Spinmaster  Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro Cars Reviews
Air Hogs Cars Reviews
It is serves our readers well to have independent and other parents' reviews such as the following Air Hogs Cars Reviews confirming each toy works, does what is supposed to do and provides not only fun but requires thinking and skills.
Air Hogs Cars - Customers Reviews
Air Hog Zero Gravity Car, August 7, 2009
This was a Christmas present for my son. It really drives on the wall by means of a vacuum. Wall needs to be smooth in order to operate.
Fun but fragile Spinmaster Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro Cars, August 7, 2009
This car is fun to play with. It will really ride on the walls and ceiling but runs out of charge fast and the connection to plug it up to charge is really fragile. The prongs are made out of thin wire and if you don't put the plug in just right it will bend the wires. Mine broke when I tried to straighten them back out. The company had me to send it back and said they will replace it but it cost me shipping and I haven't had it sent off long enough so it isn't back, yet. Hope they keep their word. Only had it about 10 days befor my 7 year old tried to charge it himself and bent the prongs. Will not let him charge the replacement.
Kids love it, May 11, 2009
I bought this for my son and he loves it - so do the other kids. I'm lucky that we have a big sliding glass door for them to us. Doesn't seem to mark up the walls but the glass is probably a safer option. It is small, fast and pretty cheap. Good fun toy. Not sure how long it will last but probably longer than the attention span of the recipient.
Great Fun, January 28, 2009
My grandson and I love to race down our long hallway, we each have one, as does grandma. It doesnt fall off very often, but that is due to defects in the drywall. Even from a very high fall on to our carpet, it has not hurt the cars at all. Wish it went a little faster but it is still very fun as is. Love the way the lights blink to let you know when the batteries are getting low. Quick charge time is also a plus, gives me time to rest up for the next race.
Spinmaster Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro Cars Reviews[Review Credit: Amazon.com]
Forget those remote control cars that just scoot across the ground! The Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro Car moves in three dimensions -- across the ground, up the wall, and even upside down on the ceiling! By using a specially designed suction device, the car can climb a wall and maneuver just as it does on the ground.
Smart, Innovative Design
Air Hogs makes the only cars that can climb walls, and the Zero Gravity Micro is smaller and faster than the original Air Hogs Zero Gravity Humvee. We were surprised by how small and light the Zero Gravity Micro is; it is basically a thin plastic shell wrapped around a light body with a vacuum in it. Our car was designed to look like a red race car, but you can choose from other designs available as well.
We were able to get the Zero Gravity Micro up and running without any problems. The remote control unit needs six AA batteries (not included), and is then used to charge the built-in rechargeable battery in the car. This is done by connecting a cable from the remote control to the car, and flipping the switch to charge mode. Thanks to smart design, this cable can be stowed and hidden away when not being used.
After about half an hour for charging, the car was ready to go. Right away, we set the car to wall climbing mode and set it on our wall. Though we'd read about what it was supposed to do, we were still very impressed when we saw the car stick to the wall and climb. You can see the vacuum working, as there is a window on the top of the car showing a spinning fan. The car makes quite a bit of sound when it is in wall mode.
Using the remote, we were able to make the car go up, turn left and right, and go down as well. With a tight turning radius, the car is very maneuverable and with some practice, you can get the car to do exactly as you wish. In addition to Wall mode, there is also a Ground mode which leaves the fan/vacuum off, and lets you drive full function on the ground. You need to walk around with the car, however, as the remote has limited range. This is not as big a concern on walls because we were usually pretty close to the wall as the car was climbing it.
The car has working headlights that double as a battery indicator--when they start to blink, the car is running low on power.
Needs Clean, Smooth Surface
The instructions warn that the car should be played only on a clean, smooth surface, and they're not kidding. Since the car is able to stay on walls due to suction, the moment an inconsistency is introduced, the car loses suction and falls off.
Overall, we found the Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro Cars to be an innovative and fun toy. We wished it were a bit more hefty and could work on more surfaces, but when we got it going on our window, we were very impressed. It's a great new idea. We found that a surface like glass works very well. With our concrete wall, we often ran into problems with the car maintaining its suction. Coupled with the car's light construction, we fear that repeated abuse could cause damage to it. A twist on an old toy, it is bound to keep children mesmerized. _________________________________________________________________________________________
Air Hogs R/C Zero Gravity Micro Car Reviews
[Review Credit: From Jacqueline James, for About.com]
 Smooth Sailing Across Smooth Ceilings
As a novelty item to show off in front of visiting friends and family, the Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro Car is a lot of fun. I can't see it as must-have toy (editor's note: Air Hogs Zero Gravity may be a boy's toy?) but it does do what it says it will do -- drive on walls and ceilings. You just have to have the right walls and ceilings.
Pros and Cons of the R/C Zero Gravity Micro Car Good Points:
- It does drive on walls and ceilings.
- Drives on the ground too.
- Charges quickly from the controller.
- Includes L/R trim tabs on controller.
- Small, lightweight, and portable.
Not So Good Points:
- Requires some smooth walls and ceilings.
- Doesn't run on carpet (not even dense, flat carpet).
- Noisy in wall mode.
- Requires switching from wall to ground mode.
- Wow! factor wears off quickly.
Yes, It Does Defy Gravity Knowing that most of the walls in our house are heavily textured I was unsure about whether I could use the Air Hogs Car in many rooms but my curiosity won out. I wanted to see how it works. Fortunately, with reconstruction going on I had some large sheets of smooth wood and at least one room with a fairly smooth ceiling. To my pleasure and mild surprise, the Zero Gravity Micro Car does cling to smooth walls and ceilings quite well. Driving it on the ceiling was the most fun but when I did hit a few bumps the car would fall to the ground. It withstood several 8 foot falls but I wouldn't recommend letting it do that too many times.
The biggest problem with the Zero Gravity Car is that it does require really smooth, bump free surfaces. This limits its use. Even on some of my less textured walls it would cling but not drive or not cling at all. As I stated above, it's a fun novelty toy but you need to know its limitations before you buy. Here's a quick video we made showing my on several different surfaces. Vacuum First, Then Play I admit that when I first heard about a zero gravity car I envisioned it running across the floor and then somehow driving up the wall. Turns out, that's not quite how it works. When you turn on the car in "wall mode" it creates a (noisy) suction. You then place the car on the wall or on the ceiling. Suction keeps it in place. Then you use the 2-stick infrared controller in the same way you would any other RC. However, in order to maintain suction and not fall off the wall or the ceiling you can't drive over light switches or outlets and you need to avoid any rough spots that would break the suction seal.
The Zero Gravity Micro Car also requires clean surfaces. This is the first RC I've seen where it specfically states to keep away from hair. With all our cats and dogs, it required doing a little sweeping and dusting before running the car. Hair and other debris sucked into the car can cause it to stop working. Be sure to clean the wheels and the little "skirts" on the bottom of the car. Also, take care with the "skirts" -- white paper-like strips under the car that help maintain suction. Keep them clean and handle gently. Caveats and Recommendations Turn over the Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro Car and you'll see the two skirts (white strips down sides) that help create the suction to hold the car to the wall. The instructions are clear, easy to follow. The tiny switches on the car and the arrow on the were mildly difficult to see but not a huge problem. The headlights serve two purposes. In addition to just looking cool (especially in a darkened room) dimming headlights also alert you that the battery needs charging so you can get the car off the wall or ceiling before it falls.
Our dogs were intrigued by this little car driving on the walls. The cats feigned disinterest (but I know they were just as fascinated by this really big bug darting across the ceiling).
Adult supervision is needed when operating the Zero Gravity Micro Car mainly because children might not pay close attention to the smooth surface requirements or the blinking headlights signaling low battery. The car, although lightweight, could end up falling on them, someone else, or fall onto some breakable item on a table.
My recommendation: Only get the Air Hogs R/C Zero Gravity Micro Car if you have at least an 8x8 or larger, really smooth wall or ceiling surfaces. It runs fine on a flat door as well but that doesn't give you much driving room. Otherwise, it's just a little car with lights that runs around on the floor.
Air Hogs Car Features
The Air Hogs Car, such as the Air Hog Blue Rugged 4x4 Car, is the ultimate in indoor RC racing. Outstanding scale speed performance on any smooth surface. Click on "Get It Now" to find availability and the best deal.
Air Hogs Car:
• Fully functioning headlights and taillights
• Infrared remote control
• The RC car charges directly from the IR remote control
• 30 minutes charge / 10 minutes drive
• To show low battery, the car's headlights will flash
• Variety of colours
• Requires 6 x AA Batteries (not included)
• Size: 12 x 6 x 3.5cm
Air Hog Blue Rugged Car
Each Air HogsCar comes with two power settings just by flipping a switch - the floor mode with the Venturi fan off, and the gravity defying mode for walls and ceilings. A powerful fan in the Spinmaster Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro Car creates the Venturi effect with the vacuum holding the car to the surface. Around the car's chasssis there is a flexible skirt to ensure the vacuum remains sealed.
Note, if the Spinmaster air hogs zero gravity micro car - blue rugged 4x4 car tries to go over bumps such as light switches on walls, the vacuum seal is broken, causing the car to fall. Spin Master has carefully designed the mini car to withstand falls from ceilings. Obviously, with any high performance vehicle, care should be taken. The air hogs car should not be obused. A really cool item is its working headlights, which also act as battery charge level indicators.
Air Hogs Car - Driving Rules
Getting Started
1. Make sure the joy sticks are both set to neutral or in the middle.
2. Turn the ON/OFF switch on the mini car to "ON".
3. FORWARD - Push both joystick forward.
4. REVERSE - Pull both joysticks back.
5. LEFT TURN - Right joystick forward.
6. RIGHT TURN - Left joystick forward
7. Be sure to turn the ON/OFF on the mini car to the "OFF" position when finished playing with the mini car.
8. Trouble Shooting - check out the FAQs below.
While Driving Your Spinmaster Air Hogs Zero Gravity Mini Sports Car
1. Only use on smooth, clean surfaces.
2. Clean the tires with a damp rag before each use.
3. Do not run on damp surfaces.
4. Stand at least 6 feet from the wall.
5. Only drive on empty walls (no hanging pictures or other obstacles).
6. DO NOT drive over wall sockets, light switches or other obstructions.
7. Do not drive close to or off the edge of the wall.
8. RIGHT SPIN - Left joystick forward, right joystick back.
9. LEFT SPIN - Right joystick forward, left joystick back.
Air Hogs Zero Gravity Mini Car FAQ
1. My Zero Gravity will not start?
Solutions:
a) Make sure the power switch is in the ON position on the vehicle.
b) Battery in cvontroller may be installed incorrectly, check to make sure polarities are properly aligned.
c) Batteries may be drained. Charge batteries and/or install new ones.
2. My Zero Gravity will not climb?
Solution:
The over current protection is engaged. Turn vehicle off 30 seconds then restart.
3. My Zero Gravity is not driving straight?
Solutions:
a) Check toggle switch on fron of vehicle is in the right position. b) Make sure surface is free of dirt/dust, if not wipe tires with a damp rag before use. c) Make sure surface is either too smooth or too rough.
4. My Zero Gravity slips when climbing walls?
Solutions:
a) Clean the tires with a damp rag and make sure wall surface is not damp.
b) Fold up the fabric skirts foe a better seal prior to use.
5. Even with the ramp I cannot get my vehicle to transition over trim?
Solutions:
a) Make sure ramp is fitted tight to wall.
b) Try using hard cardboard from around the house if insert from package is damaged.
6. My Zero Gravity falls off the wall?
Solutions:
a) Make sure to discharge and then charge again for 4 hours.
b) Clean tires and make sure your wall and floor are also clean.
c) Check the fabric skirts for damage. If they have been pulled loose, tape them back on with flexible tape.
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