Purchasing advice/madness

[Saito2]

So, I was all set give new Tamiya models a rest this year. I have 85 models at last count and have run out of space. Then come the new model announcements and that plan is shot. Sigh. The knee jerk reaction is to grab the TF Evo, CC02 Unimog, Fire Dragon and Thunder Dragon. Once some sanity returns, I drop the idea of the Evo. Its past my era and too expensive. I drop the CC02 too. Unless I can unload my Mountain Rider (which is probably worth very little now thanks to the Chinese knock-off), I really don't need another trail truck no matter how cool and new the platform is.

So, now I'm looking at the Fire and Thunder Dragons. I have the Hot Shot series and am completing the Avante series. It would be nice to add these two to my Thundershot and Terra Scorcher to complete the set. I would like a runner out of the bunch so make that one Fire Dragon and 2 Thunder Dragons please...and no room for any of them. Of course, all three are the same chassis, so building them all up might be tedious and the Terra Scorcher (my last NIB Tamiya build) left me feeling cold for some reason. So cold, in fact, that I avoided the VQS. Its rather high asking price (in my opinion) sealed the deal that Tamiya wasn't getting my coin on that one no matter what childhood memories were attached.

Now here's where things really go off the rails in my head. Well, if I get the Fire and Thunder Dragons, why not the whole Dragon set too? I could get the Super (Storm?) Dragon (which I previously had no interest in before) and convert the Madcap I can't seem to sell into the Saint Dragon.

Of course, all these plans could be dashed based on the asking prices. If the VQS is an indication where prices are headed, no thanks. If the Fire and Thunder Dragon cost the same or more that the fully optioned Terra Scorcher, than no dice. I don't care what the reasoning is. The other factor that stresses me is actually getting them. The Novafox supposedly returned and left, but I'm pretty sure I never saw a hint of it a Tower Hobbies. I hate that "gotta have it" panic induced by potential low production numbers. That's a game I won't play anymore.

So here I am trying to make logical purchasing decisions about a hobby that I'm passionate about. I'm in trouble aren't I?

[markbt73]

85?!? Good grief. I thought my 30 or so was a lot...

It's funny; ten years ago, I felt some of the "gotta have it" urgency when a model came out. I couldn't order a FAV re-release fast enough, and I was so excited about the return of the CC01 Pajero that I bought two (the only time I've ever done that). But now, I don't feel the compulsion to buy something just because it's there. I have most of what I want, and I have a plan I'm trying to stick to to get the rest.

I also noticed something I didn't expect when I built my recent black Clod and King Yellow: I got really disturbed by the number of plastic bags piling up in my trash can. New kits come with an awful lot of waste, especially for someone like me who doesn't keep boxes or other packaging materials. It just seems like a lot of garbage generated for a toy car, and while it never bothered me before, this time it did. And I think it may have put me off new kits for a good long while.

Unless something really extraordinary happens on the re-release front, that is. An early 3-speed Hilux or Blazing Blazer re-re would be impossible to resist, and if Kyosho comes through with the Optima Mid, that could be a problem too. And if Horizon gets Losi back into the game, and brings back a real live 5-link JRX2? I hope they do, but I also kinda hope they don't...

[DayRider]

Can I ask, do you use them all?

[Robert5000]

1 hour ago, Saito2 said:

So, I was all set give new Tamiya models a rest this year. I have 85 models at last count and have run out of space. 

From the bottom of my heart; thank you, I really appreciate this! Best post ever! I sent a screenshot of your post to Her as proof that I’ve hardly got a Tamiya at all. See honey, someone on the internet has loads! 

Best of luck on your Dragon hunting, that sounds as about as sensible a plan as any! 

[Frog Jumper]

Saito,

I’m willing to help with your storage problem.

You can send any number of your cars to me and I’ll be happy to take care of them. When you want them back, they’re yours of course.

No worries. I’ll do some maintenance driving on them to make sure they’re all perfectly functional for their return home.

Once you free up some room, you won’t feel bad about buying both Dragons...  

Terry

 

[Bash]

1 hour ago, markbt73 said:

I thought my 30 or so was a lot...

30?! I have 11 and feel that's a lot.

I'm not sure why, but I've never had that "got to have it" feeling ever with r/c stuff. It's happened for me with some Video Games and hop-up parts, but I've never placed a pre-order on anything. I almost did it when the Losi Mini-T 2.0 came out since it was cheap and I was instantly in love with it, but I talked myself out of it and got a CC-01 instead. 

[DeadMeat666]

31 minutes ago, Bash said:

30?! I have 11 and feel that's a lot.

11?! I have 13 and feel that's a lot.

 

Oh wait.... 

[Killajb]

I'm holding steady at 20, and if I could find a couple of much-desired kits I'd be tempted to let my overly-hopped-up Rising Storm go to make space.  

 

I'm with you @Saito2 ..   the prices of these new releases has put me off altogether.  Wasn't thinking of a Top Force Evo, but sure I'd love to have one.  I was hoping for an Egress but still haven't heard any official announcement date for that.  Would I fork over the asking price for a Top Force Evo instead?  Nope.  I'm sure they will be snapped up quickly enough anyway so cheers to everyone else.  I'll go Losi, Associated, Schumacher or Yokomo hunting instead now.

[Saito2]

1 hour ago, DayRider said:

Can I ask, do you use them all?

No. I run about 35 of them. Some of the remaining ones are retired due to lack of spares, but most are shelf queens. I have 3 NIB and 2 of those will get built at a later date (I have a strange idea I might want to put one together in my 70's, lol). The last will remain NIB. The shelf queen aspect is like having a real life version of the catalogs and guidebooks I studied intently as a kid.

I know, how does one get 85 models? There are duplicates. I have 8 RC10s. Each will have a unique theme when done and they will keep me busy for years. I collect series I like too hence the Hot Shot series and Avante series and most recently, the Kyosho Car Crusher series. If I fall in love with a model, I get a runner. I love the Hot Shot series so in addition to the 6 shelf queens, I run a Hot Shot, Super Shot, Bigwig and my modded Super Boomerhotshoterang. They all make me smile in motion. I have a mess of Clods and ORV monsters too. You can see how this adds up over time.

Aside from something like a re-re Super Sabre (I'd like to scratch build a runner in remembrance of my dad, it was the one Tamiya he showed interest in) or a King Cab, I thought I might be done. The completist in me saw those Dragon cars however and got the gears turning and you can see from my first post where my mind runs away with possibilities from that point, lol. Mostly ditching my 1:1 car habit means RC is all I've got. Writing, drawing and playing guitar are mostly free hobbies for me fortunately.

I'd like to off load some cars like my extra Madcap, Golden Arrow and possibly Mountain Rider and TXT2 but selling is difficult. With the virus, I haven't left my house aside from work or car rides in the country since March, so getting somewhere to ship things ain't happening anytime soon anyway.

Tamiya's seemingly higher pricing has also swelled my collection numbers by tracking down some other desired cars for other manufacturers. Aside from the aforementioned Associated stuff, I grabbed a Losi JRX-Pro and having fallen in love with Kyosho. I even tinker with older- design stuff from Traxxas now (don't hit me), with its ample spare parts support and bulletproof, carefree reliability. Could vintage Traxxas be far behind? Not unless I sell my Nova and take over the garage too, but that's not happening.

[tamiya_1971]

How long have you been collecting?   I wish I had kept every last one of mine the last 35 years. I hit patches of boredom with them and sold them all off only to repurchase a few years later and then do it again. Now, I refuse to sell them unless I am convinced I genuinely have lost interest in a particular model. (Primarily Losi or Traxxas, the cold unfeeling rc’s)
 

I’m completely irritated the Terra Scorcher was limited. I wanted one and missed it. I banked on it being out for a few years. I am in the process of cleaning up an old Thunder Dragon.  Now that it’s being re-released, is this another limited run with no spares anywhere?  I nabbed a Big Wig and Subaru Brat when Tower had their Christmas sales because of the worry of them being discontinued.
 

[Saito2]

9 hours ago, tamiya_1971 said:

How long have you been collecting?   I wish I had kept every last one of mine the last 35 years. I hit patches of boredom with them and sold them all off only to repurchase a few years later and then do it again. Now, I refuse to sell them unless I am convinced I genuinely have lost interest in a particular model. (Primarily Losi or Traxxas, the cold unfeeling rc’s)
 

About 35 years. I guess I took a break for the two years I was away from home at college. In the early years the hobby had to fight for attention with my 1:1 car obsession. (I've owned about 50 of those in my lifetime too, nothing too spectacular, just 60's and 70's cars when they were cheap). I've sold some I lost interest in like my CC01 and Kyosho Blizzard (why would I buy a snowcat when I hate cold weather and snow? Who knows?). Most I've kept though.

With a clearer head and some reflection, I think I'll get one Thunder Dragon as a runner. I thought about what I liked about the Hot Shot and Avante series and much of it is the development and uniqueness of each car in the series. The Thundershot series of cars really isn't all that different aside from the Terra Scorcher. I have the Thundershot and the Terra Scorcher as beginning and end. I'm also not crazy about the Dragon series. Nice to have but not a requirement. Spaceship buggies can be cool, cartoon buggies, a little less so. I'm ok with the Fire Dragon "looks" but I detest had poorly the body was fitted, being shoved far too forward in my eyes (a consequence of being originally intended for the Hornet chassis). So If I want a runner, I'll try my favorite of the Dragon series and wait for the Thunder Dragon (assuming it makes it to the US) and try to get some spares (I know, good luck). Besides, Tamiya might finally bring back something of more importance to me like the Super Sabre, King Cab, Falcon or Sonic Fighter and I'll need space for those (somewhere...).

[Wez-li]

I only have 5 cars at the moment and a couple on the way. 

Buggy - Manta Ray & Avante (on the way) 

On Road - TT02, TA02W and TA02 FRP

Group C - 787b 

Vintage F1 - one on the way. 

The TA02 will be sold soon. 

It's fine if you "want" loads of tamiyas, but you don't "need" them imo. Think some just buy for the sake of buying, like a collector in any hobby I suppose, which is fair enough but I don't feel the need to do that