Hot wheels? Moms vie for $1,500 status-symbol stroller

Bugaboo Inc.

Hee-haw! Behold the Bugaboo Donkey, the fancy stroller that will set you back $1,500.

By Kavita Varma-White

Trendy mamas are all abuzz about the latest, end-all, be-all, gotta-have status symbol: Bugaboo's new Donkey stroller. The price tag? A cool $1,500. And it's sold out before it's even arrived in many stores.

By all accounts, the stroller has some stellar features: Most notably, its expandable frame that transforms from a one-seater to a two-seater. (So, presumably, when Baby #2 comes along, you don’t have to buy a new stroller; the kids can sit side-by-side or face each other.)

But did we mention it will put you back about 15 Bens? In some parts, isn't that the price of a monthly mortgage? Or a couple months of groceries?  

Vote: Would you pay $1,500 for a stroller?

Now, in New York, the idea of spending such a bundle on baby gear is no shocker, as apparent from the ubiquity of Bugaboo's Cameleon -- which costs close to a $1,000-- on city streets. New Yorkers spend hours, daily, ferrying their little ones around the urban jungle. As Grace Lee of the popular baby store Giggle told the New York Daily News, "This is a walking city and parents invest a lot of time, energy and money choosing the right stroller…. It's often a more important purchase than a car." (Giggle threw a sold-out, red-carpet style event Friday unveiling the Donkey.)

Outside of the bubble of New York, however, moms have curiosity -- even a bit of envy -- about the Donkey. But the overwhelming verdict on whether it's worth its steep price? In a word, well, two words: Heck no!

Says Lisa Gantt, an expecting mom from Camden, Del.: "I really do love the idea of the functionality, but truly I'm disturbed at the price. I think it's almost financially irresponsible to make this purchase when our neighbors are all having their houses foreclosed. "

Andrea Langholdt is enamored by the Donkey's great design and style. But the Lake Oswego, Ore., mom said in an email, "$1,500!!!!!!! Wow. Even if we could afford this, I can't imagine spending that kind of money on a stroller. This is a recession!"  (She does plan to scour Craigslist down the road, in hopes of snagging a Donkey at a more reasonable price.)

And as Jennifer Bryant commented on Babycenter.com: "If I got it as a baby gift, that would be awesome … but I could never justify such a high price tag personally for a stroller that I may use for 2-3 years tops."

Meanwhile, Kelly Kosek, mom of 6-month-old Sawyer, has wanted a tricked-out, status symbol stroller for a while. But she says, "my wallet very infrequently keeps up with my champagne taste.

"If I won the lottery, I'd buy a Bugaboo Donkey, no questions asked. But otherwise? I'll make do with my Maclaren and Chicco strollers. And watch with envy as the Donkeys stroll by." 

What do you think? Would you spend $1,500 on a stroller?