What is the age range of these cars?
- Due to small parts the official age is 3-6yrs.
- However in terms of ability children as young as 18months have been able to drive these cars.
- It is down to the individual child and up to the parent to decide.
What is the difference between a pedal and electric car ?
- Aside from the obvious (i.e. a pedal works on pedal power and an electric runs off a battery), a pedal car does not have a footplate. This means there is a hole in front if the seat of the car which allows children to push the car along with their feet if they prefer.
- This of course is ideal for young children that may not be able to reach the pedals or have the ability to pedal.
Why do pedal cars use push pedals ?
- The pedal cars do not have rotary pedals as this would require a chain.
- This child would need to sit on top of the chain and this would run the risk of trapped clothing etc.
- Push pedals are also easier to maintain and repair as they do not have a chain.
What is the difference between 6v and 12v ?
- Primarily speed. A 6v goes at 3mph (about an adult's walking pace) and a 12v at 5mph (about an adults jogging pace).
- If you are buying for an older child (e.g. 5 or 6) we would recommend a 12v car.
- A 12v has the extra power that would be needed for a heavier child, plus older children tend to want that extra speed.
Are rubber tyres better than plastic ?
- In terms of performance, no. However they are slightly quieter than plastic tyres and offer a more 'realistic' feel.
What is progressive acceleration ?
- This is available on all 12v models.
- When the pedal is pressed half way, the car will go at 3mph. When the pedal is pressed all the way down it will go at 5mph. This is more realistic as like on a real car the further the child pushes the pedal, the faster the car does.
How long will the battery last for ?
- Roughly an hour and a half to two hours, but this does depend on the surface the car is being driven on and the weight of the child.
- For example the battery will last longer if used on a smooth surface such as lino and will not last as long on grass as there is more resistance.
- Similarly the battery will last longer for a small child than a larger one.
Does an electric car have a brake ?
- The electric cars only have one pedal. The child pushes the pedal in order to make the car move, and the car will stop as soon as the child takes his foot off the pedal.
- This is a safety feature as a young child probably won't have the reaction time or ability required to press a brake if there is an obstacle in the way.
Can the cars go on grass ?
- The cars are designed for use on flat, hard surfaces such as tarmac. However because it has extra power a 12v should be ok to drive on flat, short, dry grass.
What is the difference between a Toys Toys car and a Chinese made copy ?
- The difference is three-fold:
- Quality and finish. These toys are Italian made and as a result offer fantastic quality. Chinese made cars often have dents in the body work from manufacturing, misaligned stickers, loose wiring, minor scratches etc. A Chinese car also requires more assembly and the instructions are not always easy to follow. Toys Toys cars arrive fully assembled with clear instructions on charging etc.
- Spare parts and reparability. Getting hold of spare parts is very easy and we can offer technical advice. Toys Toys cars are also very simple by design, meaning it is very easy for the layman to make repairs - meaning the car will continue to be used for years. Because Chinese cars often have a lot of electronics involved, the wiring is usually sealed in and impossible to get to if it comes loose. You also do not have the technical support.
- License. Our cars are the real thing and designed alongside the real car manufacturers. Of course this ensures they are of the finest quality and the best finish, but it also allows you to use the brand name and sell with piece of mind. It has been known for car manufacturers to sue retailers selling knock-off cars which infringe their copyrighted logo and car design.
How to charge a car.
- There is a black connector for the motor and a red connector for the battery. Pull these apart and plug the red connector from the charger into the red connector for the battery. Charge for the full amount of time (14hrs first time, 10 hours after that). Disconnect the charger and plug the battery connector back into the black connector.
Troubleshooting
- The motor is only driving one wheel.
- This is not a fault; the cars are designed to be one wheel drive. Due to the design of the cars it would not be possible to steer if the car was two wheel drive.
- This is not a fault; the cars are designed to be one wheel drive. Due to the design of the cars it would not be possible to steer if the car was two wheel drive.
- The car will not charge.
- Firstly you should check the fuse, as for safety reasons the car will not charge if there isn't a fuse or if it is blown. Secondly, you should check the charger.
- Plug it into a wall but do not plug it into the car. Is the green light on ? If not the charger may be broken and need replacing.
- However the most common reason for a car not charging is because it has not been used for a while.
- If the car is in storage and left uncharged for a couple of months the battery looses its ability to hold the charge.
- The customer needs to purchase a new battery.
- If the above remedies do not solve the problem, contact us and we will sort it out
- The car has been charged, but will not move.
- Check the fuse.
- If that is ok, ensure the battery has been charging for the full amount of time as it needs to be given a full charge in order for it to work.
- It is no good charging for an hour and expecting it to work.
- To check if the battery is the problem, plug the charger directly into the motor (the black connector), put the car in gear and press the pedal.
- If the car moves then the battery is the problem.
- If it doesn't there is either a problem with the charger or the wiring.
