confussing expiry date on capsule

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BaAsKa Members Profile Find Members Posts Senior Member Joined: 01 January 1900 Points: 3844	Post Options Post Reply Quote BaAsKa Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: confussing expiry date on capsule Posted: 21 March 2009 at 7:57pm
	I just bought a second hand capsule because im not going to use it again after this so didnt want to buy brand new but i bought one with a 2012 expiry so it could be resold and when i got home and looked over it i found an evenflo sticker that says " this seat was purchased in 2006 and has an estimated expiry date of december 31 2012" then i turned it over and engraved on the bottom it says "made in 2004 expiry date of december 31 2009". Now i thought "hhmmm was the seller fibbing me?" so i went on trademe and found 3 people selling the same seat and asked them about it and they all have the same sticker and engraving on their seats!!??? why?????? which date am i meant to go by????

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weegee Members Profile Find Members Posts Senior Member Joined: 28 May 2008 Location: Kaukapakapa Points: 4611	Post Options Post Reply Quote weegee Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 March 2009 at 8:30pm
	I've heard of this before - there's a particular guy who brought them in (I forget his name) and he maintains that the expiry date relates to how long the capsule has been actually used for instead of how long it's been since it was manufactured. So he put a whole bunch of stickers over the expiry dates stamped on the seats when he originally sold them. From a scientific perspective I can see where he's coming from, since if it sits in a box for a couple of years it's not like the plastic is being exposed to light and therefore degrading, so it's probable that the seat is fine up to the sticker date. Some people don't trust that though... I guess it's up to the purchaser when you go to sell them. If they're scientifically minded then you won't have a problem but if they're not then they might think it's a bit dodgy and I can see why
	Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010

weegee Members Profile Find Members Posts Senior Member Joined: 28 May 2008 Location: Kaukapakapa Points: 4611	Post Options Post Reply Quote weegee Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 March 2009 at 8:45pm
	Further to that, I just looked up Bonnie Smith's website (she's the carseat expert in the "Ask Our Experts" section) and she says: "Life spans start from the day the seat was manufactured, even if it was in storage for most of this time, the expiry date still stands. They do not start from date of purchase." There's also a section about Evenflo seats further down the same page: Q - I have an Evenflo Apollo convertible booster/Evenflo Portabout Infant Capsule that says it was manufactured in 2004 [example only] but the expiration date molded in to the plastic on the bottom says "Do not use after December 31 2008 [example only]." Why is this? A - Response from Evenflo Senior ParentLink Representative - "Some units recently sold in New Zealand were built from unused materials that were engraved with an expiry date that reflected when some of the parts were made, but not the year that the units were assembled." The stamped expiration date does reflect when the pieces were manufactured, but the date of manufacture sticker on the seats reflect when they were actually assembled (all the pieces put together to make a car seat). Both the Apollo and Portabout were moulded for a large USA retailer but the bulk of the order was cancelled leaving evenflo with tens of thousands of seats. Seats with the "Do not use after December 31 20XX" engraved date may reflect a 2002 to 2004 mould date. Because the order was cancelled, the seats sat in storage until they were offered to customers outside of the USA, New Zealand being one of them. A few "letters" are circulating stating that it is fine to use the car seats from six or seven years from date of purchase, however many professionals, organisations and parents argue otherwise and do not believe in this practice. Furthermore, many seats have had their original "Manufacture Dates" taken off and replaced with stickers that reflect approximately the month the seat was sold - not when it was actually manufactured (pictures below). Some restraints have also had the "Do not use after..." dates covered with stickers of "expiration" dates reflecting six or seven years approximately from when the seat was purchased, not when it was manufactured. Additionally some restraints have had their "Do not use after..." dates melted with a hot melt gun to get rid of the original dates and new "expiration" dates scratched in instead. Other restraints have also had their manufacture date clocks and expiration dates scratched off . Evenflo has not given consent for their seats to be modified in such a way [with a hot melt gun]. Having "incorrect" manufacture dates can make it difficult to ensure your seat has not been part of a recall for a safety defect [Note: to my knowledge they have not been recalled for a safety defect] and it can also make it difficult or near impossible for you to register your seat so that you can be notified of a recall if one ever does happen to occur. It can also make it difficult to buy replacement pieces for your seat. Evenflo believe that there is no risk of deterioration if the seat is used past the date imprinted on the shell. They state that they adopted the practice of placing expiration dates on child restraints in an effort to discourage the resale or extended reuse of units that may have been involved in a motor vehicle collision, are missing parts, have damaged or broken parts, etc. And that the use of secondhand car seats with a history unknown to the next purchaser may present unnecessary risk to a child. However, many parents and experts believe that the plastic in the seat does start deteriorating from the day it is made although not as rapidly as if it were being used every day. Many other manufacturers state that they have adopted the practice of putting "expiration dates" on their seats because of technology changing, component degradation, parts get lost or installed incorrectly, or instructions and labels may not be available or not legible. And that restraint may be unsafe and should be destroyed once it's time is "up." So far as I am aware at this very moment (September 2007) it is not illegal to use these seats past their "Do not use after December 31 20XX" date however it is not advised. Currently there is no recall on these seats being sold for refunds however the modification of the seats using a hot melt gun is currently being questioned. Right now, the decision of whether you continue to use the seat or not is up to you. Edited by weegee
	Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010

BaAsKa Members Profile Find Members Posts Senior Member Joined: 01 January 1900 Points: 3844	Post Options Post Reply Quote BaAsKa Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 March 2009 at 10:06pm
	awsome thankyou weegee my capsule is the evenflo portabout so it as very interesting to read. Luckily i will have my use out of it because bubs will 7 months old by the time the expiration dates rolls around and i doubt bubs will still be in it!

xLUCKYx Members Profile Find Members Posts Senior Member Joined: 30 September 2007 Location: Waitakere Points: 2340	Post Options Post Reply Quote xLUCKYx Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 April 2009 at 12:49pm
	I have an evenflo portabout that I bought brand new from The Baby Factory and it too has a sticker on it saying 2013 and has a sticker saying manufactured May 2007. I was really concerned because I would like to sell it once I am finished with it and was worried someone would think I was ripping them off... So that was very interesting!!! Think I might just highlight that fact when I go to sell...

BaAsKa Members Profile Find Members Posts Senior Member Joined: 01 January 1900 Points: 3844	Post Options Post Reply Quote BaAsKa Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 April 2009 at 9:14pm
	I also read another thing about it the other day on the carseat safety website which was twice the blow for me because not only will this portabout capsule expire years earlier than thought but there was also an expiry date fault with the evenflo appollo booster seat which is what we bought for Bay and now Astin uses it!!! im soooo over evenflo for this reason!!! i now have to go and buy a new booster for Astin because instead of the 2010 expiry date on side it actually already expired mid 2008!!!

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