Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Nov 12th, 2013 - I had a crappy electric car when I was three and remember it fondly, especially because of the hope I continually pinned on its poor performance. Now, the great Elton John Circle of Life has turned and my three year old son is ready to ride holy terror through the subdivision. After doing a fair amount of research, including a charming looking National Products fire truck (NP electric cars are made in Hong Kong) and some exotic Toy Toys Italian sports cars (Berchet Ferrari, etc..), I decided to go with the Fisher Price/Power Wheels Red Ford Mustang replica. The NP fire truck received only so-so reviews at other sites and the exotic Italian electric children's cars are very pricey and hard to find parts for here in the USA. Never been a fan of the Fisher Price series of toy lines, but took a chance with this buy (since I had the Amazon warranty at my back). Before commenting on the PW Mustang specifically, I will say that if you decide to purchase an electric car for your child, you want the 12 volt standard (the American and European markets use the 6 volt, 12 volt, 18 volt (sometimes), 24 and 36 volt standards) and something for which you can find replacement parts (here in the USA, that means usually Power Wheels or Peg Perego brands). Six (6) volt cars are underpowered for children weighing more than 30 lbs (14 kg) and do not (unless modified after market) go faster than 2.5 mph (about 4 kph). The 12 volt standard ensures enough power for one or two children who weigh up to 65 lbs each (about 32 kg each) and allows the car to reach up to 5 mph (about 8 kph). The electric motors are also more powerfully built and can withstand more wear. 12 volt cars are also larger (but weigh more as well) and the usual price range is about $200 to $500. Basically, a 12 volt car allows for a longer use cycle with a child, as the parents can buy a 12 volt car when the child is about two years old and adjust the seats as they grow until they reach about 4 1/2 or 5 years old. The six volt cars are often out grown by children by about three years old and few of them have adjustable seats to allow for little growing legs and arms. And that means you have to spend twice to buy the 12 volt model anyway, once the three year old outgrows the 6 volt car. As to this Mustang model itself, the box says thirty minutes to one hour to assemble the car for actual driving. (the car does not come fully built in the box). This is incorrect, as the actual time if you are meticulous and follow instructions carefully, is about 2.5 to 4 hours. (the decals themselves take a good 45 minutes if you want a spiffy look). It is not hard work, but you do need to take your time. You do not need a technical background or automotive experience to put the car together. This Power Wheels series of Mustangs has undergone several revisions since 2006 and fortunately, most of the bugs have been worked out. The front alignment and actuation, the steering rod, the rear electric motors, the battery connector and several smaller items are all good designs that have changed from earlier models for the better. When first building the car, you must charge the new battery 18-24 hours before first use. You also need to adjust the seat for the leg length of your little one. I purchased the bright red model with silver wheels for my son, but this same model comes in pink for little girls as well. The car is also designed for flat surfaces and if your home is on an incline, you will have multiple traction problems which will shorten your drivetrain (electric motors) lifespan. This Mustang is also not designed for rainy climates (although, mild amounts of rain will not hurt it), so you may want to consider some sealing if you live somewhere like Seattle, WA. Overall, this PW Mustang works as advertised. It is not the most educational toy out there but it will generate a pure look of unadulterated joy on their face. It will go both 2.5 and 5 mph in the forward gears and 2.5 mph in reverse. The gear shift can be locked into the 2.5 mph mode until the parents decide to allow the higher gear. With the battery fully charged you get about three hours in the 2.5 mph mode and about 70 minutes in the 5 mph. (less if on an inclined surface or on grass) If the child removes their foot from the (gas) pedal, the car stops. I do wish this Mustang had a separate brake pedal and working side mirrors but that is what modding is for (more in a second on this). The only really needed item that Fisher Price forgot is the horn. And that is because, a horn really will help real adult drivers on the road notice a Power Wheels vehicle. Another minor complaint is the limited turn radius. This was done on purpose to make sure that little ones dont turn too fast and flip the vehicle over (cant blame 'em). One of the major complaints that many parents have is the slick plastic wheels which generate poor traction. A fairly simple solution to this is to drill small holes even spaced in the plastic wheels and insert small rubber bumps or o-rings. This will add just the right amount of traction without the rotational weight and problems of BMX tires. (do not try if you ride outside of paved roads) If the battery or drive train ever break, you can fortunately find replacements fairly easy from places like HobbyMasters. Hope I dont need to find out, but there is a one year warranty on this Mustang from Power Wheels and as I understand it, the warranty is usually honored. Because of the popularity of this model and the amount of years it has been around, it also has a large after market for modders. Modding - Since there are already two other PW pink Mustangs and one PW F150 electric truck in my subdivision, I decided to look into adding something fun to this model for my son. At first, I had nothing but Google to lead me, and I ended up at Modified Power Wheels . com. After spending some time there and gathering ideas, I decided to change what I did not like about the stock retail Mustang : 1 - It needed a working electric ignition key (with a simulated start up engine sound). 2 - It needed slight traction increases on the plastic wheels 3 - It needed working head, brake and tail lights. 4 - It did not need but we installed anyway, a cool 5 point racing seat belt harness. 5 - It needed working reflective side mirrors 6 - It did not need but I decided to splurge and install a working iPod dock with speakers for playing Bob the Builder tunes. 7 - It needed more power (18 volts with heatsinks for the electric motors)(24 volts will burn out the drivetrain and cannot be done without major modifications including pulse width modulation control) 8 - It needed a working brake pedal 9 - It needed a working horn. 10 - It needed an overall theme to tie everything together. After considering photos of several real Mustang models, I decided to turn my son's red regular PW Mustang into a replica of the 2008 to 2013 red/black GT500 Shelby SuperSnake. I broke out the Dremel tool, the masking tape, some cans of plastic paint and several other supplies. It took about 72 hours of extra work and cost about $320 in materials and custom badging, but it has been fun for my son and myself to create something totally unique in our neighborhood. Overall, this PW Mustang does what it advertises and is still going strong 15 months later. I give the stock version 4.5 stars out of five. For pure fun and the reaction on your child's face, it is five out of five stars. And if you are in to modding stuff, this is one of the easiest models to build upon. My small son is still enjoying his car most days of the week and it is holding up well. Would recommend to other interested parents.