Stroller Project
Will I promise to maintain you? To clean you when you’re dirty, to fix you when you’re broken, and to replace your parts when they wear out?
Will I promise to retain you? Will I make space in my house for you, even if it means getting rid of something else?
Will I plan for you, ensuring that you find a good home when our time together is through, making every effort to keep you out of landfills and off our cluttered streets?
Will I take responsibility for you from this day forward?
This is my pledge.
When I am making a new purchase, I ask myself these questions. Do I really need this thing so badly that I’m willing to take on all of that responsibility? If so, then I buy.
In my attempt to keep this pledge, I also try to buy things used, keeping other people’s purchases out of the landfills. Buying used has the additional advantage of keeping a bit more of my money in my pocket, but it comes with it’s own set of challenges.
When it comes to baby stuff, buying used makes even more sense. Scarlett has never worn anything out in her life, but she outgrows them- physically and developmentally.
In my attempt to stay off of the cycle of buy-and-trash with the thousands of things a baby needs, I have made a concerted effort to reduce, reuse, and resell.
Here is the story of my stroller.
The Purchase
The ad:
ISO: Phil & Ted’s stroller with second seat.
Response #1: Denise said her stroller had the rain sheild, the sun sheild, and the panniers, and she’d like $400.00 for the set.
It was more than I was looking to spend.
Response #2: Katy said she had a Phil & Ted’s with the second seat to sell, and that she was thinking $200.00 OBO.
Kris, Scarlett and I left immediately.
“Can you take the canvas off to wash it?” I inquired, eyeing what may have been the filthiest thing I’ve ever purchased.
“No,” Katy’s shoulders drooped, “you can only wash the sun bonnet”
She proceeded to show me the broken buckle in the safety harness, “We just tie it with a knot” and how to remove the second seat and collapse the stroller.
“I’ll take 150″ she volunteered.
I opened my wallet, filled with crisp 20′s from the cash machine.
“Hon, do you have a ten?” Kris looked at his pockets and shrugged, hands full of Scarlett.
“140 is fine” said Katy.
We didn’t put Scarlett into her new stroller, even though the walk home was a bit long. I wore her, and Kris pushed the creaking, shuddering stroller.
Monday March 19: The Cleaning
Katy was wrong. The canvas does come off. All you need to do is remove the handlebar, detach about 12 snaps, and shake out the stale Cheerios.
I should have washed it twice…there are high water marks where the excess dirt in the water collected on the fabric.
I didn’t dry the canvas, just put it back on the stroller to air dry.
There was some difficulty in reassembly, as holes in the fabric tend to let the spines that hold the seat straight poke through and fall out. Must patch.
double.Wednesday, March 28: Rumors of Free Stuff
Last night William and I went to get a housekey made. The man in the shop saw Scarlett in her stroller, and noted that he has the same stroller. We chatted about kids a bit and he mentioned that he had phoned the manufacturer adn they’d sent him some kind of fenders that protect the child in the rear seat from dirt and water splashed up from the tires.
I was on Google for an hour today, but found no evidence of a free fender offer. I can call the manufactuer, but they’re in New Zealand. Somehow, I doubt this guy phoned New Zealand. There must be another way.
I searched the Phil and Teds site, but could not find any replacement for the missing buckle. Its so frustrating these days to try to fix things. Manufacturers hope we’ll just throw them out and buy new ones instead of replacing a single buckle.
I had to search for a source for replacement buckles, but didn’t know what those clippy-things are called. James suggested I search for dog collars (which have the same kind of attachment) and that revealed the phrase “side release buckle”.
A quick Google search on that brought me to American Cord and Webbing. But you can’t just order one off their site. Apparently they only sell to people who plan to manufacture other things using the buckles.
Thursday, March 29: Success!
I wandered into Bargain Hunters on the way to the subway last night, thinking I might find an iron on patch there. I didn’t find a patch, but I did locate four “all purpose clips” for .79 each. Now I can replace all four buckles on the harness.
I also got a reply today on an email I sent yesterday to TinyRide- a US distributor for Phil & Ted’s:
Me:
Hi there,
I have bought the second seat for my Phil & Ted’s E3 stroller, and now I need a double rain shield that will protect both children. Do you sell such a thing? Also, I have broken one of the snaps on the front seat’s harness. Do you sell replacement parts for these? And: One E3 owner told me that he phoned the E3 maker (did he mean in New Zealand, I wonder?) and they shipped him a free set of fenders for his wheels, to keep the child in the second seat safe from splash kicked up from the tires. Do you know anything about this?
Thanks,
Them:
Hello,
For replacement parts, please call Regal Lager, the US distributor for Phil & Teds in the United States. Here is their phone number 800-593-5522.
Alice
Customer Service
Now the question is this: To order the clips from the manufacturer (they’re cuter than these cheap ones I bought) or to stick with the ones I already have? Its a dilemma, make no mistake.
February 13, 2008: Flat tire leads to triumph!
For two days we’ve been pushing old Spot around with one flat tire.
This is harder than it sounds. You have to correct for the stroller’s fierce desire to make a hard right turn by pulling with your left arm and pushing extra hard with the right.
I have a knot in my back.
We stuck my bike pump into the cargo area, but it only stays inflated for about two blocks so we gave that up.
I think today, Serah was going to take it (and the girls) to the bike store to get it repaired.
Why wait so long? let’s just say two snowstorms and a trip to the emergency room (for Kaiel, but she’s okay) have left us will little time or opportunity.
Today I finally make that phone call I’ve been dreaming about. Regal Lager. (They must be good, if they’ve named their company like a beer.)
They were so polite! And they had the new wheels in stock! And they only cost $16.95 each!
I was so excited I ordered new buckles and a new sunhood as well.
It should all be here on Friday.
Won’t Serah be surprised on Monday?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008- ESP
I was sitting here talking to James, when my phone rang.
“This is Ruth from Regal Lager (unfortunately, it wasn’t a beer calling, but the company from whom I recently ordered some new wheels for my stroller). I’m just calling to check that you recieved your order and that everything worked out as you had hoped.”
“To be honest, Ruth, I received the order, but I haven’t yet opened the box”
laughter , chitchat about the trials of parenting
“Since I have you, Ruth, maybe you can help me. Yesterday, my nanny was pushing the stroller, and the zipper that holds the basket on that rides under the seat broke. We have temporarily stitched the basket in place, but I need to find a permanent fix. I don’t know if you sell replacement zippers… or what I should do…?”
“Actually, Patti, the new basket model does not use a zipper, but snaps directly to the frame.”
“So I could order a new basket and fix the problem with no sewing? It will fit my old stroller?”
“Yes Ma’am. Your stroller is red, right? We have red in stock, and I can ship it out to you today for $29.95.”
“Ruth. I love you.”
gush gush gush
Service with a little ESP. This is how all companies should operate.
