Tex is a 1975 Cadillac Coupe De Ville and is the owner of Dinico OilIt's fun to collect these 1:55-scale, die-cast action-sized vehiclesAll your favorite characters from the Disney/Pixar movie < Pixar Cars: Tex Dinoco >
< Disney Pixar Cars: Ferrari F430 >
< Pixar Cars: RPM #64 >
< Pixar Cars: Andretti >
< Pixar Cars: Bling-Bling McQueen >
< Pixar Cars: Dinoco Chick Hicks >
price:$4.85
Mattel(2007-01-15)
customer 's review (Satisfied customer)   
(great addition to collection)  
(The Great Tex)    
(Check your local retailer.)    
(Don't pay too much)     The product was received in a very timely manner, packaged very securely. The quality of the helicopter is top-notch and was well-received by the 5 year old boy who it was a birthday gift for. The voices and trigger-actuated propeller are favorite features. Tow Mater was a little hard to get out of the cargo area initially but this is an extremely minor point. I would recommend this toy to any "Cars" fans. This is the only one of the Cars die-casts that I have had trouble with in terms of durability...I found the horns on the front-end come off very easily. This happened the day we got it! They go back into place well but I do not expect them to stay there if there is rough play.
Otherwise Tex is a unique and fun addition to our collection and I would recommend him. He is too big to be used on any of the Cars raceway sets however. My son and I have been searching all over for Tex. When I finally found him on Amazon.com I was thrilled because his birthday was coming up. You should of seen the smile on his face when he saw Tex. He has these really cool horns in the front and I am happy to say they have really held up to this 4 year old's test. I just bought both Tex and Ferrari F430 yesterday from Toys R Us for $3.59 each. They had so many of them and had not even stocked any. The store rep was kind enough to go to the back and bring out the boxes so that I could pick out what I wanted. I could have bought half-a-dozen of each and sold them for some outrageous price on these websites but I just don't have the heart.
As far as the toys go; they are fantastic! If you are near Disneyland or Downtown Disney (and some Disney stores in malls), this new series is widely available. I didn't pay more than $5-6 each and have nearly the whole set. It's fun to collect these 1:55-scale, die-cast action-sized vehicles! All your favorite characters from the Disney/Pixar movie, CARS, including Lightning McQueen, Ramone, Mater, Sally, Hudson Hornet, Boost, and King Rerations < Pixar Cars: Tex Dinoco >
< Disney Pixar Cars: Ferrari F430 >
< Pixar Cars: RPM #64 >
< Pixar Cars: Andretti >
< Pixar Cars: Bling-Bling McQueen >
freaks
Durable die-cast constructionPocket-sizedFeatures smart magnets that connect either wayIncludes exclusive collector's cardRecommended age range from 3 years and above < Take Along Thomas&Friends - Salty >
< Take Along Thomas&Friends - Fergus >
< Take Along Thomas&Friends - Harvey >
< Take Along Thomas&Friends - Troublesome Truck >
< Take Along Thomas&Friends - Annie&Clarabel 2-Pack >
< Take Along Thomas&Friends - Emily >
price:$3.94
Learning Curve
Usually ships in 24 hours customer 's review (Take Along Thomas&Friends Salty)    
(Thomas trains without breaking your budget.)    
(Cheaper at the toy store)   This was another one that we added to my son's ever growing collection. I was surprised that he did not have it but glad that I got it for him. He loves playing with Salty and the gang. My son got into these trains at age 2 and when we bought him wooden trains he quickly made short work of them, chipping them and scratching the paint off the wood. That's why I love all these Thomas Take Along trains. The die cast is much more durable than the wooden ones and much more affordable. He can be rough with them, like a 3 year old can, and they are no worse for the wear. It's a great toy, but be careful buying on line. I paid almost $8.00 in shipping fot this 5.99 toy. Totaling nearly 14.00. It would've been more cost effective to drive the 18 miles to my nearest Toys R Us. This salty engine is pocket-sized, die-cast, which features "Smart Magnets" that connect both way and an exclusive collector's card. Salty is an old diesel engine which loves working at the docks and telling tales. It is introduced in the video Salty's Secret and Other Stories. Take Along Thomas are not compatible with Thomas and Friends. The wooden railway dimensions, which measures 6cm long. Rerations < Take Along Thomas&Friends - Salty >
< Take Along Thomas&Friends - Fergus >
< Take Along Thomas&Friends - Harvey >
< Take Along Thomas&Friends - Troublesome Truck >
< Take Along Thomas&Friends - Annie&Clarabel 2-Pack >
freaks
Can go from charger to flyer in just 10 secondsEasy to useFeatures an all in one charger and launcherPlane can fly for 30 secounds or moreMade of durable EPP foam < Kid Galaxy "Elite Fleet" Backyard Flyer Firefox >
< Kid Galaxy Backyard Flyer Blue Splash >
< Kid Galaxy "Elite Fleet" Backyard Flyer BiWing >
< Kid Galaxy Backyard Flyer Yellow Dragon >
< Wild Planet Hyper Dash >
< Kid Galaxy Backyard Flyer 3 Pack >
< Energizer Max Alkaline, Size AA, 16 pack >
< Sony 2500 mAh AA Rechargeable Nimh Batteries, 4-pack >
< Sanyo Eneloop 4 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargable Batteries w/ Charger >
< Sony Cycle Energy AA Ni-MH Rechargeable Batteries (4-Pack) >
< Lenmar Ready-2-Go R2GAA4 1.2V 2150mAh Rechargeable NiMH AA Battery (4 -Pack) >
price:$15.99
Kid Galaxy(2008-01-23)
customer 's review (Fun times)   
(Pretty Cool)   
(Great toy!)    
(Lots of fun!!!)   
(My sons loves this plane)    I bought this for my 4 year old son and he loves it. Be warned - if there's any kind of breeze you may wish to wait until you get to a big field or park before you launch this plane! My husband and son launched it in our front yard and it swirled around for a good 3 minutes 50 ft in the air, threatening to land on any number of neighborhood rooftops! Loads of fun, recommend this. We purchased three of these planes. Two of them fly pretty well and one of them immediately dives to the ground each and every time. This is a great toy for the price. I take it out with my 6 and 5 year old and we have a fun time. The plane flies for quite a long time. Sometimes it dives right into the ground, so it's not perfect, but so far it's been very durable. Again, for the price, this toy is great! We purchased this product for a 6 year old who asked for a remote controlled airplane. The first launch was less than spectacular but once we re-read the directions and corrected the charging time, the next flight took off and went all over the yard. Our nephew squealed with delight and claimed this was the coolest thing he ever seen. You need LOTS of open space when using it though. A small backyard with trees won't do. Take it to a school yard or other large field.
One problem with this particular model is the color. It easily gets lost so we had to buy a couple of replacements. It needs some neon stripping or something to help find it in the grass. We're afraid to add anything that would throw off the balance and ability to stay in flight.
Otherwise, this is a great toy - enjoyed by the kids and adults. This plane is very simple to use. It flies for a good 30 seconds on one charge. But it only takes 10 seconds to charge it. My son loves it. I bought two, because I was concerned about durability. But so far, so good. Turn your back yard into a runway with the high-flying fun of this Oppenheim Platinum award-winning flyer. This plane can go from charger to flying in just 10 seconds with the easy-to-use, all in one hand-held charger/launcher. Durable high performance plane constructed with EPP foam, can fly for 45 seconds or more, and will stand up to many back yard landings! Batteries Required: 3¿AA¿ (not included) Ages 8+ Rerations < Kid Galaxy "Elite Fleet" Backyard Flyer Firefox >
< Kid Galaxy Backyard Flyer Blue Splash >
< Kid Galaxy "Elite Fleet" Backyard Flyer BiWing >
< Kid Galaxy Backyard Flyer Yellow Dragon >
< Wild Planet Hyper Dash >
freaks
Designed to work on and off trackFeatures slide fuel tank to lift truck bedFor ages 2 and aboveRealistic DetailsEach truck measures 3" < Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Max and Monty the Dump Trucks >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Jack >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Alfie >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Byron the Bulldozer >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Sodor Power Crew >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Harold The Helicopter >
< Learning Curve Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Rosie >
price:$3.36
Learning Curve(2007-01-01)
Usually ships in 24 hours customer 's review (My son loves them)    
(Truck's Back falls off...still tons of fun)    My son loves the trucks, so I am happy! Well made and great for teaching numbers. I think that's the only way to know the difference between Max and Monty. My son is 2 y.old. Max and Monty are featured on the DVD "On Site with Thomas" and are seen in almost every story so they are a great gift! We were slightly disappointed with the lack of actual wood used, that may have affected the durability. The back pops out rather quickly but it is not too difficult to put back. The toy tends to be fun anyway since there is a magnet positioned on the back of the passenger seat. Thus making Max and Monty great transporters for smaller engines and trucks like Thomas and Percy. The back loader is very easy to move back and forth but it does not last too long so eventually we just took it out and are 3 year old had just as much fun without it. This Max and Monty the Dump Trucks is handmade from durable New England hard maple. Thomas Wooden Railway vehicles, track and destinations are not compatible with Take Along Thomas items. Rerations < Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Max and Monty the Dump Trucks >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Jack >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Alfie >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Byron the Bulldozer >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Sodor Power Crew >
freaks
Choose the skin or swap it out to suit your moodIncludes three adhesive skins and one wrap-around jellySkins provide an easy way to make your Didj your ownWrap-around jelly protects Didj handheld at all timesDidj handheld and game cartridges sold separately < LeapFrog Didj Boy Customization Kit >
< LeapFrog® Didj Custom Learning Gaming System >
< LeapFrog® Didj Custom Learning Game Star Wars: The Clone Wars >
< LeapFrog® Didj Custom Learning Game Didj Racing - Tiki Tropics >
< LeapFrog® Didj Custom Learning Game Case >
< LeapFrog® Didj Custom Learning Game Indiana Jones >
price:$3.27
LeapFrog(2008-08-10)
Usually ships in 24 hours customer 's review (Cover won't fit in case)  
(Protect your Didj)    
(Just over-priced stickers) I bought this Didj customization kit for my 7 year old nephew as a Christmas present. He seemed a little underwhelmed but liked it ok. When you put the blue bubble case on you can hardly see the skin design through it. Also, my nephew has a Didj carry case and once the skin and bubble are on the Didj game system, it will not fit into the carrying case. This may be more of a carrying case issue, I don't know. I do feel like it was a waste to buy this since he's more likely to put the game system into the carrying case, so cannot use the skin kit. Oh well. Just keep that fact in mind if you're buying this. This is a must if you plan on buying a Didj for your child. It provides a rubber like glove to help protect the didj from scuffs and bumps. The colored faceplates are a nice touch, but you won't be able to see it through the protector. One thing I wish they added was a screen protector to prevent scratches. Great item and at Amazon, it's a great price!!! The "skins" (they look like stickers) in this kit are like thin colorforms. They will be good for a couple of hours tops.
The "jelly" is bulky. When it is on, the buttons are difficult to use. If you take it off and then put it back on, parts of it will remain stretched out of shape and it will look very unattractive. If you have to change batteries, this jelly must come off. Some kids also tend to put these on and then take them off repeatedly. This stuff won't stand up to that.
There is no way to use a skin and a jelly at the same time. The skins do not stick to the outside of the jelly and they are not visible underneath the jelly.
Big waste of money. Does not last long and is not durable at all. Your Didj handheld is all about you. Make sure it shows your style with hard-working, great-looking skins and jelly. They'll protect your Didj handheld all the time. They can be change to reflect your mood anytime. Rerations < LeapFrog Didj Boy Customization Kit >
< LeapFrog® Didj Custom Learning Gaming System >
< LeapFrog® Didj Custom Learning Game Star Wars: The Clone Wars >
< LeapFrog® Didj Custom Learning Game Didj Racing - Tiki Tropics >
< LeapFrog® Didj Custom Learning Game Case >
freaks
Perfect collectors item for Batman enthusiasts and collectors alikeScaled replica of the awesome Batmobile used from The Dark Knight movieAuthentic features and extensive detailComes in a collector-styled display case for nice presentationFor adult collectors < Hot Wheels the Dark Knight Batmobile Tumbler >
< Mattel Hot Wheels 1:18 1966 TV Series Batmobile >
< The Dark Knight (+ Digital Copy and BD Live) [Blu-ray] >
< Iron Man (Ultimate Two-Disc Edition + BD Live) [Blu-ray] >
< Batman Begins [Blu-ray] >
< Wall-E ( Single-Disc Edition) >
price:$22.99
Mattel(2008-06-01)
customer 's review (BATMOBILE PROTO)   
(Sturdy model with flaws)  
(dark knight diecast)    
(FYI...)   
(A bit small but.....)     Nice and powerfull toy. Some detaills are not acording to the final version (as seen on the movie) but with a little hand work it becomes easily "the real batmobile". It looks like a sturdy model, but a lot of it's plastic which is a bummer. What's with the *gold* trim? Definitely not the same tumbler from the movie. The gold trim gives it a completely different look. Disappointing. I picked it up for 15 and I recommend you pay nothing more than that. this is a great model but it is small. it says 1/18 scale, but by watching the movie it doesn't look like that is true. i have 30 other diecast cars and this should be much bigger that all of them. it is only about 9 inches long but it is still a great piece to add to a collection. The term 1:18 is used loosely in this description. I'd say, if anything, this is 1:24 or 1:26 scale. If you're adding it to a collection of other 1:18 diecast models, it'll probably look out of place.
Also, the canopy does not open easily. It involves pushing the front window or something... You're probably better off just leaving it alone. I love this model but like any thing you buy it has it's flaws, such as not having any side windows and the front wheels are somewhat bigger than the real tumbler but nothings perfect. The roof does slide back but not easily. It also has a semi glossy finish which should be flat black . What would make this model complete, is if it had an active suspension. Other than these small flaws it's a must own for any Batman lover! This cool 1:18 scale Hot Wheels Batmobile Tumbler is inspired by the upcoming movie, The Dark Knight. This model has authentic features as well as detailed interiors and engines. Display case. For adult collectors Rerations < Hot Wheels the Dark Knight Batmobile Tumbler >
< Mattel Hot Wheels 1:18 1966 TV Series Batmobile >
< The Dark Knight (+ Digital Copy and BD Live) [Blu-ray] >
< Iron Man (Ultimate Two-Disc Edition + BD Live) [Blu-ray] >
< Batman Begins [Blu-ray] >
freaks
Handmade from durable New England Hard MapleDurable paint job jobRealistic and vintage detailingMagnets to attach other cars and vehiclesRecommended Age Range 2 to 5 Years < Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Express Coaches >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Annie&Clarabel >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Gordon The Big Express Engine >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Sir Topham Hatt's Car >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Edward The Blue Engine >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Old Slow Coach >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Circus Train >
price:$1.37
Learning Curve(2006-06-12)
Usually ships in 24 hours customer 's review (The Old Steam Train)    
(Nice cars, but...)  
(My son's favorite coaches!)    
(Toys, toys and more toys)    
(Godd, but you need a lot of track)    For fans of the Farmyard Tales, the Express Coach paired with Oliver, which comes with the Toby/Henrietta set, make a passable version of The Old Steam Train. I bought my three-year-old son the express coaches (there's two cars in the pack) for Christmas. They're very durable, and they have independent front and back wheels, so they handle curves well for their length (they're quite long cars.) Their height, though, can be a problem if you're train encounters a change of grade (going up or down hill.)
My son insists on his train in a specific order, and that order has the coaches together. On the Figure-8 track, the tops of the cars hit each other when going up the hill, causing the cars to separate. It's such an inconvenience that my son separates all cars so they go over the hill one-at-a-time. The height is not a problem going under the bridge though.
They're very rugged (a must for my son) and work very well on flat track (I haven't experienced any problems with curves yet) but for track that rises or lowers there's a significant problem with having these two cars adjacent on the train. My son absolutely loves these coaches. He carries them everywhere along with, of course, Gordon! The little cars add a touch to the trains. Along with the other cars had also ordered. Waiting,again,for Christmas to put our collection back on the mantel. Yeah! Thank you Amazon for selling "Thomas&Friends" . My 4 year old son is a huge Thomas fan, and loves these express coaches because he loves Gordon, who pulls them in the television series. The quality level is high as it is for all the other Thomas stuff. No complaints there.
The only problem with these cars is that they are really long. Great if you have a lot of track, but their length means that they don't manouver well on a short track with lots of sharp corners. Best on a track the size of the Thomas table or larger.
Overall good, though. This coach is exclusively handmade from durable New England Hard Maple. Thomas Wooden Railway vehicles, track and destinations are not compatible with Take Along Thomas items. Rerations < Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Express Coaches >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Annie&Clarabel >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Gordon The Big Express Engine >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Sir Topham Hatt's Car >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Edward The Blue Engine >
freaks
RC model of a classic cabin cruiser2-Channel Radio Control: goes forward and backwards, left and rightJust take it out of the box, charge the batteries and you are ready to goFor Use in Fresh Water OnlyGreat for lakes and ponds < Dickie toy RC Sea Lord Complete Set >
< Dickie Spelzeug Radio Control Sailing Boat >
< Dickie Tuner R/C Boat (Complete Set) >
< Swimline Remote Control Submarine >
< Knex Value Tub 400 pieces >
< Nintendo DS Lite Travel Kit >
price:$26.41
Simba Toys(2006-01-01)
customer 's review (Fun Boat for the Pool)    
(A Waste) Dickie toy RC Sea Lord Complete Set This was a Christmas gift for my husband. He loves it (me too). Dual propellers give it great maneuverability. The AA batteries last a very long time. He received another boat that has a specialized battery that only lasts about 20 minutes before needing to be charged.
The downside to this toy is that you can't change the frequency to the remote control. Both boats have the same frequency, so can't be used together. By the way, my husband can't wait to take it to the lake where he and his buddies do their annual campout. We'll modify the look for that event. Good buy. I bought this product for my son and only lasted for 3 hours, once the water got inside the system, it stopped running, the system was dead and did not start again, returned to the store and got my money back. Very nice but zero quality. Radio control boat. Comes ready to run with batteries included. Rerations < Dickie toy RC Sea Lord Complete Set >
< Dickie Spelzeug Radio Control Sailing Boat >
< Dickie Tuner R/C Boat (Complete Set) >
< Swimline Remote Control Submarine >
< Knex Value Tub 400 pieces >
freaks
Realistic railway designTraction Rails improve battery-powered engine performanceRecommended Age Range 3 to 5 Years < Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Straight&Curved Expansion Pack >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Figure 8 Set Expansion Pack >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Up&Away Expansion Pack >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - 8 Inch Straight Track (4 pieces) >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Quarry Mine Tunnel >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Round-About Action Turntable >
price:$24.99
Learning Curve(2006-06-12)
Usually ships in 24 hours customer 's review (Wooden track replacement)    
(Love our Thomas Track!)    
(dwilson)   
(Time For Thomas)  
(Even More Options)     My grandson damaged some of his Thomas the Train tracks so I ordered the broken parts and some extra. These tracks cost more that other brands but these were the only ones with the track sections I needed without buying a much larger package. We got this track on a great deal, and we couldn't be happier. Thomas track is by far some of the most durable track that we can find. It is expensive, but Amazon has great deals to be found. This will last for years to come. If your familiar with Thomas train track, have a large area to work with and know you want this expansion set, I would upgrade to five stars. What I have found though is that if you want a lot of flexibility in layouts on the Thomas train table, the 3 1/2" curves&switches offer more options for different layouts. The 6 1/2" curves can be hard to fit&work with on a train table. In defense of the bigger curves though, I've found the battery powered trains have an easier time with the larger radius curves especialy when pulling coaches and they sometimes get hung up on the switches. (This really is my kids toy) This is probably not the best option unless you want to get really serious with a huge layout. Here is my Thomas recommendation:
The Thomas train sets are great modern versions of the classic indestructible wooden train sets. Simple enough to avoid the toddler age frustrations of getting the cars to run on the track yet complex enough to engage a wide range of ages (up to and including Grandpas). All the stories help with the imagination part....the books&videos provide an endless source of adventures that can be acted out, although most kids are perfectly capable of inventing their own episodes.
Here is my advice, if you are trying to work your way through the maze of start-up options:
First of all, you can spend a fortune on a huge set....even if you can afford it, I would start with something small and give the child the joy of receiving a chain of small but intriguing presents over a long period of time. It fosters the joy of giving/receiving and helps teach them to come back again and again to the same toy...watching it grow, asking for specific items from the stories they hear, etc. Several reviewers suggest painting an old coffee table and this is a great idea.
I suggest the Figure 8 set (the most popular one) or if you want to spend a little bit more, the Conductors Figure 8 set. Both are complex enough to be interesting, but simple enough to give lots of room for growth. Almost immediately I would add a new present of one of the inexpensive engines (you can ask the child which story they like best and get that engine for them....or buy the engine to go with the video or book in the same gift)....these would be Percy The Small Engine, Bill The Yellow Engine, Treavor, (or a bit more $ for:) The Lady Engine, James The Red Engine, Gordon The Express Engine (he's one of the best stories, I think), or Henry The Green Engine.
Now for the good stuff! Give it a month or so, and then reward the child with something really cool like the Barrel Loader or Rusty the Construction 3 Car Set.
I honestly can't see the point in the huge multi hundred dollar system sets. If you want to impress the neighbors or something, go for it, but I'm telling you.....most kids will enjoy a large number of small thoughtful gifts, not a "keep-up-with-the-Jones" effort on your part.
Good behavior can be rewarded with a pick-your-own trip to the store (there are sometimes when a real time shopping trip can't be beat)
By the way, the Thomas stories are based on real restored engines that run in England on the Mid-Hants Railway Watercress line near Winchester (you can read about them an even plan a trip to ride on the real Thomas trains by checking out watercressline.co.uk). They are a day trip from the London rail stations, although I recommend using a B&B in the Winchester area and staying overnight if you decide to go. Winchester was the center of the old Saxon kingdom of Wessex of King Alfred as well as a major early medieval site (the Cathedral has the tombs of many of the Saxon Kings as well as Jayne Austen and Izaac Walton and it was where Richard the Lionhearted was crowned.)
Very durable. Just enough tracks to expand out exisiting train set. If I had it to do over, I would look for a set that had some type of track that would split into two tracks ... This expansion pack features with a realistic railway designs. Thomas Wooden Railway vehicles, track and destinations are not compatible with Take Along Thomas items. Rerations < Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Straight&Curved Expansion Pack >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Figure 8 Set Expansion Pack >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Up&Away Expansion Pack >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - 8 Inch Straight Track (4 pieces) >
< Thomas&Friends Wooden Railway - Quarry Mine Tunnel >
freaks
Advanced peak detection circuitry protects batteries from overchargingCharges virtually all 4-7 cell Ni-Cd and Ni-MH packsLED bar graph lets you monitor your charge level at a glanceAutomatic trickle chargeVoltmeter jacks included < Vision Peak 2 AC/DC Peak Charger >
< 6-Cell 7.2V 3300mAh NiMH Battery >
< TRA Adapt TRA Conn Female/Stand Male(1) >
< TRA Adapt, TRA Conn Male/Stand Female (1) >
< Stampede Monster Truck RTRw/XL-5 >
< 7 Cell 8.4V 4200 mAh NiMH Flat Battery TRA Conn >
< 7 Cell 8.4V 4200 mAh NiMH Flat Battery TRA Conn >
< 6-Cell 7.2V 3300mAh NiMH Battery >
price:$39.98
Dynamite
customer 's review (Great Charger)    
(Do Not Buy This Charger)
(Great charger)    
(Excellent charger, but...)    
(Minimizes down time)     I purchased this a my local hobby shop on April 1st. 2009 along with a Venom 6 cell 7.2v 3300nimh battery. I absolutely had no problems charging my battery. I just opened the box connected my battery to the charger, and plugged the charger into the electrical socket and the charging began. It allowed my to change between 1a, 2a, and 4a during the charge. I just kept it at 2 amps while keeping the cell selector switch to 6 with no problems. Took about 2+ hours to charge fully. I highly recommend this charger for anybody. The other reviewer probably had a bad unit. I just purchased this charger yesterday and hooked it up to a 6 cell 7.2 volt 4500mAh Ni-MH battery to test it out. As the first reviewer stated, it would not charge on the 1 or 2 amp settings, only 4 amps which is a little much as most people suggest 2-3 amps.
So I let it charge at 4 amps and periodically kept an eye on it to see how it was doing and it never moved from the 0-25% bracket. One hour went by, then 2 and 3 hrs and still no movement to indicate any more charge. Then I began to fiddle with the settings that let you switch between 4-7 cell battery charging and it showed 76-100% for a 5 cell battery which it shouldn't because it's a 6 cell (the battery was new as well so it wasn't that).
So I decided to put it in my stock Super ClodBuster and run it. I got maybe 10 min. of run time before it started to slow down and eventually run out of charge. For 4500mAh battery, I should get at least 2-3 times more than that. So something here wasn't right, the battery still wasn't fully charged and now I had no way to find out how much it was charged or where to go next as none of the indicators on the charger seemed to work correctly (I did everything according to the instructions steps).
Therefore, I can only let my experience serve as a warning to others looking for a reliable charger at a reasonable price. Luckily I was able to return the charger for a refund but before they gave it to me, they tested it on they're own batteries and it did the same thing. Considering that mine had the same problems as the first reviewers and then some, I can only recommend avoiding this product. Fast, reliable, tough, looks great, plenty of accesories. No better purchase you can do for this price.
This charger is the perfect partner for you're battery charging needs. It charges a 3500mha 7.2v battery in just 40 minutes. You can charge your batteries using the car battery conectors or the 110-v ac conector. It also cames with a battery charge monitor that bliks in every charge step of the battery, 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Once it reach the 100% it stays blinking with the green led indicating the peak-charge that will leave your baterry full of charge. The only point that I want to clear out is that the interface to select 1-A 2-A or 4-A charge load is very tricky. I always charge my packs at 4-A so I don't have any problem but I haven't been able to activate te other charging modes. Even more, if I choose to change the charge mode, I get all the led lights blinking and no charge. It's a detail, because the overall of the charger is very good. A must have product. High quality and long-lasting made. It has a Tamiya conector for the batteries. This charger will fully charge a battery in a lot less time than any stock ("wall wart") charger I've seen. I was able to charge several batteries between the start of my day and lunch, when a few co-workers and I went out to run our R/C cars. Barely three years ago, Dynamite® introduced the Vision Peak peak detection charger, which soon became one of the industry’s most popular AC/DC peak chargers. Now get ready for the new Vision Peak 2.We know you’re thinking, “Why change when the original Vision Peak is already a staple for both beginners trying out an RTR on the back pavement and serious racers depending upon it to top off their packs before the next main?” The answer is simple: we found a way to add even more features without it costing you a penny more. Updated to now safely and efficiently peak-charge Ni-MH packs along with conventional Ni-Cd’s, the Vision Peak 2 has added a third selectable rate. You can now choose to charge at 1, 2 or 4 amps, allowing you to peak-charge just about every 4- to 7-cell battery pack out there, including the 3000+ Ni-MH car packs and higher-capacity Ni-MH receiver packs that are becoming more popular. The Vision Peak 2 does this by monitoring the charge status during the entire charge process. When the battery has reached 100% charge, the charger automatically stops charging and switches to trickle charge. This protects your batteries from the dangers of overcharging, allowing you to retain maximumperformance and enjoy more cycles from your batteries. Don’t think the features stop there. The very popular LED graph charge level indicator is still included—no need to improve a feature you already rave about. With one glance from across the room, you can quickly tell the stage your battery is in during the charging process. Voltmeter jacks, cell selector switch, receiver charge lead adapter, fuse protection and heavy-duty alligator clips are included. You can also quickly and easily re-peak your battery pack, ensuring you will always be ready to race. Rerations < Vision Peak 2 AC/DC Peak Charger >
< 6-Cell 7.2V 3300mAh NiMH Battery >
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