best way to search?

i have a little bit of money to buy a new swing set. DD is now 7 and all her friends love to come play in our yard because we have a swingset, but it is now falling apart and not safe so off limits. DS is only 5months so I need something to last thru now til DS is old enough to play on it for a few years.

Also, how do you buy a replacement for an exersaucer cloth seat?

By Yjja123 on Monday, July 4, 2005 - 11:46 am:

Do you have a Sams Club? We bought an awesome swingset from them for $1000. I priced them and this was the best deal. It has playhouse, sand box, swing area, slide, and rock climbing wall. Very cool!

By Cybermommyx4 on Monday, July 4, 2005 - 01:22 pm:

We bought one from Sears about 16 years ago when we first built our house...I think it cost around $249...it has a slide, 2 swings, a trapeze bar, and a bench swing (for adults or 2-3 kids) It still stands in our backyard...oldest is 17 1/2, and we've had 3 other kids since (youngest is 8)! Very durable, very little rust. Hope that helps. I know you can probably get "better" ones, but you said you had a *little* money set aside.....$1000 sounds like a *lot* of money, lol! I guess it depends on one's budget

By Dana on Monday, July 4, 2005 - 07:19 pm:

Oh, yes, $1000 is a lot. I have more around $300. I doubt Sears or anyone else for that matter makes such good quality stuff as they did 16 years ago. Things are so disposable now . They intentionally make things to break these days.

What about online comparison shopping. Aren't there sites made just for that?

By Pamt on Monday, July 4, 2005 - 08:37 pm:

epinions.com can be good. There used to be a site called simplesimon.com that compared items and rated them too. Don't know if it still exists or not.

By Cybermommyx4 on Monday, July 4, 2005 - 09:38 pm:

froogle.com
mysimon.com

Just type in Swingset or Playset and see what comes up

By Dana on Monday, July 4, 2005 - 11:25 pm:

Thanks! I'll try those and see what I get.

By Paulas on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 - 12:10 am:

I would check out the local garage sales too. Many people get rid of them that way. Ours is 4 years old and has hardly been used. When DD was 5 she used some of her birthday money and then we put in the rest to buy it. They hardly ever play with it but she wants to keep it and since she paid for almost half, I'll let her make the decision. If I had my way though...I'd sell it in a garage sale!

By Feona on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 - 07:42 am:

I think sears has good metal ones. Those are the $300 dollar ones.

By Amecmom on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 - 09:26 am:

Toys R Us has some good ones for around $300. Check them out.
Ame

By Dana on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 - 01:45 pm:

Paula, not gonna bother with yard sales cause I am HOPING it will still be usable when DS is old enough for it. The set we have now is about 8-9 yrs old, so I am guessing that is how long the next one will last.

By Kate on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 - 01:55 pm:

Dana, I called Evenflo and asked for a new cloth seat and they sent one right out. Mine had shrunk in the wash so it was free, but you'll probably have to pay for yours. But just call Evenflo.

By Yjja123 on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 - 03:29 pm:

Dana,
I do not know where you are in Florida but I live in south Florida. We started out with a metal swingset but it rusted quickly. I think it might have been because of all the rain? Regardless, it became unsafe with-in 3 years. That is why we went with the solid wood one from Sam's. It IS more expensive than metal but has a warranty. I do know that Toys-r-us has had wood ones in the $300-$500 range. If your hubby (or you) are handy you can buy piece by piece at Home Depot and add on as you wish. They have all wood there.
Good luck!
Yvonne

By Jann on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 - 06:19 pm:

This is what we had. So much fun and lasted well over 10 years (and I think longer, we sold it when our kids out grew it) http://www.rainbowplay.com/

By Yjja123 on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 - 07:35 pm:

Cool Jann!
Here is ours:
http://www.leisuretimeproducts.com/2005season/6005.htm

The best part about the wood ones is they last and can be sold when your kids outgrow them. I have seen many in the classified adds. It wouldn't be a bad idea to get a used one as long as it had been taken care of.