Round 2 April 2025

[Mark C.]

Looking forward to the ‘60 Nomad, ‘64/5 Barracuda, and the ‘72 Duster!

Whenever they arrive is fine by me… as long as they arrive eventually.  Hopefully the prices up here won’t be affected too much by all the noise, but we’ll see, as everything is up in the air.  The nightmare scenario is that Round 2 takes such a financial hit that it cancels future projects that were planned but not put into steel yet.

Word of the day is to turn off the news and go build a model.  This has to blow over eventually, doesn’t it?  🙂

[Luc Janssens]

Well if these Chinese, American designed kits become "unsellable" in the US, they may divert that slow boat towards the EU, Ha!

😉

Edited April 10 by Luc Janssens

[Dave Van]

5 hours ago, Ragtop Man said:

Just to be clear, once tooling goes to China, it stays in China.  Any enterprise undertaken in China is done in parntership with an enterprise connected to their gubbmint. They are not the most open minded people in the world for such things. 

For the future of the hobby, hope that cooler heads prevail.  I don't know all the economics of what cost would get assesed, but I don't foresee a 54% increase in the retail price - but it would sting, it would slow sales and it would definitely cause the chains to revisit a lot of what they keep on the shelves. 

 

Correct. Tooling cut in China is co-owned by the Chinese government. It will not leave China. What about old 60's era tooling that was sent to China....R2 owns it right?!?! Well kinda. IF work was done to the tooling and/or modifications, China now owns part of the tooling.

A few years ago a model train manufacture wanted to move tooling to Korea. A horrible accident happened and all the tooling fell of a dock and was no longer usable.....what are the odds 55 tools all fell off the same day??

This mess was 100% preventable. In 2015 a book was written that foretold all of this. MANY industry leaders had warned about long be fore the book. ( The 100 year Marathon was the book)

The China tariff is now 125% as of today. NO ONE selling in America Chinese made goods will survive 125% increase. I think it will be worked out. China needs us more than we them. Either way I am glad to have a HGE collection of kits and will never NEED any more. 

Thanks

[Luc Janssens]

24 minutes ago, Dave Van said:

The China tariff is now 125% as of today. NO ONE selling in America Chinese made goods will survive 125% increase. I think it will be worked out. China needs us more than we them. Either way I am glad to have a HGE collection of kits and will never NEED any more. 

Thanks

145% now

[Volzfan59]

2 hours ago, Dave Van said:

Correct. Tooling cut in China is co-owned by the Chinese government. It will not leave China. What about old 60's era tooling that was sent to China....R2 owns it right?!?! Well kinda. IF work was done to the tooling and/or modifications, China now owns part of the tooling.

A few years ago a model train manufacture wanted to move tooling to Korea. A horrible accident happened and all the tooling fell of a dock and was no longer usable.....what are the odds 55 tools all fell off the same day??

This mess was 100% preventable. In 2015 a book was written that foretold all of this. MANY industry leaders had warned about long be fore the book. ( The 100 year Marathon was the book)

The China tariff is now 125% as of today. NO ONE selling in America Chinese made goods will survive 125% increase. I think it will be worked out. China needs us more than we them. Either way I am glad to have a HGE collection of kits and will never NEED any more. 

Thanks

Great comment Dave Van!

[stavanzer]

6 hours ago, niteowl7710 said:

I cede the floor, please go back to discussing these two thrilling SnapTite kits that have been around for 20+ years and are available second hand in plentiful quantities at much lower prices than these new boxings.

James, you are a very astute observer, but Sarcasm ill Becomes you.

Let's worry when things happen, not anticipate trouble.

[stitchdup]

lets just stop the talk about tariffs now please guys.

[Tabbysdaddy]

4 hours ago, Dave Van said:

A few years ago a model train manufacture wanted to move tooling to Korea. A horrible accident happened and all the tooling fell of a dock and was no longer usable.....what are the odds 55 tools all fell off the same day??

Sounds reasonable. Happens all the time with people's "arms".

[Dave Van]

4 hours ago, stitchdup said:

lets just stop the talk about tariffs now please guys.

OK...AGREED.

BUT it is the number one factor affecting our hobby. I checked with some of my friends that own brick and mortar hobby shops. They are already having a hard time getting stock. This may become worse than the 'DEATH of the Hobby' in the 70's or anything else we have faced. Thanks

[M W Elky]

16 minutes ago, Dave Van said:

OK...AGREED.

BUT it is the number one factor affecting our hobby. I checked with some of my friends that own brick and mortar hobby shops. They are already having a hard time getting stock. This may become worse than the 'DEATH of the Hobby' in the 70's or anything else we have faced. Thanks

I completely agree with you these are very scary times indeed. Thankfully I’ve got a pretty good stash that will keep me going for at least a few years 

[Luc Janssens]

2 hours ago, Dave Van said:

OK...AGREED.

BUT it is the number one factor affecting our hobby. I checked with some of my friends that own brick and mortar hobby shops. They are already having a hard time getting stock. This may become worse than the 'DEATH of the Hobby' in the 70's or anything else we have faced. Thanks

Indeed. At best it will slow down future investments from manufacturers of which the US is the primary market but manufacture in China. 

[Luc Janssens]

9 hours ago, stitchdup said:

lets just stop the talk about tariffs now please guys.

Les, I think we all want to talk about something else, but the truth of the matter is that it has a serious impact on the hobby we love and certainly for the people who work at/for Round-2, Moebius, Revell USA, etc....

Edited April 11 by Luc Janssens

[stitchdup]

3 hours ago, Luc Janssens said:

Les, I think we all want to talk about something else, but the truth of the matter is that it has a serious impact on the hobby we love and the people who work at/for Round-2, Moebius, Revell USA, etc....

yeah but to talk about it properly means getting into politics which is against the rules so i feel like its not a subject that we need to carry on here. If we aren't able to talk frankly about it, then its a pointless conversation to carry on. Half the story tells us nothing

[Luc Janssens]

1 hour ago, stitchdup said:

yeah but to talk about it properly means getting into politics which is against the rules so i feel like its not a subject that we need to carry on here. If we aren't able to talk frankly about it, then its a pointless conversation to carry on. Half the story tells us nothing

True, but it sheds some light on what the short/long term implications could be for our niche of the hobby. 

Cheers

Luc

[Dave Darby]

7 hours ago, Luc Janssens said:

Les, I think we all want to talk about something else, but the truth of the matter is that it has a serious impact on the hobby we love and certainly for the people who work at/for Round-2, Moebius, Revell USA, etc....

Seems to me, this discussion should be centered on what the title implies. Round 2 offerings for April 2025. Conjecture about things that are off center of the topic and beyond our control do not really add to the discussion. Frankly, I'm hoping that Round2 has more kits to offer in May than what they have this month.

[Luc Janssens]

2 hours ago, Dave Darby said:

Seems to me, this discussion should be centered on what the title implies. Round 2 offerings for April 2025. Conjecture about things that are off center of the topic and beyond our control do not really add to the discussion. Frankly, I'm hoping that Round2 has more kits to offer in May than what they have this month.

Well as you know Dave, wandering off topic is just the way things go sometimes, one can go further into it or ignore and answer/ add to the original topic.

But is it realy off topic, guess we will see, when next months releases are announced

Anyway as long as things don't go sideways. I don't mind. But the final decision on such matters lies by those who manage this forum.

Cheers

Luc

 

 

 

Edited April 11 by Luc Janssens

[Dave Van]

PLUS....this will affect ' R2 April 2025' and forever going forward. I feel we have done well talking  about our hobby. THANKS!

[niteowl7710]

So granted this isn't for April per say, but rather for Round2's early Summer releases.

Those MSRPs were $37.99 **48 Hours Ago** and were originally $33.99-35.99 when they were listed prior to the March 4th implementation of the first initial round of tariffs.

[Mark C.]

Very interesting. Thanks for the info.  I hope these troubles are only short term.

On the plus side for me is that there isn’t anything on the list, except for maybe the Shelby Mustang, that I have to have, so I can relax for now.  

[stavanzer]

I want the decals from the Baja Patrol Pickup, but unless Round2 offers some extra parts in addition to the decals, I'll pass on the '53 Ford F100. I just got the Mod Stock Hauler kits, so I'm good on the '53 for now. I had wanted one when it was first announced, but things have changed.

Nothing else on the list is a must have for me right now.

[Shon Wittenbarger]

On 4/19/2025 at 2:02 PM, stavanzer said:

I want the decals from the Baja Patrol Pickup, but unless Round2 offers some extra parts in addition to the decals, I'll pass on the '53 Ford F100. I just got the Mod Stock Hauler kits, so I'm good on the '53 for now. I had wanted one when it was first announced, but things have changed.

Nothing else on the list is a must have for me right now.

I'm with Alan on this. I was  looking forward to the Baja Patrol till I found out it's the same release as the last release and the one before just different decals. If they had included the five spokes and hadn't messed up the original box art, I would have picked up a couple

 

 

[stavanzer]

To Follow up on Shon's comment.

I'm in for buying more copies of kits I already own and have built. But at $40.00+ a copy,I need a bit of something extra to confirm the decision. I can buy second hand AMT '53 Pickups all day long at shows for $15.00-$25.00 all day long. The same is true for other tooling that has been on the shelves often.

So, throw a bone besides just new decals. That little sprue of Chrome 5 Spokes is a welcome Extra. NIce to have at least 8 tires too. The Rupp Mini-bike in the '78 Dodge Pickup. The Chopper in the new Revell '29 Ford Roadster Pickup. The trailers in the '63 Chevy Wagon and the pair of '68 Mopars. Something!

At least in my own Mind, I need a "Hook" to help nudge the 'Buy/Not Buy' button over. Extras help the nudge.  I'm down from buying 30-35 kits a year five years ago to 8-10 per year. Higher Costs, a growing stash, and a slowing build rate have taken a toll on my buying habits. I need more and more reasons to justify a purchase to myself. New Tooling is a big draw of course, but even then I'm much more selective in what I finally decide to spend my budget on.

So Steve, and the guys at Round2, nostalgia works but it is frankly beginning to wear a bit thin on certain tools. (the '53 Ford being one). Having 3 versions of the '53 Ford on the Plan-o-gram at Hobby Lobby doesn't help things. (Mod Stock Hauler, Coke  Machine Truck, and standard release) uses up shelf space that could hold other kits. I'm not sure how to fix this, but evergreen tooling needs a 'boost' to open my wallet.

[RSchnell]

2 hours ago, stavanzer said:

To Follow up on Shon's comment.

I'm in for buying more copies of kits I already own and have built. But at $40.00+ a copy,I need a bit of something extra to confirm the decision. I can buy second hand AMT '53 Pickups all day long at shows for $15.00-$25.00 all day long. The same is true for other tooling that has been on the shelves often.

So, throw a bone besides just new decals. That little sprue of Chrome 5 Spokes is a welcome Extra. NIce to have at least 8 tires too. The Rupp Mini-bike in the '78 Dodge Pickup. The Chopper in the new Revell '29 Ford Roadster Pickup. The trailers in the '63 Chevy Wagon and the pair of '68 Mopars. Something!

At least in my own Mind, I need a "Hook" to help nudge the 'Buy/Not Buy' button over. Extras help the nudge.  I'm down from buying 30-35 kits a year five years ago to 8-10 per year. Higher Costs, a growing stash, and a slowing build rate have taken a toll on my buying habits. I need more and more reasons to justify a purchase to myself. New Tooling is a big draw of course, but even then I'm much more selective in what I finally decide to spend my budget on.

So Steve, and the guys at Round2, nostalgia works but it is frankly beginning to wear a bit thin on certain tools. (the '53 Ford being one). Having 3 versions of the '53 Ford on the Plan-o-gram at Hobby Lobby doesn't help things. (Mod Stock Hauler, Coke  Machine Truck, and standard release) uses up shelf space that could hold other kits. I'm not sure how to fix this, but evergreen tooling needs a 'boost' to open my wallet.

Agree 100% I've also slowed way down on my buying-and building. I realize people must be buying these kits otherwise they wouldn't keep pumping them out, but with shows/swaps, ebay etc you can pick up any of Round 2's current inventory for 1/2 price used. I can only assume the kits we keep seeing over & over the tooling must be in China so it's easy to run another 5,000 kits or whatever the case may be. I've said it before, my main issue is charging $30+ & now likely $40+ for the same old kit with no real improvements. 

[stavanzer]

35 minutes ago, RSchnell said:

I've said it before, my main issue is charging $30+ & now likely $40+ for the same old kit with no real improvements. 

A big part of my beef too.

[Stef]

4 hours ago, stavanzer said:

So, throw a bone besides just new decals...

Agreed 128%. For awhile there, many Round2 kits were coming with extra coloured/tinted glass options, and I would love to see these options come back!

Also of note, old kit prices on the secondary market (swap meets, model clubs, old kits at hobby shops, etc.), have suddenly skyrocketed in price, too.

Just a few years ago, older kits would sell for about 25% of what new ones were going for. Say, $10 for an old issue, versus $40 for a new issue.

Now, prices of those old kits have gone up 400% to $40, as new kits have jumped 150% to around $60.

The secondary market is due for a correction. As sellers of old kits price themselves out of the market, and buyers stop buying, prices should come down again.