Buying a second-hand UPPAbaby: what to check

A used UPPAbaby pram can be a good buy, but the warranty does not transfer, so a second owner is not covered. Check the pram carefully before you pay, and book it into a free Tune-Up Day afterwards: they are open to anyone with an UPPAbaby pram.

What a second owner gets, and does not

• Not covered: the warranty is not transferable. It applies only to the original purchaser, and a second owner cannot register the pram or make a warranty claim.
• Still yours: free Tune-Up Days. Anyone with an UPPAbaby pram can come, whoever bought it and wherever from.
• Still yours: Lifetime Service Support, the complimentary maintenance checks for up to ten years from the original purchase. It passes to a second owner as long as the pram has not previously been deemed unsafe.
• Still yours: spare parts and manuals.

Checks before you pay

1. The fold: fold and unfold it twice. It should lock with a clean click both ways and stand on its own when folded. A frame that needs a shove, or opens with a wobble, has a worn locking latch.
2. The brakes: brake on, push hard. It should not roll. Brake off, both wheels should turn freely.
3. The harness: every buckle clicks, every strap adjusts, and there is no fraying at the stitching.
4. The wheels: spin each one. A wobble means a worn bearing. On a Ridge, bald or cracked tyres mean new tyres.
5. The seat: recline it through the full range, turn it to face the other way, and click it off and on. The release buttons should work without force.
6. The bassinet, if included: the base is solid, the mattress is clean, the canopy extends, and the release buttons work on both sides.
7. The fabric: faded, cracked or stiff fabric has spent time in the sun, and a damp smell means a wet boot or shed. Both are permanent, though fabrics can be replaced as spare parts.
8. Accident history: ask directly. A pram that has been in a car accident, even in the boot, should not be reused, because the frame can be damaged in ways you cannot see.
9. The serial number and receipt: ask the seller for both before you meet.

Check the model and version

The model and version are on the white label on the underside of the frame, near the rear axle. Fold the pram to see it. The serial number is the line under the barcode.

Spare parts are version specific, so photograph that label before you order anything. Vista V2 and V3, Cruz V2 and V3, Minu V2 and V3, Minu Duo and Ridge V2 are all current or recent models supported with parts. For older models, parts are harder to find.

Walk away if

• the pram has been in a car accident
• the frame does not lock
• the harness does not buckle

Car capsules

A capsule that was in a vehicle during an accident may have damage you cannot see. Treat it as not safe, and do not sell or pass one on.

Every child restraint used in Australia must be approved to the Australian standard, AS/NZS 1754. A capsule bought overseas cannot legally be used in an Australian car, however similar it looks. The Australian Car Seat Centre has more.

After you buy

Book a free Tune-Up Day. It takes about fifteen minutes, and the brakes, wheels, harness, fold and canopy are checked, cleaned and adjusted. You do not need to have bought the pram from us or registered it.