Purchase advice - 8043 and 8110

[rynoster]

Good day Eurobricks forumers!

I please need some help in a purchasing decision.

The LEGO bug bit me big time in February, and since then I have purchased 9 models, mostly Technic (42009, 42039, 42025, 42000 to name a few). I dabbled for the first time in importing a set from overseas, a 9398 4x4 crawler.

Needless to say, I am hooked, but stuck with a major problem, I missed out on a lot of good sets!

I have been looking for a 8043 for a while now, and seemed to have found a good deal on one, this seller also has a 8110. Both are MITB, and below brickpicker.com market value.

I'm not that big of a fan of the 8110 in terms of looks, but have read that it's a must have, in terms pneumatics, build experience, etc.

Being in South Africa, import costs are astronomical, so this is a good deal on paper, I just need some confirmation on the 8110 basically?

Then, just the 41999 and I will be in heaven. :)

Thanks all,

Ryno

[Freekysch]

I had the same thoughts on 8110, I really did not like it very much, but after seeing one at a very good price i bought it and I was not disappointed. It look good (nothing more, nothing less) but it has a lot of very good parts in it (huge tires, pneumatics, pf, orange panels, differentials, suspensions, etc). I would say ... get it ! I am sure after you build it you will like it very much.

As far of 41999 I would never pay such a high price for a LEGO set, but that is just me.

[bonox]

if you can afford them, they both offer something significant that the others you list don't.

The 41999 is almost pointless if you have the 9398, but that's obviously up to you.

[allanp]

8110 is awesome.

[DrJB]

Agreed with above posts: Get them both, and if you already have the crawler, there is no need to get the 41999. Unless of course you're after dark blue panels not available anywhere else. The other two must-have sets in my opinion are the red truck 8258 and the backhoe 8455.

Edited April 16, 2015 by DrJB

[Jay Psi]

I'm only going to echo what's already been said, don't turn down the 8110!

Apart from the steering (which can be fixed in a variety of ways depending on your needs) it's a brilliant set. Even as a parts pack it's worth the money but I think the size and number of functions it offers makes it one of the greatest sets of the "modern" Technic era. However, the ace-in-the-hole is the ease of which the Unimog can be modded - RC conversions, extra pneumatic functions, mechanical or linear actuator based add-ons, mostly thanks to the PPO/PPTO on both front and rear.

And JB is on the money - if you can find one for a good enough price, 8455 is an absolute must for any pneumatics fan. I doubt we'll ever see another set with 10 (large) pneumatic cylinders...

Edited April 16, 2015 by Jay Psi

[robuko]

I think you might as well wait for the new Arocs truck, it will have better pneumatics than 8110 and it might work out cheaper for you. For 8043, upload your collection to rebrickable and have a look how many pieces you are missing. I think you will be best off to just buy the pieces you are missing via bricklink.

[andythenorth]

8043 is awesome (although a bit gutless with M motors, but still awesome).

8110 has the worst hype-playability ratio of any Technic set in history. It's not bad, but it's seriously over-rated. It's too big, too heavy, and most of the functions don't perform well. It a relatively uninteresting build, and there are no interesting mechanisms or intricate functions. It has almost zero playability.

[dr_spock]

The fun in 8110 is MOCing all sort of implements and attachments for it. See our 8110 MOD thread: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=57543

[Kumbbl]

Playability of 8110 is out of the box indeed not very good and the steering is crap, no doubt. But let us be honest: which models have a really high playability except e.g. 42030? 8043 really not!! Regarding playability the 8043 is in no way better than 8110.

But the 8110 has - besides being on eof the best parts pack and looking really good - two USPs (unique selling points):

a) it's one of the most realistic and authentic models regarding its concepts (portal, panrod, suspension, pneumatic crane)

b) it's not one of the best but simply THE best model regading MODifyability - i 100% agree with the posting above from dr_spock and would like to extend it: It's not only MOCing of attachments but the unimog itself offer thousands of possibilities for MODing (better steering, RCing, openable doors, tiliting bed etc. etc.)

Tell me another model/set which is on par regarding b) ...

And: well, the 8110 has not the most complex gear-trains, right, but the build is far away from being boring.... e.g. boring is the build of 42030...

But of course: if you are searching only the most exiting build, than you should really prefer 8043, that's right.

PS.

i love the 8043....

[Bricktrain]

Playability of 8110 is out of the box indeed not very good and the steering is crap, no doubt. But let us be honest: which models have a really high playability except e.g. 42030? 8043 really not!! Regarding playability the 8043 is in no way better than 8110.

But the 8110 has - besides being on eof the best parts pack and looking really good - two USPs (unique selling points):

a) it's one of the most realistic and authentic models regarding its concepts (portal, panrod, suspension, pneumatic crane)

b) it's not one of the best but simply THE best model regading MODifyability - i 100% agree with the posting above from dr_spock and would like to extend it: It's not only MOCing of attachments but the unimog itself offer thousands of possibilities for MODing (better steering, RCing, openable doors, tiliting bed etc. etc.)

Tell me another model/set which is on par regarding b) ...

For me 8285 is the one I prefer for MOCing, but that is my personal opinion, I now have 8 different versions of it built.

8011 is playable but only for a short period, if you are into attatchments then it is almost limitless.

8043 I didnt enjoy much at first but have since found it more interesting and playable, and it is compatible with other models, complements my 8285s well. I have been planning to build another version of it with L motors for more power but havent done it yet. I didnt buy the set as it was very delayed here due to the LA problems, we didnt get it here until the re-release and by then I had already built it from parts.

My 8258 I have just sold, it didnt inspire me at all, I would have preferred it to have been a dumptruck like the modded one used in the 42030 displays.

[Foggy]

Off topic: should be interesting to see all these 8285s :D :D

Back to topic: it depends if you collect sets or if you need them for parts.... anyway I suggest to get both,doesn't mind when but get them. I just wanna point out that the 8043 b-model is simply amazing, especially 4 playability ;) infact I got 2x8043 to have both models on display. The fact that both a&b models of the 8043 are amazing is a good point against 8110 that has a very good a model but not a b one.

[andythenorth]

+1 to the 8043 b-model being awesome.

8043 a-model has much better performance with L motors. They are pretty nearly a drop-in replacement for the M motors, does need the rear of the carbody modified.

[dr_spock]

I found 8043 to be a good display piece with my 8258.

[rynoster]

Thanks everyone for the overwhelming response!! Thanks to your feedback, I have decided to get both after all!!

My main reason for wanting the 41999 is purely based on looks, and probably its exclusiveness as well. I also have 2 young boys who are constantly fighting who plays with the 9398, this will solve that problem. :-)

I will give feedback once I receive my new toys. Thanks again!!

Edited April 18, 2015 by rynoster

[Foggy]

Well done!

[Erik Leppen]

b) 8110's not one of the best but simply THE best model regading MODifyability - i 100% agree with the posting above from dr_spock and would like to extend it: It's not only MOCing of attachments but the unimog itself offer thousands of possibilities for MODing (better steering, RCing, openable doors, tiliting bed etc. etc.)

Tell me another model/set which is on par regarding b) ...

42039.

The set itself is not very spectacular (but I don't own it yet), but if you check out its discussion topic, what you'll find is that many people are modding it. So it's a set that invites to mod it.

Anyhow.

8043 is really great. The best alongside 8258 if you like complex gear trains.

8110 is great as well, and has many interesting pieces, but it's really big. I enjoyed building it and playing around with the crane is cool as well. What I like about the set is that it is very diverse - pneumatics, suspension, PF, the color scheme. But yes, it's 2000 parts, which is really a lot. 8043 is more "part efficient" in that regard.

I wouldn't bother with another crawler. But that's coming from someone who doesn't own either crawler (I couldn't be bothered to buy a ridiculously pricy set with only two functions.)

42030 is badly overpriced as well. Just a comparison:

8043, 1300 parts (among which 4 motors, 2 receivers, battery box) - EUR 130

42030, 1600 parts (among which 4 motors, 2 receivers, battery box) - EUR 220

See the disbalance?

42009 is a thousand parts more, for EUR 20 less.

[Kumbbl]

Eric, your value comparison between 8043 and 42030 is really Not fair, in no aspect:

- 8043 offers 4 M Motors whereas 42030 offers the full assortment: M, L, XL and servo which costs a lot more and offer much more possibilities for other models

- why do you compare the absolute min prize 8043 has been sold with the absolute max Prize of 42030?? At least here in Germany 8043 was sold most of the time for 169€ and the 42030 currently costs about 189€.

Well, i like 8043 a lot more than 42030 but both offer more or less the same value for money!

[Erik Leppen]

I took the prices I have seen around me in Dutch toy stores. They might differ in other countries.

(And I have seen 42030 for EUR 229 as well by the way, and I bought 8043 for EUR 117, so no, I'm not picking extremes.)

That said, I do think 8043 is a much better Technic set than 42030 (interesting mechanisms, interesting to build), even though 42030 might be a better playset (but I don't own it so I don't know).

[rynoster]

Finally, 1 month later, it has arrived!! I just need to go and pick it up from the post office later today, hopefully it is what I ordered... :o

Any advice as to the order I should build these, 8043 first or last?

[Jurss]

When i first oredered something form bricklink, it came ir package from some 2 friends/princess sets or something like this, but there has to be to motocross sets. And they really where there. You know how i felt, until i opened that box ... :D

[miguev]

When i first oredered something form bricklink, it came ir package from some 2 friends/princess sets or something like this, but there has to be to motocross sets. And they really where there. You know how i felt, until i opened that box ... :D

Something like that happened to me, it wasn't my first Bricklink order but still a pretty big WTF moment when I see a Friends box where I expected EV3 batteries...

[rynoster]

LOL!

Luckily I got what I paid for. I decided to start with the Unimog, leaving the best (8043) for last, very interesting build so far I have to say... I managed to finished book 1/5 last night, still a long way to go.

Based on my limited knowledge and experience of Lego Technic, I'm pretty sure the designer of the Unimog no longer works for Lego. I say this because none of the other flagships I have built share any of the techniques I have seen so far.

[Jurss]

Something like that happened to me, it wasn't my first Bricklink order but still a pretty big WTF moment when I see a Friends box where I expected EV3 batteries...

OK, it would be not too big problem, because my daughter would be pretty happy

[Richard Dower]

For playability i would choose 8043...for the building experince 8110. The Unimog has an amazing parts selection that can be reused moreson then the parts for 8043.

If you can afford it....get both, if not....8043 (imo).