Quickfire question: what would you do?

[Mikey P]

Hello all.

I'm currently enjoying a night away in a lovely inn, where my wife and I got married, exactly one year ago. Tomorrow (5th April), we will be going into Edinburgh, for a nice day out. Including going to a massive Waterstones (book shop) to get a book, each.

Anyway, the interesting part, as far as you lot are concerned, is that I will also be ducking into Wonderland Models: an RC and model/hobby shop that stocks multiple Tamiyas.

The thing is, we are currently saving up for a house deposit, I've just paid for a holiday (and this anniversary getaway) and my classic car has developed an annoying electrical fault. In other words, spending a load of money isn't a good idea! Plus, I actually have no more room on my RC shelving unit.

However... well... Tamiya kits!! 

You've got around 14 hours to get your answers in, what would you do, in this situation? Any well-priced Tamiya kits that are must-haves? Am I being silly? Well... yes, but how silly, really??

My Tamiya collection can be viewed in my showroom. I like vintage cars and trucks (bodyshells, not the actual RC chassis, necessarily) and I've always wanted to built a CC-01, but they are all sold... boo!

Sensible, or silly? Get your votes in! 

[ADRay1000]

do any of the current CC02 lineup appeal? 

[Mikey P]

Just now, ADRay1000 said:

do any of the current CC02 lineup appeal? 

Hmmm... not massively, as I already have 3 solid-axle trail trucks. Thank you, though!

[svenb]

A nice romantic break and you are thinking about a new Tamiya kit!?

Think I know what I'd be up to.😉

[Guest]

What classic car do you have? Get yourself an MB01 Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA, it would be right up your street. 

[toyolien]

I find it easier to seek forgiveness rather than permission 

[Mikey P]

8 minutes ago, svenb said:

A nice romantic break and you are thinking about a new Tamiya kit!?

Think I know what I'd be up to.😉

I mean... I didn't say there wasn't any of that! 

 

3 minutes ago, Dangerous_Beard said:

What classic car do you have? Get yourself an MB01 Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA, it would be right up your street. 

It's a Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Cosworth.

Oh, cool. I'll look into that! Thank you.

 

4 minutes ago, toyolien said:

I find it easier to seek forgiveness rather than permission 

Indeed! Although, in this case, she really doesn't care!

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, Mikey P said:

I mean... I didn't say there wasn't any of that! 

 

It's a Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Cosworth.

Oh, cool. I'll look into that! Thank you.

 

Indeed! Although, in this case, she really doesn't care!

That's a very rare beast. A fine machine I may add. Hope the parts don't cost too much for the repair. 

[Gebbly]

1 hour ago, Mikey P said:

we are currently saving up for a house deposit,

Surely it all comes down to how serious you are about wanting your own home? We all love the toys but thats all they are. I'd be sensible, get myself financially secure with a home for myself and my wife and only then think about buying toys.

[Wooders28]

1 hour ago, Mikey P said:

I will also be ducking into Wonderland Models

Never actually been there!, let me know if it's worth a visit (but I ain't driving into Edinburgh...🙈) 

 

1 hour ago, Mikey P said:

Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Cosworth

Think this is the 190?

 

 

It's a larger scale body (like the frewer bodies L&L sell) , it's sat on an Optima Mid Custom chassis (literally just sat, not got around to fitting body posts to the mid) ,can be for sale if it's needed.

 

[alvinlwh]

Head 21 miles east to TTM from WLM. They are slightly cheaper and Neil is a great guy to chat with. 2 years ago, I went out there to get a 1:1 Suzuki and came back with a Land Rover instead.

Don't get me wrong, WLM is good as well, but if you head east, you can also visit the lovely North Berwick and my favourite, Tantallon Castle. 

[alvinlwh]

2 hours ago, Wooders28 said:

let me know if it's worth a visit

I had been going there since I first arrived in Edinburgh, 20+ years ago. Ever since the introduction of LEZ, I refused to spend any money in any shops within the zone except this one, even though I have a LEZ car. It is a matter of principle. 

Look here as well for a review on WLM. 

 

[Tamiyastef]

I'm over 35 years in a marriage with my "love at first sight" wife so I look at this from another perspective, therefor my number 1 advice would be: get your priorities straight. Number 2: if your wife is happy with it get yourself another Tamiya . The Alfa Giulia Sprint is very nice, as is the classis Mini that's coming this year, both on the MB-01. I personally love the NSU and Golf Mk1 that comes on the M-05. If you really want a CC-01 (and don't mind an already build one with an orange Unimog 406 body and several hop ups) you can contact me as I have one sitting in a box not being used anymore...  Enjoy your trip.

[Rijkvv]

8 hours ago, Wooders28 said:

Never actually been there!, let me know if it's worth a visit (but I ain't driving into Edinburgh...🙈) 

 

Think this is the 190?

 

 

It's a larger scale body (like the frewer bodies L&L sell) , it's sat on an Optima Mid Custom chassis (literally just sat, not got around to fitting body posts to the mid) ,can be for sale if it's needed.

 

I think this is the first gen C-class, the 190 replacement.

Speaking of which: I have a brand new XV01 Long Damper Spec that I'm willing to trade for your 190. That's pretty rare too. 😄 Just kidding, but I love the 190. My old neighbor has a former Rijkspolitie example, but if I ever win the lottery I want the same type as you have. 

[Mikey P]

Thanks for all the replies, folks. It seems with have some sensible, dare I say, adults in the room! Aaand some that just say "buy a Tamiya!" 

@Dangerous_Beard thank you, it's a fantastic machine. I dont think the parts will be expensive, but it will likely be labour-intensive, because chasing electrical gremlins is never fun!

@Wooders28we won't be driving in. We'll leave the car in Inverkeithing and get the train in.

That's definitely the DTM version of the W202 C-Class, successor to the W201 190E.

@Tamiyastef Thank you, but it has to be a kit!

[Mad Ax]

The sensible answer, obviously, is to keep your money in your pocket until you've got these other things sorted.  But, if you've got a personal spends budget besides your other stuff, and you've got money in it, why not go see what takes your interest?

To be honest, these days, walking into a shop thinking "hmm, maybe I'll buy a kit?" is a thing of the past.  The romance of it still appeals, but...

• all the shops near me list their stock online, so there's no "hmm, I wonder what I'll buy..?" before I get there
• the closest one to me (walking distance) charges way over the odds for kits and doesn't stock bearings (I can usually get a kit, delivered, from a UK stockist, with bearings, for less than I can buy locally)
• I never visit anywhere on holiday that has a reasonable model shop

I still remember the good old days (around 15 years ago) when there were more small local shops, who had tardis-like stock rooms, and walking in with a wallet full of cash meant rifling through their shelves to see what jumped out at me.

The last time I tried this was at Wheelspin Models, back in 2020 - it was my birthday, a month before lockdown, and I was on my way to a Tamiya Junkies meet.  I walked in expecting to see a big warehouse full of boxes, but they just has a big desk with a few Traxxas RTRs in glass cases.  Buying something was done by using the web browser on the desk, which was exactly the same site as you'd get at home.  I was able to talk to a member of staff, who pulled a few boxes out from the warehouse for me to check, but I found it a thoroughly soulless experience.  I haven't been since the store was redeveloped a couple of years ago, so it may be different now?

Actually, I went into Jadlam about 18 months ago, and they had a lot of kits in stock.  Very much a modern superstore instead of the old, dark, dusty hobby shops of old, but would be worth a visit again if I had a day spare and some money to burn.

[Wooders28]

54 minutes ago, Mikey P said:

we won't be driving in. We'll leave the car in Inverkeithing and get the train in

One of the reasons I've not been...

Edinburgh isn't car friendly , a nightmare to drive into and a mortgage to park once you're there, so never just popped in for a look around the shops. Only been in to goto the Zoo with the kids, a Show at the fringe or meet relatives at the Christmas Market, (where you end up at the packed Wetherspoons as you can feed the 10 of you cheaper than buying a mulled wine at the market.. ).

 

1 hour ago, Mikey P said:

That's definitely the DTM version of the W202 C-Class, successor to the W201 190E.

Mercs aren't my thing...🫣🤣

[TurnipJF]

Whenever my wife and I travel, we take a look in the local model shops. If there are any rarities or awesome deals that we'd be unlikely to encounter again, we buy. If not, we save our monies like good boring responsible people.  

[2qwik]

Well, you did say it:"but, they're Tamiyas!".

We are renovating our home, the builders are here for the week this coming Monday, I've 2k in my pers bank and Im up to just under 1k of bids on ebay finishing tomorrow (Sunday)....

Just means I have to do longer hours this week to put bigger invoices in by Wednesday so they clear by Friday!! Gratefully my main client pays instantly so SHOULDN'T be a problem....

 Athough, Im onto my 3rd collection having sold the previous 2 to buy our home because I realised I can always get them again, albeit having to pay that little more. New kits will always be there and every bit of coin helps toward the main target....??

[Wooders28]

9 hours ago, alvinlwh said:

I refused to spend any money in any shops within the zone

Both my cars are compliant (2ltr Golf and the 5.7ltr TransAm...), but my wife's 1.5ltr diesel Focus isn't 🤷‍♂️

Which means she doesn't just 'nip into Glasgow' with kids anymore when I'm working a weekend, and come back with arm loads of 'bargain' clothes after a scran in TGI Fridays , so it's saving me a load of money ,I can spend on full size and RC cars!! 😁 

(Every cloud..) 

Normally spend my money with Ronnie at Uddingston. 

[alvinlwh]

4 hours ago, Wooders28 said:

a mortgage to park

I discovered a "secret" parking spot near WLM that saved me my mortgage. 😁

[Mikey P]

Well, we went to the model shop (as well as a few whisky shops), but I never did buy an RC. Nothing really grabbed me and there weren't any prices on the stuff behind the counter. Plus, the guy was so busy serving people, I didn't want to bother him with "show me this, show me that" sort of stuff.

I like the look of the M-06, because there are some nice bodyshells and if I get an M chassis, the FWD/RWD aspect MUST be correct to the real car! It bothers me that there's a Mazda MX5 M-05! I like the beetle M-06, The Alfa M-06 (if I can find it... discontinued, right?), the VW bus M-06, the 2CV M-05, etc. Lots of good stuff in there.

 

11 hours ago, Mad Ax said:

I still remember the good old days (around 15 years ago) when there were more small local shops, who had tardis-like stock rooms, and walking in with a wallet full of cash meant rifling through their shelves to see what jumped out at me.

Ahhh... I miss that! Having a good ol' rummage through the stocks. Those were the days!

 

11 hours ago, TurnipJF said:

Whenever my wife and I travel, we take a look in the local model shops. If there are any rarities or awesome deals that we'd be unlikely to encounter again, we buy. If not, we save our monies like good boring responsible people.  

Exactly right! Yeah, this was my attitude.