so what brands do you avoid?

I build within the budget.  For example today I stopped at the local hobby shop to pick up a  model.  The one car that I really liked was made by Tamiya and the cost was about $45.00 then I found the same car made by Revell and the cost was $16.00.  Granted the Tamiya kit was a whole lot better but the budget says otherwise.  I just make the most of the kits that I buy.  Whatever detail is lacking I'll certainly try and make that kit look as though it was from Tamiya.

ua0124 wrote:

I build within the budget.  For example today I stopped at the local hobby shop to pick up a  model.  The one car that I really liked was made by Tamiya and the cost was about $45.00 then I found the same car made by Revell and the cost was $16.00.  Granted the Tamiya kit was a whole lot better but the budget says otherwise.  I just make the most of the kits that I buy.  Whatever detail is lacking I'll certainly try and make that kit look as though it was from Tamiya.

Here is what I personnaly try to do, and it seems to work. If I want a kit made by Tamiya, and I want it to be something really nice, I will wait a couple months, put a little bit of cash aside, and if I still want it by then, I go get it. This also gives me time to build a couple more kits I already have so the stash doesn't get "to" out of hand! Something like that may not work for everybody, but it works for me.

I don't avoid ANY brand. I buy and build per subject matter, and I really like hunting older kits. Especially mid-eighties on back.

And those that said all companies have good kits as well as stinkers hit the nail on the head.

Talk has it lately that AMT has a problem with the kit contents not matching the photos on the box. I guess I just haven't run into that yet, but most say I will. I have had a couple of Revell kits lately that had some really cheesy windows in them. I mean, it's 2005. 1-piece window "units" that install from inside the car should be a thing of the past, but unfortunately it's not.

I've seen REALLY good stuff from all the companies too though, such as Revell's 1999 Silverado which has the BEST glass I've seen in a model in quite some time.

AMT's Datsun 280ZX is a jewel I'd recomend to anybody anytime. Of course, this one's been kitbashed quite a bit with engine, and seats from MPC's '88 GTA, and wheels and tires from AMT's '50 Chevy stepside kit.

 

Thanks for listening and have a great day!!!

Good to hear that about the Datsun. i have had my eye on it for a while. I'll have to pick one up.

 Fujimi &Tamiya's biggest problem to me anyway is wrong scale ( 1/24) and too many imports and not enough domestic cars. And their interiors are poor as are the wheel options etc. They're 1/25 BMW Z3 came with the prototype wheels and the never corrected the kit. They also generally come with cheese non-discript tires... and too many RH Drive cars..

I dropped some nice coin on a Fujimi A/C Cobra and was surprised by the junk they were passing off as a Cobra for such a high price.. Last Fujimi kit I ever gambled on.. The Revell kit blows it away as does the 35 year old AMT small block Cobra.

I build rods and muscle cars so Revell and AMT have to suffice.

I guess it depends on your choice of subject as well as your skill level. I enjoy the many options available to most Revell and AMT kits for a more reasonable price..

For Motorcycles I like Ducatis & HD so I'm limited to Italeri and Otaka/Revell..

DBFSS385 wrote:

Fujimi &Tamiya's biggest problem to me anyway is wrong scale ( 1/24) and too many imports and not enough domestic cars. And their interiors are poor as are the wheel options etc. They're 1/25 BMW Z3 came with the prototype wheels and the never corrected the kit. They also generally come with cheese non-discript tires... and too many RH Drive cars.. I dropped some nice coin on a Fujimi A/C Cobra and was surprised by the junk they were passing off as a Cobra for such a high price.. Last Fujimi kit I ever gambled on.. The Revell kit blows it away as does the 35 year old AMT small block Cobra. I build rods and muscle cars so Revell and AMT have to suffice. I guess it depends on your choice of subject as well as your skill level. I enjoy the many options available to most Revell and AMT kits for a more reasonable price.. For Motorcycles I like Ducatis & HD so I'm limited to Italeri and Otaka/Revell..

One reason most Tamiya cars are right hand drive is because they make kits of their domestic cars in Japan, and all cars in Japan are right hand drive. I can't comment on the tires, as I have never really paid that much attention to them. The reason there are so many imports is because they are from Japan and those are their Domestics. I know Revell does Honda and Acura and probably many others, but I have never seen Revell or AMT do a Nissan Skyline, to my knowledge. All the cars they do are manufactured here in the US or are imported. A lot of the cars Tamiya does are not even imported to America. As for Fujimi, I will say I have built two of their kits, and I won't be making that mistake again!!!

SNOOPY wrote:

I am new at this automtive modeling but I have a quick question, what is meant by curbside kits?

Curbside = no engine, no opening hood and terrible chassis detail.  Alot of the time its a slammer = snap together or dang near one. AVOID these kinds of kits IMO

I prefer AMT and MPC over R/M, atleast when I open a AMT I know the kit will not missing any parts(R/M), warped beyond repair (R/M) and Never have I had a short shot molded AMT like Ive had 16 times with Revell/Monogram. The newer issued kits by AMT(not the reissues) detail far excedes anything Ive ever found in a R/M box.

The only advice I can give is if you have the money to spend on "original issue" stuff, get original or darn near it. Most old re-issues I have got lately, have been junky. I got a re-issued AMT Peterbilt 359 a while ago, and the roof of the cab was just junk. There were supposed to be some little bump ins for the air-horns and the roof mounted AC ,and instead of the indents, there were holes and it was deformed a little. It wouldn't be so bad, but the holes were right in line with the molded in rivits. I was at a swap meet shortly after this, and found an original issued Pete cab,  and it was molded perfectly.....