Buggies v travel systems

Cullumpster

Hi folks :hello:

Just wanted a few opinions if that's ok

I'm 29 weeks pregnant and am now looking to buy the buggy, but didn't realise how expensive som of them are:eek:

I don't want one with bells and whistles but i do want one that will last till the baby is older as opposed to changing it after a couple a years.

Questions.

1) my Best friend is letting me have a car seat (I know it's ok as she has had no accidents and her little one was only in it foor about 6 month) so all i need to do is buy the base, so should i still buy a travel system ?

2) Has anyone seen / brought any of the new buggies off of e-bay ?
I've been looking and they are really good value considering they are brand new, however they are names like i'choo and hauger

Am i better off getting a uk one in case of any problems, also if i'm not buying a car seat could i get away with buying a second hand buggy from somewhere like e-bay or would you not risk it?

So far i've saved up £140 toward the buggy and really don't want to spend over £200 as i think that's a lot.

Your opinions would really help me.

Thanks

Rachie_B

ive bought 2nd hand prams / buggies no problems

what carseat have you been given? as maybe you could get a 2nd hand pram / pushchair that it will fit on

i dont see the point in getting a system unless you REALLY want the carseat to go on the chassis / pushchair but then its pointless having the carseat from your friend in that case

for £140 you could get a really nice one depending on what you are looking for
you need to decide what kind of thing you are looking for

ie big and bouncy for walking a lot
small and compact for fitting in the car / taking on a bus etc

3 wheeler ? 4 wheeler ? forward facing? or reversible?

chewy62

When my 3YO was born I bought a travel system which was good, but the pram was quite heavy(I think the wheels tend to be bigger)though I used the car seat that went with it for my next son too, and found it very handy.
I think proper prams are a waste of money, and a good buggy that lies flat and has a rainhood and a footmuff is great and much cheaper. :j
I put my first boy in a buggy when he was 3 months old, and they're great as they are very light and fold down nice and neat so fit in car boots and are easy to get on buses. :T
I only spent about £30 and am still using my old Toys R Us buggy for my second one!
Good luck!!! :j

frostyspice

Try https://www.kiddicare.com, I've used them a lot and they've always been great. I haven't found cheaper.

If you want a buggy which will last until your little one is too old for buggies, try a Maclaren Techno Classic or Techno XT, which are both suitable from birth. They fold up nice and small for your boot/public transport. The only problem with them is that they can't face you (which some people like with newborns) and that the babe looks a little lost in them at first - But having said that, you can make them cosy for baby.

I had a Maclaren Quest for my younger boy from about 4 months, made it nice with a fleecy footmuff/cosytoes (also available from Kiddicare) and he loves it. Still uses it now at 2 and a half and I'm not planning on getting another one.

The handles are adjustable on the Techno too so useful if you are tall / someone else using it is tall.

You don't need a travel system - babies shouldn't spend too much time in car seats and should be laid flat to begin with.

Have fun choosing - wish I was doing it all again!

Rachie_B

i agree maclaren buggies are fab,we have the Quest and my sister uses the techo xt,the quest is soooooooo lightweight even with a heavy 3 yr old in it lol

i guess its all about personal preference / lifestyle as to what pram you choose / buy

i personally wouldnt put a newborn/ small baby in a forward facing buggy,i like them to be facing me for the first few months at least

also i like to walk a lot and so prefer a big wheeled bouncy chassis,we had the room to store such an item and also it fitted into the car

we also used the carrycot part instead of a moses / crib and that was handy when we went away to visit family etc overnight

of course if you have a small carboot / need to rely on public transport then you will need something lighter / smaller folding

most websites will state the dimensions / weight of the pram

hobo28

If you already have a car seat, I wouldn't worry about a travel system. Sure its convenient for a few months when baby is small but you have years of use after that as a normal buggy.

As for getting an unbranded one from eBay, I'd be open to the option unless you really want to be able to try it/fold it etc in a shop before getting it. Some people insist on the "name" brands such as Mama's & Papa's but personally I wouldn't pay the extra.

My son had a £150 Graco travel system and he was fine in it. As long as the buggy is clean, I wouldn't be worried about a 2nd hand one.

Crispy_Ambulance

There are pros and cons to both. It is nice not to have to wake sleeping babe to put them into the buggy with a travel system, but once they are a few months old, they will probably prefer to be forward facing as they can't see much from a car seat.

Whatever you get, don't spend too much as once your little one is about 6 months you will probably want the lightest smallest umbrella fold buggy you can get!

Try your local NCT for nearly new sales - you can pick up great bargains!

Lillibet_2

We have a Britax travel system for Spud, but the number of times I've used it as a travel system I could count on one hand....with fingers to spare!! Fitting the car seat to the pram is diffcuilt and near impossible without waking Spud so defeats the purpose IMHO. The car seat gets used in the car & the pushchair gets used as a pram. It is, however, a really good solid pushchair which is great for lots of walking, which is what I need. Goes flat or upright with every angle in between too. When it does have to go in the car it is big, heavy & akward & I wouldn't even attempt public transport with it. BUT....it cost me £75 from ebay as an ex-display model:D

sooz

i agree with everything everyone else has said, but please do not forget how big your car boot is, and what space you have to store the thing when it is at home.

if you have a really small car, use public transport alot, and live on a 1st floor or above walk up [or if there's a lift how big is it?] flat with little storage, then a maclaren techno [or similar umbrella fold from newborn] would be your best bet.
my oh really really wanted a big 3 wheeler [and travel system] - i think all men really do!...i finally agreed that he could get it when we bought our new house and had a big enough front door for it to fit through, and corridor to store it in unfolded. it would not even fit through the door of our old place! once my son was 3 months i'd already bought the 2nd lightest umbrella fold maclaren, and have used it everyday since. the big 3 wheeler is fab, but now lives mostly under the dining table [and goes into the car when friends come for dinner!], and gets taken out for big hikes in the park.

jellyhead

i love my maclaren techno xt and wish i'd bought it straight away (i bought a cheap pram but by 4 months my baby looked too big for it!). full price is around £150 though and you have to buy a footmuff. i bought a buggy snuggle second hand from ebay. i got mine from mothercare a month ago (the day before finding out i'm pregnant and will need a double buggy - doh!) and mine's grey, it's the 2004 colours but it's new. it was £120 and i found a code for 10% off on the MSE site, or you can have free postage but not both. there's a black one for £130 here http://www.mothercare.com/invt/la0140&bklist=icat,5,shop,shopushchairs,puspushchairsbybrand,pusmaclaren
don't know which year's model that is, 2005 maybe.

it looks big enough for a large toddler, even when they're 3 or 4 on a day out (even if they can walk for miles you might want to use a buggy if you're at the zoo etc. for the day - we go to alton towers a lot and see lots of people paying a fortune to hire a buggy for a toddler whose legs are tired).

jasmin10

I am a new mum and have loved my Travel System, although at times it can be a bit bulky.

Now that my baby is 7 months I am looking into getting a buggy for running around with for short trips out. I will still use my travel system pushchair for longer trips out and about as I think that are more comfy for the little'ens

On another note however. I no longer have a use for my Graco Car base (only used it for 5 months) and just haven't got round to putting it on ebay. If you are interest let me know as it saves me a job.

Sam