power wheels cars

amyg530 · Sep 28, 2007

admin - if i should have posted this in the chat i'm sorry but it seems close enough to carseat/car safety

Connor just watched a commercial for one of those power wheels F150s and 5 minutes later hes still pointing at the tv going "TRUCK!!, I WANT TRUCK!!!" he thinks they're super cool i guess, so hubby just told him that maybe one day if we can afford it we'd get him one. what i want to know is are they safe? would you let your child use one? at what age do you think they're ok for? i mean i totally think they're cool and i always wanted one when i was younger and was always jealous of my friends that had them, but i also always ran into stuff and drove through flower beds when i used them so i'm just not sure if i would want him to have one. i'm just currious as to what everybody else things about them

djma · Sep 28, 2007

My son got the smaller 4-wheeler power wheel when he was 1yo (my in-laws gave it to him). He didn't really learn how to control it well until almost 2yo. My parents got him the power wheels hummer for his 3rd birthday and that was the right time. He was cautious at first and this particular one had a way to make sure it stayed in the lower speed. When he got really good control and learned the rules (stay away from the street, not in the pinestraw,etc) we took the screw out to let him control the speed (there's reverse, 1, and 2). I think 3 is a good age for kids to be able to understand how to control them and learn the rules. Usually Wal-Mart has the best prices on them. The TRU around here tends to be about $50 more their's. Consignment stores and thrift stores are also a great place to look for them. If it's missing the charger, you can sometimes get one from the mfr for around $20-30, which isn't bad if you only spend about $50 on the actual power wheel vehicle.

Good luck!

Cindy&Connor · Sep 28, 2007

Ds has the F150. He got it for his 2nd birthday and he loves it. We have a fenced in backyard so I don't have to worry about him going near the street. It took him a couple of months to figure out how to steer and back up so I was constantly pulling him off the fence. Once he learned those skills he's done great. Now he "works on his truck like daddy works on his car." He can jack it up all by himself and drive up on the ramps we have for our cars. With close supervision, of course.

Starlight · Sep 28, 2007

We have 3 Power Wheels type cars, of varying sizes. TRU sells a small quad meant for 18 months and up, and we have for our 17 month old. Then we have a PW Jeep (about the size of the Dora one), that we start with at about 2-2.5. Then, we have a larger Quad that we start with at about 4. We make all of the kids - ours and their friends - wear helmets on any of them.

It definitely takes some time to get used too, like Cindy said, you have to keep pulling them away from the fence or whatever. But it's soo much fun. There's a website - pimpmypowerwheels.com, I think. Tooo much fun.

joolsplus3 · Sep 28, 2007

We have a huge ATV Peg Perego..the only time it's a problem is when 2 or three kids try to pile on it and the kid on the end falls off (uh...the rule is ONE kid now...after the kid who fell off and bonked her head happened to be the kid not wearing her helmet..we make our kids wear theirs most of the time...).
No one seems to ever fall out of the jeeps in our neighborhood....they happily cram one or two of them into those things up to age 7 or 8

beebear23 · Sep 28, 2007

Cias wants one of those too.. I'm wondering when he'll be too big for it.. LOL. We (actually, my IL's) bought Cias one of those Power Wheels 4-wheelers about 2 years ago. I believe he was 3.5 when he got it. It's been GREAT! Cias loves it. He even does tricks on it(note to self, don't let adreniline junkie risk taking son watch motocross).

I'm really tempted to get Cias one of those F-150's, but I doubt DH would agree since Cias has the 4-wheeler and we don't have another kid to pass it down to.

LuvBug · Sep 28, 2007

DS has a jeep and a um... what do you call it? its the power tool machine with the pushing shovel in the front? OMG how can I not remember the name?? lol!

R&J'sMom · Sep 28, 2007

solmama · Sep 28, 2007

Guess, I'll play the spoiler here...I would NEVER let my kids drive one of those cars, EVER. Not even if my parents bought them one. To me, people who do not have driver's licenses should not be operating recreational vehicles of any kind. Toddlers especially do not have the capacity to know the rules of the road and the consequences of violating those rules. If you've ever watched "America's Funniest Home Videos" then you've seen numerous mishaps with those cars (and those were the funny ones where no one got hurt). My neighbors have one, and they let their 2yo and 4yo drive it in the street after dark. The little girl across the alley (maybe 9) has an electric scooter she drives with no regard to traffic rules. I'm aware that parenting has more to do with the safety of these cars than anything else...but what if you look away for just a second? Answer your cell? Chat with a friend? Anything can happen. I just don't think toddler should be driving cars.

LuvBug · Sep 28, 2007

do you mean on the road? DS is only allowed to play with it in our flat yard while we walk with him or are standing closeby... I dont see any more danger in that than riding his bike??

R&J'sMom · Sep 28, 2007

We only let the boys ride their Power Wheels either in our fenced in backyard or the huge greenbelt at the end of our block and always with complete supervision.

heyruthie · Sep 28, 2007

#1--I've never heard of anyone who lets their kids drive those things on the road! That's not what they're meant for. Our next door neighbors have some, and the kids use it in the backyard.

#2--It really kills the grass. Their backyard looks like a lunar-scape. Its disgusting when it rains....all mud. I can't really even let my kids go play over there, it's so bad--and I'm not picky about dirt. It's just a total mud-pit, since they got the Power Wheels.

MaryAnn · Sep 28, 2007

My son is 28 mths and for his 2nd b-day we got him a Power Wheels Lil Quad. It's the perfect size for him and uses a push-button rather than pedals. The only downside is that he tries to use one hand to operate it and has fallen off by the jerking motion of it. I make him wear a bicycle helmet when he rides it.

amyg530 · Sep 28, 2007

solmama said:
Guess, I'll play the spoiler here...I would NEVER let my kids drive one of those cars, EVER. Not even if my parents bought them one. To me, people who do not have driver's licenses should not be operating recreational vehicles of any kind. Toddlers especially do not have the capacity to know the rules of the road and the consequences of violating those rules. If you've ever watched "America's Funniest Home Videos" then you've seen numerous mishaps with those cars (and those were the funny ones where no one got hurt). My neighbors have one, and they let their 2yo and 4yo drive it in the street after dark. The little girl across the alley (maybe 9) has an electric scooter she drives with no regard to traffic rules. I'm aware that parenting has more to do with the safety of these cars than anything else...but what if you look away for just a second? Answer your cell? Chat with a friend? Anything can happen. I just don't think toddler should be driving cars.

ok i'm glad someone said no, i mean we wouldnt be getting it for him now and i have no idea if i'll be ok with him using one or not, but i'm glad somebody said they wouldnt

LuvBug03 said:
do you mean on the road? DS is only allowed to play with it in our flat yard while we walk with him or are standing closeby... I dont see any more danger in that than riding his bike??

well we live in an apt complex so we would def not get him one while we're here, if we did get one once we had a house it would only be used in the yard/driveway, but i do think it would be more dangerous than a bike, b/c the kid controls the bikes speed, and i think stopping a bike is much easier than a power wheels

solmama · Sep 28, 2007

I know that most parents are watching their kids and keeping them safe when the kiddos are driving these cars. My kids will just never get to drive them. I live in a part of the country where lots of people seem to have a general disregard for safety (I won't even mention proper car seat usage, I can't even look in vehicles anymore-too scary), child supervision, and positive expectations. I can't really put into words why this place seems so different to me than others I've lived. Maybe it's just the attitude of "kids will be kids" and they've got to learn their lessons (and parents happily let them). A bit backwards, but that's what it seems like here. I know that your kids are safe when you say they are. It's just that, those things are cars. Sorry if I offended anyone and for babbling.

Starlight · Sep 28, 2007

They aren't meant to be used in the street, that's in the instruction manual.

I'd say they are safe if used correctly. We're putting a bike path in our backyard for our boys so that they can ride their PW and bikes and trikes and so forth.

Momto1bigkiddo · Sep 28, 2007

starlight said:
We're putting a bike path in our backyard for our boys so that they can ride their PW and bikes and trikes and so forth.

That is really, REALLY cool!

We don't have any of the power wheel vehicles because we also live in an apartment, so have no where to keep it. I rode one when I was younger though, including in the street

in front of our house. It was in a very low-traffic neighborhood. I was AT LEAST 5 years old at the time though! I'm not sure I'd let my 3 year old operate one right now, we are still working on his steering skills on his tricycle!! Talk about dangerous--Watch out!!

Some kids are better with the whole steering thing though and may have more control over that and also the ''gas and brakes'' on the power wheels. I think it depends on the child, the child's level of experience, and also the location of where they will be riding.

I just recently saw a 3 year old riding around on a little 4-wheeler on a YouTube video!!

A real one, not a power wheel by fisher price or whoever. They were in a field and definately seemed that their whole family was into these. He looked just fine, I held my breath though. I cannot IMAGINE my 3 year old doing that!

amyg530 · Sep 28, 2007

yeah see i worry about them and if they are as dangerous as a 4 wheeler, when my ex was 10 he was driving a 4 wheeler with his two sisters on back and he lost control, hit the mailbox and flipped, killing one of his sisters. he never forgave himself (nor did his parents every bother to tell him that it wasnt his fault). i just dont know if the same could happen with the power wheels and i dont know if i'd want to take the chance

Morganthe · Sep 29, 2007

LuvBug03 said:
... I dont see any more danger in that than riding his bike??

Not trying to be argumentative or anything, but imo, a bicycle is powered only by leg muscles. Yeah, there's gravity, but there's the idea that when a child stops pedaling, that's it for power. Adding a battery & controls changes everything as far as I'm concerned. Too many gadgets & decisions for a youngling to deal with. There's a reason we don't make mini-cars and license them to 8 year olds

I'm with SolMama as a spoiler. I just don't like power-wheel cars. Sure, I envied kids in catalogs when I was a child, but in the hilly area I had as a back yard, it would have been dangerous & easily flipped over. Then there's the whole thing of 'what's next' for thrills & chills. I'm not one who wants my child on an ATV in her lifetime.

We have a major flaw in our DNA -- when there's driving involved, there's fast speed and low impulse control. Having little rules and no body protection is just asking for trouble in our family

My daughter will get enough thrills & excitement if she is involved with long distance biking, as I was.

No need to add batteries or fuel other than pizza.

My brother has had numerous accidents on his motorcycles, ATVs, dune buggies, and even his truck because he has no sense of caution. Honestly, I don't know how he is still alive. When he was talking with me, he loved to bring up how it felt to have a collapsed lung after a collision with a tree to avoid a deer on a back trail in MN.

ukfan78 · Sep 29, 2007

The power wheels only go 2.5 mph and 5 mph with a FULLY charged battery, which quickly runs down. And while 5mph sounds fast, it really wasn't. My ds had the 4 wheeler and the Hummer and he started out riding 2.5 mph when he was almost 3 (there is a screw you keep in so they can't change it to 5mph). Within just a few weeks, he could easily drive like he was a professional. Even at 5mph, he had complete control. And like I said, the battery doesn't stay full but for a few minutes so they aren't going 5mph very long

I felt completely comfortable with my ds on the power wheels and now (at almost 7) he has a "real" 4 wheeler with helmet and safety gear also.

Melissa

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