Double pushchair help needed!

[Rileycat]

Is it just me or are all the doubles on the market either huge, ugly, unsuitable for newborns, heavy, flimsy, fold up and still look the size of a tractor, blah blah blah?! I am fed up with looking and need some help! I have 16 month old DD1 and am 19 weeks pregnant with DD2 (DD1 will be 21 months when her little sister arrives). So I need something that will suit newborn and toddler. Has anyone got the new P&T Vibe model? Does anyone know if this fits in the boot of a 3 series BMW which are ridiculously small?? DH says I can have a new pushchair but he will not stretch to a new car with a bigger boot !!

Double buggies are the invention of the devil. Not had P & T's and in fact am not a buggy expert as am not a very "gadgety" type person iyswim so hopefully someone with lots of knowledge will be able to help you out. But my twopennorth is this: I wanted a twin buggy (side-by-side) so they could interact. When dc2 grew up a bit and was able to sit up they started to interact too much, dc1 learnt that if he hit/hurt dc2 usually he got taken outof the buggy and allowed to walk - his idea of a result. The only option was to carry dc2 instead. Pushing a double buggy, carrying a large baby/toddler and the shopping etc was a nightmare. After one terrible trip out I went home and ordered online the tandem (front and back) which promised to delivered most quickly. I love that one (mothercare own, £200 iirc, never have been loaded ) and have never used the twin since the day the tandem arrived.

I have the Phil and Teds E3 Version 2 (so the one before the Sport), with a 20 month gap. My two are now 2.6 and 10mo, and it is fab.

I get around the smaller boots by taking off the uppermost back wheel if it is on its side.

I have a Mondeo, so no boot issues for my own car.

I'd heard that about the side by side models! My childminder has DD1 aged 4, DD2 aged 1 and is pregnant with 3rd due in Sept, her DD1 will be 15 months when new one arrives. She borrowed the Mamas & Papas Aria Twin from a friend and took it for a test drive with her DD1 and my DD1 in the seats. They spent the whole time pinching each others dolls and making each other cry, bless 'em . I think the tandem will be the best option and she agreed and went out and bought the P&T Sport which she loves. So my DD1 is used to riding in that 3 days a week anyway. They're so expensive tho! I just thought the Vibe seemed a bit better as the seats seemed a bit larger for the toddler.

JanePowertwin brill - quite bulky but you can take off back wheels.You can get a car seat to attach too if you like travel systems. I had 20 months between mine and it was FAB! (Still is!)

Have you considered getting a sling for your newborn and then you could leave DD1 in the buggy you already have? By the time DD2 is too big to be carried for long periods DD1 will be big enough to walk/go on a buggy board.

Monkies

I just got a Joovy off ebay -I think it's American. It folds up and fits in the boot of my Micra and is such a cool design.I'm not sure about a newborn in it, but I used a sling at first anyway.

i get a P&T (old version) in the back of my clio!

Ive got a bertini pram with a toddler seat on top. Lovely proper pram for the baby. DS1 loves sitting up high and the seat clicks off and it is just a single pram. Still using it with 9 month ds2.

I got it on ebAy

We have the combi we2, which folds up nicely, is light and easy to manouevre. It's a side by side model, which I prefer to the tandem. Having said that, my DD dotes on her little brother, and he adores her so there's been no issues with fighting etc...yet! We got it from twinsuk.co.uk which was way cheaper than mothercare. It lies flat for newborns, and my DD who is nearly 3 finds it comfortable too. It fits in the boot of a Citroen C4 quite reasonably.

Thanks everyone! I'd not heard of Joovy's or Bertini's, I think I am going to have to just get on the internet and do some research, there's so many out there!

Hi
I have the new Vibe and I love it. It is lighter than the old P&T and folds without taking the toddler seat off the older P&T's dont. The brake is operated from the handle and is so much easier. I think it must be more comfy as my 2 yr old falls asleep in it much more easily that he did in the Sport which is a bit narrower.

However as the seat is bigger it is a little bit wider and the basket although bigger is less accessible when the baby seat is on the back. Dont know if it will fit in a BMW but as already suggested the back wheels do come off very easily. Would recommend it.

Word of warning about tandem pushchairs from a childminder and mum of 5 - it only takes a couple of journeys for the child/baby in the rear to discover that they can pull chunks of hair from the front seat passenger when they fall asleep

Hour of fun on your shopping trip!

Another very satisfied Phil and Ted's owner here. Had it for 2.5 years so it's an E3, but as a concept it has been great. It folds up smaller than you think as the wheels all go to one end.

They do hold their value well if you want to sell it on.

another vote for phil and teds.

I've got the sport model and have the car seat adaptor (available for a few carseats, mine is the Maxi Cosi and it fits), sometimes DS is up in the car seat and DD rides in the double seat down below.

Minding Mum - I don't think you'd be able to pull hair on he Phil and Teds, the main seat is so much higher up than the second and a lot larger seat unit.

Never had a problem with the width of the phil and teds seat.

I also LOVE their accessories. I recently bought a "Lazy ted" and this has been excellent for things like toddler groups, going on holiday and not carting a bouncy chair with me etc.

My age gap is 22mths.