It's Official. Tamiya R34 Z-Tune.

[Scoob@AutoForums]

i also think its a shame that tamiya spend time making the equipment for what are effectively re-runs with new tooling (i know it doesn't sound right but try to undertsand) they should focus on the things the customer wants and not what they want. we all want more detail, engines etc.. i mean, when i bought the 350z i was really excited that this was now something i was one step closer to owning (so what if its only a model) but no D-I-Y underside detail, not even steering front wheels (although i did modify the front axle to give me steering wheels!) if they put an engine in the z people would be buying loads of them, we'd be putting them in our skylines (wahey, boost skyline sales) we'd have full-detail R35/infiniti g35 (?) i, and i'm sure many of you want to see tamiya satisfy our cravings for detail and change, that's why i loved making trucks, you can put in so much detail, sorry tamiya but face it, Aoshima's on a roll and tamiya's trailing slowly in their wake of new kits, dont you guys want more ? i know i do

[360spider]

Originally Posted by Vric

Yet another Skyline. Tamiya make me sick.

Go Fujimi go !

Ditto. C'mon Tamiya - enough is enough!

[Layla's Keeper]

Better idea, Tamiya. Slash the price of the R34 GTR kit and include ALL of the parts you've issued the kit with.

That means the wheels and body bits for the GTR, the V-Spec, and now the Z Tune. Put all the parts in one box and drop the price down from THIRTY BLOODY DOLLARS and you'll have some sales.

[nis.k.a.]

$30? In what currency? I'm paying less than $20US for my Z-Tunes.

[Jaymes]

now that I think about it I've never seen an Aoshima model with engine detail. They're probably out there, but I haven't seen a single one...

[nis.k.a.]

Well.....the MCR GT-R and the 2 drift Cefiros are out. Can't wait for my MCR!

[Layla's Keeper]

Just about any Tamiya kit whose tooling is less than 7 years old is priced at about $30USD in local hobby shops, and usually at $35+ in chain hobby shops like Hobbytown USA.

[Porsche Carrera]

great news... i guess. though still waiting for some official pics.

[nis.k.a.]

Originally Posted by Layla's Keeper

Just about any Tamiya kit whose tooling is less than 7 years old is priced at about $30USD in local hobby shops, and usually at $35+ in chain hobby shops like Hobbytown USA.

Ah. I think everyone knows that HobbyTown USA is a rip off.

I would talk to your LHS about the older kits. To them, they paid what they paid regardless of how old. Maybe you can convince them of a sale if they marked the older kits down?

It's not so much Tamiya's fault as it is part of the business since LHS' go through a distributor. By the time the kits hit the shelves in the US they have 2 middle men mark ups. Fortunately, my LHS only makes a dollar or two off Tamiya and Aoshima kits. Fujimi seems to be the most outrageous.

This makes overseas shops more desirable. Though you don't get instant gratification you get the newest kits before any shop in the US and for a cheaper price.

[Layla's Keeper]

Usually the older Tamiya stuff is marked down (picked up the Tamiya Jaguar XJ220 for about $22 the other day) and my local hobby shop has a hard time getting their hands on Aoshima and Fujimi stuff.

In fact, most of their Fujimi stock is old stuff from the MRC days.

Pretty much, if it's a Japanese kit, and it's not Hasegawa or Tamiya, it'll be a pain to get from my local hobby shop. But, I still buy my kits primarily from them, because I want my local hobby shop to stay in business.

And, let's face facts, Tamiya has a much higher MSRP on their kits than most other companies. In fact, the only company I can think of whose MSRP's are consistently on Tamiya's level is Hasegawa, and Hasegawa is a company on par with Tamiya (higher, in fact, when you average out the past 4 years of new Tamiya kits against Hasegawa's).

Quite frankly, kits like the 350Z, the WRX, and even the R34 GTR range shouldn't be cracking the $20 mark even at the hobby shops. They simply don't merit the price when Revell can offer superior detail (and even in some cases accuracy) for $5-10 less.

[DSM-Mark]

Originally Posted by Layla's Keeper

Usually the older Tamiya stuff is marked down (picked up the Tamiya Jaguar XJ220 for about $22 the other day) and my local hobby shop has a hard time getting their hands on Aoshima and Fujimi stuff.

In fact, most of their Fujimi stock is old stuff from the MRC days.

Pretty much, if it's a Japanese kit, and it's not Hasegawa or Tamiya, it'll be a pain to get from my local hobby shop. But, I still buy my kits primarily from them, because I want my local hobby shop to stay in business.

And, let's face facts, Tamiya has a much higher MSRP on their kits than most other companies. In fact, the only company I can think of whose MSRP's are consistently on Tamiya's level is Hasegawa, and Hasegawa is a company on par with Tamiya (higher, in fact, when you average out the past 4 years of new Tamiya kits against Hasegawa's).

Quite frankly, kits like the 350Z, the WRX, and even the R34 GTR range shouldn't be cracking the $20 mark even at the hobby shops. They simply don't merit the price when Revell can offer superior detail (and even in some cases accuracy) for $5-10 less.

Tamiya Japanese MSRPs in Japan yen is not really outrageous. Lately, the prices have come up a little, but it's usually for fantastic kits. Many kits are available from Japan for less than 2000 yen. That's about $19 USD. Not much more then a Revell kit. And I find the tooling is much better then Revell, along with additional perks such as realistic rubber tires and crisper details (even if sometimes the details are wrong, it still looks good). Revell's tuner cars are somewhat a step in the right direction, but still fall short. Their offering of 4 sets of rims at first had me very excited... but then I reallized that the rubber is basically a rubber band and you only get one set of rubber.

Anyway... considering cost. A Japanese kit will cost at least $10 more than the similar American kit. It works the same way the other way... American kits cost much more in Japan... just look at HS's "Import" listing some time.

A good example to look at is the Aoshima Bomex Supra and the AMT FatF Supra... it's the same kit (same tooling, etc). The AMT costs more than the Aoshima in Japan, and the Aoshima cost more then the AMT in America.

[Jay!]

Do you guys realize the MSRP in yen is printed on the boxes of most of the Japanese kits?

It's flat-out painful to pick up a kit, see that MSRP, do a quick currency conversion in your head, then look at the shop's price tag...

[willimo]

But you gotta pay the boat drivers....

It's easy to slaugh off on Tamiya, but I think it is unfair. Sure they cost more, but they are better. Fortunately they have an American arm, and better distributors than Fujimi and Aoshima, and are able to cash in on us and not charge the insane prices the other Japanese companies do. And Revell, while perfectly adaquate, is not to be lauded for their kits. Their moldings are always too soft for me to group them among good manifacturers. When resin kits have crisper details than your plastic, it's time to think about what you're doing. And the tuner series is especially deficient - no stock size rims or tires or in some kits, no stock looking rims and in other kits, no stock bumpers.... And when you begin to look at it closely, they share the seats between the Integra and the Civic kits - parts that don't look at all the same between the two cars! And add to that the miserable wheel mounting, well, you have kits that are a great starting point because they are the only starting point.

Blah blah Tamiya doesn't make a lot of kits, whatever. Nothing we can do about it. You could protest by not buying the kits they do make, but figure, that might contribute to their notion that auto kits don't sell so let's not make any. Blah blah Tamiya kits are expensive. Yeah, like it's been said, you gotta ship 'em and distribute 'em. They are not domestic. Blah blah Tamiya kits are becoming simplified and that's unnacceptable. They are probably doing that to woo new modelers in with simple kits that look great done, wait, didn't we laud Revell for making tuner kits to woo new modelers, and let them slide for this and that mistake in liu of it? Enough with the double stardard.

A KIT IS A KIT. BUY IT OR NOT.

I am getting the Z-tune. Do what you like.

[Layla's Keeper]

I have no problem with Tamiya simplifying their kits to bring in new modelers. I DO have a problem with simplification not coming at a lower price.

Heck, Tamiya had it worked out back in the 80's with the Snap-Loc series. Decent detail. Good accuracy. Neat subject matter. Low price. Easy assembly.

Well, they decided when tooling up the WRX to go back to Snap-Loc style kits. Problem is that for the same price as the Snap-Loc level WRX you can get their Toyota GT-One TSO20 kit!

Therein lies the problem. $8 kits for $40. Tamiya wonders why their model car kit range is in a sales slump?

As for Revell, yes the Honda/Acura kits have been off the mark as far as accuracy is concerned (and many find the "tuner" parts a little dated) but they've been a hit with rookie/newbie builders because of there being a ton of options in the box and because you can pick them up at Walmart for $8 and some change.

Revell's fit and finish varies with the age and popularity of the tooling. Revell kits tooled up between 1992 and 2002 tend to be the best, especially examples like the 1969 Dodge Dart GTS and 1966 Pontiac GTO. However, some of their more aged tooling (like two 60's era vintage kits they reissued recently, the Miss Deal Studebaker funny car or the '31 Ford Model A Vickie) have so many tiny pieces and so much flash that it's near impossible to put them together box stock without a supply of fresh #11 blades, 20 flexi-files, and your pin vise.

I still stand by my stance that when Tamiya makes an excellent kit at a high price (like the Enzo or Carrera GT) it's 100% warranted, but too much money is charged for too many mediocre kits to offset the value of the higher level kits.

[blueboost]

Originally Posted by tonioseven

It would at least be nice if they configured it to have an engine.

+1. I'm losing interest quick in not being able to really see the interior or under the hood detail on my models without having to fabricate and kit bash. Would it be that difficult to mold the kit with an open hood and slap the RB26 engine parts tree in the kit for "advanced" modelers?

I'll buy the Z-tune kit, but I still hope for more from Tamiya, because we all know what they are capable of (reference R32 GTR).