I hope one day we will se this A/C made in 1/18 with this kind of detail thats.... cheap....some day...I dream...sigh.
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Very well said and with great insight. I couldn't agree more with everything you said FieroDude. If we want more detail and quality, we need to stop lamenting over price increases and accept the fact that it will cost the manufacturer's more to produce a model to higher standards. Looking at the price of model kits in hobby stores, kits you have to assemble and detail yourself, I find it funny that people complain so much about the price of 1/18 scale models that are already pre-assembled for you. You couldn't even touch a 1/32 scale model kit for the price we pay for the majority of the 1/18 scale models we have available. And they require little to no skill to complete!!FieroDude wrote:As someone who used to collect 1/18 diecast models, I watched the industry go through a similar evolution. In the beginning, the only real mass market source was Italy's bburago, and they had decent models with moderate detail for about $20. As the niche grew, they improved their detail with only slight price increases, and other companies began to step in at somewhat higher price points, with better detail or limited edition pieces, companies like Ertl and Revell, and later, Hot Wheels, when they bought the license to do Ferrari. And a few, like Kyosho, began making well-detailed models for around $70-100. And there were some very nice handbuilts with exquisite detail, for those willing to pony up $400 or more. I don't know if bburago is even around anymore, but most of the others are, along with many new companies--and their levels of detail for the respective price point hasn't really changed much. And the hobby is still around--just the whole pricing scale has shifted upwards.
Added detail means a bigger investment in design, tooling, assembly, and painting. And adding detail results in an exponential increase in assembly and tooling complexity. For example: you can mold a lot of detail into an aircraft engine. But if you want to start adding hoses, wiring, etc., or parts like moving/functional struts, you take a 2-piece engine and turn it into what could quickly become a 20 or 50 piece engine that takes much longer to assemble, and is made of far more different materials and components that must be sourced, inventoried, and managed. And, for most manufacturers, QC'd. The more compexity, the more that can go wrong.
Adding competition to the industry does help keep prices down, or it may encourage better products for minimal price increases. FOV came on board with the lower price approach, but with a minimalist approach on detail. Their models look great--just don't try opening the hatches or looking under the hood, which is fine for the price range they are in. 21st started listening to our requests for more detail. As a result, the cost has progressively gone up (I won't count the WM pricing on many products, which was kept artificially low by contract), and will continue to do so, both to cover material and labor costs.
However, no company will produce a product that they have to sell at a loss, at least not if they expect to stay in business--and I don't see how a company can produce a 1/18 model with super high levels of detail for $50 or even $100 and turn enough of a profit to produce more. In the case of the F-100 model you showed: was it pre-built and pre-painted? Or was it a kit? If it was a kit, what was the cost of the paint and glue? And how many hours did it take to assemble and paint it? if you built it, what is your time worth? Even if it was hand-built in China, the labor isn't free--although it is a fraction of the cost it is here, although that too is increasing rapidly.
Higher prices won't kill our hobby. It might reduce the number of buyers if everyone jacks up prices, and maybe shift the demographics--Ferrari has been around for over 50 years, and they never worried about competing with Ford (except a little GT40 spat in the 60's) or Yugo. Can everyone afford one? No. But some people can--and as long as people can, they will build cars. Personally, i would love to see someone come into the industry producing nicely detailed models intended for collectors in a suitable price range, maybe $250-$400. Let the existing companies choose where they want to fall into the matrix. And keep in mind, we WILL see progressive price increases, simply due to inflation.
Like I said above: higher prices won't kill our hobby. But a lack of innovation will. While I herald bbi's courage for releasing a better Me-109, I won't buy one. There are too many other worthwhile subjects out there that no one has done yet. I haven't picked up anything 1/18 since around Christmas--and even then it was just a couple figures. Simply put, why should I? How many variations on a Sherman or Tiger or Mustang do I need? I am looking forward to the Dauntless, the Stryker, the Spad, and maybe someday (please?!?!?) an A-10. But not another Mustang, Corsair, Abrams, or Sherman. Or yet another repaint of an Me-109G.