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Post by seasider on Mar 2, 2010 14:15:36 GMT
Platime wrote don't buy off ebay! Why not, I use ie got some good bargains very frequently and have got some good bargains as long as you stick to your price it is not a problem. I have a feed back in excess of over 500(mostly model related) if I wasn't getting value I wouldn't be using it
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Post by Rob Monfea on Mar 2, 2010 19:55:54 GMT
I think value for money is in the eye of the beholder. I also think it's fair to say that there is no real correlation between cost and value. It comes down to what one is prepared to pay for a given kit of a given subject.
If the only game in town is an expensive limited run, then it is p to the buyer to decide whether to a)buy it now - hang the expense, b)wait until it drops in price in a few months c) wait for Mr TamiHasiFujiTrumpifix to produce a mainstream one at high street prices.
Personally, I was rather chuffed when I came out of Modelzone in Bromley on Saturday with 2 Revell 1/72 Hunter FGA.9s for £4.99 each!
On and Tim, build that Falcon - if it's anything like the Y-Wing I built last year it will be a well engineered beauty of a kit!
Cheers,
Rob M.
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Post by playtime on Mar 2, 2010 20:25:58 GMT
seasider Context please! - it wasn't a blanket 'ebay = evilbay' comment. I mentioned ebay specifically in relation to the risk of not being able to see what was in the box before purchase, implying the risk of fraud rather than just a dodgy new tooling.
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Post by Ian M Day on Mar 2, 2010 23:17:27 GMT
Rob's hit the nail on't head in one. A kits value is always relative to the potential purchaser. I fancy the new Tamiya Spit, but at £99, I'll give it a miss. If you really want a model that badly, you'll pay the asking price.
This is determined by the manufacturer in the case of 'new' kits, i.e. those in shops etc. On places like e-bay, sellers state the price they want and it's up to the buyer to either pay or not. Even those models going for silly money (in a modellers opinion) will only sell to those who want them.
As for trucks, never built one and probably never will. I've seen Nick's models and could never get that good. Each to their own!
IAN
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2010 23:23:50 GMT
... As for trucks, never built one and probably never will. I've seen Nick's models and could never get that good. Each to their own! Ian, slightly off topic reply here, but I've seen your aircraft, credit where credit's due eh?
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Post by Feanor on Mar 3, 2010 9:22:07 GMT
Ayup Tim...
A very jaded view of the Hobby and one which makes me wonder why you took it up, if it annoys you so much !
I used to see parts count as 'Value' but my opinion's changed. on a 'Money for weight' or 'Money for parts' basis, it could indeed be argued for some kits that the hobby IS indeed an expensive do, but is it? Look at R/C models? especially when you're learning and it crashes into the ground unexpectedly - and you had to build it first !
No, I've learnt that it's actually where you end up that's more Important than where you started. If you want to, you CAN make a silk purse out of a pigs ear, as many, many builds on this site and others will demonstrate what Airfix Kits, and other 'Basic' kits can be bought up to with time and LOTS of Cocktail sticks (Thanks Nick Greenall!) And if you DIDN'T know, Airfix are replacing the older 'Worn-out' kits with new ones. Not perfect, but new and due the same treatment as the old.
Another thing is, I don't think there'll ever be the 'Perfect Kit'. including fit and price. Certainly not Trumpeter ! and TBH, which Kit, Airfix or Trumpeter, would you rather see a newbie make a hash of if YOU had to pay for it ? I know which one i'd buy...
As a member of the Truck SIG too on occasions, I'd say that Truck kits represent VERY good VFM, considering what you can do with them. I only haven't gotten on with my Freightliner Interior and cab, for the last 2 years because I'm scared of messing it up, but when my confidence gets better, (and i get a little Technical advice maybe) It's on my 'To Do and finish' list for Certain, this Year ! I DO feel like I'm getting VFM compared to some of the Hobbies I've had !
Enjoy your Modelling !
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Post by foxy on Mar 3, 2010 10:09:32 GMT
Now thats the first decent reply I have seen and it ended as it should.
(Feaner). 'Enjoy your modeling'.
As Rob pointed out you do have a choice and It sometimes gets you on price I know, having that same problem at the moment, but its down to do you want it and at that amount!!!!!.
To coin a phrase:- Enjoy your Modeling.
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Post by Loiner on Mar 3, 2010 11:21:03 GMT
Interesting discussion.
Many of the new kits are becoming very pricy, but if this is for increasing quality and detail, then in my mind its well worth it, even if it means buying less but conversely spending more time on each to create a higher quality end product. I think it's appreciated that creating new high quality kits must be very costly to the manufacturers, and one can only hope they sell enough to ensure it remains worth their while doing so.
I'm thinking particularly with ship modelling, where a 1:350 kit and full photo etch set may be reaching £100 or more in some cases, but to me is worth more than any number of cheaper lower standard kits, as detail and quality are the making of an attractive ship model. Consequently I've been planning the time and cost for a year to purchase my first 1:350 full kit with p/e and accesories.
For aircraft (and armour), I think there is a good range of prices available; one could go for the top of the range with the Tamiya Spitfire at around £100 which I could fully appreciate, but I tend to go for the middle of the range which in my opinion are well filled by the good range of Revell kits. Examples: recently bought (at full price from retailers) the Revell 1:48 P47N for under £10 which is a high quality kit at the latest standards of detail and surface moulding (panel lines, etc), also got the newly tooled Revell 1:48 Mosquito for under £15 which again is a very detailed and high quality, with a well detailed cockpit and detailed opened up engine and bombay options, also got a Tamiya 1:48th Beuafighter for well under £20; all very good value for money indeed (and that's coming from a tight northerner !) which will give me months of work to do on these three alone. As has been mentioned above, with these 'raw materials' it's then down to the modeller's creativity to turn it into a work of art, and from there I believe the quality of the finish is proportional to the hours invested.
In summary, I agree with the above two; put the time in, and enjoy your modelling.
Rob
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Post by playtime on Mar 3, 2010 23:10:13 GMT
I am also an RC modeller, hence the links to that rather large Do335 earlier. I currently have a trainer and a radio - just under £500. Crashed the bugger badly once so far - repaired for £25 and off I went again. I've just abandoned an 81" Do335 about £400 in. It was going to take another £1100 but I've rather gone off it (shape well off) and will be doing another for around £1500 instead (not the one I linked to - that's assembly not modelling ). A friend of mine has just started racing cars for a hobby. He's not rich and that's cost £1000s so far and he hasn't even raced yet. There are still some new kits I see that I think are worth the money (Academy Raptor £50) but I don't actually have any spare cash at the moment, so I'm building my stash of plastic and balsa instead. Plastic is flippin' cheap by comparison. My entire stash and tools come in under a single decent large scale aircraft with retracts.
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