Travel System dilemma - borrow or buy?

[Foggymist]

We've been researching travel systems for the last month or so and had just decided on buying a new one for what we consider to be quite a bit of money, but not the most expensive ones around either. The one we decided on has a great carrycot which can be used overnight but we intend on using it for daytime naps definitely, so will get use out of that every day. It has a big basket area and is equipped for the rural yet urban area we live. It's a bit heavier and bigger than some when folding but nothing unbearable. We were literally about to pay for the whole thing in the coming days.

We've now been offered a travel system, a very popular expensive brand which we had considered getting second hand. It's been used for one child and is in great condition, complete with car seat, isofix base, adaptors, etc. It's being offered by relatives so we know the car seat hasn't ever been damaged, etc. Its very lightweight and compact, but has a smaller basket area. They will take it back if/when they have another child, but have no plans for that in the next year or two currently.

Which would you do? My husband feels that we would be indebted to them and be constantly minding the buggy and worried about damaging or dirtying it, whereas we can do what we want if we buy it and not worry about having to keep it in perfect condition. This couple were going to sell the system anyway so are happy for us to take it, even if we decide after a while to buy the other if we don't get on well with their one.

Any advice appreciated!

[LlamaLover]

Borrow! Without a shadow of a doubt.

[Foggymist]

The indebted/minding it thing shouldn't be an issue no? I'm like 80% there for borrowing it, minding it and preferring the other in terms of its height (I'm tall) and attributes is holding me back, and himself is really not keen for now! The bargain lover in me wants to nab it asap, but I don't want to regret it...

[fattymcfatfat]

I borrowed a load of stuff off my friend when I had dd and it was such a pain.....I couldnt let anything get dirty and if it broke I felt so guilty, then to top it all off she convinced herself I had lent something that I didnt and went off in a strop....turned iut her sil had it! She even kicked off because the baby bath that was mine in the first place got broke. Ive learnt my lesson this time and told her not to bother sending clothes and moses basket and bouncer and swing etc back as I cant be doing with the hassle...but even though I told her that she still came down the other day and "gave" dd a load of toys then tild me she wanted them back so I had to make sure she looks after them....shes 1 for crying out loud! !!! Ive had bad experience with borrowing. ...my opinion. ..buy

[Rockchick1984]

Definitely borrow, even if just for the first few months. Hardly anyone I know says they would pick the same travel system again if they had to do it again - either it didn't suit their needs or they wanted something lighter a few months down the line.

[hazel88]

Borrow!! If anyone offers you anything that you think you would use...take it!! Saves you such a lot of money, plus once you're finished with it you can return it without having it lying around the house or having to get rid of it.

Borrow, borrow, borrow!

[Seeline]

I wouldn't borrow something like that because I used it sooo much. I would be worried about damage/wear and tear etc. A decent one should last you through until they are older (I know the lightweight ones are useful once they get bigger, but if you are out for the day etc, the capacity of a travel system is fantastic for carrying picnics, spare clothes, wellies etc) Also, if you are thinking about a second child, would you be able to borrow again, or would you have to buy then? Car seats need o be replaced after a certain number of years, regardless of whether they have been in an accident.

[museumum]

I borrowed our travel system and bought our own toddler maclaren buggy when ds was about one. It was ideal and imo needs change from week 1 to toddlerhood.

[CaptainMorgansMistress]

Which brands are the two systems?

I ask because I'd much rather have the use of (for example) a decent bugaboo / baby jogger / mountain buggy set up than buy a lower quality brand which just won't function as well.

Also, if it's a big name brand, you can probably get it serviced and (if necessary) repaired before giving it back, possibly overcoming your concerns about taking care of it.

If you haven't been there already, check out the pushchair section (under talk > products > pushchairs) where there are some incredibly knowledgable posters.

[PretzelPrincess]

Borrow! If anything is damaged you can easily get replacements. This will still be cheaper than buying a whole travel system. Save some money and borrow!

[weeblueberry]

Of all the things Id borrow, the pushchair wouldn't be one of them. We've got an uppababy vista (sounds like like the one you're thinking of buying actually) and at 21 months of solid use it's definitely looking 'used'. I honestly wouldn't want to do that to someone else's buggy. I'd want to be able to use it without feeling precious about it and worrying that I might break it or something would go wrong.

Basic things I'd borrow but not clothes (again too easy to stain and ruin) or the buggy.

[Artistic]

If you don't mind the hassle of selling then I'd say buy your own, use as you wish & sell it after. Will be slightly more expensive than buying second hand & you have the freedom to use as you please (and have a brand new buggy). Borrowing is full of worry (on top of the whole baby management drama on a daily basis)!

[HaPPy8]

I think it depends on the people offering to lend it to you. If they are 'normal' reasonable people then i would borrow it. If you have any reason to beleive that they would cause a fuss over a bit of mud or reasonable wear and tear, then id buy my own. If they say they were going to sell it, could you offer to buy it from them?

[Foggymist]

Seems MN is as split on this as we are! This is a long reply but I want to address as much as possible that's been said because it's really helpful to see that everyone is really set in one camp or the other!

We're borrowing lots of things from friends and family, cradle, cot, steriliser, a million clothes, so much stuff, but all stuff that either doesn't really get damaged (cradle, steriliser unless it breaks of its own accord) or stuff that doesn't matter (bibs, vests, etc). But this is the only big purchase we were considering making, for two reasons, that we don't have to worry about damaging/dirtying it, and if we have another it's an investment piece really.

Where we live nobody really gets strollers or lightweight buggies when children are a bit older, because the footpaths, roads, walkways and all that aren't smooth city ones. Think living just outside a small village, there are defined roads and paths but they are in poor condition and light strollers are a nightmare for all concerned on them. So really we'd need a heavier one, which both the borrow and buy options are.

They are both the same price range Captain. So while we can get the borrowed one serviced or fixed easily the new one would be just as good quality, they are usually the same price but there is a special offer on this one at the moment.

If we had another there is a chance then that we would end up buying new at that stage, which would really annoy me! Because this is on special offer, and at least if we got to use it 2-3 times I'd feel some bit better about the total price. While we don't plan on having another child any time soon (want to concentrate on getting this one out and keeping it alive first) the one we are looking at buying converts to a double buggy very easily.

Happy8 they are very normal reasonable people, we actually turned down the offer of a travel system from other relatives because they keep all their stuff so perfect and clean that I knew we couldn't live with using something belonging to them every day knowing it had to go back pristine. We could offer to buy it from them, we were going to buy one second hand originally, but for what these usually go for secondhand we could nearly have the other one new.

[HazleNutt]

if they are reasonable people then they will expect normal wear and tear. I'd borrow.

[Zsazsabinks]

Oh borrow for sure.

We live in a similar city one minute/almost country the next and have a dog to walk for two hours a day. I've found the Maclaren is actually fine on potholey/tarmacked roads so you may well find that you only end up using their pushchair for a few months.

Also, getting pushchairs cleaned and reconditioned before giving it back makes a huge difference and they know that you'll be using it, so if they're reasonable I imagine that they've thought of the wear and tear issue. Probably you're doing them a favour by taking it out of their house for a year or so and freeing up some storage space!

[museumum]

yes, i'd agree, I live in a cobbled-streets city and the maclaren is amazingly good. I thought the wheels would be too small but it's got very good suspension. And of course it's ideal for taking on holiday and for buses and park and rides.
Honestly I thought I'd only have one pushchair right through but the switch to the maclaren when he started walking has been a no-brainer.

[Foggymist]

I think we're going to borrow it, they are reasonable people who will expect some bit of wear and tear, and as it's a very popular brand we can replace bits if they need it. If we really hate it we can buy the other one later on.

Thanks for opinions, keep them coming if you want! :)

[Dogsmom]

I wouldn't borrow purely because they do get knocked about, we were so particular when we bought ours as it was the display model and had a few light scratches to the frame, you should see it now!
It's so easy to mark them when they're in and out of the car, you have the baby puking in it then they're weaned so it's juice/ice cream/chocolate stains.

Could you offer to buy it? I presume they'd offer it at a decent price.

I'd also say that lightweight is better too, we bought a Silver Cross travel system originally and it was so cumbersome, really heavy to lift, had so many attachments that were fiddly to use and had a wide turning circle, we used it maybe 3x and bought a lighterweight, 3 wheeler which is so much better.

[HyperThread]

I wouldn't borrow. Kids drop stuff and you'll have to constantly be weary about it.

If it was something you were rarely going to use like baby car seat, then it might be ok but definitely not buggy.

[queentroutoftrouts]

I wouldn't borrow it, if you have the funds to buy your own then buy your own. I can see it as a disaster waiting to happen to be honest. Children are sick and have accidents and then they wean and baby things can take a battering, would you really want that responsibility with some body else's property? If you say that you are not likely to switch to a light weight stroller later on then surely that's even more reason to buy your own it you know you will make full use out of it? I don't expect many prams would be in perfect condition after seeing two children through. If it breaks on you it is your full responsibility to replace it which could turn out to be a costly exercise.

[SecretNutellaFix]

Buy- you shouldn't use a second hand car seat for your baby anyway. How long ago was it first used? Where has it been stored? Has it been dropped?

Plus, I wouldn't want the fall out if anything happened to the pushchair whilst I was in charge of it. If it did go wrong you have no guarantee with the pushchair or car seat and would then need to buy outright to get around.

[Jackieharris]

Borrow! Use it for 6 months then get a lightweight buggy.

[Foggymist]

HyperThread we'll use a car seat just as much, definitely wouldn't be rarely used at all, probably more used because when visiting people we won't bring anything other than the car seat, so at least 3 times a week just for visits alone.

This couple said they found the buggy very easy to clean because you can basically take it apart and through it in the washing machine.

Thanks everyone.

[Foggymist]

SecretNutella you can use second hand car seats if you know where it's been, how it's been used, hasn't been in an accident or damaged, I used to sell this kind of product so I'm aware of the safety stuff. They're family, we know their lives inside and out, nothing has happened this car seat, they wouldn't give it to us otherwise. Technically a car seat used for a sibling 2-3 years later would count as second hand and unusable then. It's been stored in their house. We can always buy just a new car seat if we want.

I'm not trying to disagree with anyone btw, just saying the pros/cons as I see them.

[Luckystar82]

Borrow

You'll probably ditch for a stroller that is easier to collapse at 10 months anyway (Maclaren, Baby Jogger)