How F@$king lazy would you be to buy these!

[chrismcgee]

Beware models that look toooooo good, as they may be people trying to pass these off as their own handywork, tamiya have now released a range or pre painted and decald kits, about 4 in the range

http://www.tamiya.com/english/produc...body/index.htm

i mean dear god that is the most fun bit about the whole car, that is so shameful its unspeakeable

[freakray]

There was a discussion on these kits a while back when they were announced, I think at least 90% of the people don't like the thought of not needing to do their own work.

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally posted by chrismcgee
Beware models that look toooooo good, as they may be people trying to pass these off as their own handywork, tamiya have now released a range or pre painted and decald kits, about 4 in the range

http://www.tamiya.com/english/produc...body/index.htm

i mean dear god that is the most fun bit about the whole car, that is so shameful its unspeakeable

Not for everyone...some people simply don't have the patience, or the facilities or the talent to get a good paint and decal job. For some people it's not the most fun but the biggest pain in the backside.

Yeah, it may seem lazy, but that's how it goes. We may enjoy painting and decaling, but don't write off those who use these kits to practice model building or simply want a replica in less time. People don't have much quality time any more, what with families, schoolwork, or whatever-and if this keeps 'em building, vs. doing nothing, then it's a good thing.

The shameful thing would be going to a contest and passing them off as being done by themselves. Yes, it will happen. I'll bet these kits do not have the mold lines removed...and will be easy to spot because of that.

[bigfrit]

Ah, come on, I do actually think he modeling "community " will surely benefit from these models, drawing new , unexperienced modelers to like scale model building.

It may seem a bit stupid, and maybe even lazy to some of the more experienced modelers around here, but in fact it will draw more youngsters to the actual doing-it -yourself scale building, as they will surely get a good model out of these boxes, but do realise it's not the real deal and might want to a full-model.

Only thing I don't really understand about this "attract-the-new-not-so-experienced-modelers-to-modeling" -strategy, is the awkwardly high pricing of the kits.

It's just difference in target groups.

Olivier

[exhaust smoke]

They're not cheap! What I want to know is whether the mould lines have been removed. As, if you can remember, the 'metalcote' Honda Jazz, Porsche GT3, etc did not have them removed, therefore for the pedantic modeller, the extra cost for the pre-painted body would not be worth it.

[egon_dude]

Dont Revell already do a range like this- i saw a ready finished corvette C5R on another site, so i think its just tamiya responding to that, as theres evidently a market for this sort of thing.
But i think theres still a bit of work to do to the kit- the interior looks like its all still on the sprues so that will all need painting. Plus i dont see people jumping up and down when others re-paint or mod die-cast models- its the same idea really, just from a different veiwpoint.
Still think its best to do the whole model your self though!

[Guido]

I think Tamiya is targetting a new market with these kind of kits. They're buying audience for these kits are not us, the "true scale modeler", but the less skilled modeler who is not so into spraying and decalling, but like to model a bit here and there.

Time will tell if this marketing strategy is correct or not.

[robertwhall]

The pre-painted market seems to be a growing one. Revell and AMT have been expanding into it for several years now, both with simple snap-kits and regular detail kits. Places like Wal-Mart seem to stock quite a few of them. Tamiya is entering the same market, albeit at a higher price point and detail level.

[themodelkid]

Originally posted by robertwhall
The pre-painted market seems to be a growing one. Revell and AMT have been expanding into it for several years now, both with simple snap-kits and regular detail kits. Places like Wal-Mart seem to stock quite a few of them. Tamiya is entering the same market, albeit at a higher price point and detail level.

Yes and it Sucks! Everytime i checkout wallyworld there are fewer "normal" kits and more pre-painted!! Not cool, but its all what sells i guess.

[sugarcaddy]

I dont see anything wrong with what Tamiya is doing. I mean look at the cars that they are producing this way. These cars have very complicated decal's. I dont know about the rest of you but I cant do that. I have trouble putting a CF decal on a hood much less putting a ton of decals all over a body of a car. Now if I wanted to build one of those kits at least that part is done and yes to me its worth the higher price. I don't really care for any of those kits because Im not into racers, but I can respect the idea's behind Tamiyas thinking.

Scott

[joecwlaw]

well, it seems Hasegawa and Revell (Germany) do have some pre-painted model kits......I think they are targeting to different group of people. Maybe for those who feel tough to put on decals, but want to have a plastic model car instead of a diecast......

but everyone has different opinion, hope ppl here are fine towards it.

[willimo]

I wouldn't want one now, but several years ago, when I first started, when my bodies dripped and pooled paint (if painted at all) and my interiors and engines were coated with a thick layer of the cement that comes froma tube, these would have been great. I agree, Chris Mcgee, that for most of us here, you would have to be pretty lazy, or have no pride in your work to use these pre-finished kits. But for people who are just starting, the kits are great, to give them a pretty finished product, to keep them from being frustrated with their first model, and to get them further interested, until they are skilled and ambitious enough to build a car like this painting and decalling it themselves. We don't have any use for them, but they certainly don't suck. They have their market, and they will be a rather important venue to attract new modelers. Ever heard of a make-and-take? These kits would be great (ok, so they are expensive, how about "kits like these") for that sort of thing. Don't be threatened by these kits-- we'll all be able to tell the difference.

[hobbes874]

Lol, yeah i saw those on HLJ or somewhere talk about LAZY!!! I've seen upclose pics and if anyone tried to post a pic of one as their own on this forum, it would be pretty easy to spot.

[shieldwulf]

I believe Tamiya is doing the right thing - business survival and market expansion.

Not just strictly pure modeling for modelers. I mean, there exists a target market of customers who will love the model kit precision of Tamiya's model less the modelling work. It may be too complicated or difficult for many to do the decaling. How many of us can do it well? I can't for one. If I love to own a model of a particular vehicle, but I don't have the right skills nor the knowledge to build, much less primer and paint and sand and polish, I would look towards the finished models.

Apart from introducing newbies into this "industry", there are also quite a number of people who collects diecast cars (e.g. Maisto, Burago, AUTOart etc.) And they collect these things because they have an interest in the quality scale replicas of their favourite cars (which they may never be able to afford the real ones). And if they spot Tamiya making "finished" or "semi-finished" models of these beautiful cars, it may just attract them into this hobby. Tamiya is a business entity anyway, and surviving is paramount esp. in the current poor economic situation.

Many of us enjoying the precision of model cars, but not everyone is prepared to invest into paints, brushes, tools and what-have-you and spend at least the next few months (or years) getting the right skills to build and paint a fav model car of their own.

But to pass off a "finished" model as one's efforts is a totally different issue however.

[Jay!]

While I'm not thrilled about these pre-decorated kits, nor Revell's, I'd never rule them out entirely...

I used to build sci-fi kits, and if this kit came out back then, i would have bought it in a heartbeart...

http://www.hlj.com/cgi-perl/hljpage.cgi?BAN916192

I've seen this kit in person, and it's absolutly gorgeous!! And it's a snap kit, to boot!! Heaven help all other manufacturers if Bandai ever decides to make model cars...