Looking for Mr. Goodwrench (sort of)

January 16, 2007 8:44 PM

Need advice on where to buy toy trucks and / or other small-sized construction vehicles that have moving parts.

I grew up in an all girl family and don't have experience with Matchbox, Maestro, Hot Wheels (or any of the small vehicle oeuvre for that matter). My son, 3-years-old, is obsessed with little trucks and other construction vehicles. He loves it when you can open the doors, the hood, trunk and any other part of the toy. I've looked in the big department stores and I can't find any small size (Matchbox size) vehicles with moving parts. Instead, they are all one piece of plastic or metal with nothing at all moving. I've looked on ebay but found it full of collectors who are willing to pay much more than I am for toy trucks. Any suggestions on a brand or store that has what I'm looking for? Any help is much appreciated.

posted by notcomputersavvy06 to Shopping (7 answers total)

Goodwill, Value Village, or other thrift stores will usually have small cars in the toy dept. I buy them for my 4 year old grandson, usually bagged in a group. What you get is a crapshoot but there will often be at least one with moving doors, hood, etc. The condition may not be great, but my grandson doesn't mind.
posted by anitar at 10:46 PM on January 16, 2007

What about Tonka trucks?
posted by nathan_teske at 11:14 PM on January 16, 2007

Oh. little trucks :)
posted by nathan_teske at 11:58 PM on January 16, 2007

Matchbox used to make cars with moving parts - a hook and ladder truck with an extending ladder; a convertible with a removable top; a car with doors, hood or rear hatch that opened. Matchbox and Hot Wheels are now both owned by Mattel, and the regular Matchbox line was reduced in quality.

But there are still a couple "premium" lines in the Matchbox family; they're called the "collector" lines on the website. One is SuperFast, another is called Super Kings, and there are others. You can find them at toy stores, on eBay, wherever. They cost a little more.
posted by ikkyu2 at 12:00 AM on January 17, 2007

These might be too young for him. I got them for a 1+ year old recently who loves them, though. I bought them at a toy store down in Austin, so I don't know if this web store I linked to is any good. They each have different movements: the concrete mixer spins, the crane moves up and down, and the dump truck dumps. Plus they stick together with magnets so they can be pulled as a group.
posted by MsMolly at 6:38 AM on January 17, 2007

If he is 3 the vast majority of matchbox sized toys are not age appropriate. Anything that small with moving parts has even smaller parts that could be pulled off the car and aspirated.

No amount of fun with toys balances out a visit to a sugical theater or a funeral home.
posted by Megafly at 12:38 PM on January 17, 2007

Look at local auctions. And to go slightly off subject---One of the blessings of my childhood was farm life. Tractors, planters,all kinds of eqiupment. Best toys ever!!! My brother was allowed to dismanual old equipment from an early age--(2 he began with a hammer to lights on a old mower). He did love his Tonka who doesn't. But I put forth if possile and you have the room a real train engine!
posted by dsaelf at 10:52 AM on January 28, 2007