Help please phil and teds lovers (and haters!)

[Hopelass]

DS is now 2.2 and has outgrown the babystyle oyster we have - he is slim but quite tall and his legs hang over the end - also it has a very shallow seat which has been a problem from the start really.
Anyway, we are going to be TTC #2 imminently and having done a little bit of research I like the look of the phil and teds inline tandems. However there are so many of them I don't know where to start. So please, please could those of you in the know direct me to the best one? and warn me about the worst one
Main features need to be: tall enough for long toddler, able to fit in a small car boot, suitable for lots of walking so good fitting raincover and comfortable for both children.
Easy recline and fold. I just watched a video of the Dot and the recline looked a right faff.
Storage space if poss.
Not asking much am I?!?!
So as not to drip feed, sling is not an option with a potential newborn as I have a bad back so want to be able to push both kids. We have a compatible car seat already.
Thanks so much in advance.
PS - if anyone absolutely has a burning desire to recommend a different brand I am open to all suggestions but budget isn't massive and P&T seem quite reasonable. I am planning to buy second hand.

Bumping for morning traffic ...

Anyone?!

Been a while since I used one (Explorer), but my opinions were:

Very easy to push one-handed and up/down curbs etc. No problems getting on and off buses (London, through the back doors!)

Newborn loved the swinging underneath bit with the cocoon, sent them off to sleep really quickly and many people I know said the same. Toddler seat on top was fine.

When it got to 6 months trickier, as then mostly moved toddler to back seat and baby in top seat, because baby can't get out and walk so needs to see, whereas toddler could walk most of the time.

Can't recline for naps if 2 are in the buggy at the same time. Bottom seat doesn't recline for naps anyway.

No room for STUFF generated by children. Can't hook shopping bag/changing bag on handle or you bang a child in the head. This is the same for all in-line tandems though, in my experience. What you gain in convenience of not pushing a tank-like pram is lost in the storage. You learn to pack well and refine the changing bag! Make the toddler walk when you need the back seat for stuff.

Never ever folded it up. It stayed up in the porch, because to fold it you need to remove a seat, and it was a PITA (same for all I think). Used a Maclaren int he boot of the car, and made toddler walk.

If you are only TTC now, and you already have a 2.2 year old, they'll be 3 by the time you need something - I would seriously consider just buying a decent Maclaren you can use for a newborn too and seeing whether you'll really need a tandem when you get to it. You may find by 3 they are hardly in the buggy at all anyway preferring scooter etc (this was my experience anyway.)

P+t's is huge so great for tall toddlers but also not good for small boots.

I had a sport (older version of explorer and now, navigator) with a two year gap. I stopped using it when Dc1 stopped needing a nap on long days out and switched to a single (bugaboo bee) and buggy board. I've just got rid of my sport despite ttc no 3 because I expect we'll end up with a 3yr gap (at least) this time and I wouldn't want to go back to something so cumbersome if I can avoid it.

I don't find them great for older toddlers, because in the top seat their legs hang off (& you can't recline the seat to give them more room), and in the bottom their legs take up all the basket space - and heads so tall you can't hang a change bag off the handle without hitting them in the head! If you have an 18month age gap, it's an ok pushchair. But for what I guess would be a nearly 3 yr old, I wouldn't go for it. Get a decent single (nipper 360 would be my preference for a tall toddler) and invest in a sling. The nipper has the advantage that you can recline it flat for a newborn or attach a carrycot, but equally does a toddler without major adjustments.
If you really want the P & Teds, go road test one with your toddler, then imagine him in a years time and see if you think he'll still fit...

My friend has one of the newer versions with the double part and she's never really liked it. she found coz all the weight is at the back its tipped quite a few times especially getting up gutters. it's quite difficult getting the baby out the back and her raincover doesn't even fit the pram properly. i dont like the idea the baby at the back cant see . She said she wishes she never had it but everyone has a different opinion.

Ps I can't comment on the newer models but with the sport (and I think the explorer) the newborn/toddler arrangement puts the toddler in the smaller second seat up front so you'd need to check your ds would fit (also from memory it doesn't recline well). There's then a bit of a tricky phase where the baby is too big to go in the baby but but not big enough for the non-reclining seat (between about 4-8mo depending on how good at sitting).
I think it's the best double for two toddlers though. Ie a 3-4yo and 1-2yoetc

If he's 2.2 and you haven't yet conceived, he's going to be almost 3 at least before the next one? Is it worth it?

I wouldn't bother.
He's already 2 and you haven't even conceived yet. He's unlikely to need the pram by 3+
The main problem is both seats can't recline at once so even if you did use with 3 1/2 year old he couldn't nap in it really
It folds huge also

I would get something like a babyzen yoyo. Folds tiny

And yes, not sure it would solve your tall toddler issues, because there's no great leg room when the toddler is in either position.

I had a much smaller age gap, and I walked A LOT, and I found it invaluable and well worth the money we paid from new as it got used every day rain or shine and was the only way to get out of the house easily with two of them. However, I hadn't bought an expensive pushchair before that (had hand me down travel system & a secondhand Maclaren) and we passed it on afterwards. I really don't think with the age gap you'll have, and a large/tall DC1, that it would be a great solution.

But if you are set on buying a new pushchair now for toddler then it's perfectly great in single mode, and great when laid flat for newborn, so you can see whether it's worth the doubles kit nearer the time, hedging your bets.

But if you want a quick and easy and light fold option for now, don't bother with it at the moment.

Thanks so much all you've really given me some food for thought. I was wondering whether it might be optimistic expecting DS to go in a buggy at 3+! Maybe a buggy board is the way to go. My main concern is that he is a bolter and will run off the minute he gets chance so will need to work on that first.
Thanks again!