Looking for a scalextric for youngster

georgiac

Hi, my son is 4 and I promised him a scalextric set.

We bought him the "first scalextric" set but I thought it was naff and returned it.

Could anyone suggest a good starting out set for youngsters that parents will enjoy when the kids are in bed!!!!!!!!

and obviously has anyone seen one recently at a bargainicious price?!

Little_John

For a 4 year old the cars will be totalled within an hour if you buy the detailed cars like F1.

I have a load of different cars and the most fun are the drift cars, the pivot rotates all the way round so you can power slide round corners or flip and drive the other way. they cars are pretty basic, a solid shell with a solidly attached spoiler they aint gonna fall apart.

No matter how carefull you are the cars do come off every so often and bits fall off, I have a Fly dodge viper I paid quite a lot for and the first time on the track the spoiler came off. the original cars I got as part of the set were lemans mercerdes, they no longer have wing mirrors in fact the only bits left are the spoilers which have been repaired a few times.

Fly cars are an alternative to scalextric cars, they are better than even the sport scalextric cars miles more detail, tyres, motors and magnets to keep them on the track. the downside is they cost a fair bit more to buy but are worth it I think.

As for which set to go for? the drift set is a good start especially for a young lad, you can get extra track for very little on ebay if you want more track that is how I have expanded my set over the years I now have way too much track to use it all in 1 circuit but I have loads of options and cars to send round.

georgiac

Many thanks Little John, as always your input is excellent on MSe.

Drift cars sound great, not sure as to whether the children will get a look in though!

Is it worth paying more for the digital sets or is that taking it to a whole new level?

Little_John

The digital sets look brilliant raceing is more realistic but Im still on the classic track not even sport, I have a few sets of convertors so I can link to my mates sport track we have to hire the local school hall when we get together. LOL

I think it would be a little too advanced for a 4 year old, get the normal sport track and you can buy a digital set later it is all inter changeable so I am told as long as you have the broken track peices in the circuit it will work.

I will take some pics of the the cars and put them on here, so you can see the difference between fly, the drift and other scalextric cars. I have a pile of them even motor bikes and trucks they are silly very, little clearence bettween them on the track.

This is a shot of one of my lighted fly corvette c5 in the dark, the lights actually stay on even when the car is stoped, as they have a capacitor circuit in there. and they are miles brighter then scalextric lights.


Prices for sets are pretty standard, check out the scalextric site all the track otions are listed on there with the rrp if you find them any cheaper than the rrp then your getting a good deal as hornby are strict on priceing. maybe try the independant toy shops they are more likley to give discounts if you ask.