Times change, not always for the better. But there are workarounds.
Ferrari TR is right; to get those interesting Euro pieces, you'll have to pay the piper. And learn to love resin. And maybe even 1:43.
A good source for 1:24 resin is
http://www.islandcollectibles.net. From Aardvark to Wolf Design, the variety, quality and uniqueness of the kits and transkits on their catalog page is breathtaking.
And if you don't mind wearing one of those magnifier goggle things while you make your models, Grand Prix Models in the UK has a huge variety of 1:43.
Maybe if we elect somebody who'll put an end to this stupid war, modelers will fall in love with great cars again, instead of tanks and rocket launchers.
Ddms