he's in now, lol.
A lot of reviews talk about how this model doesn't have a lot of padding. Do you find that's an issue? Is there any way to add padding to a car seat that won't affect the safety? Probably not, but figured I'd ask! 
cantaloupe / 6751 posts
@ZombieBullfrogHoller: We bought the Evenflo Tribute for approx. $60 to use as an additional car seat. It was kind of a pain getting it installed correctly (rear facing), but once we got it in, we didn't have any problems. It doesn't have much padding but not uncomfortably so.
coconut / 8498 posts
My ILs have the Scenera. In their car it's easy to get a good rear facing install, but in mine or my parents' car it's a HUGE pain. Plus, it's pretty tall and reclines quite a bit, pushing whoever is in the front quite close to the dash. It's not very padded, but LO doesn't seem to mind. She sleeps just as well in it as she does our Britax.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
My son never seemed to mind that there wasn't a lot of padding in the seat.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@ZombieBullfrogHoller: I bought that one for my ILs car. It is a very basic seat but definitely does it's job.
honeydew / 7917 posts
I think a cheaper convertible car seat is fine for a secondary use. I prefer a high quality car seat for everyday use, and I think it's worth the extra cost.
pomegranate / 3053 posts
That car seat actually has been rated pretty high with consumer reports for years now. I got two when we visited my parents overseas earlier this year and it was good. The only thing is the weight limit. You'll probably have to buy another one once your LO hits either the weight or height limit.
papaya / 10473 posts
If you have Facebook, you can join the group Carseats for the Littles. They are a bunch of carseat techs, and can recommend the best seat for your vehicle, budget, and other needs 
apricot / 319 posts
Thanks everyone! I think I've decided to go with this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AJSIQCW/ref=gno_cart_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER The Evenflo Tribute
apricot / 319 posts
@yin: While I would love to be able to afford a higher quality car seat, I just don't have the luxury of doing so when we're in a "money for car seat vs. food vs. gas to get to work" place right now :\ Hopefully, as things get better, we can trade out when we have some extra cash to do so
apricot / 319 posts
@pinkcupcake: Aah, that was the other one I was looking at and I think I liked the sound of it the best of the two.
pomegranate / 3980 posts
@ZombieBullfrogHoller: We got that one too (the tribute) and we love it! It was a pain getting it in but we never take it out so it wasn't a big deal for me.
apricot / 319 posts
That's how we should be too. We only have the one car so it should stay put. Thanks!
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@ZombieBullfrogHoller: I am glad you found an option that fits your budget! When I bought the Scenera, I didn't read a lot of reviews on it, so I kind of went in blind.
All car seats are tested to a minimum safety rating, so just because you spend more, you're not getting a seat that has been tested to be any safer than a less expensive model.
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