Kids' ride on toys have a rich history stretching as far back as the 1890s, when the Daimler was sold. Pedal cars were often the exact miniature replica of the real cars on the road, from their front grilles to the rear fenders. The pedal car is as much an icon as its full-sized counterpart, especially the Model T and the roadster models.

You can be part of this rich history when you own a pedal car. Just make sure that the model you choose has a history of its own worthy of telling your grandkids.

If you are lucky to find an antique pedal car today, you will be treated to working horns and lights, clear windshields, movable ragtops, exquisite chrome detailing, delicate hood ornaments, and white wall tires set in an all-steel body with a custom paint job. Two words - iconic cool!

You can display kids' ride on toys under the Christmas tree, or in its own special case in the living room, or in the library, or anywhere you want. It is a fantastic addition to your collection and to your decor!

With their exquisite details and glossy finishes, complemented by opening hoods and trunks and even detailed engines on older models, kids' ride on toys are fast becoming collectors' items. And who would not want one of their own? It is very beautiful item of the past, which has value in these automobile-crazy times.

Did you know that old models of pedal cars in good condition sell for as much as $2,000 on the market? This is not to say that you should sell for the money but pedal cars are an investment, too.

Pedal cars take you down memory lane. They are nostalgic reminders of younger, happier, more carefree times when you can put the top down, go on full speed, savor the wind on your hair and imagine that you are across the country when all you really crossed was the neighborhood street.

Because of the durable construction, in olden days from steel and in modern days from molded plastic, kids' ride on toys can be passed from one generation to the next. With proper care and storage, you can witness the joy of riding pedal cars from yourself to your grandkids. In a sense, you have preserved a legacy of enjoyment and fun.

If these reasons are not enough to convince you to own a kids ride on toys, then the sheer pleasure of looking at a perfect miniature of your dream cars - a Ferrari F430, a 1932 Roadster, a 1965 Mustang, and a 1965 Shelby GT-350 perhaps - at a very small fraction of the full-sized cars' cost should do the trick. At least then you can boast of having a garage of your dream cars!