We were ready to purchase a stroller at the end of December 2003 for our daughter who was born in January, but all of the complaints about the wheels falling off of the 2003 Maclaren models prompted us to wait for the 2004's.

We used the Kolkraft universal carrier for six months. Btw, this infant car-seat carrier is cheap but as strong as a tank. It repeatedly carried about fifty pounds of groceries and shopping bags and our baby up and down the streets and curbs of Manhattan for six months without a single problem, then, we gave it to our friends, whose baby was born 7 months after ours, and they continued to use and abuse it for another five months without a problem.

Anyway, we bought the 2004 model Techno XT in July and have used it quite hard, much harder than those of you in the suburbs who simply push it around the malls and supermarket parking lots and may never experience this problem. But this stroller is our daily transportation to and from our daughter's school, about three miles a day round trip, over curbs, potholes and stairs in rain and even light snow. But because of its compact design, it simply can’t hold as much stuff as the universal, so we never load it up with more than about 10-15lbs of baggage. Generally though, we have been happy with its performance, feeling like we made the right decision in waiting for the 2004 model, that is, until the wheels fell off.

Maclaren (U.S.) customer service is not good, no one is available when you call them; so you must leave a message to have them call you back. The chain retailers who sell this stroller expect owners to ship this stroller back to Maclaren to be fixed, which takes two –three weeks. We absolutely need to use this stroller everyday, and the stores do not provide loaners. Their solution is unacceptable. Luckily for us, a small shop in the city will be able to reattach the wheel in about two days.


Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): 250.00
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months