Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)We received this as a gift, and thankfully so, because it's a bit pricey. I won't dock the rating based on price, because my 2 y/o son LOVES this toy.
Because of its high-quality German construction and weight, I believe it will last a long time. Even though it's (mostly) die-cast metal, I don't see any sharp edges or corners that could injure the child --- just don't let him throw it! As I've said, it's heavy. And just to be safe, your child should be beyond the "everything goes in the mouth" phase before you consider buying this toy. Oh yeah, the plastic ramp on the trailer comes off easily. Just take it off and put it away somewhere if you think your child will keep on taking it off. The tires are rubber, but there is no sign that they'll easily come off.
It is small, but this makes it easy for a child to handle and carry it around. I put some rice in a shoe-box lid and my son will entertain himself for a long time. ("Scoop rice!") Although it's very portable, the price also means that you might hesitate to let it out of the house, lest you lose it!
One oddity with this toy is that the 'digger' is a little wider than the trailer bed. Whether this is accurate to the real thing, I don't know, but this results in a problem with stability: the digger doesn't sit securely on the trailer. A toddler can easily get frustrated (as my son does) when trying to 'transport' the digger on the lowboy. The digger will fall off at 'higher speeds'.
Another problem, for toddlers again, is the way that the trailer attaches to the semi tractor. The tractor and trailer must be at right angles for the hitch to insert into the hole. Toddlers might not understand this and the frustration results (for the child and for the parent!). But this is life.
As a daddy, I appreciate the realism of this toy. The tires, joints and hydraulics look just like the real thing. (I know this because I've seen, uh, videos -- on YouTube.) Even the wheel hubs have 'lug nuts' (tiny bumps, not actual separate parts). Overall, this toy is a winner.
P.S. If you want a dump truck to go with this, I recommend a the Mattel Matchbox 2008 MBX Construction 1:64 Scale Die Cast Metal Car # 67 - Red Dump Tanker Truck with Black Dumpster. But go to Walmart, where it costs $0.97 + tax. I don't know why it's $9.99 (+ $5.10 S&H!?) here at Amazon. It's lightweight, but it costs a fraction of the price of the Volvo Dumper, by the same maker of this Front Loader and 'Low Boy' Truck.
[CORRECTION: In an earlier version, I stated that the bucket was plastic. The sentence has been deleted. It is not plastic, but coated die-cast metal.]
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Low loader with Four Wheel LoaderSIKU Low loader with Four Wheel Loader - Quality die cast product features a prime mover with articulated low loader trailer and a front loader. This durable SIKU item has moving parts and is part of Europe's No.1 line of die cast vehicles. The German engineering quality shows in the details and strength of the product. The wheels are welded to the axles and tires made of rubber for long lasting play. This durable SIKU item has moving parts and is part of Europe's No.1 line of die cast vehicles. The German engineering quality shows in the details and strength of the product. The wheels are welded to the axles and tires made of rubber for long lasting play.
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