Peg Perego stroller - great or a waste of money?

[Anonymous]

Hey there BTDT moms, FTM here. DH and I are looking at lightweight strollers for our DC (3 weeks old). We need one that works for infants up to say, 40 lbs or so. We liked the Peg Perego Vela a lot when we took it for a spin in the Babies R Us -- it maneuvers really well, and it's super light and easy to open/close with one hand.

However, the reviews on Amazon are mixed...and I love me some Amazon reviews for decision-making. So I'm at a bit of a loss.

Anyone own this (or another Peg P stroller) and think it's the bee's knees? Or total crap?

Here's the one we're thinking of: http://www.amazon.com/Peg-Perego-2010-Vela-Stroller-Kiwi/dp/B0034IJQZ0/ref=sr_1_4?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1306778350&sr=1-4

[Anonymous]

I have had a Pliko P3 for over 3 years, and my mom bought the fancier Perego (the name escapes me...but it's the model where you can change the handle to front or rear facing, and it comes with a bonnet...)...I have also owned an older tandem peg perego stroller. Outside of the strange combination of things you have to do to open/close them, I love them. I love the snack trays, adjustable seats, baskets, and best of all, they have the best sunshades out there (the models I've had allow the sunshade to detach from the back so you can truly have it block the sun). They are also made better than graco, I think. Give it a try!

[Anonymous]

We've had a good experience with the Peg Perego Si. It folds easily, is lightweight, holds a reasonable amount of stuff in the basket, and allows you to let your little one recline. It's good for malls and stores, but probably not the best choice for an everyday stroller that you take to the zoo or on long walks. We paired it up with a Bugaboo Frog, which we use for longer walks. http://www.amazon.com/Peg-Perego-2010-Light-Weight-Stroller/dp/B002Z7EB9C/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1306816209&sr=1-1

[Anonymous]

We have an 18 month old. We started out with the Pliko P3 switch and we traded that in for the Vela about 4 months ago. Best decision we ever made--should have bought the Vela from the start.

The 2010 Vela is the three-wheeler--the newer (2011) model has 4 wheels, like the Aria, but we really love our three-wheeler. It's lightweight and maneuvers really well, you can steer it with one hand (this is key!), and the one-hand fold is wonderful. I can hold my kid in one hand and fold the stroller with the other when I'm getting on a bus.

The Pliko Switch wasn't such a great stroller in terms of driveability. You CANNOT steer it with one hand, because of the split handle, and it's not as zippy.

I don't know if you can use the Vela with a newborn, though. It doesn't have a lie flat option, just a recline, so the baby probably needs to have some head/torso control before you use it. But we didn't really use a stroller at all until our child was about 5 months old, so depending on your kid, that might not be such a problem for you.

I'd definitely recommend the Vela--I think it's a great stroller, and if you are willing to wait it out a few weeks before you use it, then I'm pretty sure it will last you until your kid outgrows a stroller.

[Anonymous]

I have a Pliko P3. It was a fantastic stroller when DD (now 15 mos) was tiny. Her infant seat nestled in it like a travel system and it was terrific for every trip. Now that she's a bigger girl, we use a Cybex Callisto regularly because it's got the features of the P3 but is more compact (I drive a VW sedan, so I need the trunk space). But the Pliko P3 DEFINITELY has its place in our lives. It gets used for any and all neighborhood walks, trips to the zoo, etc. It's a great comfy stroller and was definitely a terrific investment.

Considering that my two complaints about the Pliko P3 vs. the Callisto are lack of one handed steering and that the P3 isn't very nimble, I suspect that the Vela may well be a close-to-perfect stroller.

[Anonymous]

Loved the Pliko P3. The nearly full recline, generous sunshade, light weight, and umbrella fold (which is tricky, but ingenious once you figure it out) are fantastic. DH appreciated the telescoping handles. There is also a stand in the back for toddlers (but you can't use the umbrella shade and the stand at the same time).

As for the steering, I wonder if some users aren't unlocking the front wheel casters? If you leave those on, it doesn't turn well, but if you unlock them, they maneuver very well.

I sometimes wished that it had a single handlebar, but that would mean no umbrella fold.

We found ours on discount at albee baby.

[Anonymous]

We have a Pliko P3 that we just started using more because of its sunshade. We also have a Maclaren that we've been using a lot in the winter and spring since DD outgrew her snap and go with carseat. But the sunshade on Maclaren is a joke compared to P3. The P3's umbrella fold is great but definitely takes a little getting used to. I also like that it stands on its own. It maneuvers great and I can do it with one hand if I need to although it's definitely not as easy to do as Maclaren simply because it's heavier. I like how DD can sit up easily in the P3 as well. She always looks like she's slouching in the Maclaren.
I never tried the Vela but my sister-in-law has a Si and she loves it too.

[Anonymous]

Pilko lover here - love love love it. We live downtown and don't drive much (at all) with it. So we never really have to fold it up. The sunshade is amazing and my daugher loves all the attachments. It's taken 2 years of hard beatings from an active toddler.

[Anonymous]

We had an Aria, which I think might be the bottom of the PP line. Overall, I liked it. But I will say that after two years of near-daily use, it was finished. We aren't planning a second child, but it we were, we would absolutely have to get a new stroller. t. I don't know how long strollers are supposed to last, and, ok, we used it for EVERYTHING, but I was disappointed when it started falling apart.

The upsides were the weight, the one-hand open and close, and the fact that we were able to use it from day 1 by fitting the car seat on it.