Bob Ellis Posted August 9, 2014 Author Share Posted August 9, 2014 When I first posted this, my intent was to make people realize that the kit prices aren't that bad after all, and should be happy about the way things are. Obviously, there are market conditions that come into play besides inflation, such as supply and demand. In 1971, the minimum wage was $1.80. That means it took more than an hours work to buy the $2.25 kit. Considering taxes, it was actually higher. Ask yourself today, how many hours do I work to get that kit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 but as far as kit quality goes, I'd much rather have current offerings. right down to the packaging, today's models are much superior. Revell & Tamiya instruction sheets rock. having a little plastic bag and piece of tissue keeping parts separate & scratch free is great. anyone open a mid 60s kit and find a tire self welded to the hood? Q: if two kits (same vehicle) were available with one molded in a colored plastic (red, black, yellow - pick a color) or in plain old white, would you pay _____ $ for the white kit? some of the reissued kits which were hard to paint because of their mold color are now available in white. I think that's another bonus. I agree with Joe on this. I love all the little stuff Round 2 throws in their boxes. The great fit and detail of models made from modern tools from outfits like Revell and Moebius. Tires in separate bags to eliminate tires melting into my hood, or worst yet windshield! The more I think about it, the more impressed I am with what I'm getting for my money today. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 When I first posted this, my intent was to make people realize that the kit prices aren't that bad after all, and should be happy about the way things are. Obviously, there are market conditions that come into play besides inflation, such as supply and demand. In 1971, the minimum wage was $1.80. That means it took more than an hours work to buy the $2.25 kit. Considering taxes, it was actually higher. Ask yourself today, how many hours do I work to get that kit? With the Federal minimum being $7.25/hr, it is taking about 3 or more hours work to buy the $25-range kits I see in most of the full-retail stores. Hmmmmm. Not all that great a deal put that way, is it?? "Adjusted-for-inflation" isn't always a very good indicator of actual buying power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 OIL. Why do models and gasoline seem to have gone up at the same rate? OIL. What does it take to make gas and plastic? OIL. What is very expensive these days? OIL. Everyone seems to overlook this tidbit. I fondly remember when a shot of decent Scotch was $.75 (that's 75 cents to those of you who were in school recently). Today it's $7.50. The only problem is that I'm not making 10 times more money now than I was then. Same goes for models, gas, pork, rent... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Maybe the problem isn't the current cost of goods, Bill. It's that your income hasn't kept up with the cpi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Maybe the problem isn't the current cost of goods, Bill. It's that your income hasn't kept up with the cpi. Yup, I'd have to be making $2500 a week to have the buying power I had in '71. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Kucaba Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Yup, I'd have to be making $2500 a week to have the buying power I had in '71. You mean your not! I guess I'm more fortunate than I thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoRover007 Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 I think $15-$30 is the range most if not all kits should cost. Anything above that I can't really justify, no matter the quality it is still plastic in a box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Yup, I'd have to be making $2500 a week to have the buying power I had in '71. Yea right, the likelyhood of that and it snowing in central Florida today are the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 You mean your not! I guess I'm more fortunate than I thought Same answer as above. I'm not buying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thatswhatshesaid Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 I fondly remember when a shot of decent Scotch was $.75 (that's 75 cents to those of you who were in school recently). Today it's $7.50. The only problem is that I'm not making 10 times more money now than I was then. Same goes for models, gas, pork, rent... But not everything is going to increase at exactly the same pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Johnston Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Then and now Then, kids were the prime buyers of kits, now those same kids are still buying kits as adults. Adults can afford to pay more. I think this has a lot to do with it too. When the 68 Mustang kit (Revell) came out it was $23.95. I whined and complained on the boards... But Yeah I still bought it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERIK88 Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 (edited) Idk out of my collection of kits I don't think I have spent more than $15 on a kit. Anything in the $20 range I normally don't buy. I've acquired 200+ models in the past 2 yrs. I have the disposable income to buy the $20-28 range kits, but I just cannot see the value for my dollar at that price point. I grew up during the late 90s and early 2000s, we're kits were at any walmart $10 bucks a piece , and at your local toys r us for almost free (amt kits) 5-8 bucks when on clearance, big lots for $8 bucks, and at kb toys for dirt cheap. I miss those days, everything now is so expensive. The youth of today cannot do much with their allowances, unless the parents have been keeping up with inflation haha . I use to get a lot of stuff with a $10 weekly allowance, one week would be for a kit, the other for supplies. Now a kid with the same allowance has to save for two weeks and a half, give or take, excluding paint which is now $5 for a can of spray paint. Testors small 1/2 ounce or whatever paints were .75 cents, now they are 1.25 - 1.75! Edited August 10, 2014 by ERIK88 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Most Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 They should cost whatever it takes for the manufacturer to turn a profit. As to what that number is, I have no idea- I don't work for a kit manufacturer. Personally for me there's no real price ceiling- if I want the subject badly enough, I'll fork over the cash for the kit. But maybe not before doing a little bargain hunting, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Lacy Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 (edited) Every time I see the argument about how model kits were 2 dollars 50 years ago, I have to call BS. It's not like kids in the 60's were walking into hobby shops with fist fulls of $20's and walking out with arm fulls of $2 model kits. My Dad, who was a kid and teen in the 60's, has told me on multiple occasions that he would have to save his allowance for weeks, find "extra" jobs to do around the neighborhood, etc. so that he could buy a new AMT kit plus needed supplies like glue, paint, brushes, etc. Apparently the fancy metallic spray paints were a major luxury. On top of that, he was also into Lionel trains so he had make room in his tight budget for two hobbies. He has also told me that when he was a teenager with his first car, gas was 20 or 30-some cents a gallon. That's great but he also only usually had a few dollars on him at any given time so it's not like he had a full tank everyday. For the people who can't swallow current prices for new model kits, there are multiple second hand market alternatives that are more cost friendly. The best deals I have found are vendors at model shows/contests. Edited August 10, 2014 by Dennis Lacy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 (edited) You are right Dennis, the cost of things are relative to the economy at that time. I bought kits with my own hard earned money in the late sixties and the 1970s time frame. I used to mow lawns for $2 and wash cars for $1 each. Today kids want $20-30 to mow a lawn. I don't think I even owned a $20 bill back then. I do remember gas being down in the 30 cents a gallon range, but it was 50 cents a gallon by the time I was driving in 1975. I had a job delivering pizza and was lucky to make $20 an evening from a meager salary plus tips. Every evening started by putting 10 gallons of gas into my old Valiant.. yea, $5 was a quarter of my take for that evening so it hurt. I remember the days when we feared that gas may be $1 a gallon someday! I remember one self proclaimed expert telling me that it couldn't happen because gas pumps would only register 99 cents. Ha! They figured that one out quickly. Edited August 10, 2014 by Tom Geiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 I think it is healthy for this conversation to continue among all the parties involved, but long ago I settled the issue for myself by believing that I am willing to pay whatever I need to pay to continue to feed my own styrene addiction. It's the cost of staying active in the hobby. That simple. Having said that I've also stopped buying kits that I know I will never build. I have over 400 kits in my current collection and most of those I use simply to rob parts from. When a new kit comes out I normally evaluated on a NEED-TO-HAVE-NOW-OR-NEVER basis. Some of it is quite compulsive on my part. But we all establish our own reasons for our wants and needs. Besides, buying styrene is still cheaper that some of the other hobbies and or habits (good or bad). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Lacy Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 ...long ago I settled the issue for myself by believing that I am willing to pay whatever I need to pay to continue to feed my own styrene addiction. It's the cost of staying active in the hobby. That simple. Absolutely, 100% agree. There is not a better summation than what you wrote, Dr. Cranky. And, it applies to anything in life. Your either willing to do what it takes to make something happen or you're not. If not, then it must not be as important to you as you thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 And, it applies to anything in life. Your either willing to do what it takes to make something happen or you're not. If not, then it must not be as important to you as you thought. And THAT is one of the great truths people try to pretend isn't really at the heart of not getting things accomplished. I should know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Besides, buying styrene is still cheaper that some of the other hobbies and or habits (good or bad). Yea I hear you can get like a case of kits for the cost of a bag-0-weed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Every time I see the argument about how model kits were 2 dollars 50 years ago, I have to call BS. I was a little kid in the late '60s. I bought models at that time. The typical 1/24-1/25 model car kit from AMT, Jo-Han, MPC, Revell, Monogram, etc. at my LHS (Bill's, on West Fullerton Avenue in Chicago) had a retail price of $2. I know it's true, because I was there. I remember it specifically because my allowance was $2 a week. You can "call BS" all you want, but that doesn't change the facts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 They should cost whatever it takes for the manufacturer to turn a profit. As to what that number is, I have no idea- I don't work for a kit manufacturer. Personally for me there's no real price ceiling- if I want the subject badly enough, I'll fork over the cash for the kit. But maybe not before doing a little bargain hunting, of course. Bingo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Yea I hear you can get like a case of kits for the cost of a bag-0-weed! You "hear" that, do ya' ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 kits will get you through times of no weed better than weed will get you through times of no kits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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