Power Wheels Silverado...One Tough Little Truck!
Written: Aug 13 '01 (Updated Aug 25 '03)
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Pros: Bigger than previous Power Wheels trucks, 2 seater, 12 v battery, fun!
Cons: Expensive, could be a little bigger seating area, considering weight it holds.
The Bottom Line: I would recommend buying this truck for a boy or girl around the age of 4 or 5, but it can be used by an older child as well.
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| krystl's Full Review: Fisher Price Chevrolet Silverado |
Updated August 25, 2003
It has been 2 years since I wrote this review, and my son, now 7, still loves this truck. He's getting a little big for it, but he doesn't seem to care! His friends all want to drive it when they come over, so if you are worrying that it may go out of favor in a few months, don't! We are still using the original battery, and although it may not hold a charge for as long as it did when it was new, it still gives Nicky plenty of driving time. This truck has been through a lot, between being rammed into things and occasionally left out in the weather and it is still in excellent shape! Definitely worth the money!
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I am one of those mom's who vowed never to get a battery operated vehicle for my child. My daughter had the Cozy Coupe that ran on Flintstone power and that was fine with her. Then a few years passed and I started softening when I saw how much like his daddy my son was becoming. At an early age, he was already showing interest in anything with a motor, fascinated with cars, trucks and motorcycles. If my DH could have had one of these cool Power Wheels when he was a kid,he would have certainly been the envy of the neighborhood!
Before this past Christmas, my son started eyeing the Power Wheels Motorcycle in the store. Since daddy has a real one, Nicky thought he should have his own too. However, looking at the motorcycle more closely, we decided against it for a few reasons. It wasn't as big as it looked on the box, only seated one and didn't hold very much weight. The Fisher Price Chevy Silverado was a much better buy at $269.00 (WalMart) and had more pluses than the bike.
It's big enough for 2 kids!
The seat fits 2 kids and slides back or foward for longer or shorter legs.
The weight limit on this truck is 130 pounds, higher than any of the other Power Wheels toys. That means my son (age 5) and daughter (age 9) can both ride in this truck together and still be way under the limit. She enjoys being the passenger and he loves playing "taxi". She can also drive it without much trouble, and she is 4' 7".
It has a 12 volt battery
Instead of the older models (which my now 18 year old stepson had when he was about 5) that had a 6 volt battery. It was constantly needing to be charged and we ended up having to buy a second battery to swap when one ran out. It was a pain and my stepson lost interest quickly.
Not the case with this truck. The 12 volt lasts quite a long time, even with 2 kids and a loaded back storage bed.
The truck goes pretty fast
Going forward, there are 2 speeds, high, 5 mph and low, 2.5 mph. They can be changed using the lever by the driver's right leg between the floor and seat. Reverse is also engaged this way and goes 2.5 mph. It takes a little practice, but my son has mastered the switching gears and backing up quite well!
This truck drives best on smooth flat surfaces or grass.
Our back yard is large enough for Nicky to ride quite a ways without running out of room. We supervise him of course, but he really cannot get into much trouble in the fenced yard.
The driveway, is another matter. Our driveway is smooth and slopes down toward the street. Nicky (and DH of course too!)thinks it is hilarious to start off at the top and turn suddenly to the left into the other part of the driveway. This causes the truck to do a skidding 180. I make him wear a helmet when he does this, but the truck has never looked like it was going to tip or lose control. I think I know what Nicky wants to be when he grows up.
If your driveway is not flat, the tires will not grip going uphill since they are hard plastic tires, not rubber. It's best on grass (does slopes well) or flat pavement.
As for safety, there are nylon seatbelts (dog-leash material) closeable by velcro. Honestly, I think these are more for looks, although I have never had to test them. Both my kids buckle up no matter what kind of car they are in anyway, so they wear them.
There is a rear storage area (seeing it is modeled after a pick-up truck, it would be the bed of the truck). Another reviewer said this area was so small her sons cup would not fit there, but my son has hauled 50 pound bags of rocks in his when we were landscaping the garden. It's quite roomy.
The dashboard consists of... a steering wheel, a plastic key that turns but doesn't come out and a play CB handset. There isn't much else there, but it's not necessary to have more gadgets. The fun is in the driving. Nicky has removed the plastic key and replaced it with a real key (an old spare). He likes carrying his keys on his belt like daddy.
Assembly was a bit tricky at 3 am Christmas morning, but not horrible. There were quite a few stickers that had to be applied in addition to the typical assembly of seat, wheels, etc. But the directions were pretty clear and we managed to pull it off without a hitch. It was ready for Christmas morning surprise!
All in all, I am really glad we purchased this Chevy Silverado for my son. I just wish we hadn't waited so long to buy it. Both my kids get enjoyment from it, and it has lasted through some pretty tough abuse (crashing into the garage door, shed, fence, climbing over rocks, jamming into gear from reverse to forward without stopping, skidding out, etc)....And that was on purpose!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 269.00
Type of Toy: Car, Truck or Raceway
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
krystl
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Member: Karen
Location: New York
Reviews written: 76
Trusted by: 73 members
About Me:
Updating some of my older reviews & writing some new ones!
Glad to be back!
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