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Pushchairs

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Original poster

Anybody got a Mothercare Hoxton Tandem buggy?

14 replies

SingleMumAndProud · 30/08/2010 20:29

Bearing in mind it is a second hand complete bargain. But I would like to know if anybody has any honest opinions?

I have a 16 month old and a 2.8 year old and do lots of walking. DD1 happy to walk a lot of the time but need to have the double with me as she gets too tired - I am often out all day so can't expect her not to need a rest. (And I also want to get somewhere quickly sometimes!!)

Would love to hear any reviews

OP posts:
carrielou2007 · 30/08/2010 21:05

Dreadful, awful, you won't be having long walks with it!

My childminder struggled with a double that would fit in her people carrier using all the seats and fellow CM could fit one in her car so I bought one for her.

She only uses it for the school run to keep little ones 'strapped in safe' at the time she had dd who was 14 months and a slightly older girl who was smaller than dd. My CM is short but quite a large lady and she really struggled to push due to it being sooooooooooooo heavy even before putting little ones in. Terrible up kerbs (what double isn't)

I went back to work last week and she said thank goodness she only has my ds 7 months who needs a (ingle) buggy so she doesn't have to wrestle with the monster!!

thisisyesterday · 30/08/2010 21:11

i have just been using a cosatto duet lite, which is virtually identical
got it for going on holiday and i really like it!
had an almost 3 yr old and a 1 yr old in it and it was fine.

if you're getting it for a bargain price then go for it. if you hate it you can just ebay it

Sidge · 30/08/2010 21:23

I had the Cosatto Duet Lite which is essentially the same buggy and didn't like it at all - I ended up selling it on Ebay and bought an Out N About Nipper Double 360 which I loved.

The Duet Lite was heavy with the older child in the front, hard to manouever, really difficult to get up and down kerbs and gave me wrist strain steering it. Pushing it anywhere except on a pavement was hideous, it couldn't cope with gravel or rough ground.

The front seat is pretty small, my DD2 wasn't that comfy in it and by the time she was old enough to sit up a bit DD3 couldn't see out much either.

Conversely my Nipper Double was a dream - light, could push and steer it with one hand and was brilliant on and off road. The girls were really comfy and could both see where we were going. It wasn't overly wide, I could get it in and out of my front door and it folded flat to go in the car.

nancydrewrocked · 30/08/2010 21:30

I bought one jsut over 4 years ago when they first came out (so don't know if they've changed since then) but it went straight back to the shop.

It was so heavy and cumbersome. certainly not worth the effort.

Original poster
SingleMumAndProud · 30/08/2010 21:45

I have a tandem at the moment. A mothercare pheonix which is much bigger and I think heavily and bulkier. So I am hoping that as I am used to that, I won't find it as hard as somebody who is new to Tandems.

Sidge - the out and about is my dream buggy, that I would love to own, but I just can't afford one. I have wanted one since I was pregnant with DD2 who is now 16 months. I know this buggy is not going to compare to it. But its costing next to nothing and a nipper is £100+ even second hand!

OP posts:
Original poster
SingleMumAndProud · 30/08/2010 21:45

Oh dear, all these bad reviews don't sound good!

OP posts:
DreamsInBinary · 30/08/2010 21:46

I had one from about three years ago and it was just dreadful. I am tall and not weak, but it was very hard to steer and virtually impossible to get up a kerb.

Both your DC will be way too heavy for the front seat.

The bigger (longer) tandem doubles are far better IMO.

Sidge · 30/08/2010 21:50

SingleMum I know they are expensive, the intial outlay is huge - I bought mine new with accessories for 299 pounds (sorry no pound sign on my laptop) but sold it 3 years later for 200!

You'll have to rob a bank or sell a kidney - it would be worth it Grin

Original poster
SingleMumAndProud · 30/08/2010 22:07

Sidge - I really wish I had just found a way to afford it when DD2 was born. Now DD1 is almost too old for a buggy, I just can't justify the cost. Sad

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 30/08/2010 23:03

singlemum, what kind of budget do you have?

Original poster
SingleMumAndProud · 31/08/2010 08:18

thisisyesterday - to be honest I have very little money to spend, but have a few cheaper buggies I am planning to sell and put towards getting a new one. I guess about £50 would be my budget, and even that's at a push. If my others were to sell it wouldn't be so bad.

OP posts:
DreamsInBinary · 31/08/2010 12:14

SingleMum have you looked on your local NetMums Buy and Sell page?

A few friends have had real bargians, especially prams. Or try gumtree?

nicolamumof3 · 31/08/2010 14:32

don't bother, honestly they are crap!

asuwere · 31/08/2010 14:49

I got a Bruin one (same basic design I think) about a month ago. I did have a P&T which was great in newborn/toddler mode but as soon as I changed it to double/toddler mode, I HATED it! I had to walk funny to avoid hitting the back seat and neither child looked comfortable. Anyway, chose Bruin as it's quite compact for buses and it folds in 1 piece and fits in my car boot with space! It IS heavy to steer but I still like it and am really glad I got it. DS3 is walking more now so hoping not to use it for too long but I'm quite happy at the thought of using it for up to next 6months.

My 2 are younger than yours so I will be pushing less weight but so long as you're prepared for it being heavy and it's a bargain, then you should go for it.

Good luck :)

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