Tamiya Mazda MX-5 Roadster

[Gregg]

Tamiya’s new Mazda MX-5 Roadster, #24342, $49 US

Nice kit!

 

Tamiya Mazda MX-5 Roadster

 

Tamiya’s new Mazda MX-5 Roadster, #24342, $49US

It’s about time we got a new and current kit from Tamiya! Their new Mazda MX-5 Roadster is great! The 1/24 scale kit is flawless, with both left- and right-hand drive options, and options for US, Japan, Europe, and British versions. The roadster body has no flaws whatsoever! Now is the time to order some of those great colors from ScaleFinishes and Gravity Colors. They both have our favorite Mazda Soul Red, so it’s your choice. The kit is basically curbside, with nice suspension details, and good under-engine detailing/engraving. The neat part of the kit is that there is a female driver figure, that you can position for either the right or left side driver’s seat, with different arms for either side. You also have to slide the seat forward to get her to fit the driver’s side pedals/steering wheel. A nice touch!

So, how does it build? We painted it this weekend, and we will update the final shots soon. So far, PERFECT!

Order yours today from your local hobby shop, or check out Tamiya’s site

[Nova-ss]

wow..I guess I'll be getting a few and building them..thank you for the info....Chris 

[mike 51]

Looks good...but $49 seems kinda steep.

 

But importing one from a Japanese source cuts the price by more than 1/2  (even with shipping it's far cheaper)

[Erik Smith]

Very cool. Great looking little car. I'm glad to see a female driver - I know it reinforces the illusion of the Miata as a "girl's" car, but a female DRIVER is cool - a step up from half dressed woman washing a car...

I drive a 99, so I am a little biased on Miatas...

[peteski]

I prefer the first and second generation Miatas, but I have to admit that this looks like a sweet model!  Plus you can't go wrong with Tamiya.

 

Isn't it funny how the US Dollar/Japanase Yen exchange rate has become very favorable (dollar is much stronger), yet the prices of models imported from Japan and sold in US do not reflect this at all?  You have to go directly to a Japanese online vendor to reap the benefits of the favorable exchange rate.

Edited December 16, 2015 by peteski

[Jhedir6]

Thanks for the review, looks like a very nice kit indeed. Not sure why Tamiya refuses to do a full engine detail kit anymore. Most seem to just have the detailed under side. or the preformed engine compartment with one or two addons to the top, like the Nissan GTR. Oh well, still nice enough to buy one. You think the prices of Japanese imports is high in the States, most here now are $60+, Ferrari kits getting up to $75ish. I love supporting my local hobby stores, but saving almost half the money makes Ebay just too attractive.

David

[martinfan5]

I prefer the first and second generation Miatas, but I have to admit that this looks like a sweet model!  Plus you can't go wrong with Tamiya.

 

Isn't it funny how the US Dollar/Japanase Yen exchange rate has become very favorable (dollar is much stronger), yet the prices of models imported from Japan and sold in US do not reflect this at all?  You have to go directly to a Japanese online vendor to reap the benefits of the favorable exchange rate.

Exchange rates have nothing to do with the cost of the kits here in the USA,   take a look at the cost of US kits in Japan,  they are almost double to what they sell for here.   The prices have everything to do the cost of import/export.

The kit has been officially released in Japan as of a few days ago.

Edited December 16, 2015 by martinfan5

[kelson]

I preordered a couple of these off Hobbyeasy months ago and still waiting,they were showing a release date for today,but I was checking out a hobbyshop in Eastern Canada and he has one in stock since last Friday.

[martinfan5]

I preordered a couple of these off Hobbyeasy months ago and still waiting,they were showing a release date for today,but I was checking out a hobbyshop in Eastern Canada and he has one in stock since last Friday.

Tokyo Hobby has had them since at least late last week, HLJ and Hobby Search still are not showing they have gotten them yet.

[Olskoolrodder]

That's on my short list. Thanks for the mini-review  

[Erik Smith]

Tokyo Hobby has had them since at least late last week, HLJ and Hobby Search still are not showing they have gotten them yet.

Tokyo Hobby - $21.90 plus $10.80 for shipping. Same shipping cost as domestic USA...

[martinfan5]

Tokyo Hobby - $21.90 plus $10.80 for shipping. Same shipping cost as domestic USA...

Yes, but its SAL, so its gonna take a few weeks.

[peteski]

Exchange rates have nothing to do with the cost of the kits here in the USA,   take a look at the cost of US kits in Japan,  they are almost double to what they sell for here.   The prices have everything to do the cost of import/export.

 

I wouldn't say "nothing to do with the cost". That is bull. Of course the monetary exchange rate influences the price of imported and exported goods. It is not the only influencing factor, but it does influence the price of those goods.

 

Plus, the price in Japan is not all that much higher than in U.S.  Lets take a 1/25 2013 Mustang Boss 302 Revell Muscle.

http://hlj.com/product/REV4187/Aut   List price in Japan is 4400 Yen ($36). IN USA, the kit has a list price of $26 (see http://www.sears.com/revell-monogram-rev4187-1-25-2013-mustang-boss-302/p-SPM2549009921 ). I would say that this price difference would be reasonable for all the export/import duties).

But the Miata has a list price of $49 in US, while the Japanese list price is 3200 Yen ($26) at the current exchange rate.  As you see the markup on the Japanese kits in US  is much higher than US kits in Japan.

I'm using list prices because discounted prices because that is a good reference price to compare.

Edited December 17, 2015 by peteski

[Bennyg]

I'm pretty keen to get one of these, but need to finish projects before I can justify getting another kit. My local shop is pretty average. I get supplies and kits when I'm away typically, or mail order from Japan, China or eBay. 

 

Looking foreword to seeing one done on the forum.

 

Ben

[Brett Barrow]

It's because Tamiya goes through at least 2 levels of US distribution to get to store shelves (Tamiya USA plus whatever distributor the shop buys from) whereas there is no Revell Japan so HLJ/Beaver Corp is buying straight from Revell US and they can make Japan list price whatever they want to based on the cost they're paying.  A fairer comparison would be to find a Japanese shop that buys Revell wholesale from Beaver and see what their prices are.  

Exchange rates are a factor, but the 2 level distribution is the main reason.   And only suckers pay list... 

Source: worked in hobby distribution for 12 years 

[Monty]

Thanks for the review, looks like a very nice kit indeed. Not sure why Tamiya refuses to do a full engine detail kit anymore. Most seem to just have the detailed under side. or the preformed engine compartment with one or two addons to the top, like the Nissan GTR. 

David

I wonder if I'm the only one who's disturbed by this trend where modelers are becoming more and more accepting of curbside kits, especially when they're expensive and come from model companies known for their great kit engineering.  

Yeah, I know the counterarguments:

1) "Ya can't see the engine most of the time anyway".

2) "I'm just happy we got something that looks like..."

3)  "We're modelers - we'll add engines if we want them"

I only build car and truck kits, and even though the engine can't be seen at all times, it is an essential part of any car, and one that I feel should be replicated in scale.      

There's also the fact that some of us are enamored with motive power in many forms, and think a well-detailed engine adds to a model's overall display quality.      

If you're willing to pay higher prices for less of a kit, I hope the manufacturers will throw in a tube of KY jelly. In the meantime, I will continue to vote against curbside kits via a closed billfold. 

Edited December 17, 2015 by Monty

[martinfan5]

I wouldn't say "nothing to do with the cost". That is bull. Of course the monetary exchange rate influences the price of imported and exported goods. It is not the only influencing factor, but it does influence the price of those goods.

I was saying that the exchange rate is not the sole reason for the price difference.

[Rob Hall]

I've got one on pre order from HLJ...maybe they will get it next week, got a few kits in the private warehouse I'd like to ship before the end of the year..

[martinfan5]

I got my payment request from Hobby Search last night for mine.

[niteowl7710]

Thanks for the review, looks like a very nice kit indeed. Not sure why Tamiya refuses to do a full engine detail kit anymore. Most seem to just have the detailed under side. or the preformed engine compartment with one or two addons to the top, like the Nissan GTR. Oh well, still nice enough to buy one. You think the prices of Japanese imports is high in the States, most here now are $60+, Ferrari kits getting up to $75ish. I love supporting my local hobby stores, but saving almost half the money makes Ebay just too attractive.

David

Point of order here...where is this "refuses to do a full engine detail kit anymore" hogwash come from?

Was the Tamiya LaFerrari not full detail?  How about the 300SL or Honda S600? Or the Skyline 2000 GT-R Street Custom? Or the R-32 GTR NiSMO Custom?  That's FIVE full detail kits in the past 18 months from Tamiya, out of a total of SEVEN automotive releases.  If you want to go beyond that they reissued the Toyota Land Cruiser 80 VX Limited, Land Cruiser 80 Sports Options, and Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI kits in Jaegermeister and Alfa Corsa liveries - all of those are so full detail they practically ooze engine parts out the box seams.

The only two kits released recently that were curbside are the Toyoda AA and this new MX-5.  The Toyoda AA seems like someone's pet project, it's such an oddball subject matter.  Tamiya's 1st Gen (NA) Miata and Eunos Roadster kits were curbside, setting the level of acceptance for what to expect out of their kit on this vehicle.  In addition the MX-5 has an issue that prevents it from having an engine, that being the JDM Mazda Roadster, and the MX-5 that North America, Europe, and other countries get two separate engines.  They're already putting 4 building options worth of parts and decals in the box, and while I could take or leave the driver figure, she's supposedly modeled off a long time Tamiya employee.  I don't think it's also reasonable to expect them to tool up two sets of upper engine parts and accessories along with all of the various LHD vs. RHD engine compartment pieces on a $26 model kit.  If it suddenly becomes a $37 model kit with the engine pieces, and slams into the U.S, LHS Shelves with a $59.99 MSRP are is anyone actually willing to shell out that extra $10 for a 2.0L 4cyl?

[Rob Hall]

I got my payment request from Hobby Search last night for mine.

HLJ is now showing it as a January release.

[martinfan5]

HLJ is now showing it as a January release.

I honestly thought I canceled my pre order from Hobby Search, well, I didnt and went ahead and pre ordered it from HLJ too , glad I noticed it and canceled. 

Well, thats odd, they seem to be getting a lot Tamiya kits a lot later than Hobby Search lately for some reason.

[Zoom Zoom]

I honestly thought I canceled my pre order from Hobby Search, well, I didnt and went ahead and pre ordered it from HLJ too , glad I noticed it and canceled. 

Well, thats odd, they seem to be getting a lot Tamiya kits a lot later than Hobby Search lately for some reason.

My Hobby Search MX5's are in-transit (I had ordered them August 25th, the pre-sale price included 15% discount, but the original estimate of 2800 yen retail went to 3200 yen). Hobby Search had them available for pre-order months ahead of HLJ.

I think I read that Tamiya was putting the screws down on HLJ, that their overseas distributors were complaining that their prices were too cheap. We heard that there is 2 levels of Tamiya distributors in the US, so every middleman means more $$. When Tamiya stuff started going scarce at HLJ, the next step was the discount went from 20% to 5%. It has since gone to 10%. My pair of MX5's cost me 8250 yen including express shipping from Japan, just under $34 each...which is quite a nice discount vs. $49 retail plus sales tax plus gas $ here if paying full price at a hobby shop. 

[martinfan5]

My Hobby Search MX5's are in-transit (I had ordered them August 25th, the pre-sale price included 15% discount, but the original estimate of 2800 yen retail went to 3200 yen). Hobby Search had them available for pre-order months ahead of HLJ.

I think I read that Tamiya was putting the screws down on HLJ, that their overseas distributors were complaining that their prices were too cheap. We heard that there is 2 levels of Tamiya distributors in the US, so every middleman means more $$. When Tamiya stuff started going scarce at HLJ, the next step was the discount went from 20% to 5%. It has since gone to 10%. My pair of MX5's cost me 8250 yen including express shipping from Japan, just under $34 each...which is quite a nice discount vs. $49 retail plus sales tax plus gas $ here if paying full price at a hobby shop. 

I probably pre ordered mine shortly after you did after it was clear HLJ wasnt going to be listing it anytime soon.   I heard that about Tamiya and HLJ, like a lot of things, you never how much truth is behind it, but the way HLJ has been of late with Tamiya products,  I am believing it.  

My total for one was 3600 yen with SAL, still alot better than $49 US plus tax (if applicable)

[Rob Hall]

Well, well...just got the payment request for mine from HLJ...time to ship it and the kits in the PW..