Good Brands of Buggies & Prams

senordingdong

OH and I are looking around for buggies and prams at the moment and were wondering if there are any reccomendable brands, or more importantly, any to avoid?

I've been looking at this one
http://www.eurobaby.ie/Graco_Symbio_Package_Deal/3825_p.aspx#
but have no idea if it's good or bad, or worth the asking price?

Moonbeam

It depends..
What will you be using it for? walking/shopping
Is your boot big?

It is more about getting a buggy for your needs then the brands.
Graco are a good reliable brand,as are maxi cosi,silver cross and nearly all the well known brands:)

I usually compare price to the shop below to see if they are good but to date we have jsut bought from kiddicare as sterling was weak agains't the euro.

http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_54+324_10751_-1_14601_102094_10001_14601
http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_54+324_10751_-1_14601_96841_10001_14601

January

Just so you know, that same deal is €100 cheaper in smyths at the moment

http://www.toys.ie/Graco-Symbio-Bundle-Offer-!G08493-prod.aspx

Except you don't get the foot muff or change bag. The raincovers are included though as are car seat adapters.

senordingdong

Moonbeam wrote: »

http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_54+324_10751_-1_14601_102094_10001_14601
http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_54+324_10751_-1_14601_96841_10001_14601

Thanks for the links.
What is that site like for delivery charges?

I can only see €50 in the difference so obviously if the delivery charge is more than that, it's not worth it.

adrieanne_x wrote:

Just so you know, that same deal is €100 cheaper in smyths at the moment

That deal looks good because we can obviously pick up a good foot muff or nappy bag outside of the deal....unfortunately though the oh doesn't like the red! And Smyths don't specifiy if they have any other colours.


Furthermore, can anybody share any experience of buying prams second hand?

How Strange

We're pretty much decided on a phil and teds. Probably the new sport version. It's also compatible with the maxi cosi car seat. We'll probably get the double buggy set as we might start on no.2 quite soon after no.1

I think all in it will cost €600 and buying in uk over the Internet doesn't seem much cheaper because of exchange rate. Can't do linky on my iPhone but Tony Kealys stock them and they have a website. We're going to start shopping around this week.

Moonbeam

kiddicare charge 20 pounds delivery.
Ring around every where,there are bargains to be had:)

if anyone happens to come across a bargain out and about nipper double,let me know:)I think I have priced it everywhere in the UK and Ireland at this stage though.

Amberjack

Hi How Strange,

Was thinking along the same lines of yourself with the Phil and Ted Sport, where there is room for no 2 if need be. If you don't mind me asking, where are you finding the best value for it? Id be interested to know.

Not due until mid April, so haven't done too much looking around yet, but no harm to start investigating. Also, I wonder are there much savings to be had come the Christmas/January sales?

Any info, help, hints would be great as I'm a complete newbie to babies, equipment and where to shop for the best baby deals.

Thanks Amberjack

melsbells

Hey!
Not sure if its of any help but we just bought the baby elegance pebble/beep travel system. we picked it up in the smyths sale last week, had done a lot of research on all types, there's so many out there!
after asking here and looking up the net i decided what was most important for me, i wanted a light weight frame and not to be dragging around both pushchair and car seat, as in most travel systems, with this one i have the frame and i can fit on whichever part i need at that time, either car seat, carrycot or pushchair, it just leaves it pretty light!
i think the beep is similar to the symbio, have seen it in shops but it was out of my price range! we paid e400 in the sale and for that we got frame,car seat,seat base, carrycot, two foot muffs, rain cover and baby bag, i thought it was good value.

best of luck with your purchase senordingdong, i honestly found it easier to buy my car!!! i must say though it brings a huge smile to my face every time i walk into the spare room and see it......starting to feel very real:D:D

senordingdong

melsbells wrote: »

best of luck with your purchase senordingdong, i honestly found it easier to buy my car!!! i must say though it brings a huge smile to my face every time i walk into the spare room and see it......starting to feel very real:D:D

Thanks.
We're finding out the sex on Friday, so that will be the final kick from reality!

The OH and I aren't rolling in it so I'm going to go take a look at the second hand market and see what I can find.

How Strange

Amberjack wrote: »

Hi How Strange,

Was thinking along the same lines of yourself with the Phil and Ted Sport, where there is room for no 2 if need be. If you don't mind me asking, where are you finding the best value for it? Id be interested to know.

Not due until mid April, so haven't done too much looking around yet, but no harm to start investigating. Also, I wonder are there much savings to be had come the Christmas/January sales?

Any info, help, hints would be great as I'm a complete newbie to babies, equipment and where to shop for the best baby deals.

Thanks Amberjack

Amberjack, I've found the prices are pretty much the same no matter where you go online or into stores. I've looked in Tony Kealys, Mothercare, Murphys in Rathcoole and on littlepeople.ie. UK site seem to work out more expensive because of the exchange rate.

To give you an idea, in Tony Kealys the explorer is €479, double kit €84, double rain cover €30, single rain cover €20, foot muff €69. They said they'll price match anywhere in ROI which is cheaper. The shop assistant said the double rain cover is ok to use as a single.

Also the extension for the maxi cosi is €30 but she said you should only use the maxi cosi for max 20-30 mins so to be honest I'm thinking I won't bother with it. I thought you could use it if you were bringing the baby for a walk in the first 3 months.

Butterflylove

Amazon are having a Black Monday till midnight tonight Travek systems and Pushchairs included,

stimpson

Bugaboo are introducing a twin pram/buggy called the Donkey early next year. Looking at it, I would have it over the Phil and Teds as it's side by side rather than inline. I never liked the Phil and Teds solution for a newborn.

http://pressroom.bugaboo.com/

Bugaboo are discontinuing the Chameleon (now called the Frog it seems) so they should be available cheap. We've had outs for nearly 2 years and it's still as good as new - well built and great design. My only issue is that it's 2 piece and it's a little bit of hassle to dissemble to get it in the car, but apart from that it's a great pram/stroller.

implausible

Amberjack wrote: »

...with the Phil and Ted Sport, where there is room for no 2 if need be. If you don't mind me asking, where are you finding the best value for it? Id be interested to know.

Not due until mid April, so haven't done too much looking around yet, but no harm to start investigating. Also, I wonder are there much savings to be had come the Christmas/January sales?

I was in this boat last year and having checked the 'net and Northern shops, I ended up shopping locally. There really was no difference in price. A lot of southern shops have free nationwide delivery too e.g. bellababy.

I did my shopping after Christmas and what I noticed about the sales was that instead of dropping the price of the P&T, shops were throwing in extras like the raincover, second seat etc. It's definitely worth your while hanging on until Jan.

senordingdong

So prices for these things seem to levitate around the same rate...looks like we'll be waiting untill January so.

Shelli2

I've gone through numerous differnt buggies and prams.....had a bit of a thing for them when my wee lad was small.

Second hand ones are usually grand.

The one I finally settled on was the icandy apple, it's simple amazing! They don't sell online and are fairly pricey in the shops but I found a good deal on ebay, second hand.

I have to say, their customer service is eccellent, they have sent me replacement parts free of charge.

What I find great about the apple, is the versatility. It takes the maxi-cosy car seat with just the frame. I had a Graco before this, and it bugged me to have to lug around the whole buggy to attache the car seat.

The under buggy storage on the apple is huge, great for shopping.

I also like the fact that if you need a double the apple can be converted to a "pear" easily by just buying the conversion set.

My wee lad is now 3 and if we going somewhere for a latr night we still bring it as he can still sleep very comfortably in it, and he's a big lad!

I got a great footmuff, liner and hood cover on ebay from a shop called 'blingyourbuggy', the woman custom makes sets, you pick the fabric and design from a large range and give her the make of your pram and she'll make it for you. I loved the fact that I had an apple, but it was customised so it was unique.

lynski

Moonbeam wrote: »

kiddicare charge 20 pounds delivery.
Ring around every where,there are bargains to be had:)

if anyone happens to come across a bargain out and about nipper double,let me know:)I think I have priced it everywhere in the UK and Ireland at this stage though.

think i know someone in kildare with one for sale secondhand if you are interested.

lynski

senordingdong wrote: »

Furthermore, can anybody share any experience of buying prams second hand?

I have never had a new pushchair - cousin delivered my first one 4yrs ago, a full graco travel system, never gave me a bother and it was 3 yrs old.
Bought a Lovencare one that had a handle that flipped back and forward - have not seen one like it since and i loved it - no bother either, but left in shed and it got moldy.
Got a Lovencare Double from Jumbletown - great pushchair but too big for our boot so gave it away.
Then another second hand graco - recently gave the pushchair to neighbour still going strong and plan on using the car seat again this time.
Lastly, and the only one i would 100% buy if i lost it, is a my beloved Phil and Teds, bought secondhand and 4yrs old nearly 2 yrs ago, it will service another child and I can honestly say I will not own another pushchair.

And - nappy brain that i am - i totally forgot, I did buy a double pushchair - a safety 1st - it was used for 6 wks, and my lo outgrew the baby section by the time she was 5 mths only. It was heavy and cumbersome and i was very glad to sell it on.

bulmersgal

Shelli2 wrote: »

I've gone through numerous differnt buggies and prams.....had a bit of a thing for them when my wee lad was small.

Second hand ones are usually grand.

The one I finally settled on was the icandy apple, it's simple amazing! They don't sell online and are fairly pricey in the shops but I found a good deal on ebay, second hand.

I have to say, their customer service is eccellent, they have sent me replacement parts free of charge.

What I find great about the apple, is the versatility. It takes the maxi-cosy car seat with just the frame. I had a Graco before this, and it bugged me to have to lug around the whole buggy to attache the car seat.

The under buggy storage on the apple is huge, great for shopping.

I also like the fact that if you need a double the apple can be converted to a "pear" easily by just buying the conversion set.

My wee lad is now 3 and if we going somewhere for a latr night we still bring it as he can still sleep very comfortably in it, and he's a big lad!

I got a great footmuff, liner and hood cover on ebay from a shop called 'blingyourbuggy', the woman custom makes sets, you pick the fabric and design from a large range and give her the make of your pram and she'll make it for you. I loved the fact that I had an apple, but it was customised so it was unique.

Love my Icandy, Its amazing for walking you barely feel the bumps compared to other buggy's i've pushed. I bought in Murphys after the sale and got a lot of free extra's like footmuff etc free

One thing to do is shop around, saved a lot of money on everything doing this

senordingdong

Shelli2 wrote: »

I've gone through numerous differnt buggies and prams.....had a bit of a thing for them when my wee lad was small.

Second hand ones are usually grand.

The one I finally settled on was the icandy apple, it's simple amazing! They don't sell online and are fairly pricey in the shops but I found a good deal on ebay, second hand.

I have to say, their customer service is eccellent, they have sent me replacement parts free of charge.

What I find great about the apple, is the versatility. It takes the maxi-cosy car seat with just the frame. I had a Graco before this, and it bugged me to have to lug around the whole buggy to attache the car seat.

The under buggy storage on the apple is huge, great for shopping.

I also like the fact that if you need a double the apple can be converted to a "pear" easily by just buying the conversion set.

My wee lad is now 3 and if we going somewhere for a latr night we still bring it as he can still sleep very comfortably in it, and he's a big lad!

I got a great footmuff, liner and hood cover on ebay from a shop called 'blingyourbuggy', the woman custom makes sets, you pick the fabric and design from a large range and give her the make of your pram and she'll make it for you. I loved the fact that I had an apple, but it was customised so it was unique.

That's alot to consider.

One thing that has me fond of the Graco is that it's quite thin and minimalist.
I don't like the big lumbering ones with huge under carriages.

Practicality and price will be the deciding factors for me, and so far I have my mind made up on the practicality element, but feel I should wait untill the sales to make a final decision on the price.

bulmersgal

Whereas to me I wanted a lot of storage underneath as I live quite close to our town and would often pop into shops when out walking with baby, so did like the fact I could get everything I needed in shops without having to carry bags

LordSutch

Nicki123

We bought a Maclaren Techno XLR travel system and haven't had a moments trouble with it and still using it 20 months on.
The things to look out for are the weight in the actually buggy/pram itself if you're planning on taking it in and out of the car a lot. I spent a lot of time driving about and in and out of shopping centres and some of the buggys were simply too heavy for me to lug in and out of the boot by myself. Also, it's important to check if it'll fit in your boot - we have a big boot but still have to turn the buggy a certain way to fit it in.
Lot so people that I know who bought other prams/buggys in the beginning have now bought a maclaren stroller so maybe we saved ourselves a few bob by having all the component parts from the beginning?

Shelli2

senordingdong wrote: »

That's alot to consider.

One thing that has me fond of the Graco is that it's quite thin and minimalist.
I don't like the big lumbering ones with huge under carriages.

Practicality and price will be the deciding factors for me, and so far I have my mind made up on the practicality element, but feel I should wait untill the sales to make a final decision on the price.

Exactly, different people have different needs. I had the Graco Quattro Tour Delux, quite cumbersome for car travel, but marvelous for long walks and shopping. I just found the Icandy had the best of both, especially when he was tiny, as all I had to bring was the frame and the car seat clipped into the frame.

Also, something else to consider, is that alot of stores do their own brand travel systems, like mothercare. Bit like buying Supermarket own brand, usually just as good at a lower price.

Good luck with the search.

alibride

bellababy.ie are doing the explorer package for 539 includes double kit and raincover and cocoon
really wanted it as its maxi cosi compatable so brought my 2.5 yr old in to test it out and the poor child had no room in the back when the maxi cosi was out front. so now we are just sticking a buggy board on our maclaren xlr and its does the job. i do think alot of buggies are over rated, but i cant fault the maclaren - love it