Darin Bastedo Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 Build all the ones we've already bought! I figured it out last night, the reason the model companies are experienceing lower sales is that their stiffist competition is the models they've already sold. How many of us have a stash of a hundred or more models? I could concievably build the rest of my life and enjoy this hobby without ever buying another new kit. Then look at the number of us sell our old kits on ebay emodel cars and swap meets. I bet the customers of the model companies sell more model kits in a year than the model companies do. If all of us build every model we have, there will be no more vintage kits and we would be forced to buy new. simple huh? We I better get busy I've got a lot of building to do.
Harry P. Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 A question to all of you guys that have literally hundreds (if not more) unbuilt kits in your stash: Why? You couldn't possibly build them all in your lifetime, yet you keep buying more and more. Why? Just curious as to what sort of answers I'll get...
Darin Bastedo Posted June 15, 2010 Author Posted June 15, 2010 A question to all of you guys that have literally hundreds (if not more) unbuilt kits in your stash: Why? You couldn't possibly build them all in your lifetime, yet you keep buying more and more. Why? Just curious as to what sort of answers I'll get... For me it had to do with having been a swap meet vendor for many years. I would buy out collections and re-sell them. when I retired from the swap meet scene I still had about 5,000 kits. I've been selling them here and there over the last few years and I'm down to about 1,500. I may sometime this year come out of retirement for one show, have a clearance sale and get down to the 100 or so kits i want to keep.
Junkman Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 (edited) A question to all of you guys that have literally hundreds (if not more) unbuilt kits in your stash: Why? You couldn't possibly build them all in your lifetime, yet you keep buying more and more. Why? Just curious as to what sort of answers I'll get... Because we can. Edited June 15, 2010 by Junkman
droogie Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 (edited) Why? Perhaps various obsessive/compulsive disorders, more money than time, more money than skill, easier to buy than build, eyes bigger than stomach, etc. The next generation of model builders should have a huge selection of unbuilt kits at rock bottom prices to choose from. Edited June 15, 2010 by droogie
Art Anderson Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 For me, it was in late summer 1960, when I wanted, as a 16yr old, just one more '60 Impala HT kit, and NONE were to be found in any of the myriad of stores here locally. So, I decided then and there that I would buy a minimum of two of each new kit I bought, and I would buy any model car kit (2 of them) if I had any inkling that I might want to build it at least someday. There have been kits which I have purchased serious multiples of over the years--for example, I built little other than Indy cars from 1966-85, trying to cover all Indy 500's from 1911 forward. Given the relatively small number of 1/24-1/25 scale kits of Indy cars that had been produced up to that time frame (less than 15, IIRC), that meant serious duplication of purchases. Other subjects have intrigued me as well, back then, even up to today, and as a result, I have many subjects in multiple kits. At one time, for example, I had over 50 Monogram Kurtis KK-500 Indy roadsters (with a razor saw, files, putty and sandpaper, there are more than that which can be built from that old but legendary Monogram kit. Similarly, the MPC/AMT 1914 Stutz Bearcat can be used as a starting point for most of the starting field at Indy in the years 1911-about 1914, including Stutz car #1, "The Car That Made Good In A Day" (Indianapolis 500, May 30, 1911). So, over time, I acquired at least 25 of that kit, and still grab one when I see it at a good price. Monogram Duesenbergs also fit in that category. A model car kit here, a model car kit there, pretty soon you are talking about a lot of model car kits! Art
Marc @ MPC Motorsports Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 My wife finally asked me the other day if I was a model builder or a model kit collector.
Chuck Most Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 Hmmmm.... build the kits I already have stashed? Sorry, that just makes too much sense to be a reliable solution!
Harry P. Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 8) An addition to that, there are are certain kits (Airfix/MPC 2000GT roadster, Airfix/MPC Aston DB6, and Airfix James Bond Aston DB5, and AMT/MPC '69-72 Mustang Annuals to name a few) that I will keep buying at a certain price point no matter how many I have... You were actually making some sense until you got to item #8!
iBorg Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 First off....... MENTAL Illness. If you know me, you know that. Second, I modeled during the late 70's early 80's. I remember desperately seeking any new kit besides a Firebird, Corvette or Mustang. Pac-Man and other video games killed the hobby. I dreamed of reissues from the 60's wondering why the manufacturers focused on new kits (although it was a new Firebird) instead of reissuing some of their old gold. I didn't want to lose the hobby due to lack of choice. Finally Darin I'll help you out with your overflow. When do you want me to bring the van to help you clean out that room? May how things changed. Mike
bigmikevee Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 Harry, Because, besides Shania Twain or a random supermodel, there is nothing else that I could put in my closet that would make me HAPPY every time I opened the door!! Mike
highway Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 My wife finally asked me the other day if I was a model builder or a model kit collector. That's funny! My better half often tells me she feels like she lives in a hobby shop because my model "room" is about 1/3 of our 16x20 living room! My collection is over 400 kits at last count, and I actuaaly have more on my shelves than 2 of LHSs! The third has me beat, but not by very much. After a few more kits, I'll have more than them, too! By the way, to answer Darin's question, even though I trade here for kits and have bought some older kits on ebay, not to mention kits I've bought from vendors at shows through the years, I still go to the hobby shop quite regularly and usually walk out with at least 2 or 3 kits a trip, and that is at each shop, not a total of the 3 in my area. If you do the math, 2 or 3 kits at each of the 3 LHSs in my area and, on average, twice a month, that's at least a dozen NEW kits a month that I buy! Not only am I buying older kits, I'm doing exactly what you are asking helping the model companies sell more kits, and helping my local shops in the process also. Can you say the same?? Also, the only kits I buy online are the older kits, I prefer to buy or have my LHSs order new kits for me so I can help keep my LHSs here!
Harry P. Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 Harry, Because, besides Shania Twain or a random supermodel, there is nothing else that I could put in my closet that would make me HAPPY every time I opened the door!! Mike That's as good an answer as any I've heard so far...
Chuck Most Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 I'm actually kind of proud of myself... I at one point had my unbuilt inventory winnowed down to less than one hundred. That's from an all time high of about three hundred. Now, I've got about 250 'in stock', and if I finish two or three a month, at the rate I keep buying 'new' (as in 'new-new' and 'new-to-me') kits, I'll have to live to be 637 years old to finish them all. I'll probably have well over 300 kits in my stash once again before too long! My problem seems to be this- the model I WANT to build is almost NEVER one I have on hand at any given moment!
bigphoto Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 A question to all of you guys that have literally hundreds (if not more) unbuilt kits in your stash: Why? You couldn't possibly build them all in your lifetime, yet you keep buying more and more. Why? Just curious as to what sort of answers I'll get... Dude I have this problem..........................
2002p51 Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 Well I plan to live until I'm 250 or so, so no problem. I'll get 'em all built! Actually, I don't have as many as Darin does but I concur with some of the answers already given. Some are bought to be parts donors, some are bought while they're available because you don't know when they'll ever be available again. But yea, I'm set. If the whole hobby industry imploded and disappeared tomorrow I could still build model cars for the rest of my life! That's it! It's my Armageddon protection!
Greg Cullinan Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 My excuse is cause its all new to me and I have to catch up! Its been a year and I've accumulated roughly 200 kits plus 40ish completed. Now in hindsight I've found an interest in Johan and other out of production models and I'd rather have 10 of those then 100 new releases.
Gregg Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 Harry, I have to agree with Mark on the #8. I feel the same way about those kits.... and I know where Mr. Taylor lives
Chuck Most Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 But yea, I'm set. If the whole hobby industry imploded and disappeared tomorrow I could still build model cars for the rest of my life! That's it! It's my Armageddon protection! That exact thought has crossed my mind so many times....
modeler Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 theres my stash not as big as your guys but i like it
Junkman Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 I'm not a collector. I just keep buying kits because I forget that I have them already...
Terror Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 When I was a kid my parents wouldn't waiste the money for models.So now I waiste my money on the models.Plus I like the pretty colors from the stacks and I have the room.So if money runs dry I can still buid.Or sell some for food.LOL.Most of all the tax man doesn't get my extra $$$$
slant6 Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 Because we can. That's my answer for every "why did you do that?" I get from my girlfriend. I'm sure its also where most of our gotta have it, but don't really need it stuff comes from.
Van Halen Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 I get kiiinda annoyed by seeing the amount of people with more kits than they need and even multiple kits of the same cars.. I only have 4 kits "spair" at the moment of which im building on my 8 weeks summer holiday soon, being from the UK i find it sooooo hard to find old american 1/24'ths here and when i do they cost quite a bit and are ofcourse second hand. STILL.. Seeing you guys with that many kits i guess its acceptable if your a kit collector (which to me makes no sense) yes is probably why the american kit manufactures arent selling as good as they used to.. I agree that if you made all them kits then you would all be emailing kit makers to start making certain cars which now 2010 will be of amazing quality and the prices will go down with a higher demand.. So maybe you all should stop buying kits or maybe ship some crates over to me B)
mikemodeler Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 Harry, Great question but I think you knew the answers you would get before you posed it! For me, it is because I have great intentions and really believe that I will build those kits. I was also drawn to the Big Lots & Wal-Marts when they were closing out kits and how could you not buy a kit that was only $5.00 ? My question to you: Why did you buy that Mustang last year when a Smart car would get you around town just the same? Let me guess the answer.............Because you can!
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