I hate collectors

[vinnie01]

Wealthy Collectors annoy the hell out of me. Upping the price of older Lego technic sets that T couldn't afford as a kid and Cannot afford now due to what seems ridiculous values. hmph

[Big Fat Fatty]

I feel your pain but if you're looking for classic sets now doesn't that make you a collector as well?

I'm still on the hunt for my holy grail set, 8880.

[vinnie01]

go on bricklink for that super car but you see what i mean the prices are ridiculous and ebay gets even more expensive. I just want the sets i could never afford not to make money just because ive always wanted them

[BULLITT Rich]

Big Fat Fatty said:

I feel your pain but if you're looking for classic sets now doesn't that make you a collector as well?

I'm still on the hunt for my holy grail set, 8880.

I've got that one at my parents house complete though I did have to break it down to put it back in the box.

[Timbergiant]

Big Fat Fatty said:

I feel your pain but if you're looking for classic sets now doesn't that make you a collector as well?

I'm still on the hunt for my holy grail set, 8880.

I've just moved my 8880 down from its storage at home ready for a house move, still in my boot at the moment

[yellowjack]

I've lost my Technic helicopter, set 8844...

...it was complete, too, with box and instructions, although very well 'played with'. I dismantled it and re-boxed it to store because a number of the small 'technic' pieces had become brittle and broken. Now it's gone. Can't be found anywhere...




...could seat two 'Action Force' or 'Star Wars' mini figures comfortably, and machine guns and rocket pods were easily added from other Lego parts

[Starfighter]

I have an 8844 if you are interested. It's not mint but is boxed, completed with instructions.

[yellowjack]

Starfighter said:

I have an 8844 if you are interested. It's not mint but is boxed, completed with instructions.

Thanks for the offer, but no. I'm not a collector, so it's not an 'empty spot' in a glass case that needs to be filled. It was just a toy that I'd kept in decent nick, with it's slightly battered box and dog-eared instructions. I'd like to still own it because it was a nice link to my childhood, and it was interesting comparing it with Technic models that my kids had. After many house moves it now cannot be found, and that makes me a little sad. So, no offence, but I'm not after replacing it, it just wouldn't be the same. It may yet turn up, as I haven't searched the house top to bottom in a desperate search for it.

Re: the OP's "I hate collectors" line? The Scalextric Goodwood boxed set of three GT40s was about £100 on release. As a massive GT40 fan I had to have one, so pre-ordered it from a sadly missed local model shop (Cove Models). Collectors and speculators were snapping them up all over the place, gambling on driving the price up. It backfired on them, with sets going for £60 to £70 on ebay just months later. I've run all my cars, too. Even the mint, boxed JPS Ayrton Senna Lotus. I had to run it to know that it worked, so my mate insisted we put it on wedges so as to 'keep the tyres mint'. He went mental when I took it off the wedges and started running it properly. Sadly, restricted space and the digital revolution mean I no longer have much opportunity to run the older cars, but when the track comes out, so do the rarities, and they get run properly too, no 'parade laps' allowed

[vinnie01]

yellowjack said:

Starfighter said:

I have an 8844 if you are interested. It's not mint but is boxed, completed with instructions.

Thanks for the offer, but no. I'm not a collector, so it's not an 'empty spot' in a glass case that needs to be filled. It was just a toy that I'd kept in decent nick, with it's slightly battered box and dog-eared instructions. I'd like to still own it because it was a nice link to my childhood, and it was interesting comparing it with Technic models that my kids had. After many house moves it now cannot be found, and that makes me a little sad. So, no offence, but I'm not after replacing it, it just wouldn't be the same. It may yet turn up, as I haven't searched the house top to bottom in a desperate search for it.

Re: the OP's "I hate collectors" line? The Scalextric Goodwood boxed set of three GT40s was about £100 on release. As a massive GT40 fan I had to have one, so pre-ordered it from a sadly missed local model shop (Cove Models). Collectors and speculators were snapping them up all over the place, gambling on driving the price up. It backfired on them, with sets going for £60 to £70 on ebay just months later. I've run all my cars, too. Even the mint, boxed JPS Ayrton Senna Lotus. I had to run it to know that it worked, so my mate insisted we put it on wedges so as to 'keep the tyres mint'. He went mental when I took it off the wedges and started running it properly. Sadly, restricted space and the digital revolution mean I no longer have much opportunity to run the older cars, but when the track comes out, so do the rarities, and they get run properly too, no 'parade laps' allowed

good for you using them like theyre meant to be. ive got none of the boxes for any of my lego sets or slot cars although the case things they come in are handy ive no manuals either i scan them to pdf to save space in the house.

[anonymous-user]

vinnie01 said:

Wealthy Collectors annoy the hell out of me. Upping the price of older Lego technic sets that T couldn't afford as a kid and Cannot afford now due to what seems ridiculous values. hmph

I know what you mean. Although I'm not even sure that it's the collectors driving the prices up, it's the speculators and dealers. I've been thinking about getting back into the odd technic build for a few months now, but nothing available has taken my fancy. However I really like the old recovery truck (8109) but they're all about £150 on eBay for a new one. The amount of them in there at that price point suggests that they don't really move, but it's a case of "that's what other people have listed them for and I have to make a profit."

Annoying but what can you do? Tempted by a used one but there's no guarantee you get all the pieces.

[AshVX220]

MrBig said:

I know what you mean. Although I'm not even sure that it's the collectors driving the prices up, it's the speculators and dealers. I've been thinking about getting back into the odd technic build for a few months now, but nothing available has taken my fancy. However I really like the old recovery truck (8109) but they're all about £150 on eBay for a new one. The amount of them in there at that price point suggests that they don't really move, but it's a case of "that's what other people have listed them for and I have to make a profit."

Annoying but what can you do? Tempted by a used one but there's no guarantee you get all the pieces.

In your position, I'd just go for items that can be bid on (with your maximum in mind of course), those items will go for what they're truly worth after all. If there are bits missing, you can then get those of E-Bay or one of the lego forums. I had to do this for a few parts when I started re-building all the old sets I had as a kid (including the helicopter above).

[Boydie88]

Big Fat Fatty said:

I feel your pain but if you're looking for classic sets now doesn't that make you a collector as well?

I'm still on the hunt for my holy grail set, 8880.

I have that gathering dust on top of a wardrobe with a few pieces missing... just had a look on ebay... I better order those missing pieces :O

Also have 8485 and 8479 which seem to be worth a few quid too.

Edited by Boydie88 on Wednesday 6th August 11:36

[Rude-boy]

yellowjack said:

Re: the OP's "I hate collectors" line? The Scalextric Goodwood boxed set of three GT40s was about £100 on release. As a massive GT40 fan I had to have one, so pre-ordered it from a sadly missed local model shop (Cove Models). Collectors and speculators were snapping them up all over the place, gambling on driving the price up. It backfired on them, with sets going for £60 to £70 on ebay just months later. I've run all my cars, too. Even the mint, boxed JPS Ayrton Senna Lotus. I had to run it to know that it worked, so my mate insisted we put it on wedges so as to 'keep the tyres mint'. He went mental when I took it off the wedges and started running it properly. Sadly, restricted space and the digital revolution mean I no longer have much opportunity to run the older cars, but when the track comes out, so do the rarities, and they get run properly too, no 'parade laps' allowed

I make a point of using my Limited Ed. cars. because they were not built to be sat on the shelf any more so than the real things were.

True I don't get them out for the 6 player races with beer and big feet about but plenty of track time is had.

Static models are for the shelf only, Scalextric belongs on the track.

[SydneyBridge]

I have a 8860 all over my garage floor, that I really must sort and build
I know what you mean about prices though, but something is only worth what someone is willing to pay

[clonmult]

vinnie01 said:

Wealthy Collectors annoy the hell out of me. Upping the price of older Lego technic sets that T couldn't afford as a kid and Cannot afford now due to what seems ridiculous values. hmph

Or people who hoard sets waiting for the prices to rise? If some people are willing to pay .... and as more people want them than are available, the prices will inevitably just head up and up.

My cousins other half had a couple of the Millenium Falcon UCE sets. Bought at list, sold a while later for about £1k each. Now they can go for considerably more.

[AshVX220]

GGrrr, I'd love a UCS Millenium Falcon, but there's absolutely no way I'd pay £2k+ for one!!

I'd love it if Lego stuck up a finger to the collectors and re-released it!