Darda Cars and tracks

I still remember the day I bought the Darda Audi R8 racer for my son. I can not even begin to express my disappointment when I realized what a mess of a present I gave my 4 year old son.  This toy is not for 4 year old children… in fact, this toy isn’t for anyone who wishes to play with it. If you plan on purchasing it and keeping it on the shelf than it’s one of the best pull back racing cars out there. If however, like me and my son, you plan on opening the box and using this toy for its original purpose: “Pulling it back and releasing it”. Well you my friend are in for a whole myriad of problems.

The myth of Darda

This wonderful racing car with its legendary and powerful pull back engine dating back to the 70’s and 80’s of the last century had been manufactured in Germany and had made a mark in many a young boys mind.  But during recent years, like almost everything, the production went to China. The design is still being made in Germany however and the profits (of this scam) are also going there. This however did not stop me cause you see… back in the 80’s I got a red Porsche Darda racing car made from metal and let me tell you, that beast ran for years and miles and nothing could stop it except my mothers yelling.

A bitter taste in my mouth and a hole in my wallet

What is being offered today by the Darda

racing car company is a shame and a scam. I am completely baffled how they expect us to buy a pull-back car which if it collides with a solid surface will end up in pieces and most probably with a bent front wheel axle and all that at a ‘wonderful’ price of over 15 dollars. These toy cars used to be made from metal, had an incredibly powerful engine, rubber tires and were built for running into walls (and damaging the walls in the process :D). Now they’re made from plastic, they fall apart, the engine stops working the first day and sometimes does not even work at all, only the rear wheels are rubber and the front wheel axle bends within minutes.

And then, after all that… they try to sell you a 100 dollar racing track. LOL! Never again.

You’ve been warned.

 

Update:

9/7/2015  – As fate would have it, almost a year after the Darda catastrophe my son got a Darda racing track… and he loved it. Sure, we keep the new pull back car under lock-down so it doesn’t get broken, but the track works great and it looks really really well! I am still angry that they messed up the car though! 😀

Some thoughts on the slick race track

When I put it together and tested the new car (it came included, there was no way I was going to spend so much money on one again) I quickly came to realize what was wrong with the Darda pull back cars. They are practically designed solely for playing with the racing play sets. And they work perfectly. They run a few circles around the track and kids love it. Every kid that saw the race track in action was in awe.

It is the fastest pull back race track system I’ve seen so far and it’s also incredibly strong and sturdy (unlike the cars :D) If you’re looking for one this is it. KEEP IN MIND THOUGH!.. that the pull back cars you get with the race track are suited ONLY for the race track. It is annoying constantly reminding your kids not to use the toys on the floor. I am so ambivalent while writing this. On one hand the toy does what it should and it does it very well; on the other… IT WAS WAY WAY better before and the cars are still only a shadow of what they once were.