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UPDATE
My Graco Mirage Travel System has been in use for two years now so how has it coped as my first baby has become a toddler and my second baby has arrived?
This system has done very well over the last two years, it’s a little battered from being thrown into the boot, had ... Read review
Stroller and carseat.Suitable from birth to 3 years. Total weight 11kg. Helpline number ... more
0844 412 1212. StrollerSuitable from birth to 3 years (15kg). Forward facing. Padded seat 3 position recline. 5 point safety harness with D rings. Front swivel-lock...
Postage & Packaging: £4.99 Availability: Usually dispatched within 4-5 business days...
The Graco Mirage travel system is a car seat and pushchair all in one. Features of this ... more
Graco pushchair include a 5 point harness, 3 recline positions and a padded seat. It folds with 1 hand for easy storage or packing and comes complete with a shoppin...
Postage & Packaging: £4.99 Availability: Usually dispatched within 4-5 business days...
Advantages: Compact and comfortable for parent and baby. Disadvantages: Difficulty in fastening the seatbelt around the car seat.
...UPDATE
My Graco Mirage Travel System has been in use for two years now so how has it coped as my first baby has become a toddler and my second baby has arrived?
This system has done very well over the last two years, it’s a little battered from being thrown into the boot, had chocolate ground into various fabrics and mechanisms and has been drawn on with chalk but it’s still going strong.
The biggest ... ...was the model just before Graco introduced the Autobase. The Autobase is compatible with the newer models so if you’re looking for the Mirage System I advise you to fork out the extra £29 for an Autobase at the same time. Basically the base stays in your car, fixed in by the seatbelt. This allows you to simply click the car seat in instead of wrapping the seatbelt round it. The seat is then released easily by the same simple handle that releases ... more
(Now updated!)
Like others, I bought this travel system in a sale and was impressed with the price of only £100 in Mothercare. The travel system consists of a car seat suitable from 0 to 9 months which clicks into the puchchair forming a very neat, compact pram. It is easy to control one handed and has a generously sized basket beneath for your light shopping. It's predominantly navy blue with an orange tartan trim (interesting set of colours, not very feminine!) - the newer ones are navy with light blue lines forming squares but to get the bargain price of £100 we had to buy last years model.
The car seat is well padded, and the safety has been proven in a recent fall when carrying the seat (it is sadly not weightless! In fact it's about 5kg which when added to the weight of your baby gets heavy to carry!). There have been a couple of occasions, however, when the car seat has tipped over when driving around a sharp corner which is concerning. This is largely due to the incredible awkwardness of fixing the seatbelt around the back of the car seat, the instructions aren't particularly clear on how to ensure that is sits properly. There is a little gauge on the side and if you can see orange it's not in right. Trouble is when you position it so you can't see orange it's very upright and my poor daughter's head lolls forward looking very uncomfortable and annoying!
Another problem that I've encountered occurs when putting the car seat into older cars, often the seatbelt can be too short to fix the seat in properly. I have to put the seat in the front in my dad's car which is an old H reg Granada, luckily he doesn't have an airbag so it's perfectly safe (but I have to sit in the back!)
This factor is redeemed however by the fantastic ease of clipping the car seat in and out of the pushchair, no need to wake up a sleeping baby by taking them out of one to put in the other, and of course the car seat can be taken indoors and become a handy little rocking seat to ensure that visiting friends and family is slightly less stressful than necessary. There is also the added bonus of being able to be fastened onto special car seat trolleys at most supermarkets, and it manages to sit on the end of tolleys without carriers in shops like Lidl and Aldi!
Once your baby is too big for the car seat the main pushchair is also very comfortable. It has a five point harness, which is not as complicated as it sounded when first explained to me, and has two positions to allow your baby to either lie flat or sit up to watch the world go by. It also has the function of being able to lock the front wheels straight which seemed odd until I was up at 4:30 a.m. pushing the pram back and forward knowing it was the only way that my daughter would fall asleep!
The only disadvantages to this part of the travel system come when folding the pushchair away. You have to push a piece of plastic forward while pulling two handles up to actually accomplish this task and this takes a bit of mastering and can be irritating if you are already a little stressed. The other issue is a small plastic clip which is supposed to hold the pushchair together. This clip is remarkably awkward and I have to confess I don't actually use it. The pram stays pretty compact without it though so it is not a major concern.
It can be difficult to fit the pushchair into smaller cars. You have to position the wheels very carefully when putting it into the boot of a Metro, it is quite wide with supporting the car seat and it only just fits really, in my Civic though there's no problem at all, it fits with plenty of room spare and even fits behind the drivers seat if it needs to. The pushchair is about 34 inches long, 19 inches wide and 10 inches high when folded down.
On the whole the few disadvantages are relatively minor and are substantially outweighed by the advantages. I would be happy to recommend it to potential parents and personally wouldn't consider buying an alternative.
___
UPDATE
My Graco Mirage Travel System has been in use for two years now so how has it coped as my first baby has become a toddler and my second baby has arrived?
This system has done very well over the last two years, it’s a little battered from being thrown into the boot, had chocolate ground into various fabrics and mechanisms and has been drawn on with chalk but it’s still going strong.
The biggest regret I have with buying this exact system is that it was the model just before Graco introduced the Autobase. The Autobase is compatible with the newer models so if you’re looking for the Mirage System I advise you to fork out the extra £29 for an Autobase at the same time. Basically the base stays in your car, fixed in by the seatbelt. This allows you to simply click the car seat in instead of wrapping the seatbelt round it. The seat is then released easily by the same simple handle that releases it from the pushchair part of the system.
My first daughter grew out of the car seat when she was around 9 or 10 months and moved up into a permanent car seat so the Mirage seat went into the loft. Instead of bringing it down for my second daughter I borrowed my friends Graco car seat and Autobase, the car seat still fits onto the pushchair even though it’s a newer model – I love Graco sometimes!
The pushchair still folds down properly, although the catch which you have to hold while you collapse it is still fiddly but I can grab it out the boot and throw it open with one hand which is great when I’m being harassed by two children. The only thing that hasn’t lasted is the shopping basket underneath. Both sides of the bag have suffered a similar fate due to too many heavy shopping loads, the push buttons that hold it in place ripped through the plastic rather than popped open rendering it useless. (Well it did say LIGHT shopping!). It’s now held on by all manner of elastic bands and string but it can’t carry bottles of pop home from the supermarket anymore. I tried to find a new one but haven’t managed yet.
Oh and I still don't use the plastic clip which holds it together when not in use and it still fits in the boot of my Civic on top of a double pram (also made by Graco) and two batteries for my husbands double decker bus!
I use the pushchair either with my two year strapped in, when either myself or my husband has the baby in a sling, or with the baby in the car seat clicked in when my two year old is either trotting alongside, being carried or is away with her dad. Either way I find it strong, sturdy and secure and still maintain that it’s one of the best buys I’ve made.
Final Verdict: I still love it and now that you can buy the Autobase with the newer systems 10/10
Advantages: Lightweight and manoeuvrable, great value for money Disadvantages: Not the most stylish on the market
...a fashion statement.)
The Graco Mirage isn't making any kind of a fashion statement and is unlikely to make it into the style magazines or score you many points among the yummy mummies, but it's a perfectly serviceable and reasonably priced item. Having surveyed the multitudinous various options available, after I stopped banging my head against the wall I decided that our best bet was a travel system - in plain English, that's a pushchair which ... ...take a chance on the Graco Mirage (hoping it wouldn't disappear, mirage-like, when up close) at a very reasonable £149.99 from Babies R Us. This, for those who don't know, is the baby section of the oddly-named toy superstore Toys R Us. My husband refers to Babies R Us as "Babysaurus", which is frankly a much better name. They should change the name to that, and have a cute baby dinosaur as the logo….
Anyway, I digress. In exchange for our £149.99, ...
sheri3004 08.03.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Graco Mirage Travel System
Advantages: Very convenient to use Disadvantages: A bit TOO lightweight!
Graco Travel System
Suitable from birth to approx 3 years
Car seat suitable from birth to 13kg.
Dimensions: L: 90 cm, W: 49 cm, H: 103 cm. Folded: L88 x W49 x H37 cm Net weight: 7.3 kg. Car seat weight: 3.6 kg
When expecting my son, born earlier this month, my husband and I saw the Graco Mirage Travel System at a local store. We were impressed by the design, the idea of a travel system instead of a pram, and also the price in comparison to others ... ...at various stores.
As Graco is a well-known make, we discovered it at most well-known stores, including Mothercare, Toys 'R' Us, Argos, Index, and many more, and also both new and second hand on Ebay.
Prices varied, but at the time I was looking, they varied from £100 - £140, with the exception of www.nurseryandtoys.com (see my other reviews) who offered it for £80!
Needless to say, we bought it from nurseryandtoys.com and looked forward to its ...
traceysayer 18.03.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Graco Mirage Travel System
Advantages: Good price Disadvantages: Car seat is difficult to get out
I bought my Graco Mirage Travel System from local Mothercare for around £119.00 which seemed like a good value compared to many other travel systems. It's got everything you might need while out and about. Shopping basket is a very good size and is good enough to store all the baby stuff you need when you go out. All in all, this travel system seems to have everything other systems have and Mothercare will even deliver it if you ask in-store. Now ... ...a bit they start to creak. My husband and I bought some oil to put on them but unfortunately to no effect. Nothing seems to work. The car seat is a bit hard to put in and take out. It's also a bit heavy. The hood on the car seat doesn't easily go down and when you're holding your baby with one hand, it's not easy to manage at all. Then when your baby is out of the car seat and into the pushchair, the plastic bar isn't something I call entirely safe. ...
tiggerkid 26.11.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Graco Mirage Travel System
Advantages: baby can have loads of different comfortble postions Disadvantages: try and get the car seat in the car,is not easy!
i resently brought a graco travel system buggy which comes with a car seat, from littlewoods cataloge,it did cost me £249.00 which is a hell of alot of money for a buggy but i needed something that i could handle well and take on trips when i visit my family in london,so it was a must for me,and buying from a cataloge and not a high street store let me spread the cost and at the prices buggys are these days it was the only way i was going to get ... ...0 up 3 years,
i opted for the red,black and grey colour which is very attractive,if they sold it in pink i would have brought that but no matter how hard i looked i couldnt find one and i did do alot of looking!
i was alittle worried about the size of this buggy, because im quite short and needed something where my arms werent up to my chest while pushing it,but i was nicley surpised when it arrived it was just the right size for me and an added ...
kellyash 22.05.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Graco Mirage Travel System
Advantages: comfortable ease of use Disadvantages: suspension can weaken after a while
mirage travel system £169.00 feature a carseat and autobase to fit into car (can be used with out base)
car seat also has a rocking feature with handle that locks into 3 positions i used to sit my baby in it to feed him carseat also has safety level feature to ensure carseat locked properly into carseat base and pushchair pushchair two height positions (lays totally flat good for newborns or when baby is sleeping)
second position is upright accessories ... ...mat large shopping basket there is also a bar for the car seat to clip on to for easy transportation from car to pushchair age range newborn - 3years
i bought this travel system for when i was due to have my baby who is now 15 months mine was black with royal blue trim i believe you can have different colours
it is easy to set up from the box all you have to do is clip the two front wheels in to the chassis they are self locking.
it is a light ...
jospanner 20.01.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Graco Mirage Travel System
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Advantages: Solid pushchair which is comfortable for baby Disadvantages: none
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Advantages: good price, added extras Disadvantages: poor quality
I bought a twin mirage as i was having twins and this was one of a few on the market for twins, when i bought it i thought id made a good choice as it was reasonably priced and it had aprons, raincover and shopping trolly, The first thing to go on my twin mirage was the snap fasteners on the aprons, then after a while the raincover fell to bits and i had to buy a new one, it was very difficult to get around as it was too wide for most shops and was difficult to control. When my twins were reaching thier first birthday the brake axel started to become wobbly and within a few months was totally broke and one of the wheel rims became lose and would often fall off. A a result i had to buy another pram which lasted. After i had bought the new pram i was told that others had also had the same problems with this pram and i would advise not to ...
Advantages: smooth ride and children looks comfortable in it Disadvantages: Only folds over once so large and bulky to store
basket underneath is great for keeping a load of stuff in (especially good for mammoth shopping expeditions)
and it is very strong to so can cope with a fair amount of weight.
As it only folds over once it does take up a fair amount of space even when folded but thankfully this does not cause a problem for me as we have a large porch and a People carrier but I could see other people not liking this. The locking mechanism for the fold is the standard Graco one and pretty easy to use. And the break is a bar all over the bottom of the pushchair so easy to find and not something that you need to know exactly where is. Also it is strong and feels safe to put on.
All in all a great pushchair (it is now called the Atlanta twin I am informed) ...
