How to Buy a Trustworthy Used Car Seat (With GoodBuy Gear)

Let’s be real: the first time I heard someone suggest buying a used car seat, I flinched a little.

Wasn’t that, like, dangerous? Isn’t there some unspoken rule that you should never, ever trust a car seat unless you unwrap it yourself and inhale that new plastic smell?

But the deeper I got into parenthood (and into my kid’s ever-growing pile of stuff), the more I started questioning these hard rules. And it turns out, like so much of parenting, the truth about used car seats is more nuanced than the headlines make it seem.

So if you’re wondering whether it’s actually safe—or smart—to buy a used car seat, let’s talk. Because I’ve been there, asked all the questions, and even used a secondhand one myself.

This post contains affiliate links that support this site at no extra cost to you. This post was created in collaboration with GoodBuy Gear, whose amazing secondhand finds I’ve been a fan of for a long time:

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“Aren’t used car seats unsafe?”

This is the question, right?

We’ve all heard the warnings: never buy a used car seat because you can’t know its history. What if it was in a crash? What if the straps are damaged? What if it’s expired?

And those are valid concerns.

But here’s the thing: the baby gear industry has made it seem like there’s no safe way to buy used, when in reality, there is—if it’s done right.

Enter GoodBuy Gear, the first company in the U.S. to resell car seats at scale with a 30+ point inspection process developed alongside safety experts, car seat manufacturers, and NHTSA consultants.

Yes, it’s a thing. And yes, it’s as legit as it sounds.

“What makes GoodBuy Gear different?”

Most parents wouldn’t trust a car seat from a stranger on Facebook Marketplace—and honestly, same. You don’t know where it’s been or how it’s been treated.

But GoodBuy Gear created the GoodBuy™ Car Seat Safety Check, which is basically a car seat’s version of going through the TSA, an FBI background check, and a spa day—all before it ever lands on the website.

Here’s what that includes:

• A legally binding attestation from the seller stating that:
  
  • The seat has never been in a crash
    
  • They were the original owner
    
  • They only used manufacturer-approved cleaning products and processes
    
  • The seat is at least 2 years away from expiration

Each car seat goes through a proprietary 30+ point GoodBuy™ Car Seat Safety Check, developed with leading car seat manufacturers and NHTSA safety experts as well as an in-house Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST), Amanda Brown, who trains a team of certified gear inspectors on what to look for when evaluating seats. This thorough process includes looking for any visible or structural signs of crash damage (like cracks) as well as checking:

• Buckles, straps, and harness function
  
• Frame integrity
  
• Manufacturing labels and expiration date
  
• Overall cleanliness and condition

If the seat fails any part of the process, it doesn’t get listed. Period.

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“Why would I buy a used car seat anyway?”

Let me tell you exactly why I did: travel.

We needed a second car seat that was lightweight and easy to install for taxis and flights, and the price tag on buying another one new had me clutching my reusable coffee cup in horror.

So I got an UPPABaby Mesa secondhand from a friend in addition to our ‘home’ Nuna Pipa car seat, and eventually bought an open box WayB Pico through GoodBuy Gear (one of my fave secondhand marketplaces), which is now offering secondhand car seats as well! I saved money, reduced waste, and still had total peace of mind, something that a full inspection process can offer.

Also? Kids grow out of gear so fast that many secondhand car seats are in near-new condition. It just doesn’t make sense for everything to be brand new, every single time.

Since the launch of the GoodBuy ™ Car Seat Safety Check:

• GBG customers have helped rehome 10,000+ car seats and counting
• Their team of certified technicians has spent over 4,000 hours ensuring each seat listed has passed their strict inspection process.

More and more people are catching on to the benefits of shopping secondhand for car seats. In 2024, GBG saw:

• +41% increase in car seat brands hopping on the open box train.
• +250% increase in second-hand and open box car seats added to their marketplace YoY.

“But don’t car seats expire?”

Yes—and that’s a good thing.

Materials degrade over time, and safety standards change, so car seats come with expiration dates, typically 6 to 10 years after manufacturing.

GoodBuy Gear only sells car seats that are at least two years away from expiration, so you’re not getting a seat that’s on its last leg. And the expiration date is clearly marked on every listing.

“Is it really worth it?”

If you’re someone who cares about safety, sustainability, and saving money, then yes.

Used car seats aren’t inherently risky—it’s just that unverified ones are. When you buy from a place that has a legit safety process in place (and let’s be honest, most don’t), you’re getting the best of both worlds.

And maybe most importantly? You’re not buying into the pressure that says being a “good parent” means buying new every time. You’re being thoughtful. Resourceful. Savvy.

Which, in my book, is exactly what a good parent does.

The Bottom Line

There are some things I’ll always want to buy new—like the crib matress that’s going to be soaked in spit-up for the next 18 months.

But a car seat that’s been inspected by certified safety techs and costs way less than retail? Sign me up.

GoodBuy Gear is changing the narrative around secondhand baby gear—and honestly, it’s about time. So if you’ve been side-eyeing a used car seat and wondering if it’s really safe, I hope this gives you the peace of mind you need to say: yeah, I got it secondhand—and I feel good about it.