Threaded Mode | Linear Mode

**winstoncds** · 09-04-2009, 03:07 AM

I got the checkered sheets laser printed. So I am hoping there will no sticky ink and I am hoping the ink is water proof too. I didn't laminate it because sticking them together would be a problem.

I got the garage tools from this site on E(vil)bay USA. Northern Tools There was a sale on the site a few months ago and got 3 sets for 5$ each. It would have normally cost me not less than 100$ excluding shipping to a US address. Got the entire lot for 30 USD including shipping. Not gloating about it but this was the deal of a lifetime for me.
I have again asked the Modelart guys to get such kits for us here apparently they think its a NO SALE.

vaas2000 · 09-04-2009, 04:15 AM

Diablo Wrote:I got the checkered sheets laser printed. So I am hoping there will no sticky ink and I am hoping the ink is water proof too. I didn't laminate it because sticking them together would be a problem.

I got the garage tools from this site on E(vil)bay USA. Northern Tools There was a sale on the site a few months ago and got 3 sets for 5$ each. It would have normally cost me not less than 100$ excluding shipping to a US address. Got the entire lot for 30 USD including shipping. Not gloating about it but this was the deal of a lifetime for me.
I have again asked the Modelart guys to get such kits for us here apparently they think its a NO SALE.

Thanks for details diablo! The garage set is indeed deal of a lifetime! lucky you Smile

I was hoping against all odds that it would be a ebay site of india Sad

Anyways, will keep an eye on this site in future Smile

Yeah, model art guys behave like dictators, they are better off now with buragos and UT models in their collection, earlier it was just maisto, autoart, signature and someother german brand which costs minimum of 6.5k, they have a dakar rally model and madmax car costing the same!
I just hope they bring welly in future too.

karansharma8783 · 09-04-2009, 04:53 AM

I think the German brand you are referring to is Franklin Mint, which is useless to look at since they are even more obscenely priced than AutoArt and the quality you get in return is amazing, no doubt, but it's not that amazing that you should pay 7000 bucks for one.

**winstoncds** · 09-04-2009, 05:00 AM

Franklin Mint is American and their models sold for silly prices even ages ago. Can you imagine 125 USD for a 1:24 C5 Corvette when a UT 1:18 C5 sold for about 25-30 USD. There were enough people to lap up the FM models too. I think FM even had a customer support centre set up in India back then to take calls from collectors in the West. I don't know how that went cause I can imagine the Indian employees having absolutely no clue about the hobby back then and their response to the customers. I have seen people actually call names to the Indian call centre guys for their 'ignorance' and even tried to reason with the so-called know all 'white man' who was still stuck in the dark ages. Not all of them were rude with many keen to know how BPOs operate in India.

***aritrim*** · 09-04-2009, 05:08 AM

Frankly speaking, I have never been able to justify paying more than 100 USD for a 1:18 model - whatever make - whatever model. That is the reason probably I did not buy the Bently Arnage by Minichamps even though I want it so badly.

It is also embarrassing when a visitor to your collection (a friend or a relative) - asks "hey do you have a Rolls Royce Phantom?" ..."Umm no".

What they do not know is it costs more than 450 USD for that 1:18 one.

http://www.exoto.com/s/1/ProductList.asp...buteId=409

I cannot justify that price in my mind. So I will not bother about it.

Personally, I will not pay more than 100 usd for a 1:18 model. At least thats the way it has been till now.

vaas2000 · 09-04-2009, 05:25 AM

karansharma8783 Wrote:I think the German brand you are referring to is Franklin Mint, which is useless to look at since they are even more obscenely priced than AutoArt and the quality you get in return is amazing, no doubt, but it's not that amazing that you should pay 7000 bucks for one.

Forgot this brand, yeah they have the big F too Big Grin

But the big F brand Big Grin

are all vintages as far as i've seen, they've even got a horse carriage!
The german brand that i saw was something else, their models were more recent ones like Autoart but quality was on par with autoart but pricier than autoart. They sure had rare scale models from that make, not the regular cars. Will get details by weekend and will let you guys know about it.

karansharma8783 · 09-04-2009, 07:24 AM

aritrim Wrote:Frankly speaking, I have never been able to justify paying more than 100 USD for a 1:18 model - whatever make - whatever model. That is the reason probably I did not buy the Bently Arnage by Minichamps even though I want it so badly.

It is also embarrassing when a visitor to your collection (a friend or a relative) - asks "hey do you have a Rolls Royce Phantom?" ..."Umm no".

What they do not know is it costs more than 450 USD for that 1:18 one.

http://www.exoto.com/s/1/ProductList.asp...buteId=409

I cannot justify that price in my mind. So I will not bother about it.

Personally, I will not pay more than 100 usd for a 1:18 model. At least thats the way it has been till now.

Rightly said Ari. In fact, if you are ready to pay upwards of $450 for a 1:18 scale model, then, hell, you might as well go and buy the real thing. Why spend so much on a mere replica?

vaas2000 · (This post was last modified: 09-04-2009 09:03 AM by vaas2000.)

aritrim Wrote:Frankly speaking, I have never been able to justify paying more than 100 USD for a 1:18 model - whatever make - whatever model. That is the reason probably I did not buy the Bently Arnage by Minichamps even though I want it so badly.

It is also embarrassing when a visitor to your collection (a friend or a relative) - asks "hey do you have a Rolls Royce Phantom?" ..."Umm no".

What they do not know is it costs more than 450 USD for that 1:18 one.

http://www.exoto.com/s/1/ProductList.asp...buteId=409

I cannot justify that price in my mind. So I will not bother about it.

Personally, I will not pay more than 100 usd for a 1:18 model. At least thats the way it has been till now.

450$ for a scalemodel! I won't EVER even think of blowing such hard earned cash on a scalemodel. I personally don't think any scalemodel is worth over Rs 2000 bucks, it doesn't make sense to me to buy even a 3k model because after all it's a scalemodel and it will sit pretty in showcase, not every day you will keep seeing it or admiring it's "features" or finishing. I would rather invest anything more than 2k on other productive things that i would need like gadgets or riding gears. That's the reason am still not picking up the silver arrow which after discount is coming to 2.5k. My 2k mental barrier is not allowing me to shell out the extra 500 bucks for it.
For me numbers matter too, if iam blowing even 5k on scalemodel purchases then i expect to come home atleast with 3 cars or more than a dozen 1:12 bikes.

**winstoncds** · 09-04-2009, 02:08 PM

450 USD is crazy money by any stretch of imagination and Vasant you pretty much said it all. These are kept in the cabinet after all with no other useful function. Sometimes I wonder why I am collecting models too and I realise I have always loved cars from the time I can remember. I wanted to stand at the window seat of the bus to look down at cars. All my clothes had to have a picture of a car on them though my parents not always agreed with that. I wanted a compound full of Mercedes Benz but now I realise that it would be really stupid to do that. So when I had the means, I got into this hobby. When the disposable income increased a bit, I went into little more expensive cars. But thats all changed now. I always believe that I have been at the right place at the right time. I now have next to no place to keep the models, prices have gone through the roof and now with our new born, priorities have shifted tremendously. I might get that occasional model that I need but it better be within by set budget. No extravagant spending till my kids finish college and are on their own feet.

gtmaniac · 09-04-2009, 04:44 PM

When I started collecting, my intention is that I buy a bunch of cars I like very much.

Now, I just found out I like too many cars. Even the cars that not in the list also I ended up buying it.

Yesterday when I picked up my Autoart Shelby GT which arrived at nikhil yesterday, just for fun(!), I asked them to open box of the Rs7990 Bugatti Veyron. I told you previously that this thing I definately not in my list and I've no intention to buy it, ever. And, after seeing the car in flesh, I fall in love instantly! It is soo beautiful! The way it was packed.. magnifiying glass.. certificate..etc.. Really tempted to empty my wallet yesterday to get one! But this month, I've got 2 Aas already.. both cost me Rs10,000.

And shall I remind you I have 4 kids...