68 replies to this topic

[Cavannus]

Great review indeed, with a lot of fun and thoughts. It's allowed me to discover a set I'd never payed attention on. The funny thing is that this set is between a classic Lego set and a classic toy car feature: a great idea to meet childen's expectations!

[Blondie-Wan]

I meant to reply back when this was first posted, but didn't get around to it for some reason or another. I just wanted to add my voice to the others acknowledging what a lovely review this is, full of charm and win. Thank you for sharing it.

[michaelozzie]

Nice review of an awesome set. I remember wanting this so bad when it came out. I also like that you showed the alternate builds from the instruction sheets. Its a pity TLC dont use those alternate versions anymore.

[MicroM]

Thanks very much for this review.
After seeing this review I must admit it wet my appetite to buy my first used LEGO kit. I was fortunate enough to find one at a decent price a month or so back
and together with my Wife we put it together last night. Its a great kit, neither of us had it when we were young, but it certainly brings the memories back of old
vintage kits from the 80's. Though I think this kit had a few techniques that were lacking in the kits from the early 80's.

I love the little cars, and they are very practical for my near 2 year old to play with. Unlike current cars which seem to end in a pile of pieces when he's finished playing. These little
cars could withstand some rough treatment. He was actually fascinated with the parking garage as well.

I love the shot of you getting this when you were 3.

Thanks for sharing and inspiring.

[MrZ]

I agree that the SUV looks out of place in the structure, but there are actually parking structures in real life (at least here in Australia), in which a large SUV would struggle to fit.  Many cramped garages (in residential apartment buildings in inner suburbs, for example), have height restrictions of 2.0m, some even 1.9m.  This means a huge SUV like a LandCruiser would likely struggle to fit.

Also remember that vehicles in real life have gotten larger and wider in the past 25 years (a typical Japanese sedan in the mid 80s might have been 1650mm wide, whereas today 1850mm is not uncommon), so Lego is simply mirroring reality.

Edited by MrZ, 06 October 2011 - 08:31 PM.

[Rapseflaps]

MrZ, on 06 October 2011 - 08:28 PM, said:

Lego is simply mirroring reality.

Uhm.... No.



That's not mirroring a 20cm increase in width. That's going from a Smart to a Hummer in standard car size.

[MrZ]

Rapseflaps, on 07 October 2011 - 03:39 PM, said:

Uhm.... No.



That's not mirroring a 20cm increase in width. That's going from a Smart to a Hummer in standard car size.

The scale is pretty accurate:



Would you suggest that both vehicles be the same width?  How is that any more accurate?

[Ardelon]

I'd prefer the vehicles to be scaled in comparison with the LEGO structures they're supposed to interact with, not in comparison to real life.

[MrZ]

Ardelon, on 07 October 2011 - 07:07 PM, said:

I'd prefer the vehicles to be scaled in comparison with the LEGO structures they're supposed to interact with, not in comparison to real life.

I don't think current sets should all have to be backwards compatible with sets from the 1980s.  The current vehicles interact fine with the current structures.  I can fit the relatively large yellow bus from city corner into the garage of the fire station quite easily - if that's not interacting with structures I don't know what is.

[Ardelon]

MrZ, on 07 October 2011 - 07:52 PM, said:

I don't think current sets should all have to be backwards compatible with sets from the 1980s.  The current vehicles interact fine with the current structures.  I can fit the relatively large yellow bus from city corner into the garage of the fire station quite easily - if that's not interacting with structures I don't know what is.

I guess I have a more long-term perspective, then. I simply think that the ability to add new sets to old ones and their mutual compatibility is one of the strongest points of LEGO. To me, these new larger cars are like fleshies - they both might interact fine with their current themes, but look just garish and out of place compared to either previous town sets or other minifigs, respectively.

[martyboy70]

Fantastic review of a set I always wanted back in the day but I ended up getting the Shell Service Station as seen here:

http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=59517
(where I too managed a couple of Top Gear references)
On the subject of scale I have been acquiring cheap Ebayage to add to my (now my sons) town and acquired a good value 3180 Tanker Truck and we built it this week and hes so not happy because during the week we had to queue behind a Tanker filling the tanks at our local filling station so in a classic example of artLego imitating life I said will we fill the tanks on your garage and he was'nt amused when it would barely fit under the canopy and was too wide to fit.
I think I'm sticking to classic 4 wide from now on as while the sets we got this week(pics to follow in my thread)such as the Tanker and the 3179 Service Truck are great detail and function wise they just look ridiculous next to all the 80s goodness of my original stuff.
On the subject of pics from back in the day I absolutely love the pic of you with your set and hope you don't mind me posting pics from Christmas Day 1988 getting my 7745 up and running:





Anyway I'm off to check Ebay for a 6394

Edited by martyboy70, 08 October 2011 - 12:56 AM.

[jth781]

I love this set its a classic.  I recently modified my parking structure to work with today's larger vehicles it came out great.

Classic Version
http://www.flickr.co...N08/4385498711/

New Version

http://www.flickr.co...in/photostream/

martyboy70, on 08 October 2011 - 12:24 AM, said:

Fantastic review of a set I always wanted back in the day but I ended up getting the Shell Service Station as seen here:

http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=59517
(where I too managed a couple of Top Gear references)
On the subject of scale I have been acquiring cheap Ebayage to add to my (now my sons) town and acquired a good value 3180 Tanker Truck and we built it this week and hes so not happy because during the week we had to queue behind a Tanker filling the tanks at our local filling station so in a classic example of artLego imitating life I said will we fill the tanks on your garage and he was'nt amused when it would barely fit under the canopy and was too wide to fit.
I think I'm sticking to classic 4 wide from now on as while the sets we got this week(pics to follow in my thread)such as the Tanker and the 3179 Service Truck are great detail and function wise they just look ridiculous next to all the 80s goodness of my original stuff.
On the subject of pics from back in the day I absolutely love the pic of you with your set and hope you don't mind me posting pics from Christmas Day 1988 getting my 7745 up and running:





Anyway I'm off to check Ebay for a 6394

[SilentMode]

What a great review! This was also before my time, but this set was obviously designed to be played with. There's a few printed elements (such as the slope on the petrol pump) I recognised but never know what they were for.

If I have the time I might have a go at recreating this set in the near future, although I've never owned one or anything like it.

[The Dutch Guy]

This was one of the first big models that i bought. I loved it en still have it. Real Old Town Cars.

Thanks for this revieuw, brought back a lot of fun memories     

[bonczyk85]

Wonderful review of one of the best classic town sets!

I've just managed to buy this set, used, but in a great condition (only the motorbike is white instead of red) and it will be the centerpart of my town!

[Chri5kng]

I was born this year.

[Jimidimi]

lovely lovely lovely

[fjoske]

I have this set to, got it when I was 7 years old. Your review made me build it just to see it irl :-) Thanks

Edited by fjoske, 02 December 2012 - 07:41 PM.

[bjtpro]

Great review, it's nice how you added the slide of yourself.

Now that 2012 is here and we have City Garage 4207 I'd really like to hear about your thoughts on it. My young son is interested in garages (not sure why really, the cars and lights I guess?) so I'll probably get it for him.