Shell Shocker Sucks!

All Quinn wanted for Christmas was a Shell Shocker. It was expensive, and of course went on sale almost immediately after the holiday season. I've seen it as cheap as $14.00. Of course that's without the $40.00 battery pack (not included). Did I mention that there are no other toys that use the battery pack?
Winter wasn't a great season to do outside remote control playing, so the mighty Shell Shocker stayed in the box until yesterday when Quinn asked to take it out and charge it up in anticipation of taking it out for a spin today after school. He and the his friend came right home after school and we put the batteries in and off they went. I was out front un-winterizing the lawn mower and they went out back to play.

Ten minutes later they were back out front. I didn't even have the mower fired up yet. I asked why they weren't still out back, and they told me that one of the arms had broken off. How did that happen I asked. Apparently the two decided that what they really needed to do was drive the Shell Shocker off the deck. Unfortunately, and despite being advertised as rugged and unstoppable, the Shell Shocker is not rated for a 18 inch drop off of a deck onto a piece of flagstone. One whole side was broken off, exposing all of the interior gearing.

Quinn's friend was driving at the time, and was apparently the idea man in this scenario. He and his mom have offered to buy Quinn a new one, but what's the point. The Shell Shocker is a piece of crap. If it can't take a little drop like the one off our porch how is it ever going to handle being run, full speed, into trees, curbing or other solid obstructions. I've read some reviews and postings, most are negative. I wish I had read them earlier.

So now I'm left trying to decide if Quinn's excitement over this (or any future) toy was worth $100.00. Anyone need a lightly used battery pack?