Building costs

[Kenny]

I might have $15 in my 34 pickup. That's a stretch, it was probably less. I don't think this hobby should be a bragging contest to see who can spend the most on a model.

[Kenny]

spend what you need to in order to build what makes you happy.

Amen. Well said.

[CAL]

probably about $40 for a standard build with paint, but I have spend hundreds on an all out build. I have about $350.00 invested in PE and resin bits for a Panther, Just depends.

[Jon Cole]

For me, the big issue is the actual cost of the kits. Like everything else, it keeps going up. But the difference between a kit, vs. food, gasoline, clothing, paying the utilities, etc. is that model kits are NOT a necessity. It's a hobby. And with over 1000+ kits in my house overtaking every last bit of free space, it's getting easier to walk away than buy a kit.

A good example- Testors new Charger Police car kit. Pre-painted metal body, lots of well detailed plastic parts, and all new lightbars (yes- that is plural) never before done in scale.

So why are they trying to rape our wallets for approx. $35 bucks?!!! That's just plain 'out of my league'. And then to add insult to injury, after we feed our sickness and buy that overpriced kit, I'll bet within a year it will be issued in plastic kit form, for less $$$. Problem is, there is no guarantee that will happen.

So if I REALLY want it, do I buy it now? Don't forget, kits now are produced in numbers to satisfy pre-orders. I someone mis-judges a kits popularity, then a lot of us miss out on a kit we were hoping to get. It's happened to me before.

When we must decide between food, gasoline, or hobby stuff, well... the model kits tend to go back on the store shelf. And I don't have enough vices in my life left to phase out! My one big remaining vice is... buying kits! And I already have more than I can ever hope to build. And I am lucky if I can build two kits per year. I rarely bother with old kits. There is too many new and wonderful kits coming out. Funny... I just realized that at this rate, the new kits will soon be as expensive as the old kits! Go figure!

-Jon-

[kitbash1]

I like to build on the cheap as well. But I'm getting ready to start on my first super detail build which is a 2005 C5-R ALMS Corvette. I've got all the parts ready,

C5-R kit, SMS PE, SMS Carbon fiber Template, Arrowhead Aluminum Brake kit and C5-R turned Aluminum set and a can of Corvette Yellow paint from my local GM Dealer. With out going though all the receipts, I think that I've spent well over $100 bucks on a plastic kit that cost me under $15. If my wife ever found out I'd be dead.