Buy your car seat with us and our certified car-seat technician helps you install it and get the fit right. That help is included with your car seat purchase. Call (253) 299-6221 ahead to confirm availability. For a seat you bought elsewhere, use NHTSA's inspection station search. We are at 926 Main St #104 in Sumner, open Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
Prices update automatically from our store. Store details match our Visit Us page. Safety guidance is NHTSA's, linked where we use it.
SugarBabies is at 926 Main St #104, Sumner, WA 98390, in Pierce County. This page covers the two ways a family here can get a certified technician's help with a car seat, which one fits your situation, and what to have ready.
Hours, parking and calling ahead
- Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Closed Sunday.
- Parking: free street parking right out front.
- Car seat help: call (253) 299-6221 ahead to confirm availability.
Two ways to get car seat help near Sumner
| Our technician, with a seat you buy from us | Public car seat inspection station | |
|---|---|---|
| Which seats | A car seat you buy from us | A seat you already own, per NHTSA |
| Who helps | Our certified car-seat technician | Certified technicians, per NHTSA |
| What it covers | Help installing your new seat and getting the fit right | An inspection of your seat, and help to install and use it correctly, per NHTSA |
| Cost | Included with your car seat purchase | Free of charge in most cases, per NHTSA |
| How to arrange it | Call (253) 299-6221 ahead to confirm availability | Find a station with NHTSA's inspection station search. NHTSA says some locations now offer virtual inspections |
Sources: our own service as described on our Visit Us page; NHTSA's car seat page for the inspection station column. Details vary by station, so confirm with the station you choose.
Who each option is not for
- Our technician's help, not for: a Sunday trip, because we are closed Sunday, or a drive over without a call. Call (253) 299-6221 ahead to confirm availability.
- A public inspection station, not for: choosing between seats. NHTSA describes a station as the place to get the seat you have inspected, so you arrive with the decision already made. NHTSA also says the inspection is free of charge in most cases, which means some locations may charge.
The questions NHTSA puts first
Whoever helps you, NHTSA's car seat guidance starts with these:
- Does the seat suit your child? NHTSA says to select a car seat based on your child's age and size, then choose a seat that fits in your vehicle.
- Lower anchors or seat belt? NHTSA says every car seat installs with either the lower anchors or the seat belt, never both. Your seat's manual and your vehicle owner's manual decide which one each seating position allows.
- Is a tether needed? NHTSA recommends always using a tether with a forward-facing car seat when both the car seat and vehicle manufacturers permit it. NHTSA notes that most rear-facing seats in the US do not use one.
Still choosing a seat?
In our store you can see Nuna, UPPAbaby, Cybex and Doona side by side. Three Nuna seats cover the infant, convertible and booster stages, and our Nuna car seat guide compares the full lineup in detail. If a rotating base is on your list, our rotating or standard infant car seat guide weighs it up.
| Seat | Stage, per Nuna's listing | SugarBabies price |
|---|---|---|
| Nuna PIPA RX with RELX base | Rear-facing infant carrier, 4 to 30 lb | $550 |
| Nuna RAVA Next | Convertible: rear-facing 5 to 50 lb (seat belt), then forward-facing harness | $580 |
| Nuna EXEC Next | Convertible that becomes a belt-positioning booster, 40 to 110 lb in booster mode | $720 |
Prices update automatically from our store. Limits: Nuna, as listed on our product pages. Where a label or manual differs from a listing, the label and manual on your own seat win.
Going from the PIPA RX to the RAVA Next later costs $1,130 across both seats. Starting with the EXEC Next instead is $720, but you give up the carrier you can lift out of the car with a sleeping baby. You can also browse every infant car seat and convertible car seat we carry. Flying soon? Our lightweight travel car seat guide covers seats for the plane.
What to have ready
- The vehicle the seat will ride in. NHTSA notes that not all car seats fit in all vehicles.
- Your vehicle owner's manual, which shows where the lower anchors and tether anchors are. NHTSA warns that tether anchors are easy to confuse with luggage tie-downs.
- The car seat manual, which sets the height and weight limits and the lower anchor limit.
After the install: three checks NHTSA asks you to keep doing
- Register the seat. Send in the card that came with it or register on the manufacturer's website, so recall notices reach you. NHTSA also offers email recall alerts.
- Watch the lower anchor limit. The limit is on the seat's label or installation diagrams. If your seat has no label, NHTSA's rule is 65 lb minus the weight of the car seat. Once your child passes it, reinstall the seat with the vehicle seat belt.
- Stay rear-facing to the seat's limit. NHTSA says a child should remain rear-facing until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the seat's manufacturer.
Shopping for a stroller on the same trip? Our guide to seeing strollers in person near Tacoma covers what to check and the trunk numbers to bring.
Car seat installation help FAQ
Is car seat installation help included when I buy a seat from you?
Yes. When you buy your car seat with us, our certified car-seat technician helps you install it and get the fit right. Call (253) 299-6221 ahead to confirm availability.
Where can I get a car seat I bought elsewhere checked?
NHTSA says certified technicians at car seat inspection stations will inspect your car seat free of charge, in most cases, and show you how to correctly install and use it. Find a station with NHTSA's inspection station search.
Where is the store, and when are you open?
926 Main St #104, Sumner, WA 98390. We are open Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, and closed Sunday.
Where do I park?
There is free street parking right out front.
What should I have ready?
The vehicle the seat will ride in, your vehicle owner's manual, and the car seat manual.
Can I return a car seat I bought from you?
Our refund and return policy and shipping information pages have the current terms for car seats.
Plan your trip on our Visit Us page, or call (253) 299-6221.
Educational information only. This guide is for general education. It is not professional, medical, legal, or safety advice, and it does not create any advisory or professional relationship between you and SugarBabies. You are responsible for the safe selection, installation, and use of any car seat.
How a car seat fits and installs depends on your exact vehicle (its model year, trim, and seating configuration) and your exact car seat model. The instructions that came with your car seat and your vehicle owner’s manual always control. If anything in this article ever conflicts with those instructions, or with current guidance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), follow the manufacturer instructions, your vehicle manual, and NHTSA, not this article.
Our information is compiled from manufacturer specifications, product manuals, and NHTSA guidance that we believe to be reliable, and we provide all of it “as is.” Specifications, model years, and vehicle configurations change, and we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or current status of any of it.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, and SugarBabies and its owners, employees, and affiliates are not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential injury, loss, or damage arising from the use of or reliance on this article. Nothing in this disclaimer limits any liability that cannot be limited under Washington law. Some products we mention or link to are sold by SugarBabies, and we may earn money when you buy them.