From: hellmann@cs.scarolina.edu (Doug Hellmann)
Subject: Re: TYCO Super Duper Double Looper
Organization: USC  Department of Computer Science
Distribution: na
Date: 26 Dec 92 06:35:06 GMT

roger@wrq.com (Roger Fulton) writes:

>Anyone else out there give/get a TYCO Super Duper Double Looper
>slot car set for Christmas?  I got one about a month ago for my 4

I bought on e for myself last Christmas after seeing how neat it looked
on the tv commercial.  Sucker.

>Last night (Christmas eve) I set it up so that my son could wake
>up to it this morning.  Everything on the set works great EXCEPT
>the Upside Down Jump (UDJ) part.  I was up until 3 a.m. this
>morning trying to get the technique of jumping the UDJ.  I
>re-checked the assembly to make sure that the exit/entrance ramps
>were positioned correctly (they were).  I tried slow, medium, and
>fast approaches to the UDJ.  I tried to follow the instructions
>exactly regarding the negotiation of the UDJ.  After playing
>around with this for about 4 hrs, I made the jump only *3* times!
>I'm not THAT uncoordinated!  Also, my wife made many attempts
>over the UDJ, and was no more successful than I.  So, my son has
>yet to see this set, because I want it working well before I give
>it to him (it's not much fun to have to replace the car on the
>track each lap after it crashes on the UDJ).

>(2) If you have this set and have not been able to consistently
>    jump the UDJ, what have you done about it

I have been unable to do it even once.  I don't consider myself
uncoordinated, either.  Stupid thing.  I took those dumb loops and threw
them behind the sofa so I wouldn't be tempted to try it again.
?
>(3) Can the track be reconfigured to a simpler layout, like a
>    figure-8?  I have some concern about this, because I suspect
>    that the entire track must be used to provide a proper load
>    to the power supply

I have had no trouble reconfiguring the track, and I haven't noticed any
problems from too little load to the supply.  In fact, those half-track
pieces are really cool to play around with.
.
>(5) I bought this set at Target.  Does anyone know what their
>    return policy is regarding items that cannot be completely
>    disassembled to pre-purchase state (for example, I can't
>    remove the orange labels, and their are pieces of the set
>    that are not made to be disassembled.)  My hope is that
>    Target has an unconditional "Satisfaction guaranteed or your
>    money back" policy.  I'll be calling them myself tomorrow to
>    see what they say, but I'd like to know what others'
>    experiences with them are

I shop quite a bit at Target, and in my experience, especially after
Christmas, they're going to be in such a ahurry to get you out of the
line at returns that they won't even notice the stickers, and they will
probably put it right back on the shelf so some other sucker can buy it.
I've never had any trouble with returns there.
If you keep the set, you'll probably need to buy some extra track
pieces.  In my opinion, buy a not-so-gimmicky set for your son with some
extra track so you don't get bored with it.  I wish I hadn't left my
reciept in someone else's car-I would've returned mine.

-Samantha (posting from someone else's acct. till I get my own.)
.

>Thanks in advance.