Zarkan Posted November 25, 2008 (edited) During my first ever trip to a Lego Store, I made a sizeable purchase that included this lovely little kit. I’m a huge fan of the City line, and I was very eager to open the box as soon as I got home. Today I’ll be showing you why I love this little kit so much. Let’s get ready to clean some streets! Name – Street Sweeper Set number – 7242 Year – 2005 Pieces – 63 Minifigs – 1 Price – $7.99 USD The Box and Instructions: 7242 is a fine example of how effective the CITY boxes are. The front combines a picture of the set with a nice city background and road, giving it a neat appearance that harkens back to the simple classic town boxes. The back clearly advertises that this set is great for having some quick, easy fun, and shows off the opening window and the worker minifig. The instructions are also very nice – the steps are clearly layed out and have an interesting background (yellow and blue? Looks like Lego City has a pollution problem!). The Pieces and Minifigs: 7242 includes 63 pieces, not counting the extra parts. Brick lovers will be happy to know that there are plenty of normal pieces in this kit. Interesting elements include the red astromech body, the trans-black angular windshield, and the large yellow slope part. Some may not like the fact that the worker figure included is frowning, but I personally appreciate that Lego is giving their minfigs different expressions and emotions. He also has a great torso, which is very detailed. The Finished Model: Here’s a general view of the kit. Notice that it’s no bigger than previous street sweeper vehicles Lego has released. Back view, showing off the bright red water tank. Front view. Look at those bright blue bristle pieces! Left side view, where you can see the broom stored on the side. A view of the suction device. The tube and circular piece look great on this. Finally, a view of the interior, with the windshield up There’s not much there – just a space for the driver and a steering wheel. I should also mention that because the mold for the large hinge was changed, it’s often hard to open the interior without breaking the windshield off! This is the only real flaw in this kit – and it makes me wonder why TLC couldn’t have kept producing both the old and new hinges so we could have an option between easy movement and strong joints. The Model in Action: Heigh ho, Heigh ho, It’s off to work we go! Yes, I know that has been used before, but I just had to say it. Since this vehicle is only about 6 studs wide, it fits perfectly on the old roadplates. Summary: Presentation – 10/10 Pieces – 7/10 Minifigs – 8/10 (one figure is perfectly fine for this size) Model – 10/10 Playability – 6/10 (better with other kits, and the hinge problem restricts playability a bit) Price – 7/10 Overall Rating – 8/10 One final thing to mention is that TLC pulled a fast one with the price – when this kit first came out, it cost only $6 USD. Now the price has been raised two dollars – which is annoying if you ask me. They’ve been doing this with many of their best sellers, including the City Construction Crane and even the Castle Dwarves Mine. I find it kind of sneaky to subtlety raise the prices after a year or two – and I hope they stop doing this dishonest practice. But, regardless, 7242 is a very nice kit – and is completely worth buying if you are a town fan. I highly recommend it! Other Links: Brickset page on set 7242 Peeron Inventory of set 7242 Brickshelf gallery for this review (when public) Edited November 26, 2008 by TheBrickster Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brickthing Posted November 25, 2008 Thanks for the good review, I might try and find this set myself someday. You've mixed up the pictures for the back view and front view though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zarkan Posted November 25, 2008 Well, this was the first review I did for the academy, so it's subpar compared to the other two. Strange that the teachers didn't notice that mistake... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WhiteFang Posted November 26, 2008 Well, this was the first review I did for the academy, so it's subpar compared to the other two. Strange that the teachers didn't notice that mistake... Opps, that's a keen eye from far. Thanks! We must have overlooked it earlier. I never like this set until you done this review. This is a fun playing set. I went to check the stores, and unfortunately this set is no longer in the shelves. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the reading of your review and you have certainly changed my perception. By the way, where is your poll? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
