The 1:18 model car thread - pics & discussion
Discussion
Rich_W said:
TheLordJohn said:
Aside from Exoto (which I can't afford) I've never found better than AutoArt.
Some of Kyoshos stuff is equal to AutoArt in my experience. I'd have to reply with my views that CMC are at the top of the game at the moment, though at a price for sure!
For example I just picked this Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic up.
Here are some of it's features:
You can only turn the steering using the real wooden steering wheel, which is attached though various metal rods to a scale steering box!
The bonnet is paper thin and lifts on intricate hinges
The suicide doors have intricate sliding door stops
The interior is all real leather with carpeting
The door quarter lights are operational
The roof vents are operational
The wheels are removed using metal knock offs which are directional like the real thing.
Some models feel like toys that look like the real thing. This feels like the real car in miniature!
For example I just picked this Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic up.
Here are some of it's features:
You can only turn the steering using the real wooden steering wheel, which is attached though various metal rods to a scale steering box!
The bonnet is paper thin and lifts on intricate hinges
The suicide doors have intricate sliding door stops
The interior is all real leather with carpeting
The door quarter lights are operational
The roof vents are operational
The wheels are removed using metal knock offs which are directional like the real thing.
Some models feel like toys that look like the real thing. This feels like the real car in miniature!
Edited by Guiddy on Thursday 30th November 11:00
Edited by Guiddy on Thursday 30th November 11:01
New (well, old) arrival from Ebay today!
AUTOart Lotus Esprit Turbo (not the James Bond one, just the regular AUTOart Performance version)
This is an older AUTOart piece and you can tell when you look at the details. The doors don't close quite as well (and are almost impossible to open once they are shut!), the interior isn't quite as detailed and you miss out on some later features (such as the pop-up lights, which sadly are just part of the body and not on a toggle switch like the AE86 I have). Still, it looks great overall.
There are a couple of minor marks in the paint to touch up, it needed a good clean and the wing mirrors needed refixing. Overall though easy to get it looking better.
Mmm, red and brown
Doors, front storage compartment and engine cover all open. There's also a removable inner cover over the engine.
With engine cover
Without
The mirrors are now fixed back on and it looks a little less sorry for itself after a clean! Still, for just over £40 I'm happy enough.
AUTOart Lotus Esprit Turbo (not the James Bond one, just the regular AUTOart Performance version)
This is an older AUTOart piece and you can tell when you look at the details. The doors don't close quite as well (and are almost impossible to open once they are shut!), the interior isn't quite as detailed and you miss out on some later features (such as the pop-up lights, which sadly are just part of the body and not on a toggle switch like the AE86 I have). Still, it looks great overall.
There are a couple of minor marks in the paint to touch up, it needed a good clean and the wing mirrors needed refixing. Overall though easy to get it looking better.
Mmm, red and brown
Doors, front storage compartment and engine cover all open. There's also a removable inner cover over the engine.
With engine cover
Without
The mirrors are now fixed back on and it looks a little less sorry for itself after a clean! Still, for just over £40 I'm happy enough.
Guiddy said:
I'd have to reply with my views that CMC are at the top of the game at the moment, though at a price for sure!
For example I just picked this Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic up.
Some models feel like toys that look like the real thing. This feels like the real car in miniature!
Those door and bonnet hinges are excellent for a 1/18 model!For example I just picked this Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic up.
Some models feel like toys that look like the real thing. This feels like the real car in miniature!
Porsche911R said:
Rich_W said:
Some of Kyoshos stuff is equal to AutoArt in my experience.
Kyosho is better imo.kuro said:
Looking through this thread has rekindled my interest in these and may look into picking up a couple of the higher end ones from the likes of Exoto and autoart signature. They do look good but do they really warrant their price tags?
Exoto are the Christopher Ward of diecasts.They have a sale every few weeks where they slash the price.
Buy at the wrong time and you could pay $1000 for a model you can get for $400 a couple of weeks before or after.
Their mid to top end stuff is great, but it's not universally to the same standard and I, personally, find it hard to justify the prices, even in the sales.
Autoart - You can still find bargains. Look on http://www.modelissimo.de or https://ck-modelcars.de - oddly Germany seems the place to buy from - and you'll see some excellent 1:18 diecasts for well under £100 (whether you'll find the kind of thing you want is another question), but AutoArt (and most of the market) is going sealed resin, which I think is a shame.
The exterior finish on some resins is exceptional and there's no doubt that this move is making more models available (some really obscure cars are making it to 1:18), but the real joy of these things for me has always been opening bonnets and doors and finding a hidden detail.
With prices on the rise and resin dominating, I buy far fewer these days (display is also a problem with 1:18s - A few take a lot of space!)
M
marcosgt said:
kuro said:
Looking through this thread has rekindled my interest in these and may look into picking up a couple of the higher end ones from the likes of Exoto and autoart signature. They do look good but do they really warrant their price tags?
Exoto are the Christopher Ward of diecasts.They have a sale every few weeks where they slash the price.
Buy at the wrong time and you could pay $1000 for a model you can get for $400 a couple of weeks before or after.
Their mid to top end stuff is great, but it's not universally to the same standard and I, personally, find it hard to justify the prices, even in the sales.
Autoart - You can still find bargains. Look on http://www.modelissimo.de or https://ck-modelcars.de - oddly Germany seems the place to buy from - and you'll see some excellent 1:18 diecasts for well under £100 (whether you'll find the kind of thing you want is another question), but AutoArt (and most of the market) is going sealed resin, which I think is a shame.
The exterior finish on some resins is exceptional and there's no doubt that this move is making more models available (some really obscure cars are making it to 1:18), but the real joy of these things for me has always been opening bonnets and doors and finding a hidden detail.
With prices on the rise and resin dominating, I buy far fewer these days (display is also a problem with 1:18s - A few take a lot of space!)
M
I also have a TSM Graham Hill Lotus 56 turbine indy car on the way, a bit of an oddity I remember from childhood.
Merry Christmas all. I hope your 1:18 scale dreams have been realised!!
I am after my first, a Lamborghini Huracan in green. £200k for a 1:1 scale is a bit rich for me.
Maisto, bburago, welly and kyosho have offerings from about £40 for maisto and. Bburago up to £90 for Kyosho. Is kyosho worth the extra over the others?
I am after my first, a Lamborghini Huracan in green. £200k for a 1:1 scale is a bit rich for me.
Maisto, bburago, welly and kyosho have offerings from about £40 for maisto and. Bburago up to £90 for Kyosho. Is kyosho worth the extra over the others?
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