Why are 1/43 Scale Models so Pricey

[Skip]

Perusing through EvilBay looking at 1/43 kits I found a few subjects which might be of interest, however some of the prices!!  Ouch!  I notice that prices range from around a reasonable $9 to a jaw dropping $300 and up.  Totally blows me away, some of these offerings range from amazing to not bad the pricing doesn't seem to follow the amazement factor either.  Being that I've never built or collected anything 1/43 Scale I am pretty much sticker shocked for mostly what we would consider "Curb Side" models.  I know some of these are products of the cottage industry, but what's up with the prices for kits?

[Rob Hall]

Most are very limited production and hand made...not mass produced.  They have (at least in the US) a small , dedicated fan base.  

 

 As far as preassembled 1/43rd diecast, there are some decent cheap ones out there, such as those from Greenlight.  

Edited July 26, 2016 by Rob Hall

[vamach1]

Kits made by Marsh and others are high quality and had had photo etched parts for decades which the plastic kit manufacturers have been very slow to adopt.  They also can either be resin or metal and as someone else mentioned are made in limited quantities.  The higher priced kits can have hundreds of parts.  I've been building them for over 30 years but buy maybe one or two a year as the subject matter that I build is limited and some of the factory built models do not cost that much more than a kit.

[Shafter44]

Most 1/43 scale kits are not only limited production but primarily originate in Europe and have the cost of import passed on to those of us in the US who have taken the time to build them. In addition the fact that most are only available for a short time from the original manufacturer means that by the time the average hobbyist encounters them they have acquired "collector" prices. Even with these faults though you can get some amazing stuff you wont find in larger scales and some truly surprising kits exist. In the early 90's I built a lot of NASCAR kits from Starter(France) that were available mostly because they didn't seem to care about all those licensing and copyright laws the big companies had to deal with, although I paid a premium to get the kits.

[Ben]

Because in the beginning, when they first came out, someone went ahead and paid way more than they should have!

[aurfalien]

Well, this falls to my general argument on why some things are overly cheap while others are priced correctly, simply put;

The Walmartization of life

Those 1/43 hand made models should be expensive as they represent real cost.

We are too used to cheap cheap cheap.

This in turn puts many boutique kit makers out of business.

My simplistic view anyways.  We are lucky to have kits/parts/etc as cheap as they are.

As a side note, we can't expect our products to be outsourced/off-shored w/o having our life styles follow suite.

[Edsel-Dan]

Not sure on Decent price for Greenlight diecast

Even their 1/64 are High!!

I mean, $8.oo-15.oo Each is NOT decent for that small a diecast

M2 are $6.oo each at Wal-Mart.

Sadly, Both brands are Nice, But PASS!!

 

And Round2's Auto World True 1/64 Authentic..........

Those are Glorified Matchbox/Hot Wheels and also $6.oo or More!!

Heck, a set of 6 is $43-45.oo direct from Them!!

I have ONE of them and will get NO More

Grills, Bumpers etc are part of the body casting!???

Really???

NO paint is going to make that look like Chrome & clear!!!!!

 

I am HOPING Round2 re-issues their 1.43 kits.

BUT even if they do....

At what Price?????

The last 4 of those O got were Decent in Price.

1 48 Ford Couple Sealed Inside Under $7.50 Shipped!!

Same with their 36 Ford Coupe, And 2 57 Chevy Bel Air

36 and 1 Bel Air sealed inside

Other Bel Air SEALED Period

and UNDER $25.oo TOTAL for the 4

Of Course, This WAS LAst year, so......

 

There is a 69 Thunderdbird Built Unpainted With Showcase, Decals & Box

for only $15.oo + shipping right now.

 

Look around, you Might find a Deal!!!!

[drball]

I understand 1/43 scale is so popular in Europe because it they take less space in their smaller living quarters.

 

[Art Anderson]

I understand 1/43 scale is so popular in Europe because it they take less space in their smaller living quarters.

 

Actually, 1:43 scale (which is a rather odd scale, BTW) has its roots in the diecast toys made by the likes of Dinky and Corgi, right after WW-II.  Many of the very early 1:43 scale "cottage industry" models and kits were (just as with 1/25 scale resin transkits here in the US) spun off those ready-made Corgi and Dinky toys (which were actually pretty nicely done scale models, just made as toys, for kids).  Add to this the wide-spread "VAT" (Value Added Tax) in the UK and Europe (sort of like a "sales tax" that is collected from EACH stage of production, from raw materials to the finished product) which adds greatly to the costs associated with producing any product over there.  And, as others have mentioned, the very high level of scale and detail accuracy of most 43rd scale model kits from overseas--that also runs up the cost.  And last--just as with resin kits in this country, not only is there virtually NO mass-production--rather a ton of hand-work involved in each part of each kit, combined with actually quite small production numbers (think in anywhere from a few dozen to perhaps a few hundred in many cases --see the picture a bit more clearly now?

Art

[Art Anderson]

Not sure on Decent price for Greenlight diecast

Even their 1/64 are High!!

I mean, $8.oo-15.oo Each is NOT decent for that small a diecast

M2 are $6.oo each at Wal-Mart.

Sadly, Both brands are Nice, But PASS!!

 

And Round2's Auto World True 1/64 Authentic..........

Those are Glorified Matchbox/Hot Wheels and also $6.oo or More!!

Heck, a set of 6 is $43-45.oo direct from Them!!

I have ONE of them and will get NO More

Grills, Bumpers etc are part of the body casting!???

Really???

NO paint is going to make that look like Chrome & clear!!!!!

 

I am HOPING Round2 re-issues their 1.43 kits.

BUT even if they do....

At what Price?????

The last 4 of those O got were Decent in Price.

1 48 Ford Couple Sealed Inside Under $7.50 Shipped!!

Same with their 36 Ford Coupe, And 2 57 Chevy Bel Air

36 and 1 Bel Air sealed inside

Other Bel Air SEALED Period

and UNDER $25.oo TOTAL for the 4

Of Course, This WAS LAst year, so......

 

There is a 69 Thunderdbird Built Unpainted With Showcase, Decals & Box

for only $15.oo + shipping right now.

 

Look around, you Might find a Deal!!!!

Those Round2 1/64 scale Authentics involve an awful lot of manufacturing steps--from the diecasting operation, to multicolor spray painting operations--while the entire production run might have its main body color done with a production spray gun on racks of a hundred or so body shells, each added color is one operation, one worker who has to be paid.  Then there are all those "Tampo" or "pad-printed details--each one of those details is at minimum one operation, one operator--and where multi-color badges or emblems are added-EACH INDIVIDUAL COLOR is--you got it!  One operation, one operator.   By contrast, final assembly is just that, an assembly line.   It can take a hundred or more people just to make a production run of just one subject.  Add also, the cost of tooling (some 1/64 scale diecast tooling is probably $20,000 or more just to get tooling to cast the model.  Then add in licensing, shipping, import duties, transportation to wherever Round2's distribution center might be--THEN plug in the transportation costs to each individual store (or online/mail order vendor), plus a profit margin both for Round2 (otherwise, why make the things in the first place?), and a profit margin for the final seller.  And, I haven't even mentioned licensing fees!

Art

[SfanGoch]

Sorta like the Made in Vietnam $450 Nike Air Jordans that cost $12 in material, labor and shipping to the states.

[om617]

The unusual subjects and limited production i would assume add a lot. Some 1:43 resins (Finished models) are so nice they

sometimes put bigger scale models to shame. Example the brand NEO. This said the NEO models are rarely over $100. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Sorta like the Made in Vietnam $450 Nike Air Jordans that cost $12 in material, labor and shipping to the states.

...that could be made here for maybe twice or even triple the cost and STILL give plenty of room for markup profit...but NOOOOOOO!!!!   

[Ace-Garageguy]

Well, this falls to my general argument on why some things are overly cheap while others are priced correctly, simply put;

The Walmartization of life

Those 1/43 hand made models should be expensive as they represent real cost.

We are too used to cheap cheap cheap.

This in turn puts many boutique kit makers out of business.

My simplistic view anyways.  We are lucky to have kits/parts/etc as cheap as they are.

As a side note, we can't expect our products to be outsourced/off-shored w/o having our life styles follow suite.

Excellent.

Those little hand-cast kits with a LOT of parts took a LOT of work to master, casting metal is a different art entirely, and they're made mostly in Europe, one at a time.

That gets expensive, and considering the minuscule market (relative to plastic mass-produced kits) to even be able to afford to eat, the makers have to charge a comparatively large price per-unit.

You want cheap? Buy Chinese-made toys, everything molded in one lump.

Edited July 26, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[vamach1]

Monogram tried the 1/43rd market and made a very nice Corvette and 289 Cobra kit a few decades ago.  They were plastic and even had engines and photo etched parts and were reasonably priced.  I assume they did not sell very well in the US market which is a shame as they are really nice but perhaps too small for most modelers.

Edited July 26, 2016 by vamach1
Photo

[Quick GMC]

there's a brand called Feeling43. They have the most intricate 1/43 kits I have ever seen. The cheapest kit from them I have come across was about $650, an they go up to $950. The problem is these kits are not like 1/24 kits, they require a lot of work and skill to make into nicely detailed models. Soldering, machining, etc. You can slap them together, but they'll look like a die cast.  

here is the Facebook of a guy I follow where he has multiple photo galleries that show the steps involved: https://www.facebook.com/Rosso43-762838000500578/?fref=ts

[aurfalien]

there's a brand called Feeling43. They have the most intricate 1/43 kits I have ever seen. The cheapest kit from them I have come across was about $650, an they go up to $950. The problem is these kits are not like 1/24 kits, they require a lot of work and skill to make into nicely detailed models. Soldering, machining, etc. You can slap them together, but they'll look like a die cast.  

here is the Facebook of a guy I follow where he has multiple photo galleries that show the steps involved: https://www.facebook.com/Rosso43-762838000500578/?fref=ts

I've also seen some awesome kits from MFH in there 1/43 line.  Seems like ~$150-200 range.

[Pete J.]

I am always surprised by customers who feel that the price of something should be based on the amount and cost of the raw materials and discount the time and skill that went into creating it.  It is very much like what we do as modelers.  I don't know how many times I have declined people who offer me "a hundred bucks" for a model thinking that they are being generous. When I tell them that they are offering me $4 and hour for my time, I often get the deer in the headlights look. 

I am not surprised  that 1:43 scale kits are expensive.  Look at what MFH gets for a 1:20 scale kit.  Smaller requires more precision.  Large scale requires more detail.  It is a trade off but the end result is similar cost.  As with most things development is a huge part of the cost.  Ten years ago I was told by Tamiya that a set of molds for a car cost about $500,000 to make.  Because they can produce thousands of kits from those molds the cost per unit goes way down.  The small companies molds don't cost any where that much but amortizing the cost over far fewer kits raises the price. 

[Rob Hall]

Some people just have no concept of the cost of doing business, I guess. Or they are stuck in 1960 pricing (or whenever their happy place was).  

[unclescott58]

Doesn't this in someways tie into another thread elsewhere here about some modelers being cheap? These price discussions come up frequently. There are so many variables as to why something is priced the way it is. And it can be very tough to explain in some cases. But, I really don't worry about it too much anymore. I've discovered if I really want something bad enough, I'll seem to find the money and a justifiable reason to buy it. That doesn't mean I buy everything I see and want. Far from it. But, I own a lot of stuff that I don't really need. And that is both fun and okay. Do I want more? Of course. And if I can find it at a price I like and can afford, I'll buy it.

[Edsel-Dan]

Actually, I was asking WHY the Grills, Bumpers, etc are x=cast in place on

the body tooling on those Round2 True64 diecast

Not why the price.

For that price, they should be MUCH better made than they are

I mean, Tampo-print Grills?? Head & tail lights??

Some of the "DIME Store" toys BELOW Hot Wheels/Matchbox Quality have 

separate Chrome Plastic grills.

It may be part of a Plastic chassis, but......

Even Matchbox & Hot Wheels do that, and they are $1.oo Each Average!!!!

At 50 cents to a Dollar Less, M2 diecast have SEPARATE Grills and even clear head light lenses!!!!!!!!!!!!

At one time My local Wal-Mart (Just accross the highway)

had M2 CLEARANCED!!

I got several for Under $3.oo Each!!

They just re-stocked that group again

Stock & hot rod paint scheme 57 Chevy 210 wagon, 57 Fairlane 500

56 Pontiac VW Beetle, and MORE

Some boxes show 42 + Parts to make this Vehicle!!

Fewer parts in the Round2 "True64's"!!

M2 have opening hoods, even doors on some

NOT so on True64's

 

So, Explain why the "True64" diecast are So LACKING in Quality & Detail

that others obtain!!

[Quick GMC]

good lord

[Rob Hall]

I thought this thread was about 1/43rd kits, not crazed rants about 1/64th diecast.  

[Tom Geiger]

Some people just have no concept of the cost of doing business,

Bingo! 

[peteski]

there's a brand called Feeling43. They have the most intricate 1/43 kits I have ever seen. The cheapest kit from them I have come across was about $650, an they go up to $950. The problem is these kits are not like 1/24 kits, they require a lot of work and skill to make into nicely detailed models. Soldering, machining, etc. You can slap them together, but they'll look like a die cast.  

here is the Facebook of a guy I follow where he has multiple photo galleries that show the steps involved: https://www.facebook.com/Rosso43-762838000500578/?fref=ts

There was Feeling 43 - they closed shop several years ago.   When still in production, the kits fetched from a $100 (basic) to few hundred for the super-detailed kits. They also sold hand-assembled versions of their kits (in very limited quantity) and those sold for thousands.  Now, because they are gone, the kits have really outrageous prices!

But as you said, those kits are all little gems with gobs of details, but you have to be a true craftsman to build them. They are nothink lils typical plastic kit.  But if they are built properly, they are tiny masterpieces,often with more details than many 1:24 models.

Tameo is another company which makes really nice 1:43 kits.

The pre-assembled models from NEO are relatively inexpensive because they are assembled in China, and they don't have the same level of detail as Feeling43 or Tameo kits. All NEO models are curbside slammers (no engine and no under-body details).

Some examples of Feeling43 level of details.  This shows you why they are so expensive (they are about half the size of 1:24 scale models).