Big Craigslist/Stroller Dilemma!!

I've been a Craigslist junkie ever since I was pregnant with Orren. I found our rocking chair dirt cheap on there, and also a front pack carrier in new condition (used once) for 1/3 of retail value. The only real bust I ever had from Savannah Craigslist was when Thak found an ad that said "GORGEOUS maternity clothes, sizes S and XS!" and when we got there, we found that not only were these clothes definitely not gorgeous, but the lady had forgotten to mention that she was extremely short. Literally, the top of her head fell at about my chest level. Needless to say, the clothes, even if they had been in good condition or nice, would not have fit 5'6" me. (Seriously, people. If you're selling clothes you don't use anymore, you should mention it if you're really short. Pet peeve of mine... everything in my size was made for midgets.) Anyhow, that was the only total bust we had from Savannah Craigslist. Everything else was great. There was always a good selection on there, and it ran the gamut from stuff bought at Target, to high-end stuff from Punch and Judy's (the local baby boutique that sold the most amazing stuff in the entire world).

In El Paso, it's different. Craigslist is always junk. I don't know why I ever look on there anymore, but I do. I guess I'm just always hoping to find that rare gem, because when the deals on Craigslist are good, they're GOOD!

Today, I found it. OK, so it wasn't today. It was about a month and a half ago when it first appeared. Today, it appeared again, and had gone down in price substantially from first listing. Click here and see the ad. It's a Valco Baby Twin stroller. In previous ads, they've mentioned that they'll throw in the Peg Perego carseat adapter (we have a Peg Perego carseat!!), the sun cover, and two snack trays. With all those accessories, this stroller package would retail for $800. $350 is a crazy deal for it. $350's only about $70 more than you'd pay for a mid-grade double stroller at Sears, and a Valco is NOT mid-grade, it's VERY high-end. This is like buying a Porsche for the price of a Kia. Needless to say, I have one hell of a dilemma on my hands right now, because I want to buy this Valco. I'm never going to find a deal like this ever again.

Here are my reservations:

1) I don't love the color.

2) I'm completely in love with the Phil & Teds Explorer.

I like the Valco a lot. I've actually considered getting one before. I like that the Phil & Teds can be a single or a double (the back seat is detachable), and despite the $580 price tag, we believe we'd get our money's worth since it will hold up forever. I also like how compact the Phil & Teds is, but at the same time, the Valco isn't bad as far as side-by-sides go. It's only 29" wide. Also, side-by-side strollers are better than tandems for doing things like going to the zoo or the museum because both kids can see equally. There are benefits to both forms of double stroller.

I think I'll probably buy the Valco and try to forget about the Phil & Teds. I'm going to ask Thak about it when he gets home. We discussed it last time it was listed, and he was favorable about it. (That time, it was listed for $400. They've come down on the price in just the past week, even.) Since they say it's negotiable, we could probably offer them $300 and get it. That's really about half what the Phil & Teds costs. I didn't plan on buying a stroller this early on, but we are never going to find a deal that good again. I just don't think we can pass it up.