Does any company make the best kit?

[Arbatron]

This is completely opinion based but does any one company stand put as the guys that produce superior model kits? Or does it vary from kit to kit?

[Harry P.]

It varies. There's no way to say any one company makes the best kits. Individual model companies have made great kits and lousy ones. And it also depends on your definition of "best." Most accurate? Most detailed? Easiest to build? Most optional parts? And on and on. This question has no answer.

However, if your question is who makes (or made) the worst kits, I think Palmer would be the choice of most.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Really, different companies seem to excel at different things, and some kits from the same company and time period are better than others.

Some of the old Johan and AMT annual-based models were pretty spot-on as far as proportions and exterior scaling went, but were light on the details. Older Revell kits had lots of details, but were often considered difficult to build because of their intricacy.

Most recent Revell kits are very nicely done, but the occasional large mistake creeps through. The re-engineered AMT kits over the years have been quite nice, with much more detail than earlier versions, but there's also been the occasional lots-of-problems kit. Moebius and Galaxy kits are very very good, as are the beautifully-detailed Accurate Miniatures kits...but again, the AM kits are seen as difficult.

I personally really like the very well detailed Fujimi enthusiast series of Porsche kits, but there are some not-so-great Fujimi kits out there too.

It really just depends on where your interests lie, and what level of detail, fit and accuracy you can live with.

[Arbatron]

Honestly I do t expect a definitive answer. I was just looking for opinions and the reasons they feel that way. Kinda like Ford Vs Chevy. Both have their dedicated fans but when it comes down to it they are both good cars.

[Harry P.]

Honestly I do t expect a definitive answer. I was just looking for opinions...

A guy who loves to build funny cars might say Revell makes the best kits, a guy who likes to build foreign exotics might say Tamiya makes the best kits. In the end all you have is a bunch of opinions and no actual answer... because there is no answer.

[Tom Geiger]

I think Bill pretty much summed it up. And within a manufacturer, it depends on what era a kit was developed in. For instance, there was a young guy who was buying AMT kits. He bought some kits that the tooling was developed in the modern era, like the 1955 Chevy Pickup, 1966 Nova, 1957 Chrysler... then he went and bought the 1962 Buick Electra kit. He came screaming to the board like he had been tricked! While the other kits he bought had a lot of detail and full detail chassis, the Buick is a very simple kit with a one piece chassis. We had to explain to him that the Buick kit was developed back in 1962 and was created as a promotional model, thus the one piece chassis. The simpleness of the kit also had to do with the state of injection molding 50 years ago!

So if you are not familiar with any kit that you'd like to buy, it's always a safe bet to come to the board and ask! Guys here will give you a straight answer about the kit, it's origin and the challenges of building it!

[Chillyb1]

Oh, please! Don't let these guys mislead you in their rush to claim it is all a subjective matter. The three best companies with the best overall quality in injection-molded plastic car kits are, in no particular order: Tamiya, Tamiya, and Tamiya.

[maltsr]

Oh, please! Don't let these guys mislead you in their rush to claim it is all a subjective matter. The three best companies with the best overall quality in injection-molded plastic car kits are, in no particular order: Tamiya, Tamiya, and Tamiya.

[Miatatom]

I have to agree with Tamiya, but then I like sports cars and open wheel race cars.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Miatatom

[Erik Smith]

Tamiya is not perfect, but overall, they consistently make the best model kits - accuracy, engineering, etc.

Aoshima's newer items are as nice or nicer - older ones are a mixed bag.

[checkmate]

There's only one real issue with Tamiya, their subject matter is garbage. And remember this is only my opinion but German and British touring cars, F1, Japanese cars and European supercars have zero interest to me.

[Austin T]

There's only one real issue with Tamiya, their subject matter is garbage. And remember this is only my opinion but German and British touring cars, F1, Japanese cars and European supercars have zero interest to me.

Well I really am not a wagon guy so Tamiya work out for me!

[martinfan5]

Bandai, Tamiya, Aoshima, Fujimi

[Ridge Rider]

Does any company make the best kit? Yes As already mentioned there is no definitive answer-similar to your Ford vs Chevy analogy. The Japanese kits can be excellent but I prefer American vehicles and I am just happy to see any new tooling.

[Arbatron]

Thanks for the input guys. I now know that Chillyb1's 3 favorite companies are, in no particular order Tamyia, Tamyia, & Tamyia. But the answeres are kinda all over. Which doesn't surprise me. I'll just jVe to start building and see who's side I join.

[chitownbri]

if you like super cars, f1 and dtm tamiya is prolly tops. for muscle cars and classic american cars revell and amt both produced some fine kits, amt also had some of the best pickup truck kits, for big rigs italeri has the edge in my opinion. moebius is still a relatively young company but their kits are top notch.

like whats been said before; it depends on what subject matter you're building in as to who has the best kits.

[checkmate]

Well I really am not a wagon guy so Tamiya work out for me!

Wagons are cool, vans are even better.

[om617]

I recently dig into an older Tamiya Testarossa and there are plenty of issues as warping and pin marks. The pin marks

cant be excused by age,but maby the warping can. I also looked thru this AMT 62 Bel Air bubble top and this kit still

amaze me with how beautiful done it is. Overall the Tamiya kits are excellent,but there are some very nice ones from

Revell and AMT as well. As for the best i would say Model Factory Hiro.

[mikevillena]

Tamiya and the other Japanese kit manufacturers had the clear advantage for quite some time once they got over their "motorized" phase but don't be in a hurry to dismiss American manufacturers as they are slowly catching up. You also have to consider scale, kit price, subject matter and target market. I'll let you in on a little secret.......in the end, it's not about the kit but how skilled the builder is.

[Matt Bacon]

I don't build Detroit Iron, so for me it's Tamiya, Hasegawa, Aoshima and Fujimi, with Revell (Germany) hot on their heels. Every company has "misses" as well as "hits," especially among their older tools. But the Tamiya LFA I'm currently building, and the Aston Martin DBS I built a couple of years ago, are hands down the best model car kits I've ever built. The shapes and detail are spot on, the engineering is thoughtful and the fit is perfect...

bestest,

M.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Matt Bacon

[johnbuzzed]

No. With few exceptions, they all do. See all the previous posts for the reasons.

[Miatatom]

There's only one real issue with Tamiya, their subject matter is garbage.

One mans garbage is another mans treasure. That's why flea markets and yard sales are popular.

[Modelmartin]

Tamiya have been consistently the best for the last 35 years. I will argue that to the end. Many others produce excellent kits but for sheer consistency and continuous improvement no one can equal Tamiya. I love all kinds of kits and will build what I want from anyone's offerings. One of these days I will attack my Pyro Auburn boat tail speedster. Sure it is a crappy kit but no one else makes it. I may also build my Tamiya Honda RC166 with all four detail sets. It is one of the best kits Tamiya have done....ever. It is a jewel.

I love my AMT trophy series kits, Fisher Porsches, Fujimi 917, 911s, Monogram, Jo-Han, Italeri, Heller Classic cars, Pyro Brass 1/32 kits, My Revell, AMT and MPC dune buggies. I have nearly 400 kits and they are all awesome or I never would have bought them, But Tamiya is the best!!!

[DiscoRover007]

As far as quality Tamiya is consistently the best imo. Always crisp molds, complete with window masks and metal transfers. Lately Revell has rivaled them with their latest works in my opinion. In a few years I think they will equal them.

Aoshima is also very good. Fujimi has interesting subject matter which is what makes me buy their stuff sometimes. But a lot of their kits, although are crisply molded have inaccuracies and sink marks. They often lack engine detail too. Their enthusiast kits are extremely detailed though the parts fitment isn't very good. But those are old kits so it's understandable.

[Austin T]

Wagons are cool, vans are even better.

I like vans. Picked this guy up recently.