Read this if you're planning on getting the Little Tikes Cosy Coupe

[Incywinceyspider]

It's DS's birthday on Friday and we've just finished putting together the little tikes car. I'd read several threads saying it was a bugger to put together and they weren't wrong!

So here's a few tips if you're planning on getting your toddler one for Christmas.

1. for the love of God, DO NOT leave it until late on Christmas Eve when you've had a few drinks.

2. you need two people, a screwdriver, a hammer and a fair amount of brute strength. A drill is also handy (I'm not kidding).

3. read the instructions carefully. And then read them again. If you put the wheels on the wrong way round it's impossible to get them back off again.

4. it's really noisy. Ideally do it when children are out of the house, especially if you have an older child who might be woken by loud hammering.

Anyone else got any building tips?

Tip: buy a second hand one already built

Plenty of time and plenty of space and yes no alcohol. Never leave it to the morning, imagine being watched by the child as you put it together

If building that doesn’t end your marriage, hang on a few years and decide to build your now eight year old’s Christmas basketball hoop on Christmas Eve, at night, outdoors, in sub-zero conditions, slightly pissed, armed only with a head torch and an instruction booklet imperfectly translated from Serbo-Croat.

This almost caused a divorce in our house in 2019. DH is abysmal at DIY and insisted he was going to be the one to build it. He utterly ballsed it up to the extent I had to order replacement parts from Little Tikes.

@CallMeRisley

Tip: buy a second hand one already built

I did this after reading how difficult they are to put togther

We've done three of them and we're still together. It's impressive isn't it?

The second person is really only needed to hold the roof close to the bars so person one can drill them. No hammer needed.

But yes it takes more time than it should and it's not as easy as you think.

My parents bought these for my 2 dc, and they arrived Christmas morning fully built and with big bows on... had no idea they were such a Ballache to build. So my tip, get someone else to do it

@RobertsWonder that's the best tip yet!

Yup you're so right. A friend's son got one, took 3 mechanics to put it together on his birthday

Ahhh I miss those Christmas eves of putting together cars, kitchens, doll houses etc.
DH looked really sad last year when the tool box wasn't needed...

We have a lovely photograph of them 1yo DD helping to construct a wooden kitchen when she should have been in bed, oblivious to the Christmas explosion around her.

Yep, not so fond memories of having to build TWO on Christmas eve for our twins 😱😂

We made the mistake of not doing it Xmas Eve and leaving it until the morning…… due lots of swearing and hammering. We end up with the base with wheels and the door and 3 struts and no roof. Had to leave it like this until Toys-R-Us reopened and take it back to get a replacement.
Lesson learnt anything that needed built in subsequent years was done a few days before Xmas.

@CallMeRisley

Tip: buy a second hand one already built

Yep

My dh and I built one three years ago the top still regularly comes off

Facebook marketplace , ready built, doneso!

I remember my twins second birthday being all smug because wilko had them in a sale and were cheaper than buying second hand on eBay - the night before their birthday I was up til 4am putting the fuckers together. Definitely wish I'd paid more on eBay!

Our worst Christmas eve ever. In the end dh had to leave the house and build it in the garden of an empty house down the road.

We were defo on edge of divorce that night

We got one off Facebook marketplace last year. £10. Still going strong!

If you but the play Mobil castle make sure you have plenty of spare hours, do not put it up on Christmas day.

Also make sure you have room to leave it up as it is a total pita to keep taking to pieces

@CallMeRisley

Tip: buy a second hand one already built

That’s what we did-those things are built to last! We gave it to a neighbour after our kids had finished playing with it and it’s lasted longer than three of my actual cars!!

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Ahhh I miss those Christmas eves of putting together cars, kitchens, doll houses etc. DH looked really sad last year when the tool box wasn't needed...

We have a lovely photograph of them 1yo DD helping to construct a wooden kitchen when she should have been in bed, oblivious to the Christmas explosion around her.

Haha yes! DH used to be absolved of all other Christmas duties as long as he sat, screw driver in hand, in the corner surrounded by toys that needed decanting from lethal packaging and constructing. He’s a bit put out that he has to get involved in the roast preparation now that the DDs are teenagers and we just hand over cold hard cash

@CallMeRisley

Tip: buy a second hand one already built

Excellent

@CallMeRisley

Tip: buy a second hand one already built

Yes, this. We were given one that had already seen two families and 6 kids. Once our three outgrew it, we passed it on to another family. It’s probably still going strong, those things last longer than actual cars.

@HandforthParishCouncilClerk

This almost caused a divorce in our house in 2019. DH is abysmal at DIY and insisted he was going to be the one to build it. He utterly ballsed it up to the extent I had to order replacement parts from Little Tikes.

You too eh?

Little Tikes must make a fortune from people who have made a mistake assembling the wheels….

The misery of putting the cosy coupe together was only surpassed by the absolute horror of building Tracey Island on Christmas Eve, it took 7 hours, one bottle of wine, a few beers, and near mental breakdown!