I'm tearing my hair out trying to find a pram, please help!

[OhTheDrama]

So I'm 14 weeks with DC3. I have made some very expensive mistakes in the past and went through 10 pushchairs/prams with my last two DC's. We need a new car this time around too so I have a limited budget of £650 tops and that has to include a car seat too, preferably maxi cosi or the be safe izi go.

I have ruled out UB vista (a bit too big at the back), bugaboo bee3 (too expensive with car seat), stokke scoot (same as bee3), SC wayfarer (carrycot too narrow and read dreadful reviews). Anything M&P!!!

I need it to:-
-have a carrycot option for at least first 4months.
-Do 4 school runs a day (therefore decent wheels!)
-Fit easily on a bus.
-Have a decent basket as I won't have access to the car during the week and walk or bus everywhere.
-Not take up a massive amount of boot space as we travel a lot and need to fit other luggage in, but our new car will be an SUV so may be able to compromise on this point.

So far I am looking at BJ versa, graco evo (love the pram and pushchair, hate the car seat), Britax affinity. Is there anything else I should consider?

[OhTheDrama]

Oh and it has to parent face too!

[Greensiren2014]

Hi,

I have the brittax affinity and love it!! We used the carry cot for the first 3 months (only switched when it got really hot but that was out of preference not necessity.) it's not too heavy and folds up fairly small.the wheels are great - suspension in the front and large air filled tyres at the back means it's not bumpy (and we've done lots of walks down green lanes etc where baby has stayed asleep.) when we got it it was all a very reasonable price plus the brittax baby safe car seat which we have no problems with! I also looked at the evo which my friend has and it's quite bumpy in comparison. Also there's the option of parent or forward face. Good luck!!

[lentilpot]

We have the by versa gt and love it! True, the baby is only 3 weeks old but the fold is lovely, the new 2014 carrycot looks amazing - we have the older one and it's ok but thing my rather large baby will outgrow it before 6 months (got my eye on a wedge for the main seat). The basket is really big and has already carried its share of shopping! The gt wheels are easy to get up and down kerbs (although I think others disagree!). The frame is heavy folded but nice and flat.

[Ihateparties]

Sounds like you're on the right track to me. I'm gonna add the easywalker mosey and the oyster 2, possibly the joie chrome and concord wanderer.

I have a joie gemm car seat sitting around, left over from when I had a chrome and I really like it, it fits on maxi cosi adaptors so possibly another to consider? Any particular reason you need a compatible car seat? If I was starting again I'd probably buy a 0-4 rear facing Isofix seat but then again my lifestyle means I never use the car seat on the pushchair, if you need to do that obviously it doesn't work.

[BiggerYellowTaxi]

I also have a BJ Versa GT and it is pretty great. I find it hard to tip up curbs because it is so stable but I think the normal one us much better at this as it has back suspension. The huge basket is brilliant. I took it on the bus once and found it a bit too big and awkward but I had been used to a Babystyle Oyster which was a lot more compact. There was also an elderly man sat on the fold down seat and I wouldn't let him move (read too many threads on here so am paranoid about appearing "entitled") so there was limited space. If you take the seat off to fold, it takes up not too much space in the boot but we have a car similar to a Meriva or Scenic so decent boot size.

[BiggerYellowTaxi]

Yes I wondered about the Oyster 2, it looks good. I know some people had problems with the Oyster but ours was still going strong after 3 years of DC1 and 4 months of DC2. We only got the Versa because I lost the Oyster chassis . The Oyster 2 wasn't out yet or I'd have considered it.

[Caramelkate]

Icandy cherry. Has huge basket and very manoeuvre able for the bus. It wears very well - I walk everywhere and mine has lasted 3 years and looks new ( I am a foster carer so use it for all ages and sizes). My favourite pushchair :)

[eatingforonemore]

Uppababy cruz? Great reviews, good size basket and can get good package deals on it. Lovely colours too.

[eatingforonemore]

Forgot to add, my local pram shop has the Cruz for for 725 with carrycot, pram, maxi cosi cabriofix, family fix base and a footmuff (VIB brand) and that's glasgow pramcentre, is available cheaper without the base too

[OhTheDrama]

Ihateparties I was looking at the Joie Chrome yesterday in mothercare and I liked it but they didn't have the matching carrycot on display, is it a decent size? It's interesting that the owner of my local independent nursery shop rates the Gemm car seat as highly as the other two I've mentioned.

I'm really not keen on the Oyster as my friend had one and her chassis went back 4 times. What changes have they made to the Oyster 2?

[OhTheDrama]

Greensiren how do you find the basket on the Affinity? Can you fit much in it?

[DearTeddyRobinson]

Uppababy Cruz with carry cot. Really sturdy, big basket, adjustable handle. Nice and easy to steer with one hand too. 4th one we tried and the best by far!

[OhTheDrama]

Thanks eating will check out the Cruz, I hadn't really looked at that as someone told me the suspension was rubbish and made it a really bumpy ride. Groovystyle have a package that's in budget for me. Don't need bases as I have a maxi cosi one and my friend has the be safe one I can lend.

[tertle]

UB cruz. I really like mine. Slimmer and has smaller wheels than the vista.
Very handy around town and on buses - I'm always walking or on public transport. And the basket is huge!
Good luck with the decision making.

[tertle]

X post! Glad to see others recommend the cruz! Was set on the vista but was persuaded to get he cruz - glad I did.

[Ihateparties]

I wonder if the gemm fits on the maxi cosi base, suppose it probably doesn't, I haven't got it handy to look at the bottom. I had a cabriofix for years, then a babysafe, I didn't use the gemm myself but of the 3 it's the one I would pick. I do like joie stuff generally though.

I didn't use the carrycot on the chrome so I'm not sure on carrycot size, decent but not huge would be my guess. The seat is lie flat though so you don't have the worry of outgrowing the cot before being ready for the bucket shaped seat.

Re the oyster 2, I think most of the changes are seat related but I'm not totally sure.

My local independent has sold looooooads of affinities, they really rate them. I haven't used one, I have used a versa and it was lovely but they're just that bit too large for me.

I want to like the Cruz but from a personal point of view I think there are better things available for what you need. The same applies to the graco evo in this case, I don't think either has good enough wheels and suspension for your amount of walking. I do 4 school runs a day, I would prioritise something comfortable and easy to push one handed along with a comfortable ride/seat/carrycot for the baby, once you find those things then sort by other features.

[Tiggywunkle]

The suspension is rubbish! LOL Its lovely, and the basket is the best one ever. But its so hard on the hands to push! I guess if you don't know different, then it may not bother you - but it is hard!

[OhTheDrama]

Thanks for all your input I think I will go back and look at the Versa, Joie Chrome and The Affinity. I think they are probably the best pick for what I need. I'm fussy and can't stand a jerky, bumpy ride, hurts my back too.

If I get the affinity I don't mind getting the britax car seat as I rate them. Otherwise I think I will just get another Cabriofix, I'm only replacing as the one I have is 9 years old and I don't want to chance it.

[Greensiren2014]

I like the basket - definitely have no problems with the size (also looked at the silver cross surf which was pointlessly small) I also have a buggy buddy clip which goes on the handle for any extras.

[OhTheDrama]

I just thought I'd update this as I love to hear what others have ended up buying! We have gone for the Stokke Scoot V2, it wasn't even on my radar to begin with.

I noticed the original in Mothercare and was impressed by the compactness and general style, I loved it, even the weight didn't bother me as we rarely fold anyway! However the fact it only had two seat positions and the wheels put me right off. I stumbled across a post on Best Buggy (thanks Tiggy!) that said it had had a bit of a re-design i.e. 3 seat positions and new chunkier wheels and I was sold! I've taken a bit of a risk pre-ordering it without seeing but happy that it's the pram for us and have also ordered the softbag to go with it. Can't wait for it to be released!

[Tiggywunkle]

Glad you are all sorted out. I am waiting for my Scoot2 as well :) Any day now!

[OhTheDrama]

When are you expecting it Tiggy, nobody seems to be able to give me an exact date, just October. I'm not needing it anytime soon but still waiting impatiently!

[Tiggywunkle]

They are in some shops now...mine hasn't arrived yet though :(

[OhTheDrama]

Just got an email to say it's been dispatched, so excited! Have you got yours yet Tiggy?

[longbottom]

What's it like?! Just stumbled across this thread and am so undecided on what to go for!