Product Description

Oppenheim Toy Porfolio Platinum Award 2006! Nominated-Outdoor Toy of the Year 2006! Kids' race car of the future. Hop on the Plasma Car & prepare to zip, zoom & cruise! No typical toy pedal car, this revolutionary ride on toy has even adults Plasma Car crazy! Plasma Car harnesses the natural forces of inertia, centrifugal force, gravity & friction. An inside or outside toy designed like a trike with no pedals, gears or batteries! More fun than a scooter & supports up to 220 pounds! Yep, even Grandpa can take a spin!!!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #227 in Toys & Games
• Brand: PlasmaCar
• Model: 185970000202
• Released on: 2007-06-01
• Dimensions: 10.25 pounds

Features

• No Gears , Batteries or Pedals. Just Steer and Away you Go.
• Multiple Award Winner
• Great Exercise Inside or outdoors.
• Sleek, Innovative Design

From the Manufacturer
It's like magic, but you don't need to be a magician to get it to work. The PlasmaCar is a mechanical marvel that makes use of that most inexhaustible of energy sources, kid-power, by harnessing the natural forces of inertia, centrifugal force, gravity, and friction. It's so easy to operate; all it needs is a driver and a smooth, flat surface. The PlasmaCar is adult-friendly, too. For starters, it doesn't require an expensive power source that needs constant replacement. No batteries, no power-cells, no liquid fuel-just the occasional cookie or two. It's quiet too-the only sound you'll hear is the sound of its wheels. It provides kids with plenty of exercise, more so than most toys. And the PlasmaCar is engineered to be absolutely safe when used appropriately. It's been extensively tested, and meets or exceeds all significant international safety standards.¿ Fully Assembled: 31" x¿ 14" x 16"¿¿¿¿ 8.15 lbs

Customer Reviews

Wonderful All Ages Toy!
This is a life saver in my house! I have three children that vary in age from 1 to 10 years old. All love this car! Now, the one year old is not quite ready to ride on his own yet, but he is very happy to have his big sister (3 1/2) to drive him around. She rides her purple Plasma car every day for long periods of time. It is totally kid powered and easy to drive. It takes a moment to get used to how the wheel must move back and forth to start the friction, but kids seem to catch on very well. The cars are very sturdy and big enough for my 10 year old son to ride as well. They can hold up to 200 pounds on a smooth surface and 110 pounds on a rough surface. The cars can be used indoors or outdoors. We own two, and my daughter and oldest son like to race down the driveway together. The cars also turn on a dime! They can maneuver very well getting around our tables and other furniture. It's a great toy to get your kids active and away from the TV all the time. I love the fact that no batteries are involved, yet it virtually moves on its own without peddling. Of course, the children can also use their feet if they want to go very fast. But the good thing is that there are foot rests for their feet while they drive,and it is very safe to ride, considering it is almost like sitting on the ground basically, for it is only a few inches off the floor. I am glad that there is a car that can be used for many years for lots of growing age groups. It is a bit expensive, but compared to how much use it will get verses the younger toddler cars that you have for only 1-3 years, I find it invaluable. I have even ridden it. It is fun! I can see using these cars for at least 10-12 years or more! The seat is set far enough back, that the older children can sit towards the back for more room, and the younger ones towards the front. It's a hit with all the neighborhood children that come play. That is the real test! They all want one of their own after riding. It's hard to get them to go home! Plasma cars will probably be used more than their bicycles, which the children constantly keep outgrowing. I found a hit in our household! I highly recommend them!

Most fun you can have on wheels. Even for your kids!
This toy is just plain fun. Even for your kids! In fact you might have to get them one as well! It started when we ordered a couple for our two grandkids. Both boys. One barely walking and the other a 4 year old that doesn't know the meaning of walk. Once we got these put together we saw how much fun they were we had to find a reason to order more, so we decided our niece and nephew needed them as well.

The specifics:
1. The toy is easy to put together. All you need is a hard rubber mallet (a block of wood and a claw hammer works just as well), and a Philips screwdriver. (You will not need to put in any screws but you will need the screwdriver with the included socket tool to help you tighten the nut on the steering shaft). There is a good video on YouTube about how easy it is to put together.
2. The toy is sturdy. Check out some of the plasma car race video's on YouTube to see how sturdy this toy is. (In no way do I suggest this is the way to treat the toy, but the videos are entertaining.) In any case they state the toy can handle up to 200 lbs on a smooth surface. I can personally testify that it will handle a bit more than that with no problem. (Hey Plasma Car! How about a bigger model made for us full size 50 year old adult frame types. I am at a significant disadvantage when sidewalk racing because of the cramped posture I must assume when competing!)
3. The toy is fast enough for any toddler, and on a downhill slope can be a real thrill. Toddlers will find it fun and they figure out how to make it move without any instruction. They can also paddle it around with their feet as well. Believe me, they will make it move plenty fast with just a little practice.
4. The toy is expensive but consider that if they start at 4 years old they could ride it for 10 years or more. So it only comes out to about five or six dollars a year. How many toys can you say that about?
5. No motor. No fuel. No batteries. You might think that means no fun. But not so! Certainly it's not as fast as a dirt bike. But watching my 18 year old daughter cruise around the house made me realize that fun riding toys don't necessarily need motors. And since we won't let her ride the dirt bike indoors, (or even her bicycle for that matter) this becomes a fun alternative.
6. Quiet. Except for the giggles and squeals.

If you read other reviews you will see a couple of disappointed reviewers. As for being hard to put together, the ones we received went together easily. You will need a hammer of some sort, and some tool like a screwdriver to turn the socket tool but that is all. Fast and easy to put together. As to being slow, well it can be. It can also go fairly quickly. It's all in how you work the handles back and forth. Really, check out the videos on YouTube.
I think kids of any age will really like the Plasma Car. I highly recommend this product.

Way Too Slow!
I wish I had known that this car only really moves on a smooth surface. We tried it out on our sidewalk (which isn't too old or too cracked), and it goes unbearably slow. After my 3.5 year old became frustrated at the snail's pace, both my husband and I tried it out - we couldn't get it to go any faster.

We tried it in our house, which is 80% tile, and even on the 12inch tiles it didn't move very fast. The only place we could get it up to a "normal" speed was in our tiny garage. Ironically, that is where this toy now sits, unused...in our garage.

If you have access to a large, *very* smooth floor, than this toy is worth the outrageous price. However, don't plan on using it outside for walks, or else you will end up with a very disappointed child.