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Wildest thing you've recently seen (Tamiya/RC related)?

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Happy New Year everyone! 

So I was just taking a break from painting and I started looking at RC groups and fleabay. On the RC groups on social media, I was blown away by some people who have 3-4 NIB kits of the same model. And they'll have other kits as well in multiples. They're mostly untouched and kept in boxes, and from the looks of it, some just keep them for years. I'm not judging and respect people's logic but I probably don't fully understand the idea behind it. The thought of having backups like 4 Egresses + 4 Avantes + etc x4 all NIB perplexes me. 

On fleabay, I saw a TT02 Subaru with what seems some amount of custom work, it was being auctioned at $7,550 US + $350 shipping. The note or selling point was the expenses were spent on tuning and custom 3D work. The work is not my thing and I've seen cleaner work but I was blown away. And even why a TT02 chassis to begin with.

Another was an '89 NIB Egress for $5,500 US and a custom turbine powered M08 for under $6,900 US (both with no free shipping as well). Is it just taking chances if someone bites? I'd like to think it's just them having fun.

Seen anything Tamiya/RC crazy lately?

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Those prices are taking the pi$$ for any kit. I agree with the multiple nib kits aswell.  Why do you need more than one?  That kit could make someone else very happy

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11 minutes ago, slimleeroy said:

Those prices are taking the pi$$ for any kit. I agree with the multiple nib kits aswell.  Why do you need more than one?  That kit could make someone else very happy

To flip it when they’re no longer being made. 

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41 minutes ago, rwordenjr said:

To flip it when they’re no longer being made. 

I don't think that should surprise anyone.  The same phenomenon exists for Lego kits as well.  I was reading a thread recently on another forum, and a couple guys there were talking about how they make better returns buying Lego kits, saving them for a few years, and flipping them for multiples of the original price than pure financial investments in the markets.  The one guy had been doing this for years; he was purchasing as many as he could of final production runs, holding them, and flipping them for profit.  Then he'd reinvest in new final production runs, hold them, and flip.  It got to the point where his initial few thousand dollar investment mushroomed into hundreds of thousands of dollars of returns.  The main limitation/issue he had was the required storage space for holding inventory over a period of time.  It's now a full-time job for him.

We already know there are people in the hobby who are buying multiples of kits and breaking them to make a profit.  I know from rebuilding cars completely from parts that it costs about 2x to 3x normal kit pricing if you hunt down all the fasteners and custom hardware one at a time.  So, the financial incentive is there to buy kits, break them apart for parts, and make 100-200% on the initial investment depending how much of the original material is resold.

I guess some people view their hobbies as businesses, like the guys who stand in line at Academy Sports at 7 AM to buy ammunition and flip it during a shortage, or women who sell time on their long arm quilting machines to other women, or guys who flip Lego kits, or others who break or flip RC kits, or people who run pawn shops.  Somebody is always looking for a way to profit.

 

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I don't have much to add, but I will say that I appreciate the "kit busters" that sell on Ebay.  Most of the time they sell the parts for reasonable prices and a lot of times they are the only place to get the parts.  I don't care that they're making money, good for them in fact.  As far as collectors owning more than one NIB, its definitely not for me (I couldn't even keep one kit NIB, let alone shrinkwrapped), but if that's what they want to do and it makes them happy good for them.  I don't know how they don't at least open them to take a look, that's self control I do not have :)  

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On 1/3/2021 at 5:35 PM, rwordenjr said:

To flip it when they’re no longer being made. 

Just thinking that would be way more a lot of kits to buy to make a decent return. I imagine one would need a lot of space as well to store them. I'm sure it has worked for some.

On 1/3/2021 at 6:55 PM, speedy_w_beans said:

The same phenomenon exists for Lego kits as well. 

I probably can see the lego side of things being more effective with the return and general demand. I'd probably pick that out if I were purely just to make $£

 

On 1/3/2021 at 10:52 PM, 87lc2 said:

I don't have much to add, but I will say that I appreciate the "kit busters" that sell on Ebay.  Most of the time they sell the parts for reasonable prices and a lot of times they are the only place to get the parts.  I don't care that they're making money, good for them in fact.  As far as collectors owning more than one NIB, its definitely not for me (I couldn't even keep one kit NIB, let alone shrinkwrapped), but if that's what they want to do and it makes them happy good for them.  I don't know how they don't at least open them to take a look, that's self control I do not have :)  

Same. I've buy parts from them (is that what people call them? Kit busters?) and it's really helpful. I wish Tamiya would also focus heavily on selling replacement/stock parts and not just upgrades, probably doesn't work with their business strategy.

I did see one guy  with a large amount of mint shelf queens and multiple NIBs—and only has one runner! Made me sad because I would've tried all those great cars out to experience it. But, I respect his decision.

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There’s some bonkers pricing out there, but theres also items that supposedly sell to. Five years ago a nice 58028 would be £500-600, a shelf queen £800. eBay sold items shows the returned runners at £1.2m now. Recent original wild Willy for £1k. I suppose these prices reflect the rises in new kits too. There will also be avid collectors who will pay top dollar to fill gaps in a collection or to get their holy grail.

mental jet engined Tamiya on eBay currently. Goodness knows who’s be brave enough to test it after paying out £8k 

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32 minutes ago, Percymon said:

Goodness knows who’s be brave enough to test it after paying out £8k 

Somebody with more money than sense? :blink:

J

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