Quinny Buzz owners - can you help me?

[spudballoo]

Hello! This is my first post on mumsnet, what a great resource - can't believe it's taken me so long to find you. I'm 20 weeks pregnant with my first child and need some help with prams, can you help?

I'm keen on the Quinny Buzz (having disgarded the Jane 360 Powertrack and Bugaboo) but i have some questions which you might be able to help with?

Do you find the pushchair seat padded enough, or do you use a sheepskin liner as well?

Do you find it heavy?

Is the wheelbase wide and thus tricky to get in and out of shop doors?

Do you think the sitting upright position on the pushchair is too far reclined? I would have thought it would be useful to have a fully upright position for curious toddlers and for feeding etc?

Am i right that there's no parasol - so how to keep the sun out of the baby's eyes?

How are the brakes?

Have you had any problems with the front wheel? i've read other mums have problems with it spinning and squeeking...

Any other thoughts very welcome! I really thought I'd like the Jane, but I thought it too cumbersome and chunky. I looked at the Bugaboo, but I think the carrycot is very low down, the puschair seat too narrow and I just think it's looks 'clunky'. We also looked at the Jane Carerra C, and the Microlite (thought it looks and feels quite flimsy). Haven't looked at the Slalom but probably will.

We have a large hall, so storage at home isn't an issue. I won't be lifting it in and out of the car too much, so I'm not too bothered about how heavy it is to lift (more how heavy it is out and about).

I hadn't considered the Loola, but I probably will.

Hard isn't it? I've come to the conclusion that there is no 'perfect' solution, but finding the right compromise is tricky when you're a first time mum.

Thanks alot in advance for your help?

Spud
x

Hello Spud, I too am quite new to MN - welcome! I don't use a Buzz myself, but sell them and many other prams for a living. I work for an independent retailer so don't have any loyalty to any particular brand.

So far, the Buzz looks good. We've sold a few, but havn't had much feedback yet. I'm always a little wary of completely new products, a few usually come back with teething problems. I don't know yet if there are any on the Buzz, but will keep you posted as soon as I know anything.

The position of the seat seems OK to me, certainly no more reclined than anything else out there. However, the seat is not recommended for babies under 6 months, you have to use the carrycot for newborn babies.

In my opinion a sheepskin is a brilliant idea for any pushchair seat, none of them look really comfortable on their own.

It dosn't seem wider than any other single buggy on the market, we certainly don't struggle with it on and around our shop floor and doorways.

You are right about the parasol, stangely, there isn't one. The manufacturers never usually miss an opportunity to sell you an overpriced matching accessory! However, the hood is quite big and should provide plenty of shade.

Weight wise, its pretty much average, no worse than anything else its size.

The only other thing to consider is the lack of basket underneath. I know it has the 'Buzz Box', but its just not as easy to access as an open basket. You can't really carry much when pushing a pram. Just an observation.

I'm glad you've rejected the Jane Powertrack 360. I'm really not a fan of Jane products - complicated and very unreliable, also very poor customer service from Johnston Prams.

Bebe Confort Loola; very clever and simple to use, a little trouble with the brakes though (on the early ones mostly).

Look up the thread on the Mountain Buggy (it starts off talking about Bugaboo then moves on to MB), those guys have really done their research and I have nothing more to add! A great reliable product.

Good luck in your search for the right pram for you. Everyone on here is really friendly and they are the real experts - they have tried and tested everything for you already!

Hello there!

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond, I really value your thoughts given your profession!

Yes, i've since read lots of horror stories re the 360 going wrong, and awful customer service from Johnstone. Not very encouraging!

I laughed at your parasol/overpricing comment, it's too true. Bugaboo are just a joke about that kind of thing, charging so much for all the 'extras'. Infuriating. I looked at a picture of the Quinny with the sun shade on last night, it's actually much longer than I realised so I guess that will do the job.

We would definitely have the carrycot as well, so no worries on the so called lie flat position.

I checked out the Mountain Buggy thread, funny - real ADDICTS in there! I will take a look, but I like the fact the Quinny offers a rearfacing option.

I will also look at the Loola!

Any thoughts on the Buzz as you sell more gratefully received. I'm 20 weeks pregnant, so have a little time befor I need to order it - although I know there can be supply problems if I do go with the Buzz.

So, as the pro, if you were buying one for you...what would you buy of any pram on the market?!

Spud x

Hi there Spud, you have plenty of time yet before you need to make a decision and order but do allow a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks when you do. The manufacurers are frequently letting us down with supply. Sometimes some of the order comes thorough really quickly then we're left waiting for the rest of it to come in - very frustrating, especially when the baby's due date is close.

Larger stores such as John Lewis may have them on hand. With huge purchasing power and warehouse space they may be able to supply a bit quicker than us little stores.

As for your question about my own pram preferences; I absolutely LOVE coachbuilt carriages! I know they're not remotely practical in this day and age but I wouldn't be able to resist the chance to own and use one, if only for local walks and sleeping in the garden in the summer months. I'd also have a Maclaren Techno with a Buggy Snuggle for out and about in the car. By far the best buggy on the market today. Everybody comes back to buy one eventually, no matter what they buy from the outset.

If I were to go for a travel system, then it would probably be the Mutsy Urban Rider. It is quite heavy to lift but easy to push and it looks so funky.

I'm not a mum yet, but we are working on it!

hello im glad its not just me having a nightmare finding a new pram. I have a five month old she is ready to go into the pram and out of the car seat but my jane matrix will only face outwards. my matrix has been fab by the way the reclining car seat has been a god send when out on a shopping trip and baby wanting to sleep. i would recommend it to anyone. i have the small wheels which are slim and easy to manouvre around the shops. But i have found i need an in between pram as i think she is too small and vulnerable yet to face outwards. I have looked and the quinny and it is very light, faces in, not too wide. but has no basket!!! hello who designed this? I have looked at the loola and I think this is the one im going to go for, its light it folds neatly faces inwards and has a basket, the only thing is its not as good looking as my jane or the quinny but we cant have it all can we? When i was pregnant i could nt possibly of thought of this. so any soon to be mums out there bear this in mind youll want your baby facing you when she is out of the car seat. I asked the lady in john lewis as to why they only do two prams that face in i was told your baby does nt want to look at you when they are a few months old they prefer to look at the outside world!!! Charmin!! she obviously didnt have any kids!! There off my chest now. cheers ladies. good luck pram hunting.

Hi spud and welcome to MN. I was one of the key nutters on the Mountain Buggy thread which is here for reference. (There was another one where we attacked the mugaboo freaks and beat them into submission).

We looked at the Buzz. Not for us as you can only collapse (properly) with the seat facing in one (not both) of the directions. It was also a bit of a faff. Disappointing as I loved the gas strut idea.

We've ordered a Mountain Buggy Terrrain, and I'm really pleased (and relieved) that Teaandcake thought they were good too. User charleypops ordered same thing at the same time, and she's an equally pernickety / researchy type. They are light, slim, well built and you can buy a carrycot. They have a full length sun shade available. If you want 'turning on the spot' the Urban is a little bigger, but has a swivelling front wheel.

If you're brave, post a 'hello' in the appropriate antenatal thread for the month you are due (see 'Antenatal Clubs' topic and look for August / September etc. - we're due 2nd August but I post in July - our dates were 26th July and got adjusted).

HTH

hi all, we bought a quinny buzz two months ago for our one year old. i loved everything about it until i used it!

there is a squeak and its really bad. we took ours back as it just got worse and worse. they sent it off to quinny and we had to wait four weeks for the new one. i got the new one on monday and it squeaks too! im going back tommorrow to see if they will let me swap for the speedi instead!

in theory the buzz is great, but in real life ive found the following;

the loud squeak

the bar accross - shes chewed it and it comes off - there are little black bits in her mouth1

its really hard to adjust seat when shes in it. if she wakes up, its hard to move her back to upright.

i thought i could cope without a basket- not possible!!!

when you fold it down, you really need to take seat, bag and wheels off and use the strap to stop it reopening. dont get stuck with this lemon!

we have returned our buzz and exchanged it for the jane slalom. its lush! so comfy for her and a dream to push. great design and really pleased with choice. bit expensive with matrix plus accessories but will use it next time. only one question; we got the matrix (to store for next baby as martha is one) but do we need a carrycot too if matrix lies flat?

What would you be using the carrycot for? A pram top? The Matrix is fine for that (we have one).

ok, i just dont know why they make the pram and the matrix. i suppose it would be good for going away before there big enough for travel cot.

we have a buzz but haven't used it yet - the baby is due soon. I agree with the bit about needing to use the strap to make sure it doesn't spring back up, but I think it's just so nice to push about!

It's so cool with the maxicosi car seat and fits nicely into my boot (golf)

We did our homework, however, I hadn't heard of the mountain buggy at the time, so wish I'd also considered that now.

sorry to lower the tone but saw this thread and thought a " quinny buzz" sounded like a type of vibrator!