What a fair price looks like
Condition on WishThrift is described by the seller against five grades, and nobody inspects it on your behalf — so the description and the photographs are what you are buying on.
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | £400 (~$533) | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | £340 (~$453) | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | £260 (~$346) | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | £180 (~$240) | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | £100 (~$133) | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). Sellers set their own asking price; these are a starting point for judging an offer. All five grades explained.
The checklist before you pay
Safety history you cannot see. A car seat that has been in a collision, a cot with a replaced part, or an item subject to a recall all look completely normal.
Run through these before money changes hands — they are the things that decide whether a travel system is worth what is being asked:
- Missing adapters, which are model-specific and costly
- Car seats close to or past their expiry date
- Incomplete sets sold as full travel systems
- Any accident history on the car seat
And the things worth paying more for, because they hold their value:
- Complete sets with pushchair, carrycot and car seat
- All adapters included and matched to the seat
- Recognised brands with parts still available
- Car seat still well within its expiry date
Common faults and fakes
Counterfeit car seats and carriers exist and fail catastrophically in exactly the situation they were bought for. Buy safety-critical items new.
Ask for the manufacture date and model number, then check the recall lists yourself — they are free to search. Do not buy a used car seat, carrier or helmet at all.
WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything, and no marketplace check replaces your own. If a seller will not answer a direct question about condition or origin, that is the answer.
Questions to ask the seller
These are the three that get asked most often about a travel system, and the answers tell you most of what you need:
Answer directly. If it has been in any collision, or if you cannot vouch for its full history, say so — a compromised seat should not be sold for use whatever it looks like.
Count them. Adapters are system-specific, expensive separately, and their absence turns a travel system back into a pram.
Read the stamp on the shell and give the date. Volunteering it builds immediate trust because almost no seller does.
Also worth establishing before you commit:
- Lay out every component and photograph them together
- Check the car seat’s expiry date moulded into the shell
- Confirm the adapters match both the chassis and the seat
Photographs to ask for
If the listing does not already show these, ask — a seller who has the item will send them in minutes:
- All components laid out together in one frame
- The pram configuration and the pushchair configuration, both set up
- The car seat with its expiry date stamp visible
- The adapters, raincover and every accessory included
Details to confirm before you commit
- Brand and system model, and every component included
- Car seat standard, height or weight range, manufacture and expiry date
- Whether the car seat has ever been in a collision, and whether you are the original owner
- Fold dimensions, and all accessories included
Live travel system listings
Nothing matching is listed at the moment. Browse baby & kids for what is live now, or everything on the site — stock changes daily and new listings are free to post, so it is worth checking back.
When to buy
Consistently strong. Complete systems from recognised brands sell within days; incomplete ones sell as prams for considerably less.
Prices move against that cycle for a buyer: the cheapest time to buy is when sellers are listing most, not when demand peaks.
Paying and collecting safely
WishThrift does not process payments, hold funds or offer buyer protection — you agree the price and the method with the seller directly, which is what keeps the platform free on both sides. Meet somewhere public where you can, inspect before you pay, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed. Be wary of any seller who wants to move the conversation elsewhere before you have agreed anything.
Selling one instead?
If you already have a travel system sitting unused, it is free to list and there is no commission — the price you agree is the amount you keep. Read how to sell travel system for what to photograph and how to price, or what travel system is worth at each condition grade.
Frequently asked questions
What should I pay for a used travel system?
Around £52 to £260 in good condition, more for barely-used examples and less for anything with a described fault. Compare against the seller’s photographs rather than the grade alone.
How do I check a travel system before buying?
Ask for the manufacture date and model number, then check the recall lists yourself — they are free to search. Do not buy a used car seat, carrier or helmet at all.
Is buying a travel system second hand safe?
Yes, with the ordinary care any private sale needs. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or hold funds, so inspect before you pay where you can, meet somewhere public, and keep the conversation on the site. Safety history you cannot see. A car seat that has been in a collision, a cot with a replaced part, or an item subject to a recall all look completely normal.
See also: all buying guides · travel system value guide · selling travel system · Baby & Kids · condition grades.