Choosing a car seat?

There are people that say looking for a car seat is like choosing a dentist or is an exercise in aggravation. Should people that say those things be the ones to give advice on choosing a car seat? That is like going to Bernie Madoff or an Enron executive to learn about ethical business practices.

Some basic rules about car seats:
The vehicle is going to play a role in the car seat purchase. If you own a smaller car like a Mazda 3, give up the dream of buying the Eddie Bauer car seat unless a cranky child and sore back is in the future.
Expensive does not equal better. Yes, Brad and Angelina supposedly have the most expensive seats for their kids, but that doesn't make those seats right for your vehicle. This is not a license to be cheap, which leads to:
Don't buy a car seat at a garage/rummage sale, or eBay for that matter. You don't know how old the seat is, if any parts or labels are missing, if the seat was part of a recall or was involved in an accident.
Not your first child? Be willing to purchase a new car seat. The maximum lifetime for a seat is between 6 and 10 years due to parts fatigue and evolving safety standards. In other words, the seat purchased in 2002 is obsolete by now.
Purchase the infant seat before the child is born, that way time is spent in the hospital forming a bond with the little one instead of running around trying to find a car seat and get it installed.
If you can't easily operate the seat, simple rule. DON'T BUY IT!!!! Car seats that are not operated properly not only lead to an increased danger to the child, but also to other passengers and drivers of the vehicle.
Understand the return policy where your car seat is purchased. If your child isn't comfortable in the car seat, don't be afraid to return it to get one your child is comfortable in.
If you are involved in an accident, even if it is a “minor” accident, get a new car seat. Most insurance policies will pay for a replacement, but even if the policy doesn't, you should replace it. Because damage isn't seen, doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.
Do your homework, one of the best sites is the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety site (http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.9f8c7d6359e0e9bbbf30811060008a0c/), they have reviews on car seats that cover how easy a certain car seat is to use, how safe it is, and they keep an up-to-date recall list.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to one thing, keeping the child safe. Using all the tools and a little bit of common sense, picking the right car seat and keeping your child comfortable and safe, and you sane will be a lot easier and not as aggravating as you think.