And you guys wonder why some only buy Revell and AMT kits...

[sandrunner]

I can see some of the cost in shipping and the fit is better, but the cost isn't that bad here in Japan. I usually pay between $10-20 US for Tamiya/Fujimi kits. The average AMT or Monogram kit on the same shelf is $20-30 here. For me, it's Tamiya all the way for the next 5 months until I go back stateside.

[mbwoods]

as i live in the UK i always buy Tamiya kits from my local hobby store and for the last 5-10 years bought kits for around £10-20, or as little as £5 with a general sale on, now theyre around £18-25. Hasegawa kits were about £15, AMT kits were about £10, but no Aoshima.

having come across internet in the last 5-6 years, having found Hobbylink Japan and Hobby Resource Plaza, i started buying models from them getting old kits and some new ones.

i once bought 6 models altogether from HLJ when Tamiya did a batch of re-releases and paid £60 inc shipping wheres if i bought all 6 from my hobby shop, i would have paid something like £120 (£15 each)

michael

[Vric]

btw, price in store in Canada are terrible. In Quebec city, you will pay 79$cnd for the Enzo.

go to www.modelexpress.net

it's in canada and it's MUCH cheaper.

[tonioseven]

Originally Posted by willimo

I will say this one thing on the price or quality of one brand kit over others: I buy the kits for the car, not the manufacturer. If the moldings suck, I make it work, if the kit is expensive, I save up, and I get what cars I want.

I feel the same way

[mbwoods]

Originally Posted by Vric

btw, price in store in Canada are terrible. In Quebec city, you will pay 79$cnd for the Enzo.

go to www.modelexpress.net

it's in canada and it's MUCH cheaper.

one day at my hobby shop looking at new released kits and saw the enzo first time and it was £45 so i thought sod it and bought it from HLJ and cost £21. now theyve got new stock in and its £35 still far too much when 360 modena costs £30 when theres 200yen difference

[SonyMobile]

Originally Posted by Vric

btw, price in store in Canada are terrible. In Quebec city, you will pay 79$cnd for the Enzo.

go to www.modelexpress.net

it's in canada and it's MUCH cheaper.

Modelexpress is the way to go for any kit in my eyes, unless you can pick them up at walmart for 10 bucks. Dennis has a great service, and great prices, I'm Canadian, and I have only ever bought 1 Tamiya kit from a hobby shop..it cost me roughly $65.00 tax incl. Such a waste of money...

Deffinatly check out Model Express

[MPWR]

Really, this hobby is about the cheapest thing I do for fun. Sure, I like to save $10 on a kit where I can, but when a super detailed full engine build lasts me 6-12 months, $10 doesn't seem like that big a deal.

I used to be a cheap modeler, back in my college days and before. I would get some kind of a thrill out of buying the cheapest kits I could, and finishing them with cheap supplies, and turning out decent builds (I built alot of aircraft then, and Monogram was cheaper than Hasegawa). But once I proved I could do it, it wasn't as satisfying. When I got employed and could really afford decent plastic, I found I really enjoyed working with well engineered kits. Since then, I've become less and less tollerant of cheaply made kits. I'd rather build a fabulous model that I'm really satisfied with from a great kit, than a good model that I'm mostly satisfied with from a mediocre or worse kit. I buy and build the kit that I want. While I've always loved Ferrari's, the F50 is not one that I've ever been particullarly passionate about- but I had more fun building Tamiya's kit than I would have building any three Revell kits. Well engineered, well made, and a pleasure to build. Totally worth the box price.

Happily for me, Tamiya has put out a number of great kits of cars that I want in my display case. Yes, there are certainly some favorite cars missing- but I've got alot of building to do before I worry too much about holes. It turns out my two most favorite cars, the BMW E30 M3 and Ferrari F355 GTS, are two of Fujimi's most unforgivable abominations. I've got both kits, they will be built, and both will have honored places in the display case when they're done- but I have a number of others (Tamiya's Enzo, M635CSi, 911 GT1....) that I'm looking forward to building alot more. I do this hobby for fun, and that's what's fun for me.

[Vric]

Originally Posted by SonyMobile

Modelexpress is the way to go for any kit in my eyes, unless you can pick them up at walmart for 10 bucks. Dennis has a great service, and great prices, I'm Canadian, and I have only ever bought 1 Tamiya kit from a hobby shop..it cost me roughly $65.00 tax incl. Such a waste of money...

Deffinatly check out Model Express

True, and sometime, it's even cheaper than Japan !

I only order at 3 stores. hlj.com, modelexpress.net and scaleracecars.com

[mickbench]

Modelzone in the UK is another rip off model shop. Charging £29.99 for a Tamiya 2002 Peugeot 206 WRC... I mean £30 for that..!! I have even seen in there the Enzo at £40..!!

Still, if you look around they can be brought cheaper elsewhere.. Tamiya kits are not cheap, but you get what you pay for.. I drop around £30 now per kit on paint alone, and now just started to order P/E parts. Next it will be CF decals etc...

I buy them for fun, not to mes around with some companies engineering flaws.. I want to enjoy my build, not mess around with it.. So I buy Tamiya, mostly of ebay..

I agree with MPWR.. He's right..!!

[tigeraid]

Thanks Vric, I had forgotten about that site.

[blueboost]

why can I get a revell kit with engine detail for $9.99 but the tamiya kit without engine is $32.99

willimo is right, Im going to buy the cars I want to build regardless of who makes them. If I want the car I'm buying it. Modelling in general isn't a very expensive hobby. Tamiya building their kits curbside only makes me loathe them. Revell building their kits in 1/25 is carp. There is too much give in this give and take hobby.

[99civichic]

I have a small pile of Tamiya/Fujimi model kits collecting dust right now...But, being a girl, I'm one heck of a shopper! That, or I'm just lucky... For example, I picked up a sealed Tamiya Porche GT3 for $4 at a Hobby Lobby. I did, however, pay $26 for the Fujimi Murcielago...Most I've spent on a kit to date!

[tigeraid]

Originally Posted by 99civichic

I have a small pile of Tamiya/Fujimi model kits collecting dust right now...But, being a girl, I'm one heck of a shopper! That, or I'm just lucky... For example, I picked up a sealed Tamiya Porche GT3 for $4 at a Hobby Lobby. I did, however, pay $26 for the Fujimi Murcielago...Most I've spent on a kit to date!

Ah the elusive female modeller... maybe that's what I need, give my girlfriend a list of sites and the credit card and see what kinda kits she can come up with

[mbwoods]

Originally Posted by tigeraid

Ah the elusive female modeller... maybe that's what I need, give my girlfriend a list of sites and the credit card and see what kinda kits she can come up with

any more female modelers about?

[bvia]

Man, you guys have it tough.

$50.00 for a 1:43rd resin curbside.

$200.00+ for a 1:24th resin curbside...

Yup, those damned Tamiya kits are just too damned much...;-)>

Bill