Bump 'n Crash Cars - SUV: Will Your Furniture Thank You?
Written: Feb 12 '03
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Pros: Soft rubber coating, cute sound effects, furniture friendly
Cons: Will it prevent or encourage mishaps with furniture?
The Bottom Line: Though it won't solve the furniture-bumping problem, at least one car in the house won't make it worse!
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| tritter72's Full Review: Bump 'n Crash Cars - SUV 74877 |
When my husband came home with a Bump 'n Crash Car, I wasn't exactly sure what the attraction was. Now, I'm no expert on toy cars, other than knowing that for one reason or another my son loves them. "Car" was one of his first words, and his interest has lasted for close to a year now. Well, as it turns out, Mommy was the only one in the house who didn't understand the appeal of this particular model.
It's One Funny Car!
One thing that I did like about this toy right away was the fact that it is manufactured by Fisher-Price. I've come to expect durable, fun toys from them, and more often than not they do deliver.
The car itself is a sort of lime green color and is vaguely reminiscent of an SUV. Where the windshield should be, you'll see a large pair of eyes, and the grill of the car features a big smile, complete with teeth and tongue. You'll also notice that the wheels are large, monster-truck sized tires, with the two in the back being somewhat larger than those in the front.
The shell of the car is surrounded by a soft, rubbery material that really gives when you press in on it. The wheels don't give to the same extent, but they are a bit softer than the typical toy car wheels.
When the Bump 'n Crash Car comes into contact with something (the floor, your table, you name it), the SUV responds with cartoonish crash-type noises, such as a car horn, a "boinging" sound, and glass breaking. Each new crash results in another sound effect, powered by three button cell batteries.
The Furniture Issue
The selling point of this car is supposed to be that it is not likely to mar your furniture the way other, harder cars do. I was eager to test this claim, because we live in a smallish-sized house with no family room. Our furniture and my son's toys are forced to coexist on a daily basis, so I really liked the sound of something that is supposed to be furniture-friendly.
So is it? Well, yes, the Bump 'n Crash Car does indeed crash softly into hard surfaces, not leaving a scratch. So I should be satisfied, right? Well, here's the only problem. This car is built to crash. The sound effects absolutely depend on it, so you are teaching your child to run his/her car right into things. However, my son has other cars that are not gentle on furniture, and he's not old enough to understand the difference yet. Bump 'n Crash Cars are recommended for ages two and up, but many two-year-olds aren't really in tune with which cars they can crash into the furniture and which cars they can't. In addition, this is an age group that's quite fond of testing limits. If you buy a Bump 'n Crash Car for a younger child, I would suggest just crashing it into other cars or bouncing it on the floor to produce the fun sound effects. That way you don't have to worry about your child crashing his Little People Police Car into the entertainment center. (Yes, that's a true story.)
My Guy's Experience
My son was given this car when he was not quite 18 months old. It has been a popular purchase mainly because of the funny sounds that it makes and the way that they're produced. It's a fun lesson in cause and effect that when the car crashes, noise is the result. Giggles abound when we take out this car.
The sound effects are easily triggered and require only a minor bump. A major accident is not a necessity! Our SUV rolls over quite easily, which also makes for interesting play. One of the most fun aspects of our SUV is that when you drop it onto the floor from a height of about a foot, you can sometimes get it to do a flip. It is certainly one of the most acrobatic cars we own!
Despite the many, many motor-vehicle collisions in which it has been a participant, our Bump 'n Crash Car is still in excellent condition. The soft, squishy plastic is quite durable and has been resistant to any scratches, cuts, or punctures.
The batteries are long-lasting. In the three months that the we've had the car at our house, we have not yet had to replace them. Considering that there is no on/off switch, which means that the sound effects are triggered every single time, I think that speaks well for the battery life.
The sound effects are not loud in the least. In fact, I find them to be a bit on the quiet side. I had to listen to them very carefully while writing this review, just so I could describe what a few of them were.
My son plays with this car often. I wouldn't say that it holds his attention for long periods of time, but that is mainly a factor of his young age. After all, playing with cars becomes ever so much more interesting when children develop the capacity to engage in pretend play. My guy isn't quite there yet.
Anyone for a Demolition Derby?
Though we haven't done it yet, we like this car enough that we would consider buying the other Bump 'n Crash Cars, which include a Hot Rod and a Tow Truck. I think my son would definitely get a kick out of owning a group of these.
All in all, this car has been a lot of fun and is unique enough that I would recommend it over other vehicles. I can see it entertaining children in a variety of age groups, and it is tough enough to stand up to rough play. In other words, our Bump 'n Crash Car proved this mommy wrong!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 9.99
Type of Toy: Car, Truck or Raceway
Age Range of Child: Other
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Epinions.com ID:
tritter72
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Member: Tammi
Location: Pennsylvania
Reviews written: 100
Trusted by: 91 members
About Me:
Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present. (Unknown)
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