Kit boxes. Keep or Bin them?

[christam]

Just wondering what members do with their empty kit boxes? Got quite a few now, but are they worth hanging onto?

Majority of them are TT01/E & TT02 & M05.

[svenb]

I keep mine but only if its got nice box art, some of the later kits just have a standard box with a photo of the enclosed model, not good!

[KEV THE REV]

If you kept them for a very long time ( many years ) they might be worth something .Vintage boxes are collectible , as back in the day they were usually thrown out  Newer boxes are useful for storing spare parts in to give them a use as opposed to binning them. I have loads of vintage boxes which I collected to go with the model , but I also have newer boxes for storing parts in

[Grumpy pants]

I sling them out as they just hang around for years gathering dust!

I can't see the point to be honest of hoping they might be worth something in 20 years time 😆

[VagabondStarJXF]

I keep mine just in case either 1) I decide to sell a model so it can go in it's appropriate box, or 2) I somehow manage to afford a place with the space to put my models on display, with boxes, in full Tamiya promo poses. But. that might just be me though.

[racer1]

Over the years I have simply folded the tops down so they are flat and used them as ceiling art in my basement and hobby room. Makes a great way to cover up the rafters if you have them exposed like I do in my basement where the hobby room exists. 

 

 

[Swarm]

Depends on the rarity of the kit ,if a vintage kit I would keep it as they can fetch good coin on fleabay .

Having said that I keep everything anyway

[WillyChang]

Modern kit boxes are usually pretty handy for putting the built car back in; if not then I'd usually have a box full of spares and leftover/replaced bits anyway. Plus they're usually common sized, so very nice for stacking on shelves.

Vintage wide & flat kits are annoying spacehogs when car can't go back in without disassembly... worst are the giant Bruiser/Mountaineer boxes.  Lucky they just fit 3 brown card body parts set boxes though.

i love the touringcar carrycase boxes though, ever since the first arrived with TA04PRO... just perfect for 1 car with body.

Not sure what T was thinking with the carry boxes for M03/M05 though... they don't fit inside!  yeah a TamtechGear fits inside ok, not a Mini 

[Klausen]

I keep them all. Love the boxart and for me they are part of the collection. I also use them to keep spareparts for the model the box belongs to. Must admit they take up a lot of space though.

[speedy_w_beans]

Keep.  They make a good inner layer when selling and shipping a car later.

[Terz1]

I keep mine. It seems a shame to throw them away. I've seen some on ebay trying to sell them for £20. Didn't look at the listing properly to see if they are vintage or not but for that price you'd think they were. 

[Theibault]

The only kit boxes I keep are Tamiya ones. I bin any other makes box lol.

[khyzersoze]

Keep them all.

[Dangerseeker]

i'd like to keep them exspecially the ones with boxart (not fotos), but there is not enough room to store the boxes. thus, they are recycled and end up as probably another box for another car 

[Crash Cramer]

Well, call me silly, but since I had the kit box, I sold a Blazing Star assembled WITH its box last week. I think the buyer was happy to have the whole "kit" AND, call me even sillier, but I just BOUGHT a kit box, paid nearly $50usd FOR SHIPPING IT, I certainly hope it arrives in good enough condition to warrant that cost or I will be after the seller for a refund at best. I will post that box when I get time as I have the model to put inside the box, I am hoping that if I should ever sell that vehicle, the box will help boost interest and price.

[NWarty]

I only have four boxes, but I like keeping them and the manuals as part of the whole shabang.

[Truck Norris]

I bought a Lancia 037 (2003) part built on eBay US. It came with the box but I wasn't that bothered about it and I saw firefoxussr on here was after one, so back across the pond it went! If you're going to chuck them it's probably worth asking on here. Even if it's just for the cost of postage it might make someone's day

Another anecdote - I bought an F40 NIB but the box lid was ripped. Found a built one on eBay with a good box so bought that, swapped the lids over then sold the built car again (with much better photos and a more comprehensive description it sold for more so a free box lid and a couple of quid for my time too - it pays to put the effort in when selling!).

I've got a selection of boxes, probably more than actual kits as Tamico like to pack parts in them. I've opened a Tamico box and been surprised and delighted to see some rare old car that I might have been sent by mistake, only to have hopes dashed when it's just a couple of modern bodies I've ordered!

[Crash Cramer]

WOW, that would be a nice surprise and let down, but as you mentioned, could possibly make a sale or trade with said box that you got for nothing, so win win win, for recycling. I have a beat up old HotShot box that I have been kicking around the idea of framing it to both flatten it and keep some integrity to the torn and worn thing.

[Saito2]

I keep every single one. Then again, I also keep spent grease tubes, oil bottles, etc. When I was a kid my parents made me toss my boxes. I pleaded with them and they let me cut out and hang the box fronts as a "compromise". I asked if I could save my two oldest boxes because of their age and was allowed to. They tossed them out anyway the first chance they got. So now, I keep and display every one of them. I love Tamiya boxart with a passion. After all, its what first caught my eye in a hobby shop all the decades ago.

[mongoose1983]

I like to keep things just as they were sold back in the day.

I understand the members above saying the new kit boxes are awful (Oh, I do agree!), but since I only do old stuff then those have the nicest boxes a toy car can ever have! I just wish I could have all of the boxes for all of the cars that I have. They're total must-haves!

[Phil_H]

For reference I sold a Re-Re Grasshopper box last week for £13 on eBay + Shipping.

Worth a couple of pints....or tins of Tamiya paint  

[Andyfish2000]

I keep them all.  I love the look of them all piled up on a shelves nearly as much as the cars on display.  Happy to receive any that are being thrown out!

[KEV THE REV]

3 hours ago, Phil_H said:

For reference I sold a Re-Re Grasshopper box last week for £13 on eBay + Shipping.

Worth a couple of pints....or tins of Tamiya paint  

Yep , boxes = cash in some cases , take a Blazer / Hilux kit box BIG BUCKS !! - even Holiday buggy / Sand Rover for instance

 

2 hours ago, Andyfish2000 said:

I keep them all.  I love the look of them all piled up on a shelves nearly as much as the cars on display.  Happy to receive any that are being thrown out!

It's great seeing boxes piled up , looks & feels like your in a model shop

[blue303]

I keep them. The make great storage for parts & bodies.

[SNAKEBITE]

It's all about the room, or lack of it for me.

The boxes I have are still on the able from Xmas, but I feel their time is limited.......