buga-boo-hoo : by jean

we were able to buy an almost-brand-new used bugaboo cameleon from a good friend of ours when i was pregnant.  a few weeks ago, my beloved sister went to pick up miles at the daycare for me.  she was fiddling with the brake since the button you push to release the brake sometimes gets a little stuck.  well, in the end, she broke the latch off.

she felt really bad.  the roommie and i think she's really strong.

broken break latch thingie

undercarriage sold for $299.95

so now we are researching how to fix this.  it's only the brake part so i don't want to have to buy a whole new frame , or as they call it, the "undercarriage" for $299.95 (!!!!).   yes, my sister is very sorry.  i can see why they won't JUST sell the latch part since there's a cable that has to be attached to it and all, but it seems rather simple.

a lot of forums say to try taking it to a bike shop.  BRILLIANT!  i mean, they fix bikes all the time, tighten the wheels, brakes, all that good stuff right?

they also said even if the warranty had expired, to try calling the the bugaboo company itself because they provide very excellent customer service.

so that's what i did first.  i called bugaboo, and they said to call their authorized repair shop, the stroller spa!  funny enough, they were 2nd on my list to call if bugaboo couldn't help me.  they came up in my google search while researching how to fix this.  they are the official service provider for bugaboo, BOB/Britax, mountain buggy, phil&teds, Peg Perego and Uppa Baby.

http://www.strollerspa.com

the great thing about stroller spa is that it started out with one mom who wanted to personalize her stroller and evolved into other moms wanting to personalize and troubleshoot their strollers.  they not only do repairs, but they also do cleaning and detailing of strollers and car seats, just like a car!  the moms (and dads) learn to fix, clean, and detail car seats and strollers.  it's a great service especially if you are using your equipment for multiple children, and want your equipment to last.

i made my appointment at the staten island location since i was passing through on my way to jersey.  because it was fairly an easy fix, i was able to drive around for about 30-45 mins while they fixed my brake.  before i even made my appointment, they were able to confirm the part that they needed (older parts are harder to find) and had it ready at the staten island location before my appointment.  they also offer pick up and drop off services at a little extra cost which is always helpful for us busy moms!

left: broken latch break. right: good as new!

so, if you are in need of a thorough cleaning or repair for your car seat or stroller, check out stroller spa!