Drake69 Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 So I bought the 1959 Cadillac Biarritz Eldorado kit by Monogram several years ago from an LHS that has now since closed, and then immediately put it with my stash and forgot about it. I go and open it yesterday to start work on it, and I finally realize the entire chrome tree is missing. I now have my build on hold until Revell Monogram sends me a replacement tree. Of course, I can't take the kit back to a store no longer in business now, but had I verified the kit the day I first got it, I would have swapped it out then. Check your kits when you get them, not years later! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I only open 'bout 1/3 or 33% of my model kits, the rest are still factory sealed. The sealed kits make it easier to sell or donate to events later on. Besides I pretty much know what's inside the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I never open all of my kits, but i am sure this is kind of rare. i have seen a post with the same problem before... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miserable Soul Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I only open 'bout 1/3 or 33% of my model kits, the rest are still factory sealed. The sealed kits make it easier to sell or donate to events later on. Besides I pretty much know what's inside the box. finally someone got those xray specs to work !!!!!!!!!!! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
checkmate Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I open all of mine even when I buy multiples. All of the old kits I've bought especially MPC kits from the 70's I've opened so I can check them out as I've had tyres burn into glass and if I open them I can wrap the glass and chrome trees to avoid future scratches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Pol Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 the I/16th scale rails and funny cars from revell your famious for missing parts in there day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quick GMC Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I bought a new 1/48 Revell Airplane model from the hobby shop a couple years ago. Got home and opened it and there was a large cut across the entire wing assembly. Through the plastic bag and into the model parts, like someone sliced open a box with a box cutter and it went into the model. sent a picture to Revell and they sent a new set immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deathgoblin Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I open all of my kits, even duplicates, as soon as I get them. Like you said, it's to make sure all the parts are there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 (edited) I've only had two negative experiences that I can recall. One was a perfect box, but inside was a car with a squashed roof. The other was a 1:72 F-100 Super Sabre. Inside were two duplicate left side fuselage sprues, but no right side with all of its parts were present. Edited March 10, 2015 by Roadrunner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I usually open the kit if its one I've not built before. I have only had two such experience and they were not bad ones. I bought the '50 Ford pick up, and when I went to build it later I found two complete chrome trees. I got an extra body in a '60 Chevrolet kit. Maybe I should start buying lottery tickets in stead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Open mine as soon as I get home, always have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I open all of mine even when I buy multiples. All of the old kits I've bought especially MPC kits from the 70's I've opened so I can check them out as I've had tyres burn into glass and if I open them I can wrap the glass and chrome trees to avoid future scratches. Same here, I place the glass and tires in separate ziplock bags for the same reason. I bought two of the Slingster Dragsters when it first came out, I opened the first and it was 100% A-OK, the second not so much by just one part. The front axle was bent at a 45 degree angle, perfect chrome, still bent! I got on Revell's website and had a new axle in hand within a month or so, no issues, no hassles just a new axle. I've had kits in the past which had a tire, whole glass sprue and a few other odds and ends from Johan, AMT, Monogram, Revell. So I'm really glad that Revell has replaced parts for me in the past for Slingster axle and New Beetle Glass, the NB was purchased off of eBay, seller wouldn't take it back and it was out of production so I expected to end up with nothing, received the whole glass sprue in three weeks. Pretty amazed at that turn around especially when they weren't currently producing the kit. I was honest with them and told them where I got the kit and that it was unopened factory sealed when received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 the absolute best time to check out the kit is right there at the hobby shop. that way if it is defective they have seen you open it fresh and how it was right in the box. then they may have a replacement or if not at least you don't buy it, maybe get a discount, or just lump it because you want it that bad. I know at our LHS, since closed, they would let you open the kit before you bought it if you wanted to. never did find anything wrong in the box but a couple times I decided not to buy it...no worries, reshrink wrap it and back on the shelf. as you know import kits especially come into the country unsealed most of the time, so its not a badge of innocence or anything really. jb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disabled modeler Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I only open 'bout 1/3 or 33% of my model kits, the rest are still factory sealed. The sealed kits make it easier to sell or donate to events later on. Besides I pretty much know what's inside the box. I agree with you on donating a sealed kit...parts do not get lost in transit...I run a small disabled builders group here and have lost a part or two before but was lucky to have replacements for them. All shops I have dealt with will not allow you to return a opened kit so its a catch 22 thing...I have had factory sealed kits missing something before or damaged too...craziest one was 65 Chevelle wagon kit sealed but when opened it had a 63 Impala HT kit inside???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 finally someone got those xray specs to work !!!!!!!!!!! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruz Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 (edited) I open all my kits, even the multiples. Who can resist not opening them? :blink: There is something seriously wrong with some of you here..... Edited March 11, 2015 by cruz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrucha Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 If the kit is currently in production, I open it right away just in case I need to request a replacement part from the manufacturer. Using the instructions, I thoroughly inventory and examine every part. I make sure the body isn't warped and the clear parts are not cracked or scratched. I also bag up the tires, clear parts and decals if they are not already bagged from the manufacturer, especially the tires. Tires seem to ruin clears parts and decals. Last November I bought Revell's 1962 Impala SS and was shocked to find the body had a crushed roof. I usually request replacement parts from Revell but in this case I just exchanged the kit for another one from the store. It paid to open the kit right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrecker388 Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 (edited) Been there, done that. When I was new to modeling I bought 3 opened kits from one of my LHS. Of the three, only one had tires, and it had only two that weren't even from it. The kits were a AMT 34 ford coupe (The one with tires, no engine block and partially modified) Revell 50 F-1 (I had almost two kits in one box, I was only short a second cab/fender unit and engine), and Revell 37 Ford Sedan (Only missing diorama and tires). More recently, from my other LHS, I bought a AMT 89 Silverado that looked to only be missing a taillight. It turned out to be missing ALL of the stock engine parts, instruction sheet, and probably some other small stuff. I immediately returned it and got my money back ($18 for a kit that needed a donor kit to be built, no thanks). I feel your pain. Edited March 16, 2015 by wrecker388 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horsepower Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 I agree with you on donating a sealed kit...parts do not get lost in transit...I run a small disabled builders group here and have lost a part or two before but was lucky to have replacements for them. All shops I have dealt with will not allow you to return a opened kit so its a catch 22 thing...I have had factory sealed kits missing something before or damaged too...craziest one was 65 Chevelle wagon kit sealed but when opened it had a 63 Impala HT kit inside???? From what I understand there was a complete run of these that actually made it into the country. Another one of the cases of the Chinese workers not having any idea of what the car being boxed was supposed to look like so the wrong lid was placed on a lot of kits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 >All shops I have dealt with will not allow you to return a opened kit wow, you need to find some other shops to buy from! if you have the receipt to prove you bought it there I would hope they would be more than accommodating for making you come all the way back to the store. >I have had factory sealed kits it is very very difficult (impossible) to tell if something is genuinely FACTORY sealed. shrink wrap machines are cheap and plentiful and convincing as well. add to that, all kits (non domestic companies, don't know about like AMTs stuff from China etc) coming here from abroad are unsealed when they arrive, for customs purposes if nothing else. so all of them are sealed by the distributor, not the factory. in short, the shrink wrap on a box guarantees pretty much nothing. our (RIP) LHS let you look inside kits before buying if you liked, and some unscrupulous people had in the past either swapped out parts (like taking the tires and leaving some trash ones in their place) or just plain stole parts from kits they were "inspecting", and then they resealed them and put them back on the shelf when the thieves didn't buy them (of course). that's often how the missing parts in a "new" kit come about. our LHS was willing to take the risk to keep customers particularly in the early days of the net taking over sales. they crashed and burnt anyhow though. jb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Ellis Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 I bought one of these Revell Eldorados at a model show on Sunday. $12. I think the best course is to get a cheap one too. I am pretty sure Revell has no parts for you since this kit was sold quite a few years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake69 Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 I bought one of these Revell Eldorados at a model show on Sunday. $12. I think the best course is to get a cheap one too. I am pretty sure Revell has no parts for you since this kit was sold quite a few years ago. Actually, from my email it would appear I'm getting a replacement chrome sprue tree. We shall see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khier Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) I check the contents before leaving the shop. Online orders are not checked prior to delivery of course, Edited March 20, 2015 by khier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrucha Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) I find that hobby shops in general will not accept a return on opened kits. They try persuade you to order replacement parts from the manufacturer. The good thing about buying kits from Michaels and Hobby Lobby is that they will accept any defective kit as long as you have the receipt and return the kit within 90 days of the purchase date. Edited March 22, 2015 by carrucha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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