I don’t have kids of my own, but I do have a nephew who is turning 11 soon.
When I was a kid I had a huge Scalextric layout. Is Scalextric still cool for a birthday present for a boy of his age? He is keen on cars.
I know it might be an extravagant present but how else will I get a change at a go? 
Cheers
Fred W B
[Edited on 22/8/12 by Fred W B]
I suppose the answer is - yes, its a great present, but it all depends on the space available for it in the home?
If it takes an hour to put together, and an hour to put away each time he wants to play with it, it will soon end up living in its box in the back of
a cupboard.
On the other hand, if space is limited, get a small track?
I bought some digital stuff a couple of years back, it was quite cool but the wife wasnt that interested and I had no one to race, so sold it and
decided to wait till I had a lil boy (or girl) to join me!
Its defo still cool, but once you get passed about 14 yrs old RC cars is where its at!
Thanks for response, remember I am in SA and houses are bigger here. Space is not a problem
Cheers
Fred W B
Scalextric is ALWAYS cool 
I have about 3 years to wait until my little fella is old enough to appreciate it unfortunately
Well...my 5yo boy and 13yo girl still adore mine...
always be cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOPE! It is now boring. Trust me on this as the company I work for build and setup a cityscape scaletrix. It's about the coolest thing ever
but it get really tedious after about 20minutes. Also cleaning the track is dull.
See link
England Team playing.....
RC cars are now so cheap and are way cool!!!
[Edited on 22/8/12 by Irony]
I have to admit, my scalextric is in the loft and hasn't been touched since I moved out from my parents oh so many years ago!! I've kept it
because it's a sort-of heirloom (it was my dads before I got it), but I doubt it'll ever get used.
As Irony says, an RC car would be so much more practical and fun. A decent offroader wouldn't cost too much, and it doesn't even need a flat
surface.
Ah well there you go, I've always found RC cars a bit boring after about 5 minutes.......used to play with my scalextric for hours however. Lets
be honest though most 11 year old boys (which is who we are talking about) would be happy receiving either 
The one thing I will say - if I setup my track with a simple circuit (i.e. out of a single set) then the kids get bored easily and quickly.
However, when I set it up and go large with the layout so it takes over the lounge and spreads into the dining room, they'll play with it for
ages...
Scalextric
Of course they're still cool, I bought my 5 year old sister one the other year so I'd have something to do over christmas. It was the smaller scale one with a little track but It was on offer at tescos.
Be the cool uncle buy the Biggest Scalextric they make.
but then again you live in SA just buy them a motorbike.
I loved my tyco set (like scaletrics but smaller and faster) until my 10th Bday when I got my first proper RC car.
Flying RC stuff is pretty cool and cheap these days. Get him an outdoor chopper if you have space.
I think metaphors are being seriously mixed here!.Scalectrix cool for the kids of today?
I think not.Sure it was cool back and beyond the turn of
the last century! And if you still got an original set, all boxed and shit,you are looking at a serious pension supplement!...Nah. Kids today want a
Quad processor Samsung Galaxy S111...Now that is cool today!
quote:
Originally posted by Fatgadget
I think metaphors are being seriously mixed here!.Scalectrix cool for the kids of today?
Is it cool? Yes
Always will be as it is the best car racing set you can get.
The very fact I still have mine and you can still buy cars
and parts is a testimony to that.
Is it what an 11yo would want?
I have to be honest and say he might be a bit old.
It depends on the boy and only you know.
He might prefer and xbox etc.
On the other hand I dont know a single boy or man
of any age who can enter a room containing a track
and not ask for a go.
I was 10 when i got mine but I was always into lego,
mecanno, cars, bikes etc.
I dug out my old set last year for my son who was 4 then.
The magnetraction sticks the cars to the track which makes it
nice and easy for young kids.
It spoilt it a bit for me as now I can lap in under 4 seconds and
there is def less skill involved.
The kids are so frustrated driving old cars without the magnets.
s
Couldn't care less about 'cool' or not but
Me (43) Loves me slot cars
Daughter (10) loves me slot cars and has since she was 5..and damaged my mint N.Mansel number 5 Williams
Son (3) jumps up and down with excitement at the merest chance of daddy getting the cars out
Mrs (43) doesn't mind the odd blat round the track so long as she doesn't have to race anyone
also
neighbours daughters
10 and 12 Love it if they happen to come round and it's all layed out
I don't bother getting it out to often as when I do I don't get to use it much
Who gives a damm if it's cool or not its great fun
quote:
Originally posted by TheGiantTribble
Couldn't care less about 'cool' or not but
Me (43) Loves me slot cars
Daughter (10) loves me slot cars and has since she was 5..and damaged my mint N.Mansel number 5 Williams
Son (3) jumps up and down with excitement at the merest chance of daddy getting the cars out
Mrs (43) doesn't mind the odd blat round the track so long as she doesn't have to race anyone
also
neighbours daughters
10 and 12 Love it if they happen to come round and it's all layed out
I don't bother getting it out to often as when I do I don't get to use it much
Who gives a damm if it's cool or not its great fun
I will say "avoid Scaletrix 'Start' sets like the plague". Cheap and nasty....
I got the twin pack Start endurance GT cars for the
wee lad as a "start" so he could crash the livin daylights
out of them.
You have to put you own stickers on etc
but he enjoyed that bit too.
They were on offer at Toys R Us but most
stuff he got recently is all from Jadlam on ebay.
s
Go on - you know you want to.....
SCALEXTRIC SLOT CAR CATERHAM R500 BRAND NEW IN BOX PERFECT! SIM LOTUS 7 SEVEN | eBay