Wheels issue with Bugaboo Bee?

[pinkypig]

Ok, so now I'm thinking of buying a second hand or new Bugaboo Bee or Bee Plus. What should I watch out for regarding the 'shimmying wheels' I see people are getting annoyed about?

If I buy a brand new one will it have this problem? Shoudl I look for the older model?

Thanks

[OnePramWoman]

with the bugaboo bee, i really would recommend buying from new from a high street shop like john lewis, they have had so many problems, the warrenty will be worth its weight in gold

[pinkypig]

Wow are they really that bad?

[EmmaNicole]

I've had a Bugaboo Bee Plus since July 2010. There is lots I love about the pushchair - faces both ways and fully reclines, light and easy to push, huge basket, easy to fold, extending seat & back, really stylish. BUT I have had problems - shimmying wheels, the extending back was faulty, broken raincover. To be fair to Bugaboo they have dealt with all my issues promptly (hence I agree with OnePramWoman about the warranty) BUT it is not what you should expect of a pushchair which costs so much!! I am disappointed as I was so desparate to have it and, if it had no issues, it's a great pushchair. The wheel-shimmying issue is temporarily fixed with washers but this is not a long-term measure and Bugaboo have still not found a solution. I am planning on continuing to use it for my 2nd as it suits my needs and I do question the sale-ablility of it now everybody knows about the problems! But would I recommend it to somebody to buy....no....and definitely not second-hand.

[Gigondas]

Haven't they corrected fault on newer bee plus? Certainly i thought warranty covered new wheels

[OnePramWoman]

they have, but they have been here before saying they had fixed the problem, only to find out that they had not or just created a new problem, they have a few solutions depending on the problem, buy new if you plan on getting one

[Tiggywunkle]

I almost bought a second hand Bee last week but to be honest it wasn't worth the risk. I decided to buy new to get the warranty. I had issues with my Cameleon and I bought (new) second hand and I regretted it bitterly when Bugaboo wouldn't even talk to me. I resolved the issue but I remembered just in time that I vowed then never to buy without a warranty again. Some things are worth a punt and a £100 Bee maybe...but at £200+ for a second hand Bee then treat a new pushchair like a rental and you will get a good chunk of money back at the end. Bees have had too many past issues for me to take a risk.

[pinkypig]

Tiggywunkle that's the conclusion I'm coming to. Thanks all.

[cairnterrier]

OP I've got the original Bugaboo Bee and I've had no problems with it at all. DS aged 2 still fits in it fine and he's above the 99th centile for height as I found out today! AFAIK it didn't have the same problems with wheel shimmy. Might be worth keeping an eye out for it on ebay - the easiest way to tell is that the original Bee had filled in white solid wheels rather than the 'spokes' of the Bee plus.

[EmmaNicole]

Regarding the wheel issue - it's not fixed. The first issue which occurred was the shimmying (shaking like a dodgy supermarket trolley wheel), they sent out plastic washers which you have to attach to the wheel and this stops the shaking, but they wear out and you have to replace them - so only a temporary measure in my book. As they became aware of this issue they changed the bearings in the wheel from plastic to metal as they believed this would stop the shimmying (this was on Bees produced from January 2011) but it actually stopped the wheels from turning properly (which was a much bigger, and more dangerous issue) so they've now reverted back to the original plastic bearings and the washer solution. I have asked Bugaboo for progress on a permanent solution, so that we don't have to keep changing washers, but they have replied that they are still working on it and it will take time. All-in-all it's a fiasco!! If I was Bugaboo I would be very worried about the long-term detrimental effect on the brand.

[pinkypig]

So...if I did go for a cheap 2nd hand older version, can you actually buy new sun shade/hoods for the old model any more? thanks

[OnePramWoman]

yes you can, but be careful buying even an old bee second hand as they had slippy handles, ie the handle could not be set a the height you would want and kept slipping back down.

[Tiggywunkle]

I bought a new Bee this afternoon so fingers crossed its ok!!!!!

[Gigondas]

I am in a honeymoon period with mine so am shutting my brain off about faults ...

[EmmaNicole]

I'm interested to know how you get on with your new Bees. Are Bugaboo sending out washers with new ones? I find the level of shimmying depends upon the amount of weight on the front wheels. It has improved as my DD has grown and got heavier, and it's better when she faces outwards rather than rear-facing. I am planning on using it for DC2 and am a little concerned how it will cope with a feather-light baby weight and parent-facing!

[Tiggywunkle]

I was assured mine had had new wheels....but I read earlier that Bugaboo are still working on the issues....so fingers crossed. I more than likely wont have mine long anyway.

[pinkypig]

Where did you buy it Tiggy? Cheapest I have found is Kiddisave...

[EmmaNicole]

lockets, I agree it is very annoying. Bugaboo are still selling a product which is faulty (in my opinion the shimmying does constitute a fault) and expecting their customers to make a temporary fix with washers. I haven't had to replace mine as frequently as yours but my DD is now 2 1/2 and her weight means the shimmying isn't as bad as it used to be. But I really notice it when I'm pushing and she's not in the pushchair. I'm really annoyed too as I bought it with a thought to getting a decent price when I sell it on - I'm not sure that'll be the case now. My warranty expires in July so I'm now wondering if they will have a permanent solution by then and, if not, whether my pushchair will be covered.

[OnePramWoman]

ask for a full refund as the fix is not suitable, contact trading standards who will let you know your rights and help, but first port of call is your retailer, you should be able to get a refund due to it being unfit for purpose and the repair not suitable

[bonzo77]

I have the old one. Heavy daily use for the last 2 years. Not a single issue.