Sets that haunt you

[nerdsforprez]

DrJB started a thread a while ago entitled something to the effect of "sets that brought you out of your 'Dark age'". A related thread may ask the question, what sets haunt you (i.e. what sets did you miss while in your dark age) or what sets do you lament the most on missing? To adequately respond to this it probably would be nice to let people know when you "got back in the game" so as to give a time frame on sets that you may have missed.

As I mentioned in DrJB's thread, the set that brought me back was the most recent supercar, 8070. So, pretty much I missed out on all the flagship sets before 2011. Instead of labeling off all these sets, if I were to narrow it down to ONE set that haunts me (i.e. the one set that I missed out on, that is currently out of production) the MOST would have to be 8043. So many have modified it, built it, etc... I get the feeling that I missed out on something special. If I had the chance to get any set prior to 2011, that set would be it.

What set haunts YOU (given the description of "haunt" above"? Given, I know that we can all hop on bricklink and buy pretty much any set that we want, but they get almost prohibitively expensive, so.... I think people get what I mean by the haunting feeling. The haunting feeling may not really be that we can't get access to a certain set (because, via bricklink we can buy almost anything) but because of the feeling that we "missed" something special while in our dark ages. Instead of spouting dozens of sets off.... try to limit your set to one or two.... I dare you!

[Rishab N]

Definitely the 8043. Ashamed to say I didn't think much of it at the time due to its low piece count. Really regret that now

[MajklSpajkl]

8466 - 4x4 off roader: I missed a couple of good deals on our main e-flee market...those pp tires...Yummy!!! Unfortunately, I am not that rich to meet today prices.

[TheNextLegoDesinger]

at the moment i didn't got my dark age yet but there are some sets i would love to have but i can't afford like 42030, 42039, 42009 and hopfully not the 42043 because i want that one hard

[nerdsforprez]

Hmmm.... As I got thinking about this topic that made me wonder.... and this is probably more appropriate for the 42042 post..... but I wonder how easy (or hard) it will be to convert the 42042 into the 8043.....hmmm.....

[LEGO Guy Bri]

This has been periodically asked throughout the years

[Gnac]

As a wee ankle-biter in the eighties, I swore I saw a Technic backhoe with "JCB" branding, which the little version of me wanted a LOT. However, it was well over £100 and I didn't have the guts to ask my Ma & Da for it.

Although I can probably place which model it was, I can't find even a sliver of information to confirm that it was in fact some official JCB collaboration type of thing.

[Blakbird]

For me it was 8880. I was trying to come out of my dark age and I kept seeing 8880 in catalogs and kept thinking "I should really buy that" but I didn't have any LEGO at the time and I couldn't justify the expense. Finally I talked my wife into letting me order it after seeing it appear in the catalog for the 3rd year. I called to order (you couldn't buy things on the Internet yet) and they told me it was out of stock and out of production. I wept bitterly. I ended up getting it later on eBay (Bricklink didn't exist yet) for a high price and it was missing over 100 parts. It was a long time before I had a complete copy. It is much easier to find now (through Bricklink) but also costs a lot. From that time forward, I bought sets new when I wanted them.

I also collected all the UCS sets and the Modular Houses. I am glad I bought them new because they are a fortune now. If I ever lose my job I can probably sell my UCS sets and live for a year on the proceeds.

[Jay Psi]

Since I got out of my Dark Age the one set I wanted more than any other was 8480. I remember seeing it at my friend's house (not realizing it had gone out of production) and doing some quick maths on how much the motor was geared down for the various functions. I stopped when I got to >400:1 and had to pick my jaw up off the floor. Then I asked my friend where he/his parents got it, only to hear the cursed reply, "Sorry mate, I got it a couple of years ago now. Lego don't sell the Space Shuttle anymore." I was already a year into my Dark Age at this point ('99-00), but this was the moment when I decided in typical surly teenage fashion that everything Lego could suck it - if I couldn't own this masterpiece then there was no point bothering with anything else.

Thankfully it only took thirteen years for my attitude to turn around, and the Space Shuttle was the first out of production set I looked for. It was also the set that drove me to discover Bricklink, although I actually bought it from ebay (damaged box, but sealed bags for a couple of pounds more than I was going to pay at a BL store).

Edited May 29, 2015 by Jay Psi

[nerdsforprez]

This has been periodically asked throughout the years

Yea.... thats why I posted it specifically in the Technic section. I would assume in a general section sets that "haunt" us would undoubtedly be in favor of UCS SW sets and modular houses

[bonox]

My dark ages ended only a couple of years ago, but began 25 years ago.

I missed the 8480, 8880, 8479, the shift to studless and everything up to 42009 that ended the dark ages (after a 42004 at the airport while visiting Denmark for the first time rekindled the love). I have been thinking about this question much since 'returning' and have been lucky enough to find very nearly everything i'd like. It's also funny to me that after chasing a few things at great expense, 8455, 8480, 8485, I have since come across many thing at realistic prices that i've used more as parts fillers than wanting a second (or third) copy. Being old and retentive, i've got logs, receipts and spreadsheets of everything I own, so it now comes as a bit of a surprise when I find out I own four 8043's, 2x 8285, 2x 8258, 3x 8480 and four 8880 (I only ended up with some because I saw them for sale with the box and I really wanted the box more than the parts).

'Haunted' sets can be with you for a long time, then all of a sudden they almost fall into your lap without you even trying!

[Trawler Man]

8258, for sure. 8461 and 8043 as well.

Painful.

[dr_spock]

8421 and 8285. While shopping for LEGO in 2005-2006, I examined them at the store and thought my kids were too young for them and bought more age appropriate sets instead.

[veryrusty]

I've managed to fill in a few of the haunted gaps, but 5571, 8458 and 8461 will probably haunt me till I win lotto.

[Gnac]

8421 and 8285. While shopping for LEGO in 2005-2006, I examined them at the store and thought my kids were too young for them and bought more age appropriate sets instead.

SACRIFICES WERE MADE.

But just think of their little faces when they have a Dad who is into the same hobby - a hobby which they can presumably now enjoy at a similar level. My Old Man loves old British warplanes, so I thought he'd really like the Sopwith Camel I sent him for his birthday. He told me he hasn't built it because it looks too complicated. You are lucky enough to be in the position to accept all the love your kids give back (especially if it is in the form of LEGO presents :B).

[Corvette3]

Yeah, my grown-out-of-toys-period lost me the chance at owning 8258, 8043 and 8070 they are all very expensive now in Australia, and exchange rates prevent me from enjoying the reasonable price you can get them for elsewhere. Very frustrating.

[DrJB]

I recall seeing the two Ferraris (Enzo and Fiorani) on sale at S@H. My thinking back then was: Who needs yet another RED supercar? Well, I've acquired most of the sets I wanted, but those two are still on my 'wanted list'.

Edited May 30, 2015 by DrJB

[Freekysch]

There were lots of sets that haunted me for a long time, 8275, 8285, 8461, but now I have managed to buy them all at decent prices. But ... there is one that got away- 8421. I never got the chance to get it at a decent price, but hopefully one day I will.

I have an advice for all of you who did not get the change to buy a desired set when it was launched- never give up, look for in in the second hand market and when the price is right, go for it.

[Jeroen Ottens]

I recall seeing the two Ferraris (Enzo and Fiorani) on sale at S@H. My thinking back then was: Who needs yet another RED supercar? Well, I've acquired most of the sets I wanted, but those two are still on my 'wanted list'.

Now that I am starting to build supercars I miss that Fiorano too... Maybe I should go back to building flying stuff or finally finish my crane that is collecting dust on the shelf...

[Karle]

The last time I played with Lego was in the late1950's. I saw the 42009 last year and decided to start building. Looking back over the "missed kits" that people have posted I would have wanted the 8275 and 8043. The current prices for those kits are insane, so I've down loaded the drawings from Lego so that I can build them.

[jyd80]

I was lucky enough (I think) to enter my dark age in the mid 90s, and got out of it in 2008. Therefore, I missed rather little, because I really do not like the technic sets from the 2000s

One set though, which I'm still chasing is the "super street sensation"

The other one that I missed (because I was not born) is the 856... (just missed (again) an auction on that one, grrr)

Outside technic, that would be the Robie House. I did not buy it when available because of the price. Then I got really into the architecture series and got more familiar with the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. Now that I have accumulated books on the topic, the Robie House is haunting me...

[Erik Leppen]

I think that would be the Silver Champion.

A cousin of mine had it and it had always looked very impressive (size, wheels, silver parts, suspension elements and function), but there were so many great sets in that time that it wasn't possible to have them all.

[NXT45]

Mine would definitely be the 8258 truck. I really wish I had bought it in my "Dark age".