Can anyone help with a broken Bugaboo (Bugaboo don't want to)

[hoylakebeach]

I have used my bugaboo since march 2006 with no problems, first with my son, now 3 and a half and now with my 18 month old daughter. The other day I tried to lift it up the doorstep and the handle clicked and sprung up on the right hand side. Now it will not release to fold. I can't believe Bugaboo (which I have recommended to every expectant mum!) has such a poor customer care policy. When I had a problem with my son's Maxi cosi car seat the company arranged cheap shipping through mothercare and a reasonable fixed cost for repair and servicing. I have so much bugaboo stuff, wheely-board, two sets of covers, two footmuffs, parasol, uv screen, breezy hood cup holder, car seat and adapters, this lot cost me a fortune..... I was hoping to use this pram for my next child (still in the planning stage) gutted if I have to buy a new chassis.

 

[Snapfish]

Strangely relieved to discover this thread and know it is not just us who have had problems with our (previously) much-loved Bugaboo....

Also wanted to warn others that if their Cameleon chassis starts playing up they should get it fixed ASAP or use an alternative.

Our September 2006 chassis recently stopped folding, started clicking and felt loose on the right hand side and then literally collapsed on me two weeks ago. I was crossing a road and trying to get up a (small) pavement when the handle went "floppy" and dropped right down to the ground and the Cameleon almost tipped over. My 4 month old baby was in the bassinet and my 2 year old was on the buggy board. It was pure luck that I had the apron zipped up so the baby didn't fall out into the road and my 2 year old was ok (just grazed knees and shock). I was shaken and very upset by the incident because it could have been so much more serious. Please be warned!

Now I'm calmer I'm going to get in touch with Bugaboo and tell them what happened. I hope this may just be a design flaw with the older Cameleon chassis' that they've addressed in the newer 2008/09 models. Also hope Bugaboo will deal with this seriously given the numbers of parents out there with older, 2006 models like ours (tho given others' experience of customer services I'm not holding my breath!). Will post an update if/when I have any news.

 

[hoylakebeach]

I didn't get very far with customer service, they were very polite but stated they didn'tmake spare parts or repair theier products, if it's out of warranty - buy a new one! (Not very green of them...carbon footprint etc..)
The shop I bought it from had a go at fixing it, and all looked good until I got it home and tried to open it, fail! So back it went and I am currently borrowing a chassis from them. I can't belive Bugaboo don't have a spare or repair service, the parts are made for their chassis so why can't they offer this? It is so wasteful/expensive to bin it and buy a new one.

 

[plexus]

Keep trying with customer service. We had to speak to them on the phone several times before they agreed to replace ours. We also had to make a short video showing our problem.

Our chassis hasn't arrived yet, hopefully sometime this week. Will keep you posted on/if it arrives.

Just keep trying tho. I get the feeling that they know this is an issue with the older ones and are trying to sort it out? I think with all the bad press lately with the bee and it's brake...

Good luck!

 

[Snapfish]

An update as promised.

I've been in touch with Bugaboo Customer Service in the UK and spoken to them three times now as well as emailed with details of what happened.

The good news is that they are taking it seriously and will arrange for my defunct chassis to be collected so that they can investigate what has gone wrong. The bad news is that process of investigation will apparently take some time. However, I will continue to chase their Research and Development Team and post again when they let me know what the problem is: ie whether it is my individual chassis or (as I suspect) a more widespread problem with the 2006 Cameleon chassis model. Watch this space....

I'm also pleased that they've promised to replace my chassis free of charge (it is 8 months out of the warranty period). Like Plexus I am waiting for it to arrive so fingers crossed all goes smoothly on that front. Seems Bugaboo will do the right thing for their customers - if you persevere!

 

[Snapfish]

Hurray - our replacement chassis arrived as promised this morning (we can finally use our Bugaboo again!). The broken one is to be picked up on Monday and sent to the Research and Development Department in the Netherlands. Apparently they will do a "report" and Bugaboo have agreed to keep in touch with us to update on progress and let us know what the outcome is. Will post again when we have that as I know we are not the only owners of a 2006 Bugaboo who've found themselves with a defunct chassis .....Hmmm.

In the meantime if anyone is in a similar position (broken chassis, out of warranty period) I strongly recommend that they get in touch with Bugaboo UK customer services (0800 587 8265) and keep ringing until they get a satisfactory response. We've been pleasantly surprised by how responsive and helpful they've been and it has gone a long way towards restoring our faith in Bugaboo

 

[plexus]

So happy

Our chassis arrived and the old one has already been sent back. I can't tell you how relieved I am!

Like snapfish I think it's just keep at them and they will come thru.

I am quite curious to what they say, snapfish, cause it really does seem to be an issue with the 2006 model, who knows?!?

Good luck everyone!




ps- anyone want to buy a used bugaboo.......haha joke

 

[red-twiggs]

Hi
I was very relieved to find this post. I too am a fellow annoyed Bugaboo user, having purchased my Cameleon just a little over two years ago I would have expected it to last a lot longer. About two weeks ago it just stopped folding and the right hand mechanism is now completely ineffective renderring the handle extremely floppy (and dangerous).

Got on the phone this morning to Bugaboo "customer service" who informed me I would have to purchase a new chassis and foot the entire bill. They obviously have a stock-standard response to read through as he repeated on numerous occasions that 1. they do not do repairs and 2. that it was out of its warranty.

I wish I had taken the advice of friends of mine who purchased the iCandy at half the price. They are now having a good laugh at me, saying "teach you for buying 'cheap' goods."

Bugaboo customer service has angered me greatly; you would think with a product classified as the Mercedes of buggies their customer service would be incredible.

Can anyone help as to what I can do?

 

[rikwill]

We bought a Bugaboo in 2006 with the same fault - the chassis stopped folding recently and we have been asking Bugaboo to replace it out of warranty. Their customer service is awful and they have told us to pay £200 to replace the chassis. I have threatened to report them to Watchdog and Which but they don't seem bothered. This is terrible service for a £700 pram with a known fault. I would urge anyone considering a new pram not to buy a Bugaboo - the folding mechanism on the chassis is rubbish anyway ours has never worked properly!

They don't even have a UK office so I can't sue them. They don't have a service centre and our supplier (The Baby, Wilmslow) has gone bust!

Bugaboo response.......

"We already replied to this issue saying that we cannot replace the chassis under warranty. I am sorry but it is the policy.

If you want to write, please send a letter to the Nederlands HQ office, which address is below:

bugaboo international bv

paasheuvelweg 9 a-b
1105 be amsterdam

Regards.

thomas ausseray, service coordinator

bugaboo international bv

paasheuvelweg 9 a-b
1105 be amsterdam
po box 1299
1000bg amsterdam

t. +44 (0)2073855338
f. +44 (0)2073855888"

 

[clairec]

This is really worrying - you all seem to have problems with the right hand side of the chassis bought in 2006. I am shocked Bugaboo are not trying to sort these issues out as soon as they arise. I was about to buy a Bugaboo but will wait now and see what happens with your issues. I am six months pregnant and in a big NCT group - we are all looking at which prams to buy at the moment so I will let my new friends know about these issues too.
You would hope Bugaboo will see there is possibly a link since they are all 2006 chassis! I would expect more from Customer Services when buying an expensive pram.

 

[gillian68]

Claire C- for the information of your NCT group it’s not just the 2006 models which have this problem! My guess is 2006 is the year featuring here because it’s just out of warranty. I know of people who have had similar problems within warranty and we also have the same issue with our 5 year old Frog (precursor of the Chameleon- same price range) so it’s an ongoing issue for Bugaboo with a history- though they deny it.

And hi to the rest of you- I don’t need to detail our problems with the handle because it’s no different from the posters above and it’s been going on a while getting progressively worse. As ours is definitely out of warranty we are more than happy to pay for a repair, but Bugaboo have confirmed their chassis can’t be repaired and that their policy is to replace. We feel that were we to buy a bicycle at that price we would expect to be able to repair and maintain it. Why should this be any different? And throwing an aluminium chassis on the landfill for the sake of what would appear to one little dislodged cable makes a mockery of using washable nappies! We’ve already had to buy 2 whole new front wheels (£70) because of a lost spring on only one of them, so I guess that was a sign even then of what Bugaboo are like.

They told us the following;
“obviously I am not happy for what happened with your stroller, but it is not a common complaint. After 5 years of use it could happen, which it is a result of wear and tear. It could happen to every product that you use over 5 years.”

Reading the number posts on this one site over a short time frame, it appears not that uncommon! As for durability, I think it is just too expensive an item to be trashable within 5 years. Bugaboo didn’t address our query about the design flaw that the chassis is riveted and not accessible for maintenance. They have not undertaken to improve on this. You think you pay low prices for non maintainable disposable items and high for long term reliability and maintenance. Here it’s the worst of both worlds and Bugaboo seem happy with this. Other products I have purchased in a similar price range- Samsonite and Vitorinox luggage, Cougar Chariot bicycle trailer, even come with life-time guarantees and all we’re asking of Bugaboo is that we get an opportunity to repair it at our own cost, (if they won’t do it then can they advise on how it is built)- and, if completely impossible then we ask do they plan to address this problem in future models?

Having not been able to obtain a positive response to either from them, we intend to look into fixing it ourselves. Hopefully this will work. If not we are left with the dilemma of whether to pay £200 for something which we now know once it goes wrong cannot be fixed and thus further line the pockets of Bugaboo*. Something we already know is overpriced trash. Would that be foolish?

like one of the posters above- we already have all the accessories- and we even paid £30 recently for 2 car seat adaptors (- just little pieces of plastic...)

*It seems they wouldn’t even be selling it at cost either…

 

[gillian68]

Also- Rikwill mentioned reporting to Which- I think Which already mention weak handles in their critique

 

[clairec]

Sorry to hear you have had problems too Gillian. What a nightmare.
Have they replaced your chassis yet rikwill? What I don't understand is why they are replacing some and not others. That is very unfair.
I have told my NCT friends and they are concerned now too as several were going to buy the Bugaboo.
I do like how the Bugaboo looks though - it does seems cosy too!
I will keep an eye on this site and see whether people's issues are resolved and then make a final decision.
Thanks

 

[ishq]

Hi Babee_Bugs

We have got a similar problem, the handle bar is closed down, we can't make it go up in its rightful position to push the buggy. We read your review in answer a similar problem to ours. Can you please send us pictures of how u fixed it?

Many thanks. x

 

[rikwill]

Just to update my earlier post about the Bugaboo chassis which was locked - after weeks of being told they wouldn't, Bugaboo in Holland finally replaced it (not the wheels etc just the chassis). They asked whether we had hung bags off the brake lever - we hadn't. The new chassis looks like a better design so let's hope it's better in practice. So - thanks Bugaboo, but you would do yourselves a favour by replacing faulty items straight away rather than making people really have to fight for it.

 

[Bartek]

Bugaboo Cameleon chassis repair !!!
I'm living in west London and can repair Bugaboo Cameleon chassis with lock on the possition problem.

07510072300

 

[concerned_dad]

I experienced the same symptoms as many others in this thread: 2006 Bugaboo Chameleon became locked on the right side, would not fold, then became dangerously loose and collapsed.

I flipped off the metal disk on the central axle and discovered that a metal tooth had sheared in two.

The locking mechanism is based on two curved metal teeth that press against one another under tension. When you pull on the white locking lever a cable pulls the teeth out of their sockets so they can rotate into the next socket. This is what lets you set the handle at different angles.

When one tooth shears there is no tension, which means the remaining tooth stays in its socket and cannot be pulled out by the cable. This is why the handle seems to be locked in place and will not fold. Eventually, that solitary tooth will joggle out of the socket, at which point there is nothing left to lock that side of the handle. This is why the buggy collapses.

So the sequence is as people have reported: handle locks, then feels loose, then collapses.

I've attached a photo of the two teeth (one solid, one sheared) to help explain.

This shearing could happen at any time, and similarly the remaining tooth could wiggle out at any time. This is when the Bugaboo Chameleon is dangerous and why some people in this thread have experienced a collapse with a child inside.

My advice is to stop using the buggy as soon as the handle locks or feels loose.

I'm going to try to raise this with Bugaboo customer service.

 

[minibug]

A similar problem happened with our Bugaboo of three years, the thing stopped folding.

It turned out that the locking mechanisum had broken, which is a latch on the insied. I had some made up (as its out of warranty!!) and its an easy repair.

Let me know if you are still having problems as I can get soem more to fix.

James

can you get some more of the latchs many thanks

 

[amelie-london]

Hello All,

I am so relieved (and soooooooooooooo upset with Bugaboo) to find that I am not the only one with a faulty chassis Bugaboo Cameleon.
I can’t believe that I have recommended this buggy to so many friends.

I have bought my Bugaboo Cameleon in august 2007 for my first baby and up to 6 months ago I did not have any problem with it and I was really happy with the product.

My problem is , the same as the ones described above, the chassis recently stopped folding and started clicking and felt loose on the right hand side, and now it’s almost impossible to use the buggy as we are so scared to see the chassis collapsed and to fall with the buggy (and the baby) in the street….

After paying a bugaboo more than £650, I was expected to use it longer than 2 years.
I am know expecting my second baby and I really want to use my Bugabbo Camelon and I am soooooo upset with the way Bugaboo treat us….
So as I do not have ANY reply from the Customer service, could someone who knows how to repair it can send me some picures?
I have to say that I am completely worthless with repairing tools (and my husband is worst &#61516 but if it’s the only way to have it repair (I still find incredible that for the amount we pay for this buggy there is NO repair shop in the UK….) I will give a try.

Thank YOU in advance for anyone liable to help me and Happy Christmas to you all!

Amelie

 

[MrsBop]

Just wondered whether a pram would be covered on house insurance? Might be worth enquiring?