46 replies to this topic

[Kanal-K1]

_INDEXED

Hi all, finally I had time to build next one from summer sets.

1.BEFORE I BOUGHT
Beiing happy seeing, how TLC is going back to roots with 2009 City line, I hadn´t missed chance to get few of those sets, and make a review. I was looking forward to compare it with one my childhood favourite sets, 6351.

2. IMPRESS WHEN UNPACKED
Seems, that there is nothing to surprise me. Two numbered bags, large part loose in the box, instructions and sticker sheet. Where are good old times of printed parts, instead of those horrible sticker cheats...

3. IMPRESS BY BUILDING
First polybag allows to build a chassis of the camper van, two figures and a fish grill. Second reveals the top part of the van.  In 15-20 minutes building is over, set is ready to use. I mark it as 6+, easy to build.

4. IMPRESS WHEN BUILT - APPEARANCE
Appearance is not overriding current 6-wide standards, I appreciate lime green/white combination. Normally I hate those new colours, but the camper is basically freetime activity tool, where funny colours are quite suitable.
I have a condemnation to the used opening system, when opened, caravan looks unrealistic, up-down mechanism used at 6351 I found better than side-center here. There is a ugly space at front mudguards, seen on more new sets already. But, in overall, sets appearance is nice anyway.

5. IMPRESS WHEN BUILT - PLAYABILITY
No complaints! Finally, classic doors returned to front cabin of the car! Opening system of rear cabin, criticised in appearance column, I must in opposite appreciate in playability section, as for kids will be much easier to rebuild cabin from daily mod to night sleep mod. Accessories, like pan, cup, bicycle, surfboard and fish grill are even enforcing play power and prolonging play time.

6. FINAL RESULT
7639 is pretty way, how 6351 has been ressurected with a modern face and fresh colour combination. Surprisingly I have to declare, that if I had to choose between 6351 and 7639, I will take the new one. 6351 will get from me some points due to ship on trolley add-on, but if compared vans, 7639 is much better. Not so box-looking, with better interior.
I can suggest to buy the set to our new cities.

Edited by TheBrickster, 19 April 2009 - 03:14 AM.

[Carbohydrates]

Thanks for the review! This is one of the City sets I was most looking forward to, though now that I see it, I'm a bit disappointed. It's a pretty uninspired-looking, though fully adequate, design and the interior is pretty barren. Still, I'll probably grab it. Looks like a wholly average set overall.

[5150 Lego]

Carbohydrates, on Apr 18 2009, 12:53 AM, said:

Thanks for the review! This is one of the City sets I was most looking forward to, though now that I see it, I'm a bit disappointed. It's a pretty uninspired-looking, though fully adequate, design and the interior is pretty barren. Still, I'll probably grab it. Looks like a wholly average set overall.

I completly agree. now that i've seen some more detailed pics, i'm even less impressed with the overall design. From the outside it looks good, but open it up......... Ya. I'm not a fan of the way it opens to begin with, and the fact that all it has is a couple of chairs, pot and cup...  
Com'on Lego. I mean really??

[Alywin]

Thanks for the review.  I would say it is still a bit too sticker-reliant to bring the "holiday" feel.  The inner structure, as known before, is oversimplified (even when compared to the old Town ones) to be a camper.

However, I probably would still grab one...  

Edited by Alywin, 18 April 2009 - 05:52 AM.

[keetong]

Well its a nice set as I can see. I might try to buy it on sale when it comes out. It will be great to get my hands on another bike, after my dad stepped on my yellow one and broke. I was wondering it you could possibly get us a pic of the where it TV sticker goes. Anyway its a nice little review.

[Derek]

I had been excited about this set since I first saw it. It is a cheap-ish set with great figures and pieces. The camper itself looks great, and even has a clever opening function. While the interior may be juniorozed, I think its better than nothing. This set will be great for display. Thanks for sharing this review with us.

[xenologer]

Where did you buy this?
I thought they weren't supposed to come out till August.

[Kanal-K1]

xenologer, on Apr 18 2009, 06:36 AM, said:

Where did you buy this?
I thought they weren't supposed to come out till August.

I bought at auction site ran here in Czech Republic. As there is Lego factory, could be factory leakage or whatsoever..

[Darth_Legois]

I'll probable get 2 and then use 1 for parts. [Windscreen, Windows, Hingepieces, doors...]

Also is that trans-clear 1x2 a plate or tile? It looks like a tile ?

[Er!k]

Really like this one... I do not have any of that green color yet and it will perfectly fit in my city    Thanks for making the review!

[simonwillems]

This looks like a good set.
Sure, it is a bit bare on the inside, but there were never Lego campers that had a more extended interior. It has always been a few seats, cups, some television thing and sometimes a tiny kitchen. So in my collection of campers and caravans it blends in.

The only thing I find disappointing is the lack of the sail for the surfboard, that is one of the key ingredients for a set like this and for a Lego holiday feel in general.

But I still probably buy it.

Thanks for the review!  

[MetroiD]

Now that I've actually seen this one in detail (thanks, Kanal K-1), I can definitely say that 6351 was much, MUCH better. With that one, you got a trailer and a boat - here they didn't even bother to think of some clever way of storing a sail to turn this one into a windsurf... Plus, I think the double mechanisms  of 6351 were way better than this one and did provide better playbility as well. The frying pan here for example is very nice to have; however I can't quite imagine where these guys would use it! The sleeping compartment does however seem to compensate for that.

All in all, it looks like an OK set. I might not be thrilled by it, but there are very few sets in our collection that remain constructed in their original state anyway... So I'll probably get it - mostly because of the girl's torso & hair.

[Lordofdragonss]

Camper is must buy set! I think it will be classic in 2200.
And look on cute Paradisa -looking sticker!
And TV sticker can be useful!

[MetroiD]

Lordofdragonss, on Apr 18 2009, 03:12 PM, said:

Camper is must buy set! I think it will be classic in 2200.

Hell, by then each single LEGO brick will be a classic...

[Kanal-K1]

Darth_Legois, on Apr 18 2009, 09:49 AM, said:

I'll probable get 2 and then use 1 for parts. [Windscreen, Windows, Hingepieces, doors...]

Also is that trans-clear 1x2 a plate or tile? It looks like a tile ?

No, it is a plate, sadly..

[BlueBard]

Nice review! This one was a set I really wanted to buy but after some prelim pics I decided it was too much juniorized. Now, after seeing better images I can't wait to have it!    

[bright22]

When I see the interior design of this car van. I am totally disappointed. What's wrong for Lego (about this set)

That's much worst version I could see it in Car van in 1990s and even in late 80s....

[green dewback]

Its pretty decent for a 7-stud-wide vehicle.
Lego "walls" are much thicker than real life counterparts, so they take up more of the interior space leaving less for real use.

[Sandy]

Personally, I don't see any reasons for you guys to whine about this set. The camper itself looks very authentic, the color theme is fresh and new, the minifigs are gorgeous and there are plenty of accessories. As far as the interior goes, it's no different from the earlier campers. There's two chairs and a tabletop, a few hooks and a tv. If you were honestly expecting more, then maybe you should go play with Barbie toys instead of LEGO.

Just look at these:
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=6351-1
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=6590-1
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=6694-1

How are those sets somehow superior to this new one?

I don't really buy this crap about the camper being "juniorized" (which means using large chunky pieces to fit smaller kids), either, because there's nothing in it that even hints to that direction. On the contrary, it uses more small pieces and new, more complex techniques in comparison to the old sets.

I just don't get you whiners.

[BrickTracy]

Kanal-K1, on Apr 18 2009, 02:14 AM, said:

I bought at auction site ran here in Czech Republic. As there is Lego factory, could be factory leakage or whatsoever..

There is some discusson on BrickLink about this very topic that is new:  http://www.bricklink...e.asp?ID=356114

Got a little heated, but it does involve your question of where in the CR these items are originating from.  Nice looking set, and I like the new minifig hair (female).

Tracy

[Jipay]

Sandy, on Apr 18 2009, 08:14 PM, said:

Personally, I don't see any reasons for you guys to whine about this set. The camper itself looks very authentic, the color theme is fresh and new, the minifigs are gorgeous and there are plenty of accessories. As far as the interior goes, it's no different from the earlier campers. There's two chairs and a tabletop, a few hooks and a tv. If you were honestly expecting more, then maybe you should go play with Barbie toys instead of LEGO.

Just look at these:
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=6351-1
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=6590-1
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=6694-1

How are those sets somehow superior to this new one?

I don't really buy this crap about the camper being "juniorized" (which means using large chunky pieces to fit smaller kids), either, because there's nothing in it that even hints to that direction. On the contrary, it uses more small pieces and new, more complex techniques in comparison to the old sets.

I just don't get you whiners.

I do have the first one on your list, and believe me, it is superior in term of interior design compared to the new one. I don't think people are whining that much, I assume they just point out this set could have been better. Now it's up to them to MOC it

[The Green Brick Giant]

A red bike in a cheap set?  I'm sold!  :)

[Holodoc]

The Green Brick Giant, on Apr 18 2009, 09:43 PM, said:

A red bike in a cheap set?  I'm sold!  :)

Yellow or white would have been even better...

[Darth_Legois]

Oh well I was hoping for a 1x2 trans-clear tile [they're rare...only in 1 World City set]

green dewback, on Apr 19 2009, 01:57 AM, said:

Its pretty decent for a 7-stud-wide vehicle.

Its 6-wide.

Holodoc, on Apr 19 2009, 07:58 AM, said:

Yellow or white would have been even better...

I agree! I have enough red bikes....

[TheBrickster]

Thanks for sharing an early review Kanal.  I think this is an awesome set!  

Classic hinges, an interior with two seats and "camping stuff" including a Wild West frying pan.  - Very nice colors and even a bed area above the truck, this has all the makings of a well-thought out design, topped off with some very nice stickers.  Sure, I would have preferred printed pieces, but the stickers are very nice.  I love the lime green.  - Plus a classic red bicycle and surf board, this is great stuff!

It's not four-studs wide, but I give this set high marks in my Classic Town perspective.  I may be buying two of these and will be taking mine to the beach (Lego beach that is).

Sharp!  

EDIT: and BLOGGED!