Jump to content
c64orinoco

Are Frogs an endangered species?

Recommended Posts

My wife wants to know what I want for my birthday (well, she will in four months or so) and of course I want a Frog.

But they seem to be getting rare... should I buy one now and, er, put it "aside" until the time rolls around?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hard to say, but you're right... ever since the new distributor took over, haven't seen the Frog kits restocked in quite a while. Ditto Brat kit too. Just endless Grasshopper & Hotshot kits.

Are you buying from LHS? Where do you go? Used to watch Hobbico & these days Walters in Newcastle for indicators of fresh stock arrivals.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Watching Hobbyco (QVB store is 2 blocks from my work, they had some 2 weeks ago) and Frontline (online - out of stock). I notice they are out of stock at RC Mart, too. I'm thinking of forgoing some parts I was going to get and maybe get a Frog instead if they are becoming rare. 

Is it just the post Xmas 'waiting for the next ship' thing we get with everything in Australia? Or are they running out? Are they still in production?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Eeep, just checked Hobbyco - they've even sold out of Hornets, let alone Frogs. Hmmm impusle buy coming this weekend I think.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

All of the above! :) let's be honest - nobody really knows, least of all most LHS staff... U & I probably have better idea than all of them combined. 

Re-res are weird... when Hotshot appeared (2007?) we all went crazy thinking its a 1-batch wonder, I myself bought three... yet today they're still on sale today a decade on. Ditto Scorcher, Buggy Champ, GH, Hornet, VLB... usually Frog and Brat too... they seem to run another batch few mths after stock dries up, no announcements anything. Comes & goes.

Then there's other models like Boomerang & Astute (I think), the first batch sells out and nothing else the few years later they make big hoohaa about another lot being made. As a runner Boomerang is superior to Hotshot IMHO. 

Plus there's some models that do become 1-batch wonders like Fighting Buggy (well, 1 batch each in 2 releases) and many of the previous bodyshells remade on TT01 kits. Fox & wildOne seem to have disappeared too when IMHO there's still market demand; FAV got churned out a few times but haven't seen much since - guess Nobodys buying. 

If you've got a deadline of May, yeah hard to negotiate timeframe - grab a kit wherever you can. LHS here sold out, last price $245.

Or get a Comical Frog! $250... I'm hoping that one's arrival might increase demand for the real Frog, they might make another batch.

 

The other most annoying thing with rere biz is T either never remakes the original useful hopup parts, or they make some new good hopup options but they become 1-batch wonders! :( parts like balldiff for SRB; CVDs for Frog disappeared for a while but seem to have reappeared sporadically.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Tower and/or amain always has them...justed checked..still there now...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Walter got Frog up on fleaBay for $195 plus $22 post if you CBF'd driving down there :) 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Not sure how it works for you folks in Australia but I just bought one on Amazon for $170.  Shipped for free from Japan.  Box was opened but all the parts were there.  How are the shipping costs to Australia from RC Mart?  For us in California shipping costs are more than the cost of the model.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, CJ Topspin said:

Nevermind...checked Amazon.com.au....they want an arm and a leg.  Wow.

If they want an arm and a leg, did you give them the finger?

  • Haha 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 hours ago, CJ Topspin said:

Nevermind...checked Amazon.com.au....they want an arm and a leg.  Wow.

One reason why Amazon never really took of down under :o

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 hours ago, CJ Topspin said:

Not sure how it works for you folks in Australia but I just bought one on Amazon for $170.  Shipped for free from Japan.  Box was opened but all the parts were there.  How are the shipping costs to Australia from RC Mart?  For us in California shipping costs are more than the cost of the model.

Are you talking AUD or USD? AUD is weak against USD now (67c ish)

RCmart is too expensive nowadays, their shipping has gone to USD$60-70 easy... not that long ago it was only $30-35 and it'll arrive downunder in 4-7d; last parcel I bought took 2-3wks. 

At the same time our LHSes whinging to distributor/Shizouka about mailorder undercutting them... well they've definitely become more competitive pricewise (or has RCmart been made to jack up their rates?). Main issue now is still needing to wait 2-3mths after they appear in Japan (then SEAsia the week after) and first batch sells out quick.

 

RCmart has listing for Frog at US$140 (that's A$200ish). Airmail for that is $57; total $197 is A$294.

Oz streetprice A$195-250ish.

 

So yeah, local buying is worthwhile... before they pull their stupid stunts :( "sorry but if you buy from online store we must ship to you. We don't care if you've actually arrived and standing right here instore wanting to collect, your order is sitting right there ready to be parcelled and not yet posted..." after which it takes further 10d to turn up (yeah we're talking local snailmail. Geez.)

Ferchristssake...

I owe them no favours, no qualms about mailordering from Walters interstate. Definitely for A$195+22 from Walters vs LHS for $245+petrol.

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, Re-Bugged said:

One reason why Amazon never really took of down under :o

In the UK (at the moment) Amazon can't do any wrong with the vast majority of the British public even though they (allegedly) are a bit economical with the amount of tax they pay and will never win employer of the year (ignoring that stupid tv advert patting themselves on the back on how fantastic they are with their employees they've needed an advertisement to tell us that-_- ) but we in the UK still invite them into our homes with Alexa even though they have now admitted after years of saying it doesn't watch/listen but they do watch/listen to everything you do we seem to think that's all ok as long as we can get our packets at our door as cheap as possible! So it could be you have morality when it comes to Amazon In Australia I'd like to think you have?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@moffman Anything I’ve looked at on Amazon (sorry going a bit off topic here) has been more expensive than a bricks & mortar HS here anyway. My wife used it once to have something sent straight to the UK to family there but saw a few weeks later some unexplained payments going out the bank, turns out we didn’t ‘untick’ a box in some small print an unknowingly agreed to a monthly subscription 😳. Heck of job to get it undone. 
   I don’t have Alexa or any such device but I would say it’s time to show it the door if you have one 👍🏻

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah sorry guys going off topic and I definitely wouldn't wait to buy a frog but then I don't need any excuse to buy any tamiya kit:rolleyes:!  I've never bought anything from Amazon and as yet I don't think I've ever missed out on anything I always buy local if not I buy from an independent especially when it come to my rc's👍

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 1/28/2020 at 6:11 PM, Re-Bugged said:

Don’t buy from these people, i thought i would support Australian companies, but their lack of professionalism , and  care, really shone through, when their is a concern. (even block emails)

They thought that wrapping a $450 kit in a single layer of thin cardboard would prevent damage 🤬

61010B6A-BBA0-423E-90EF-DC734EE8104E.jpeg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
20 minutes ago, madmickmalone said:

Don’t buy from these people, i thought i would support Australian companies, but their lack of professionalism , and  care, really shone through, when their is a concern. (even block emails)

They thought that wrapping a $450 kit in a single layer of thin cardboard would prevent damage 🤬

 

last year I was lucky enough to buy a number of re-res, the ones hobby stores like Crazy Hobbies were all wrapped like that. None were damaged though, I think they do that as Aust Post postage costs are crazy high. Its still better than no wrapping though, like I got from one eBay seller :huh:

vintage-damaged-boxes-Honda-S800-1.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 30 January 2020 at 8:38 PM, moffman said:

...we seem to think that's all ok as long as we can get our packets at our door as cheap as possible! So it could be you have morality when it comes to Amazon In Australia I'd like to think you have?

Pffft! As if. :) 

More like Amazon AU made big hoohaa when they arrived 2ish yrs ago, but when I went on searching for stuff discovered they barely had 1/10th of what I could find on Amazon US. Might as well just keep using Amazon US or fleaBay or go direct to each store. 

 

Stop buying cheap junk, ppls!

It all ends up in landfill, what a waste of finite resources.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, yogi-bear said:

Its still better than no wrapping though, like I got from one eBay seller :huh:

vintage-damaged-boxes-Honda-S800-1.jpg

O wait... contents arrived safe? with Box lid unsealed to the bottom? :) 

Have received a few of those, both from stores & private sales... but they've taped lid to bottom. So it's all covered in taping tape crud. Some just texta address on.

Best one was where packer bothered unstapling the box lid, flipped it over and reassembled inside out - pretty ingenious.

Actually no, even better - somebody sent me a TA04S Chassis Kit (which comes in a T carry case) and he's unfolded & refolded inside out too. Neat.

Then again, when RC4WD sent my TF2 all they did was to shrinkwrap in clear heatshrink and stuck mailing labels on that. Arrived ok without too much box damage but jeez all 6 kitbox panels are printed full colour spruiking what's inside. 

 

Can't complain... I think we're oddities in wanting to receive pristine kit boxes. Most others just see it as useless packaging for next week's recycling collection. 

Main headache is when I send something, I want to send it how I would like to receive it... yeah often handmake custom double boxes etc, securing insides properly so fragile bits don't get crushed by other bits etc. It takes a long time!

And once I tried to replicate StellaModels packaging (fill up all voids inside kit, bubblewrap that kitbox, cut 6 sheets of 10mm styrofoam to cover bubblewrapped kitbox, put that in an outer double walled corro box custom fitted to exact size of styrofoamed kitbox. Glue shut all the flaps of box with hotglue. Cut and apply edge protectors. Finally use clear packing tape to cover every inch of cardboard.) then apply shipping labels. That took me 2 hours!! :wacko:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

50 minutes ago, Mokei Kagaku said:

"Are Frogs an endangered species?"

It certainly isn't where I live (photo 1km from home): :P

83220024_10156548415857407_7246350310778

crikey, how big are your frogs there?!

 

Are they as dangerous as wombats? :) 

wombat-crossing.jpg

If we run into a wombat, they're a pretty solid 30kg lump of muscle... it's possible to rip out your whole front suspension and cripple your car in the middle of nowhere.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yet in Tasmania the Roo’s are that big apparently they will lift you car :blink:

3CBB84A2-5472-478F-9517-FEBA49A88F0C.jpeg

  • Haha 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
27 minutes ago, WillyChang said:

crikey, how big are your frogs there?!

:lol::lol: The warning is that for a different reason than for the wombats!

In some areas, like the pictured road close to my home, incredible numbers of frogs cross the road in the spring and when vehicles run over them, the resulting frog-marmalade makes the road extremely slippery! Thus the traffic sign.

  • Haha 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...