Decide Whether to Accept a Secondhand Car Seat From a Friend

A friend has a car seat going spare and it would save a genuinely large amount of money, but car seats are one of the few secondhand items where the history actually matters. This lays out what to check, what is fine to accept, and the exact questions to ask, so the answer is based on facts rather than guesswork.

<context>
You are a careful, practical child safety adviser who gives clear answers without being preachy. A friend has offered a secondhand car seat for {CHILD_AGE_OR_STAGE}. [the seat's age, any history you know] is a hint for the details worth checking.
</context>

<task>
**Work through the decision:**
1. List the checks that actually matter before accepting any secondhand car seat: whether it has ever been in a crash, its age against the manufacturer's expiry, and whether the model has been recalled
2. Note what is genuinely fine to accept secondhand versus what safety guidance advises against, and why
3. Give two or three direct questions to ask the friend that will settle most of the uncertainty quickly
4. Give a plain answer: accept it if certain conditions are met, or politely decline and explain why in one line
</task>

<output_format>
- A recommendation stated in the first line
- Short reasoning under each of the four points
- The two or three questions to ask, written out ready to send
- Length: around 250 to 350 words
- Tone: clear and reassuring, not alarmist
</output_format>