Zarkan Posted October 11, 2008 Recently I picked up 7731 Postal Van, and I liked it so much that I decided to do a review. Here’s an in depth look into one of the neatest small sets released this year. The Box: The City sets have some of the cleanest and brightest boxes of any lego line, and the 7731 Postal Van is no exception. Details like the road and the background make it feel nice and sophisticated. The back is great, as it shows what you can do with what is included in the set, featuring some nice action poses. Opening the Box: Like most modern sets, the contents include just the pieces in bags, the instruction manual, and a sticker sheet. TLC stopped putting separate Lego Club advertisements and mini catalogs in the boxes long ago – now they are printed right in the back of the instruction manual. Speaking of which, the inside of the manual is also very clean. I like the nice sky background. Oh, and here’s a picture of the stickers. I usually don’t mind them that much, and the mail logos are especially nice. Pieces: Most of the included pieces are standard, but there are some gems like the red container, the cool wheels, the window frame and doors, and one of the awesome new slanted windscreens. Minifigs and Accessories: The included figure is a typical happy postal worker. The torso is really nice and detailed. You also get a great mailbox and two letters. The only problem is that the box is huge – it stands taller than the average minifig! Also, it’s interesting to see that they used the old style of envelopes, instead of the newer, more detailed ones. The Vehicle: The mail van is really nicely constructed – and it’s different enough from other City vehicles to feel original. I like that they used smaller wheels and gave it an angled frontal shape. In the back is a cool storage compartment to put the mail in. There is a small gap between the two shutters, but it is not too noticeable. Overall: With a nice figure and accessories, some good pieces, and a great vehicle, 7731 Postal Van is an ideal kit for any town. If there is any flaw, it’s that the price is fairly steep. Unfortunately, this is a TRU exclusive in America, and they charge three dollars extra on top of the normal $8 dollar price – which is a ripoff if you ask me. Fortunately, I was able to get it on sale, but others may not have that option. Still, if you don’t mind spending a few dollars extra, or live outside of the US, I recommend you pick this kit up. The simplicity and modernity make it quite a cool vehicle, and it’s perfect for anyone who likes 4-wide cars. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed. Final Score: 5/5 - Outstanding Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zorro Posted October 11, 2008 I find this only an average set since I think small and easy items like Postal Vans are better when you build them yourself. Also IMHO this is a fairly expensive set, especcialy when the 3 USD are added for being an "exclusive" (I hate to see this word being raped like this...) Your review is better then the set: ABOVE average ! (even outstanding ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VBBN Posted October 11, 2008 A very nice review. Have you considered the Reviewer's academy? I trust you would do very well. I am still wondering why I haven't bough this set. I really must. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zarkan Posted October 11, 2008 Have you considered the Reviewer's academy? I trust you would do very well. I have considered it, and I think it might be good for me to. The problem is that I haven't been buying that many normal lego sets recently, so it would probably be harder for me to do it. Still, I might as well check it out. I find this only an average set since I think small and easy items like Postal Vans are better when you build them yourself.Also IMHO this is a fairly expensive set, especcialy when the 3 USD are added for being an "exclusive" (I hate to see this word being raped like this...) Well, even though this set could be built easily from a decent sized collection, I appreciate that TLC has released small sets for people who don't always want to design their own vehicles. Also, the problem isn't that it is an exclusive - the problem is that TRU in the United States overprices nearly EVERYTHING. Store exclusives at Wal-Mart and Target don't suffer from the same problem. Thanks for the comments, guys! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Cobra Posted October 12, 2008 (edited) Great review. As for the set, I voted average, for two reasons: 1) The van looks a bit odd to me. 2) Instead of these they should have used these , to have more room in the back. Yet, I own one. Edited October 12, 2008 by The Cobra Share this post Link to post Share on other sites