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jellon

Mini 4WD stockist in the UK

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Hi - I'd love to have a few of these around the house - but it is difficult to get in the UK.

The cheapest I can find for a lunch box kit is around 30 quid delivered. Seems rather steep for what is a rather nicely made toy.

Does anyone know a reasonable place to buy in the UK - or should I just accept the price. Let's be honest..... I'll end up buying one anyway.

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Admittedly from a while back, but I think that Manchester Model Shop are one of the few UK stockists of mini 4wd kits and parts:

https://www.manchestermodelshop.co.uk/shop/tamiya-17003-wild-mini-4wd-132-vanessas-lunch-box-monster-truck-van/

£25 so a bit cheaper (but plus postage), but the other mini 4wd kits of cars for use on the track are cheaper - I think the "off-road" ones like the Lunchbox are just a bit more anyway.

They will also take pre-orders of bigger items like mini 4wd track (which is pretty expensive even in Japan), but I'm not sure whether they are having trouble getting that stuff at the moment as shipping is probably a pain.

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On 2/4/2021 at 9:05 AM, jellon said:

Hi - I'd love to have a few of these around the house - but it is difficult to get in the UK.

The cheapest I can find for a lunch box kit is around 30 quid delivered. Seems rather steep for what is a rather nicely made toy.

Does anyone know a reasonable place to buy in the UK - or should I just accept the price. Let's be honest..... I'll end up buying one anyway.

Manchester Model Shop is the only one I know and they do not have a good selection. I recently bought a few from PJ and 1999, even with postage and possible tax "fines", they are still far cheaper to buy from Japan than from in the UK.

£5 -7 per car (non set) plus postage works out to be about £10 per car from Japan. If your order is big enough, the tax "fees" by RM will be watered down so to speak, which still compares favourably to UK price. The Lunchbox Jr you desire costs £8 something (depending on exchange rates of the day) from 1999 (slightly cheaper from PJ). Total with postage (for just this one item) will total £18.90. This will be spread out if you buy more items, such as the LB + Motor + some smaller hop ups.

Speaking of Mini4WDs, do you have access to a track? I had half a dozen cars but nowhere to run them as it is impossible to buy a track at a reasonable price here. HLJ has one and the base cost is a very reasonable £50 something but postage is £60 something. I am hoping to buy one or two of the tracks in person when I fly out to the Far East next year (covid permitting) in person.

Finally, some pictures for you to enjoy. :D (RC vehicles included as not to break the no non-RC rule!)

IMG_20210818_140706.thumb.jpeg.1e713ff0c3dcfc1401a3ed1d8f4a22c0.thumb.jpeg.052580df592e51a7b1a7a86f3704df5c.jpeg

830001444_IMG_20210828_182922(1).thumb.jpg.283b824d43520cbfc01b5e1c8e52805c.jpg.b0e767bbb5824b3a0676186735d7a4a5.jpg

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Rcjaz shipping is even more bonkers - £125 for the £56 2-lane track loop!

MMS said to me early last year that the track prices last time they got them were:

Tamiya 69569 Mini 4WD 1:32 Oval Home Circuit & Lane Change - £115.00 Tamiya 94892 Mini 4WD 1:32 3 Lane Jr Circuit & Lane Change - £225.00

But that you have to ask to be put on the waiting list and they come by sea so they take a while and usually sell before they make it to the website.  Tbh given the crazy shipping prices those don't look too bad?  Definitely the cars and parts are a lot cheaper direct from Japan so I might have to do that when I get more.

Shipping used to be a lot cheaper but I think some sites have had to drop a load of the cheaper shipping options since covid.

The boxes for the track are really big, and that's why the shipping costs are so high, so you might have trouble bringing them back on a plane?

To make this mildly RC-related, I'd love it if Tamiya would do micro RCs and tracks based on the mini 4wd models themselves rather than the crazy conversion kits people end up making :D

Edited by legooolas
typos fixed

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23 minutes ago, legooolas said:

Rcjaz shipping is even more bonkers - £125 for the £56 2-lane track loop!

Shipping, import taxes, VAT, etc... That's what made the cost of out hobby so expensive here in the UK. The last time I flew out to HK (similar low price as JP and just as good a choice), I bought so much that the price difference more than covered the price of my flight. And my strategy was to ship them (surface) to myself as they will not all fit in my luggage! 

23 minutes ago, legooolas said:

The boxes for the track are really big, and that's why the shipping costs are so high, so you might have trouble bringing them back on a plane?

Depending on which one, the 2 lanes or 3 lanes one. I used to have a 2 lane one in my youth and it wasn't too bad. Which one to get this time, I am undecided at this point as I need to see them in person. They are big but light. I have 4 pax, so 4 luggages. I usually also pay extra to get one or two extra check-in luggages, therefore allowing me to split the contents. Using the  same strategy with model kits (static models back then), flattening the box and placing the contents into another kit box. 

23 minutes ago, legooolas said:

To make this mildly RC-related, I'd love it if Tamiya would do micro RCs and tracks based on the mini 4wd models themselves rather than the crazy conversion kits people end up making 

They do. Look up SU-01 on YouTube and also the look again at my Aero Avante picture. The bigger one IS a mini 4WD style 1/14 RC with rollers that works (front currently, rear on order with 1999). Sadly the SU-01 chassis only has 2 shells and only 1 is available for sale anywhere. 

(PS typing on small phone screen so my post may seem a bit disjointed/incoherent) 

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31 minutes ago, legooolas said:

Rcjaz shipping is even more bonkers - £125 for the £56 2-lane track loop!

MMS said to me early last year that the track prices last time they got them were:

Tamiya 69569 Mini 4WD 1:32 Oval Home Circuit & Lane Change - £115.00 Tamiya 94892 Mini 4WD 1:32 3 Lane Jr Circuit & Lane Change - £225.00

Screenshot_2021-09-03-18-30-40-862_com.android.chrome.thumb.jpg.632f00619a74782415285a66dbe872ad.jpg

MMS prices are very reasonable considering you will not risk getting the import tax "fine". HOWEVER considering how much it will cost IF I can buy it in person out there, I held off my purchase. Imagine £50 saving for just this, multiply it by other stuff I will definitely be also buying. The difference will more than cover the £500 flight. 😁

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Big Mini 4wd drive fan here …

I've recently started buying direct from japan using buyee.jp, an auction proxy service. Setup very easy (login with Apple, FB etc) and you get access to MUCH cheaper base prices for new and vintage kits. You add a small markup, plus shipping and handling (then tax once it it hit UK shores). If you are buying 4 or 5 at once, I think it makes good sense, with prices similar to Manchester Model shop, but a much wider choice, and access to some special edition stuff. You can bid (or buy) from Yahoo, Rakuten and others. You have to search in Japanese (I find translations of car names here: https://mini-4wd.fandom.com/wiki/Mini_4wd_Wiki). Bought about 20 cars so far, and service and easy of use is good. I'm sure other services like this exist, but this one gets my approval and was far less troublesome than I anticipated. Fast delivery too (days, not weeks).

Here's an example of something that I found impossible to get hold of any other way; https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/s1001623141 . It's a limited edition only available as a prize in video arcades in Asia. Currently sits at £13. with all the fees, that might become £25 as part of a batch. But it's a rare item, and that's not much of a premium over retail stuff in the UK.

image.thumb.png.81c2999fa3bc4922cd4703229eb4500d.png 

I use Manchester Model Shop for more regular new releases or smaller orders. They're great.

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Typical, this thread reminded me to go and check in on buyee, and now I'm a lot poorer :-(

On the plus side, I have a set of metallic dash warriors on the way! Like this (but cost a bit more in 2021 money, this listing is from the 2000s, but has nice pics): https://www.hlj.com/racer-mini-4wd-memorial-box-1-metallic-plated-bod-tam94615

Still overall, the price I've paid for these is not much more than more modern non-limited reproductions. 

image.thumb.png.18369389d26b57034c45bd990e761ef2.png

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13 minutes ago, Bwaaatch said:

 

image.thumb.png.18369389d26b57034c45bd990e761ef2.png

Just bought 2 sets of these re-res, the regular limited 1 + 1 sets, not limited limited ones you are showing here. Used to have a Dash-2 (the only one I can remember) in my youth and dying to have one again, in the original Type 3 chassis not the new MS chassis. Really happy to be able to get back one of my childhood toys. 

Question: how do you run your cars? Do you have a club where you are or do you have your own track? 

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8 minutes ago, alvinlwh said:

Just bought 2 sets of these re-res, the regular limited 1 + 1 sets, not limited limited ones you are showing here. Used to have a Dash-2 (the only one I can remember) in my youth and dying to have one again, in the original Type 3 chassis not the new MS chassis. Really happy to be able to get back one of my childhood toys. 

Question: how do you run your cars? Do you have a club where you are or do you have your own track? 

WISH I cool run some properly, but lacking time and infrastructure. Been meaning to get along to a meet up of these guys, but they've been inactive since covid, which is probably sensible: https://mini4wd.uk

I have a two lane track that doesn't get much use, but glad to have it. It lived with a nephew for past 7 year, but i just borrowed it back now my daughter is old enough to enjoy it. Been getting her into the awesome carton (great fan subtitle here: 

 

)

Also, I simply don't build them as much as I used to (except with daughter). I like them all neatly boxed up :-) Hopefully https://mini4wd.uk comes alive again soon and i can consider having a first proper go at racing.

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15 minutes ago, Bwaaatch said:

WISH I cool run some properly, but lacking time and infrastructure. Been meaning to get along to a meet up of these guys, but they've been inactive since covid, which is probably sensible: https://mini4wd.uk

 

Yes, I had see that site. Where are they based? Not that it matters to me since I have to cross an ocean to get to anywhere. 

I had a 2 lane (non Tamiya) track in my youth, 3 decades ago, unfortunately no longer have it anymore now. Hopefully the covid situation will settle down by next year and I can get to the Far East to pick one (or even the 3 lane one) up. 

It is a dream of mine to be able to set up a 4wd themed café. Will be nice if my hobby can be my job. 

I too am getting my daughter into Tamiya and models in general. Just built her (with her help) that remote control Aero Avante for her 5th birthday. And went to get the same car in the tricked out AR set for myself. Picking up some animal specials whenever I have some spare cash, mainly to try out some of the modern chassis and to make it interesting for the kids. Will be a great winter/Christmas activity when we cannot go outside to drive our RC. 

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2 hours ago, alvinlwh said:

Yes, I had see that site. Where are they based? Not that it matters to me since I have to cross an ocean to get to anywhere. 

I had a 2 lane (non Tamiya) track in my youth, 3 decades ago, unfortunately no longer have it anymore now. Hopefully the covid situation will settle down by next year and I can get to the Far East to pick one (or even the 3 lane one) up. 

It is a dream of mine to be able to set up a 4wd themed café. Will be nice if my hobby can be my job. 

I too am getting my daughter into Tamiya and models in general. Just built her (with her help) that remote control Aero Avante for her 5th birthday. And went to get the same car in the tricked out AR set for myself. Picking up some animal specials whenever I have some spare cash, mainly to try out some of the modern chassis and to make it interesting for the kids. Will be a great winter/Christmas activity when we cannot go outside to drive our RC. 

So nice to hear that others on this site enjoy this hobby with their kids. So much for them to learn, and so much fun!

And count me in for a Mini 4wd themed cafe. First customer right here!

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24 minutes ago, Bwaaatch said:

So nice to hear that others on this site enjoy this hobby with their kids. So much for them to learn, and so much fun! 

Whole purpose is to cut down on the number of toys. If father, daughter and son all have the same hobby... 

24 minutes ago, Bwaaatch said:

And count me in for a Mini 4wd themed cafe. First customer right here!

Until you realised where I am and how far you have to travel to get to the cafe! 🤣

Truth be told, Mini 4WD is not my core interest. My core interest is static model, secondary interest is RC. Mini 4WD is more of a side interest, BUT if set in a café setting, that will be what will draw the crowd in. At, say, £15 a car, it is almost pocket money or impulse buy for the parents, will you agree? Also can make some sales from the drinks and snacks to the parents brining their kids to use the track. And of course overpriced hopups and limited editions. 😁

BUT most importantly, I need to get my hands on a track and do some market research first, and getting a track in the UK is the difficult part. So day job (from home) for now at least... 😥

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