What is happening to the model factories?

I see a lot of complaint regarding to the quality of the last releases from Fujimi, Aoshima and now, i'm building a Lexus LFA, and what i see is not very delighted, body is too thin, special care is needed for the column A, lots of deep panel lines that i had to sand a lot and i'm not sure if it will not appear again after the clear coat was applied..

Honestly, prices are getting higher and higher and quality is getting worse.. too bad :(

Very true. I picked up the Ferrari F60 by Tamiya recently and was surprised by the amount of ejector pin marks all over the chassis. It will take a lot of care to remove them all...

that's very sad to see than crisis (?? the perfect excuse, but it's another discussion) making firms hunting costs is mostly or even only visible in a lost of efforts involved in quality...
I didn't really know Aoshima kits before their recent mercedes releases, so can't judge their quality but what I have from the brand is good.
Only revell seems to be on the right way, which should be improving quality to get more or new customers, and their prices haven't exploded !!
So it's possible.

I'm also a 1/43 collector, prefering kits, but being more and more caught by the HPI Racing quality diecast models, which are more expensive but really worse the money.
Exactly contrary to 1/24, what has had prices increase has had quality decrease !!!??? :yikes:
totally no sens... :screwy:

A few kits more at this standard and prices she has now and fujimi will kill herself !!

too big crisis worldwide,even more for not first necessity items as model kits are.
We are all modellers, but is incredible to look at diecast too nice for sale at 15euro.
I bought an Mc12 made by Mondo motors,the quality is stunning and the finishing is perfect with tampo decals.
It costed me 10 euros at the fuel pump store.
Same kit from ejan cost 200 euros,and I am not so sure who has it is able to finish it in a decent way.
It gives me reasons to think a lot on this kinda market.

Develope a plastic kit moulding today cost a lot as investiment, and numers of sold pieces dont give a good reason to go on making it any longer.Add to this the manifacturers are mostly from far east, so they prefer make japanese subjects instead of any famous model from Europe or usa.
Just few few subjects that we collect immediately (I think at my 997gt3 and new fujimi bmw z4 maybe?) the rest is all missing in action.Including winning car.

Too small market and too little numbers, probably thats the reason,as well as the royalty problem that increases even more the final price.

Develope a plastic kit moulding today cost a lot as investiment, and numers of sold pieces dont give a good reason to go on making it any longer

yes, except that we don't discuss the fact to do or not do it, of course it's investment but of course too you won't earn money by selling something you don't invest in, but we discuss the fact to do it correctly !! :runaround:

2011 has seen new brands coming on the market like never before, none of them has big money like installed brands have, nevertheless they (especially belkit) attended to do better than Fujimi for example..?!!

So the argument of the cost-to-do isn't valuable to me, as once you choose to do it, it doesn't cost more to do it correctly !! especialy if you're a big brand like Fujimi which has every tools and skills to.

I can't believe and nobody would make me agree with it that Simil'R did a false rear wing because it's too much money to do it round and not square as nobody will make me believe than Fujimi released a curbside SLS with false lettering because it's too much money to do it correctly !!
Revell sells an angine detailed model with correct decals for cheaper than fujimi models !!

That has no sens and is only a bad and wrong excuse IMO to the bad attention given to quality when everyone and everthing is focused on prices and margins...!!

When products will become back the first thing producers have in mind, we will see quality back, as long as they only think to satisfy and save money considerations, don't expect quality !

I just live that in my work everyday, you can sell the most expensive product of the market, if you have the quality needed it sells !! :biggrin:
but you can have all the lowest priced sh...s you want, you won't never do as much money !!


Even if it's simple to sum up the discussion in these terms...
You can sell a product by thinking to anything else than the product FIRST !
compromission can be done, and have to, but if you're lacking quality...

Everyone having bought a Revell of the last releases may know what I think in this reasoning. :)

You guys touched on two subjects that is also on my mind, crisis, of couse this is a worldwide problem, specially on Japan after so many disasters and the die-cast models, we all know that Auto Art always create great mdie-cast models, but i was checking the LFA in particular and i must sai that Tamiya is far away from the details created by Auto Art for this car

http://lexusenthusiast.com/2010/12/16/lexus-lfa-die-cast-model-by-auto-art/

I don't mind to spend some extra money for a model car which i really want to build, but, i would expect some more for a really expensive model like Tamiya LFA, and also, companies like HD, KA, ST27 could create some after parts that is missing on the car instead of doing all the same thing

Just my 2 cents..

You guys touched on two subjects that is also on my mind, crisis, of couse this is a worldwide problem, specially on Japan after so many disasters and the die-cast models, we all know that Auto Art always create great mdie-cast models, but i was checking the LFA in particular and i must sai that Tamiya is far away from the details created by Auto Art for this car

http://lexusenthusiast.com/2010/12/16/lexus-lfa-die-cast-model-by-auto-art/

I don't mind to spend some extra money for a model car which i really want to build, but, i would expect some more for a really expensive model like Tamiya LFA, and also, companies like HD, KA, ST27 could create some after parts that is missing on the car instead of doing all the same thing

Just my 2 cents..


Waow, this LFA is absolutely incredible and even doesn't look like a model !! :eek7:
Very nice !! :thumbsup:

Look what is happening in the world let alone models!! It all ties in somehow.

You guys touched on two subjects that is also on my mind, crisis, of couse this is a worldwide problem, specially on Japan after so many disasters and the die-cast models, we all know that Auto Art always create great mdie-cast models, but i was checking the LFA in particular and i must sai that Tamiya is far away from the details created by Auto Art for this car

http://lexusenthusiast.com/2010/12/16/lexus-lfa-die-cast-model-by-auto-art/

I don't mind to spend some extra money for a model car which i really want to build, but, i would expect some more for a really expensive model like Tamiya LFA, and also, companies like HD, KA, ST27 could create some after parts that is missing on the car instead of doing all the same thing

Just my 2 cents..

My thoughts too, we see too many of the same kits or same sorts of kits. More aftermarket options are needed and not everyone producing the same sort of kits... Also we should see some more racers. My thoughts would have been that tamiya should have released the DBR-9 back in 2006/7 and they would have had a cracker on that one if S27/shunko produced different decal versions. Instead of owning 6 (where 9) MFH versions I would have bought more tamiya plastic versions for some more DBR-9 liveries. I guess to get their game back Tamiya should go for a LM racer LMP/GT and not all street models or re-releases... A F458 GT should be in high demand and with aftermarket decals I guess they would sell quite some! Or going for the Honda HSV-010 GT.. Scale Auto as a slot car 1/24 size are going to release a bunch on GT2/GT3 models and I see more and more curbside kit builders buying such models to keep their race car modeling addiction fed.
Same as with the Nissan GT-R35, all the manufacturers produced the same kind of kit version. Fujimi even a track day model, I bought it because I thought it would have the rollcage etc. in the kit, boy, was I in for a unpleasant surprise... Just a fancy box with only extra decals.. I want a R35 GT! :P
I think with all the competing die cast street cars the market of streetcars is not one to hang on to.. just my thoughts..

My thoughts too, we see too many of the same kits or same sorts of kits. More aftermarket options are needed and not everyone producing the same sort of kits... Also we should see some more racers. My thoughts would have been that tamiya should have released the DBR-9 back in 2006/7 and they would have had a cracker on that one if S27/shunko produced different decal versions. Instead of owning 6 (where 9) MFH versions I would have bought more tamiya plastic versions for some more DBR-9 liveries. I guess to get their game back Tamiya should go for a LM racer LMP/GT and not all street models or re-releases... A F458 GT should be in high demand and with aftermarket decals I guess they would sell quite some! Or going for the Honda HSV-010 GT.. Scale Auto as a slot car 1/24 size are going to release a bunch on GT2/GT3 models and I see more and more curbside kit builders buying such models to keep their race car modeling addiction fed.
Same as with the Nissan GT-R35, all the manufacturers produced the same kind of kit version. Fujimi even a track day model, I bought it because I thought it would have the rollcage etc. in the kit, boy, was I in for a unpleasant surprise... Just a fancy box with only extra decals.. I want a R35 GT! :P
I think with all the competing die cast street cars the market of streetcars is not one to hang on to.. just my thoughts..

That is a great point of view!.. i just build import cars (Japanese) and super cars, honestly .. i don't know why till now Tamiya or any other manufacture did not release Bugatti Veyron, i really don't understand, one of my friend bought a slot car to build the Veyron, just like you said, but then.. the price goes to mars.. and you still have a lot o work to have it done accurately

Yeah, the market for static car kits is quite small, and shrinking. While I like diecast models, what's the point? They're already pre-built! The enjoyable thing about static kits is that you can choose your color, and built it yourself. Much more enjoyable, IMO

After being away from modeling for about 6 years - I've certainly noticed that the price of models has indeed gone up.

It was common in the 70s and 80s, to be really connected between model manifacturers and the producers of the real thing. Burago factory had an underground part of the building where they used to host all the prototypes and the pre productions /press car (including formula 1, rally cars Group B...), as well as tamiya has,still today, an original Tyrrell P34 six wheeler.They get the real car, and for weeks the designers and moulding engeneer worked together for the final result.
Also aircraft company as Grumman Corporation were really close to monogram and revell helping theme a LOT with all documentation possible to make nice models of the F-14... (source of this is the Osprey book on the Grumman F14 tomcat, so no BS from internet..)

It was the management of the car company itself praying to be "modellized" cause at the time they look all this as a sort of big commercial for their new product.
That's the reason why old models were indeed better (I mean of shape and dimensions) than modern ones.
Today all is different, and car company only think at money and making business over everything commercial,that for model manifacturers becomes another cost on the already expensive production,so they all work only with pictures often taken from magazines or internet,and the quality of course cannot be the same, even if modern technology helps a lot.

About die cast, probably for toy company is much more cheaper to develope an already done static model than a kit,that requires:
0-develope a kit with instructions (correct please...)
1-a modeller able to make it similar to box cover
2-the persistant volountee to mount it
3-skill to mount it
4-ability to survive frustrations
5-model accessories,usually more expensive than the box itself
6-final satisfaction
7-a lot of time...in which u can buy other 5 die cast

;)

I think you're not right here. Car manufacturers still see model cars as good marketing tools and are involved in the developement of the miniatures even more than they used to. I have a colleague who is doing only that, trying to make sure that the model car is a good representation of the real car. Model car companies even get CAD-data prior to the real car being unveiled. That's better than back in the day when this convenient process wasn't available.

The problem with our particular interest....model kits... is, that it's not important anymore. The market is diecasts. They have become better and better and most people don't bother anymore to build themselves. So nowadays you see even obscure cars being released as well made die-casts or resin-casts and the kits are becoming less and less because the investment doesn't make sense anymore for the manufacturers.

exactly, is die cast the sector where they improved too much the quality,just cause more easy to sell and much bigger request.
Not necessary also to sell it to a modeller, a collector or a kid is enough, and its sold!