Poor Bugaboo customer service

[LottieW]

We've just had a surprising conversation with Bugaboo about our pushchair...

We were delighted with our Chameleon when we bought it after all the checking and comparing which new parents do. We chose Bugaboo because we loved the style and had strong recommendations from the stores we visited. Although we initially bought only the basic pram, we found ourselves trusting the brand so much we quickly added the Cosytoes, Travel bag, Parasol, ... etc

Everything was fine until on holiday a couple of weeks ago the chassis broke. We had the pram in 'digger' mode - big wheels at the front - on a path in some hills on France. Without any obvious cause one of the black plastic arms snapped away from the metal leg. Luckily we could still manoever the pram and got home with just minor inconvenience.

When we got home I googled the problem, but I couldn't find reports of any similar faults. Certainly the pram hasn't had any unusual use, which made me suspect a manufacturing problem - so called Bugaboo for their help.

The Bugaboo customer service line goes through to a team in the Netherlands. As our pram is out of warranty, their view was very simple - they would not help. I asked if they would at least look at the pram to check for any manufacturing fault. (An 800 pound pram shouldn't break in normal use with a (small) two year old in it.) The response from the customer service rep was surprisingly that he would pass on my request to the right team but that they would probably not get back to me! They didn't.

So now I have the option of buying a new chassis at well over 200 pounds or accepting that I'll get no more value from all the rest of the Bugaboo kit we've bought. Our son is almost two and a half, we could get a brand Quinny buggy for less than the replacement spare part - and probably better customer service

For a premium product it's a really poor customer service experience.

Has anybody else had a similar issue and found Bugaboo more forthcoming? Or does anybody know a less expensive way of repairing the hinge? If so we'd be really grateful to hear from you.

www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/
Try calling these folks for advice

my friend works for mothercare and theyre considering no longer stocking bugaboo as there cutomer service is so appaling, several times theyve had to replace/refund at mothercares cost not bugaboo!

Thanks - Interesting to know - you'd think that at their prices they would sort this out. Maybe they are trying to cut back on customer service costs?

Who did you buy it from? Because a guarantee is an optional offer from a manufacturer, and you also have statutary legal rights. A guarantee has no effect on those at all; it's an addition to your consumer legal rights, not a substitute. If someone sells something it has to be fit for the pupose for which it's sold, and also has to be as durable as you'd expect for the price. £800 quid and you can't reasonably argue that 2 years is all - it's not like you spent £40 and used a cheapie umbrella daily.

You would have trouble arguing this to Bugaboo, though, as they aren't based in this country and God knows what the Dutch law is, but the shop that stocks them has to abide by our laws, and you have a contract with that shop. If you bought it in a UK store then you can expect them to fix it. Consumer Direct is definitely your best bet if they refuse.

I'm really surprised, though. Someone else here bought a 2nd hand Stokke Xplory and it developed a problem, and apparently Stokke fixed it gratis despite it not only being out of guarantee, but not even bought new by the owner. I assumed that was for goodwill given they aren't cheap - stupid of Bugaboo not to realise that a few more stories like this could seriously dent their sales. Who'd want to risk it?

Gosh how awful. Fwiw I had problems with my bugaboo too and it took weeks for a replacement part to arrive.

I remember the dodgy Dutch CS dept all too well.

You could sell the parts on ebay as I believe they still go for a good price, someone might have a frame and just want the other bits...seeing as it is a fairly modular buggy to start with there is a good market for the different bits.

Then buy something cheaper for the next few years - a maclaren maybe, or as you say a quinny.

Hope you get somewhere with Consumer Direct.

I'm amazed... I have a Bugaboo which came from John Lewis and the starlock (the plastic joint in the middle of the chassis)has broken twice, meaning that the pushchair won't fold and the handle clicks out of place when you go over a curb, etc... John Lewis was amazing and each time Bugaboo has replaced my chassis!

I am so sorry and I would try again. Why not try Bugaboo UK who are based in Fulham, West London.... 020 7385 5338
Unit 23, 7 The Coda Centre, Munster Rd, London, SW6 6AW

we had a few problems with ours the fabric twice, the button in the middle, the basket they did deal with ours but took a while for replacements to arrive.

we had a few problems with ours the fabric twice, the button in the middle, the basket they did deal with ours but took a while for replacements to arrive.

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hania

As said on the other threads you've put this on, you need to pay for advertising

To my mind, if you advertise a pushchair as being suitable from birth to 4 years, then you would expect it to last, with normal use, from birth to 4 years. I remember when the clip on the shoulder strap of my frog harness broke - I rang to ask (and was prepared to pay) for a replacement, and was told I would have to buy an entire new seat at £60. I was fuming. I bought a swivel trigger clip on ebay and repaired it myself for about £3.50 in the end.

oh, and if you still want to use your bugaboo, you can pick up a second had chassis on ebay for around £120, or if you dont need the adjustable handlebar, you can get a frog chassis even cheaper (about £50-70), which fits perfectly well and I found is sturdier than the cameleon.