The "Postman Brought Me" Thread

[GeeWings 2830]

51 minutes ago, Kol__ said:

Since getting back into the hobby 10 months ago now, I have honestly reached the point where I am offended by the prices that UK sellers charge for hopups and spare parts. The prices are so high that they are seriously taking advantage of people imo.

Plus the cheaper prices that we can get from retailers abroad, but not actually direct from Tamiya, really are very cheap. Imagine how cheap they are if you are working with Tamiya as an official supplier of their parts for the UK - those guys, not mentioning any names, must pay absolute pennies for stuff mark some of it up by like 500% or more.

Yes, I hear you! Here in Oz supplies are limited and expensive too. I swear I would buy three times as much stuff if prices were a little lower. 

[alvinlwh 5894]

1 hour ago, GeeWings said:

Yes, I hear you! Here in Oz supplies are limited and expensive too. I swear I would buy three times as much stuff if prices were a little lower. 

At least for you, it is easier, faster and cheaper to fly to HK (one of the best place in the world for model stuff). The last time I went out there, I spent all my cash in 30 minutes and had to rob my wife of all her cash and spent that in 15 minutes. I then had to hit the ATM! Left HK with two extra luggage and two 20kg parcels via HK Post. Now the prices there are so cheap that the savings I made on the model stuff actually covered the cost of the flight there. 

Now with two young kids, it is going to be difficult to go again and with covid, the war fuel prices leading to expensive flights... It may be another decade before I go there again. 

[GeeWings 2830]

45 minutes ago, alvinlwh said:

The last time I went out there, I spent all my cash in 30 minutes and had to rob my wife of all her cash and spent that in 15 minutes. I then had to hit the ATM! Left HK with two extra luggage and two 20kg parcels via HK Post. 

That genuinely did make me laugh out Loud!

I’m imagining some middle aged guy frantically doing a supermarket dash style run-around, just sweeping all the RC stuff off shelves straight in to a trolley and not stopping until they get to the check-out  

[Bwaaatch 528]

On 7/27/2022 at 11:01 AM, alvinlwh said:

Not RC but still a box of Tamiyas from PJ delivered to my mum's on the wrong side of the world. 

 

Hey @alvinlwh,

First off, I'm loving your haul! min 4wd fans represent!!!!!

Second: I wonder if you could give some info about your actual costs for a shipment like this from PJ? I'm assuming you are UK-based, but apologies if that's not right.

Here in the UK we have only one truly local source for mini 4wd – the excellent Manchester Model Shop. Prices there are certainly fair given the niche nature of these imports, but compared to price if you walked into one of hundreds of small stores in Japan, they are still obviously quite high. Plaza Japan seems to advertise very low prices (presumably without any kind of tax added) and then it all adds up in the postages, packing, import duties etc. Looking at what you have in the photo, most of the models woudl be available from Manchester Model shop for between £15 (many regular cars) and £25 (wild minis and starter sets). Do you think that overall, you did better than that on this order? Did this order get hit with import duties at all? Looks like it owed be over the £125 UK threshold that people speak over over here: https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/101147-plaza-japan-query-uk-buyers/

Cheers for your help!

[Jonathon Gillham 4605]

3 hours ago, Kol__ said:

Since getting back into the hobby 10 months ago now, I have honestly reached the point where I am offended by the prices that UK sellers charge for hopups and spare parts. The prices are so high that they are seriously taking advantage of people imo.

Plus the cheaper prices that we can get from retailers abroad, but not actually direct from Tamiya, really are very cheap. Imagine how cheap they are if you are working with Tamiya as an official supplier of their parts for the UK - those guys, not mentioning any names, must pay absolute pennies for stuff mark some of it up by like 500% or more.

I reckon its the same everywhere. A TT02 kit may be NZD200 but steering upgrade is NZD80. Does anyone really pay that? I doubt it. The hopups are ridiculously priced locally, but always reasonable in HK....

Anyway, bought a SkyRC TS120 for the Durga today. I reckon mod class will be a bit of fun!

[alvinlwh 5894]

44 minutes ago, GeeWings said:

That genuinely did make me laugh out Loud!

I’m imagining some middle aged guy frantically doing a supermarket dash style run-around, just sweeping all the RC stuff off shelves straight in to a trolley and not stopping until they get to the check-out  

[Kol__ 3377]

47 minutes ago, GeeWings said:

That genuinely did make me laugh out Loud!

Same here😂😂😂

Ah yes @alvinlwh, I remember when you posted that photo before, what a good wife you have!👍🙌

[Kol__ 3377]

25 minutes ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

bought a SkyRC TS120 for the Durga today

Oh nice one mate

(...goes off to Google TS120 to assess suitability for his own Durga build...😂)

[GeeWings 2830]

 

I hope you don’t mind @alvinlwh

[alvinlwh 5894]

55 minutes ago, Bwaaatch said:

First off, I'm loving your haul! min 4wd fans represent!!!!!

Second: I wonder if you could give some info about your actual costs for a shipment like this from PJ? I'm assuming you are UK-based, but apologies if that's not right.

Here in the UK we have only one truly local source for mini 4wd – the excellent Manchester Model Shop. Prices there are certainly fair given the niche nature of these imports, but compared to price if you walked into one of hundreds of small stores in Japan, they are still obviously quite high. Plaza Japan seems to advertise very low prices (presumably without any kind of tax added) and then it all adds up in the postages, packing, import duties etc. Looking at what you have in the photo, most of the models woudl be available from Manchester Model shop for between £15 (many regular cars) and £25 (wild minis and starter sets). Do you think that overall, you did better than that on this order? Did this order get hit with import duties at all? Looks like it owed be over the £125 UK threshold that people speak over over here: https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/101147-plaza-japan-query-uk-buyers/

Cheers for your help!

Yes, I am UK based but this is not a deliver to UK order. I got it delivered to my mum half way across the world (closer to JP, and therefore cheaper postage). This order, is >£200 if it is  to UK will almost definitely get hit by tax. 

I also got a MST MTX-1, Kyosho NSR500, DF-02 Aero Avante and a GH2 waiting for me there to collect in person in October. I am going for a BIL wedding so pre-purchasing as much as I can before I arrive. This will help me plan my return trip luggage easier rather than buying on arrival, all just logistics. 

If you had seen some of my older posts, I am thinking of starting a Mini 4WD themed cafe. Most if these are not actually for myself but intended to hand out to my kids' friends to be used in my market research group. 

MMS is the only UK based retailer I know about and they are really expensive, especially the track, essential for racing Mini 4WDs, another item I will be getting while out there. Again, thanks to fellow member, OoALEJOoO, I know the price. 

I am currently walking down the street, so cannot really dig into my PJ account to tell you how much it will cost exactly, but an estimate, BEFORE THEY SUSPENDED ORDINARY AIRMAIL, a normal kit will cost around £8 delivered. This of course depend on total weight of your order (you wouldn't just order one will you?), mode of posting etc. The trouble is JP Post had suspended airmail to UK, so I suspended purchase from PJ as Fedex/DHL is stupidly expensive. 1999 no longer sells Tamiya, if not, they will be cheaper for shipping as they offer surface, if you are willing to wait 3 months. 

All I know and had experienced about PJ and HMRC is in that thread you quoted. Don't think I can add much more to that. Keep the total below £135, and it is definitely better off than MMS. 

(PS I had rumbled on a bit and trying on the phone while walking down the road is not easy, if I missed anything, just ask again) 

[alvinlwh 5894]

19 minutes ago, GeeWings said:

 

I hope you don’t mind @alvinlwh

Nothing! I spent ALL the money! 

[Bwaaatch 528]

9 minutes ago, alvinlwh said:

Yes, I am UK based but this is not a deliver to UK order. I got it delivered to my mum half way across the world (closer to JP, and therefore cheaper postage). This order, is >£200 if it is  to UK will almost definitely get hit by tax. 

I also got a MST MTX-1, Kyosho NSR500, DF-02 Aero Avante and a GH2 waiting for me there to collect in person in October. I am going for a BIL wedding so pre-purchasing as much as I can before I arrive. This will help me plan my return trip luggage easier rather than buying on arrival, all just logistics. 

If you had seen some of my older posts, I am thinking of starting a Mini 4WD themed cafe. Most if these are not actually for myself but intended to hand out to my kids' friends to be used in my market research group. 

MMS is the only UK based retailer I know about and they are really expensive, especially the track, essential for racing Mini 4WDs, another item I will be getting while out there. Again, thanks to fellow member, OoALEJOoO, I know the price. 

I am currently walking down the street, so cannot really dig into my PJ account to tell you how much it will cost exactly, but an estimate, BEFORE THEY SUSPENDED ORDINARY AIRMAIL, a normal kit will cost around £8 delivered. This of course depend on total weight of your order (you wouldn't just order one will you?), mode of posting etc. The trouble is JP Post had suspended airmail to UK, so I suspended purchase from PJ as Fedex/DHL is stupidly expensive. 1999 no longer sells Tamiya, if not, they will be cheaper for shipping as they offer surface, if you are willing to wait 3 months. 

All I know and had experienced about PJ and HMRC is in that thread you quoted. Don't think I can add much more to that. Keep the total below £135, and it is definitely better off than MMS. 

(PS I had rumbled on a bit and trying on the phone while walking down the road is not easy, if I missed anything, just ask again) 

Thanks so much for this amazing answer!

i’f forgotten about your care plans. You can still count me in for an overpriced latte with twin stars foam art!

[alvinlwh 5894]

24 minutes ago, Bwaaatch said:

an overpriced latte

Yes, robbing the parents blind is part of my business plan! 🤣

[alvinlwh 5894]

53 minutes ago, GeeWings said:

 

I hope you don’t mind @alvinlwh

I showed my wife this and she set me a challenge. HK by 2024, empty a shop. 

[GeeWings 2830]

2 minutes ago, alvinlwh said:

I showed my wife this and she set me a challenge. HK by 2024, empty a shop. 

Glad I could help

[alvinlwh 5894]

4 minutes ago, GeeWings said:

Glad I could help

You know what they say about the Internet being a bad influence... 

[Aerobert 2136]

An additional differential nut as on my first order I somehow just ordered one.  

And a set of metal bevel gears to justify the postage.

 

[53HRA 555]

Delivered from Fusionhobbies with a free (unexpected) ESC and a pack of sweets. Now that’s service!

[Gabranth 216]

Hubs and pinion for my TD2. Ordered tire inserts as well but that one hasn't arrived yet.

[YelloMello 99]

 

After building so much 80´s ReRe dreams of my childhood, I am on a very strange runner building trip. I picked up a Sand Viper already. I think I want to build some usable runners that aren't subject to the circumstances of the 80's. I have no idea if I'm right about that. Here is the newest very lazy upcomming build of a Plasma Edge II with prepainted body. CVA Shocks are included, need ball bearings, a faster motor, and a 17 and 19 steel pinion. What would you recommend? I am going NiMh. 

[silvertriple 3557]

Few parts I luckily catched at incredibly low prices arrived yesterday, mainly for the Ninja/Coors/Shogun project...

First a lot of parts in which is there is some gears and diff for the Ninja/Coors/Shogun, some Samurai parts, and some Marui 2WD parts (i'll get on those later on :-) )...


Then a Ninja body set, found on ebay early this week, for less than the price of a TBG reproduction body... I did not even thought twice before clicking buy... I was missing stickers for the Ninja. This means I'll have a shelf body and a runner body. For the runner body, i'll build masks from a scan of the original stickers...


I have a a Super Wheelie waiting for me with a friend in an unknown state. I'll get it probably in the second half of August. In the meantime I have found a set of wheels


And the parts coming into this lot I received maybe very useful for this Super Wheelie. But there is some details about Marui history that are called back by some of those parts...


Both set are also for the famous MT60-RC09 Mitsubishi kit which appeared in Marui's 1986 catalog and which was never released. I have parts for a car which never existed :-)
 

[Willy iine 18805]

Nothing real exciting, but a new set of Tamiya’s basic file set.   My old one bought in 2014 is finally starting to show some uneven wear so decided to retire that one to my tool box for the house and get me a new one for my plasticard builds.   

 

[berman 5315]

On 7/29/2022 at 9:42 PM, Jonathon Gillham said:

I reckon its the same everywhere. A TT02 kit may be NZD200 but steering upgrade is NZD80. Does anyone really pay that? I doubt it. The hopups are ridiculously priced locally, but always reasonable in HK....

Anyway, bought a SkyRC TS120 for the Durga today. I reckon mod class will be a bit of fun!

Where are you finding them for $200? Cheapest I've seen is $230 for the 92 Audi.

Lotus turned up. Will post pic and edit when host wants to work.

 

 

[Jonathon Gillham 4605]

4 hours ago, berman said:

Where are you finding them for $200? Cheapest I've seen is $230 for the 92 Audi.

Lotus turned up. Will post pic and edit when host wants to work.

 

 

I haven't looked for a while but one of the base kits was around $200 on sale last time I looked, could even be the $230 you mention but my bad memory and rounding errors made it $200?

Happy birthday for the other day too, enjoy the Lotus build.

[berman 5315]

4 hours ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

I haven't looked for a while but one of the base kits was around $200 on sale last time I looked, could even be the $230 you mention but my bad memory and rounding errors made it $200?

Happy birthday for the other day too, enjoy the Lotus build.

Ahh fair enough. I'm not wanting to buy one but at $200ish even I'm raising an eyebrow.. 🤨

You'd have to get in before the stock car guys buy and split them anyway.