To ask if you bought a second hand travel system/ pram, do you have any regrets?

[Gieenorg]

Me and DH are shortly expecting and were in 2 minds about purchasing a second hand travel system. We could afford a brand new one but we are both suckers at trying to find second hand bargains, including from charity shops/on vinted etc.

I dont really know much about prams in all honesty and wondered whether I could get real life experiences of buying a second one, whether they are usually robust enough to last through a few families or whether perhaps you purchased one and it was defective/worn and ended up a bit of a nuisance!

Any regrets?

Also, naive question by me, how long do your children tend to use the prams for? I would assume approx 3 years maybe?

(I imagine there would be some factorS to consider, I.e brand of pram/ how long the owners have had it for.. things we need to research and consider!)

Apologies about the formating of this thread, I am not sure what I have done there! @mumsnet Can you help please?

Wouldn't buy a car seat second hand, but definitely prams/pushchairs. I've had three second hand and sold them on for pretty much what I paid.

Don’t buy secondhand car seats unless you can be absolutely certain they’ve never been in an accident (so buying from your sibling/best friend).

Otherwise, we bought a secondhand Phil and Teds system when dc3 turned up, I didn’t even see it beforehand as my parents collected it. No regrets as the previous family had barely used it, but it cost about a third of what it would have done new.

As to how long they are in them for, they might well still be in a pushchair until they are 3, particularly if you walk a lot, but you’ll probably want to shift to something less bulky than a travel system before then.

I didn't but I've used my Bugaboo Cameleon for 2 DC now and it's still perfect and will be fine if we ever have a third. I paid around £900 for ours and would be able to buy a similar one for around £250 second hand so would definitely have no problem getting one second hand now.

As PPs have said, I wouldn't buy a second hand car seat.

We inherited a Bugaboo from friends. Did five DC (both of theirs, both of ours and DNephew). We did separately but an umbrella buggy for travel but worked well. Car seats, no, unless you can guarantee they’ve never been in a crash (so our high back booster is about to go to DNephew).

I got a second hand Nuna from Facebook. First owner had absolutely treasured it, it was immaculate.

Got our bugaboo fox2 new and then bought a bugaboo bee stroller second hand. The second hand stroller made me wish we had got the fox second hand as well to be honest, you couldn’t tell the difference. New prams are a big expense! Agree with PPs, I wouldn’t get a second hand car seat unless off someone I know well and trust.

As others have said no to the car seat but I bought 2nd had. Bassinet part still had the plastic on, and apart from a few scratches to the chassis and a little bit of staining on the straps (which came off with a scrub) it was perfect. It stills look great now 18 month old is outgrowing it, will certainly be getting a 2nd hand umbrella stroller.

I didn’t buy one, but got one second hand from family. We’re about to use it again for our second DD, and it’s in perfect Nick having been through three children already.

It’s a Uppababy Vista if that matters, which is brilliant. But I wouldn’t pay the eye watering new price for it.

Agree with everyone.

You can get a good quality pram second hand that look new!

I got my silver cross travel system second hand for £100. It was in excellent condition and after I used the vax cleaner on it, it looked brand new.

I recommend getting a grey stroller. Black fades in the sun and cream/beige can show up stains or dirt more. Grey is more durable in my experience!

People know you are not supposed to sell carseats, it would make me worry about how safe the ones that are on the market are. They are supposed to be replaced after every accident no matter how minor. Plus they only last 7 years so if you have more than one kid and not back to back you want a bit more longevity.

Pram yeah I would. Be very careful when you look. Mine was in excellent nick after my first kid, it was only when I was abroad and going on the plane back and forth that nackered it. One of my colleagues got a brand new icandy and sold it 2 months later because she wanted something more girly, at about 60% of the price. Know the models, so if its an older style vista that's a good few years old now.

I bought my Uppababy Vista (the 2015 and after model) nearly a year ago, from a lady who used it with her 3 DC, but it was in a good condition. So it's already used by 4th child (and I believe you can use it until 3/4years old), and I absolutly love it, folding mechanism still works without fail, plenty of space under and my DC is comfy in it. Wouldn't want to pay full price.
Car seat on the other hand only new.

I did and didn't regret it. I bought a 2nd hand travel system with carrycot, also a 2nd hand 3 wheeler, out n about nipper. Also had and umbrella fold stroller in the boot.

The travel system could face me, the out n about couldn't. But it was better for country walks.

So 2 pushchairs for different needs for the price of one brand new.

It's pretty obvious when you see them if they've been looked after or if they're completely filthy and bashed around.

We got a Bugaboo Cameleon that had already seen 3 children and has done incredibly well with our two. It’s pretty knackered now but was manufactured 2009 so has done really well!

I’d definitely recommend second hand, just get a good brand and the usual cautious approach to buying online ie not from someone who seems to sell a lot of them, but buy from someone who is obviously a local mum or dad.

If you can afford new, do it! The only time I would have a second hand one is if it was from someone I know. I went to buy a good brand one off ebay but when I collected it there was mould on the seat unit, it was a pain in the arse getting the money back. Also it's good to have a warranty, some of the better brand pushchairs still cost a lot second hand but it's money down the drain if it breaks a month or two down the line.

I bought a second hand pram/pushchair for £100. It was still selling in the shops for nearly £500 at the time. It could be a pram or you pulled a few buttons and it's turned in to a push chair with could be world or parent facing. It was a lovely system to use. We bought a new car seat though.

First DC I bought a second hand mamas and papas that had already been through 3 kids, was knackered, heavy and uncomfortable to push as the leatherette on the handlebars was worn. It was £50. I regretted it.

This time I spent £150 on an 18 month old icandy which I'm really happy with. The extra £100 was well worth it!

Go and look at prams in the shop as physically they are very different. Do you need it to go over rough ground or is it something light to transport on the train/tube etc.

As a grandmother I have pushed quite a few and the handle height etc makes a big difference.

For the latest grandchild I bought Uppababy vista (secondhand) it is brilliant it folds easily lies back and has huge storage bit underneath.

I moved to a stroller from 1 year. After that a travel system is just way too bulky

2nd hand travel system definitely as mine only used it for about a year and then I wanted a lightweight pushchair (macclaren). Invest in a good pushchair that'll grow with them. I've pushed bugaboos and personally don't like them. Research what you want it for and physically go into a shop and push those types before purchasing 2nd hand. Buy the car seat new!

Please buy a new car seat if you can, it's quite important.

The travel system is the only thing we've bought new for our first baby due in May. Apart from a few clothes.

My Brother kindly gave me their Moses basket from my niece and I've had some really good bargains on Vinted like sealed and unused MAM bottles, dummies, bath towels for bubs etc.

My first DC I had 7 prams/buggies by the time they were 4 months old. I brought 2 brand new (very cheap Graco travel system and Mybabiie stroller) and I learnt a lot about second hand prams!
I candy (at the time 2017) had an issue where the mechanism in the handle snapped so you couldn't fold it. And was quite a short seat.
I ended up buying a 2012 uppababy vista off Facebook for £180! The bassinet was brand new, Uppababy had replaced the seat unit only 3 months before due to wear and tear and I regretted not buying one new.

My second DC we tested a few new, but I was set on a Uppababy Vista again. I brought one on Facebook for £300 with additional extras (snack tray, newborn pillow etc) and after being used for their 3 DC, it was still in amazing condition and I've had it 2 year now!
They are exceptionally hard wearing and I recommend them to anyone who will listen!
I should probably be a sales rep for them! 🙈

I'd always get a new car seat. I wouldn't spend much on a pram so second hand in good condition would be preferable. I hardly used mine for the first year as my baby preferred the wrap carrier or sling, after that I used it until just after two years.

I wouldn't buy a car seat unless you know and trust the seller but definitely get your pram if you can, as you might not even use it that often if you want to use a baby carrier, and eventually you'll want to get yourself a lightweight buggy when your baby is a little bigger.

I got a silvercross pram/buggy for £180 with all the accessories- almost brand new condition- full price £1200 😱😱😱

It is a beautiful pram but I'm so glad I bought it second hand. with the remainder of the money (my mum gave us the money for the pram as baby's gift) I was able to furnish the nursery and buy a baby carrier!

There are definitely some bargains to be found! X