Why is Studio 27 (or other resin and mixed-media kits) so expensive?

[parkcaka]

a studio 27 1/24 car is more expensive than my airbrush set. or you can buy 10 tamiya cars for the money of 1 studio 27 car. i never saw one so im really curious about "what makes them soooooo expensive?"

[daggerlee]

Probably because they produce them in such limited quantities and use white metal/resin for most of their kit parts. They're a small company so they can't afford the big polystyrene plants that Tamiya and others use, and they have fewer chances to make back money on the research and development of each kit. They counter this by making kits of race cars that other companies don't have and by releasing a crapload of aftermarket decals, wheels, photoetch, etc.

[Jay!]

Because they're cast in resin and the tools and molds are not used for large production runs like plastic kits. That means they have to spread their production costs over fewer units, increasing the price. They do this because they know their market is small, and they do not want to risk having a lot of inventory they cannot sell.

Occasionally, they'll re-release something, but not often.

[hirofkd]

The tool to make a plastic model would cost $200,000 or above, but it can produce thousands, and the mold lasts for a long time. The material cost for a kit is less than $1.00, and the production of parts are fully automated and involves no human labor, once the mold is made. Price can be low thanks to the scale of production, but the company doesn't make a model, if the sales is not expected to reach a high break even point.

The rubber mold, which is used to produce a resin kit would cost $200 or less, but it can last for only 30 copies or so, then the mold starts to degrade. Resin and metal would cost ten times more, and parts are hand cast by people in a small factory. The subject they pick only sells 300 or less, so the cost per kit is very high compared to an injection plastic model. Meanwhile, the break even point can be set low, so they can produce minor subjects.

Production of Toyota Carolla is pretty much automated, but not the same for Lamborghini.

If the subject of your interest is available in resin, you are one of those who are interested in a very minor subject just like many of us, which means that you have to put up with the situation where no kit exists at all (like 5th Gen Prelude?) or available in expensive resin kit. (300ZX Daytona Winner for example)