Please note that on Ciao, I'll be spending sundays as my reading and rating day - the site is so s...
Please note that on Ciao, I'll be spending sundays as my reading and rating day - the site is so slow generally that the only way to avid meltdown is to do it all at once!
Member since:26.05.2004
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This is one of those classic toys that have been around donkeys’ years. I remember first seeing it when I was seven or eight, and being disappointed that I was perhaps a little too large (for I was a chubby little thing) to squeeze into one at that point. I always liked them though, as I always vowed that when I had a child, one of the things they would definitely be getting was one of these. What makes it such an icon? It's got simplicity, style, safety and durability, all things we need in toys.
I'm sure you all remember them, if not from my description, you will from the picture. Those cars with the bottom half red, the top half yellow, and a natty little door you could open and close to get in and out. Once inside there are no pedals, but there's something cool about powering the car with your feet like the Flintstones.
Well, the time had come when my darling devil of a child was starting to get a bit more active, forever going up the stairs (although she's not mastered getting down yet and screams to be retrieved from the top!),
running round the house and generally having far too much energy for em to handle.
So, off I trotted to buy one of these, only to find out that these beasties have evolved from the simple boxes on wheels of old. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Cosy Coupe Mark II!
I knew she was going to love it. They had one at the playgroup, and every time I tried to bring her home she had to have the steering wheel prised from her little fingers before I could carry her off, kicking and screaming and shouting ''Car! CAR! ' at the top of her lungs.
It needed some putting up, but with a partner who likes to get his tool out at the slightest opportunity; it was put up quickly, with no problems and no cursing whatsoever. From the lack of swearwords I gather that the instructions supplied were easy enough to follow, and a quick glance over them confirms that they are clear, with illustrations and written in plain English.
This toy has great visual appeal to children. The car is about 3 to 3 ˝ feet tall, with the bottom half of it a bright orangey red colour. The top is banana yellow, and gives it the look of having convertible cover. It's made of a thick sturdy, heavy-duty plastic that over time has proved to be hard wearing. It certainly stands out, and my daughter loves it. It has an opening and closing driver side door, and inside is a nice black steering wheel that turns and has a working horn, and the wheels have black tires and white hubcaps. The back wheels and front wheels rotate through 360 degrees to allow steering.
This car even has a petrol cap so your little darlings can refill it should the fuel run out. (I suspect this may be to encourage you to buy the little tikes petrol pump!)
Now, with the original cosy coupe, that would be where it ends. But the Mark II has more!
The Mark II comes with an ignition slot, and a key with a smart fob that you can use to start the engines revving. The key fob comes with a couple of little feature of it's own.... You get to lock and unlock the car alarm (batteries are included, but don't leave it out in the rain!)! But the best detail for me is the selection of stickers that come with it. You can not only create your own personalised numberplate with these stickers, but there are also a Speedo, and gas gauge, headlights, taillights, and a rear-view mirror. It even has a boot and a parcel shelf.
The seats inside are textured and moulded for comfort, and have a high back. They seem pretty secure. They don't have any kind of safety restraint, but with responsible use you shouldn’t need them. I however, would have liked to see a mock up seatbelt inside, it would be a great way of encouraging my daughter to wear one.
This toy seems pretty sturdy and stable, although the only issue I have with it is that only one door in the car opens, on the drivers’ side. My daughter likes trying to climb in through the window on the non opening side, which means I do have to keep an eye on her, although that said, the car is quite low to the ground so if she fell no real injury would occur. I wouldn't recommend trying it out on slopes though .My daughter, bless her, isn't fool enough to try it, but I have seen one of the kids at playgroup try and ride it down a hill, and although it didn't overbalance, it seemed to consider it.
This toy can be used indoors or outdoors, ours has only been used outdoors, due to a lack of space inside. It's tough, having survived a fair few crashes into the wall with nary a dent to it's name. It's waterproof, and when those blasted pigeon’s strike (they don't discriminate between real and fake cars) it can be easily wiped clean with a cloth. It works well on most surfaces, cement, tarmac, paving slabs, mud and grass. It doesn't seem to work well on gravel though, as there’s nothing for it to push against, so expect a certain amount of road rage on gravelled surfaces.
Nothing powers this car but foot power and a child’s imagination. No batteries to recharge, no parent handle to be constantly pushing, just an innocent child pushing for all they are worth against the pavement and going brrroooooooommm. For all its sophisticated moulded chassis and its bleeping keyring, it's just a simple classic child’s ride on toy. And a great way of making sure your tot gets some exercise.
Overall, a great value toy that will last for years, and is very popular. I can see this toy being passed on to any future children I might have; it's that sturdy. Very reasonable in price too, at 29.99.
Definitely a recommended buy!
Recommended Age: 1 ˝ - 5 years Approximate Size: 32.25"L x 17.50"D x 32.25"H Package Size: 31" x 18" x 17" Requires 2 lithium watch batteries (included)
Pictures of Little Tikes Cosy Coupe
coupe
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We love these cars. We have a pink & white version which we have taken the roof off of thus making it suitable for older kids too :-) Last for years, very tough wearing
anwar 29.03.2005 14:06
My son loves this ! I only wish I could get in too! Ann
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Mar 18th, 2005
very helpful by (100%):
