42129 - 4x4 Mercedes-Benz Zetros

[Bartybum]

6 minutes ago, User5346 said:

Wow that price is just silly! Please no one (at least in Australia) but this set at RRP! I would say it’s one of the most overpriced sets of all time?!

And no doubt the Canadians will get it for an absolute steal...

[SNIPE]

34 minutes ago, allanp said:

Yeah the price is rather painful. Smyth's in the UK often have good deals which will make this an easier purchase. 

smyths is love

[Maaboo the Witch]

4 minutes ago, SNIPE said:

smyths is love

SMYTHS IS LIFE. 

[paul_delahaye]

So the good news is this is just a waiting game in the UK.  You know full well Smyths or Amazon will knock a 3rd off the selling price within 6 - 9 months of launch (this seems to be their business model in the UK), so as long as you have patience, this will be a £185 set 

[Ngoc Nguyen]

If the diff lock is activated through an M motor and a clutch, then there's no need for a physical encoder. That means this set and its function can be recreated with PF components.

[kbalage]

4 hours ago, User5346 said:

Is the $500 AUD (about $380 usd) price for Australia on the Mercedes confirmed?! If so, that is ridiculous!! It should cost roughly the same as the Volvo hauler which also has control + elements and is $120AUD less. 

This is the official price list from the press release, so yes it is confirmed - 299.99 EUR/ 274.99 GBP/499.99 AUD/299.99 USD/399.99 CAD

[Ullum Zurt]

2 hours ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

If the diff lock is activated through an M motor and a clutch, then there's no need for a physical encoder. That means this set and its function can be recreated with PF components.

This is something I would be looking forward to, especially for someone who is already heavily invested in PF, and not keen on switching to PU.

[1gor]

1 minute ago, Ullum Zurt said:

This is something I would be looking forward to, especially for someone who is already heavily invested in PF, and not keen on switching to PU.

Yes, that crossed my mind this morning; perhaps version with tumbler tires would look even better (I have other plans for tractor tires  )

[Ullum Zurt]

If only this would be available without the PU components for half the price (or less), there would always be the option of using PF (or whatever other motor/battery pack one has).

[1gor]

4 minutes ago, Ullum Zurt said:

If only this would be available without the PU components for half the price (or less), there would always be the option of using PF (or whatever other motor/battery pack one has).

Agree again, then it would be instant buy for me (sets with PU are ridiculously expensive where I live)

[Ullum Zurt]

2 minutes ago, I_Igor said:

Agree again, then it would be instant buy for me (sets with PU are ridiculously expensive where I live)

I remember someone mentioning a seller on ebay selling PU sets without the electronics...

[Ngoc Nguyen]

13 minutes ago, Ullum Zurt said:

I remember someone mentioning a seller on ebay selling PU sets without the electronics...

That one is me.

The vendor is selling 42109 and 42124 with electronics removed:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/284282335281?epid=20043758348&hash=item42308c3031%3Ag%3AfIoAAOSwDIBgkNeL&LH_BIN=1

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/284282415650?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item42308d6a22:g:SW4AAOSwjlJgkODO

Edited July 3, 2021 by Ngoc Nguyen

[Ullum Zurt]

4 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

That one is me.

The link for 42124 with electronics removed:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/284282335281?epid=20043758348&hash=item42308c3031%3Ag%3AfIoAAOSwDIBgkNeL&LH_BIN=1

Thank you.

Here's hoping the seller does the same for 42129.

[1gor]

23 minutes ago, Ullum Zurt said:

Thank you.

Here's hoping the seller does the same for 42129.

That is something we can only hope.

[gyenesvi]

12 hours ago, howitzer said:

I like to dream big, impossible things, so in my dreams that screw-in hatch is a prelude to a rechargeable battery unit, which can be placed in the place of AA batteries and screwed in place, with a charger inlet somewhere so that you only need to plug it into a charger without the need to take anything off the model once built.

Well, because of the seemingly unexplainably high price compared to similar previous models, and the seemingly unnecessary screws for regular batteries, I am hoping for exactly the same thing :) That could explain the price, couldn't it?

[kbalage]

44 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

Well, because of the seemingly unexplainably high price compared to similar previous models, and the seemingly unnecessary screws for regular batteries, I am hoping for exactly the same thing :) That could explain the price, couldn't it?

Even if that was the case, this model (and it's price) won't include any rechargeable batteries for sure. It is designed for the good old AA ones:

[gyenesvi]

26 minutes ago, kbalage said:

Even if that was the case, this model (and it's price) won't include any rechargeable batteries for sure. It is designed for the good old AA ones:

Oh, yes, I forgot that even if there would be a possibility, no actual batteries would probably be included for safety reasons.. only sold separately.

[howitzer]

Yeah, there won't be a rechargeable battery in this set, but I was dreaming that one might be sold separately later and the switch for screws is an indication of this.

But probably not.

[992bricks]

I feel like (maybe) the extra price is from licensing because when you break down the price, you get ~205AUD for Motors and Hub,  maybe around 250AUD for Pieces, and perhaps the other 45AUD for licensing? (Which is worst than most Star Wars sets) 

Note: The prices for pieces are pure guesswork.

[msk6003]

But why need screw in battery case? I think current way has enough for keep close.

Edited July 4, 2021 by msk6003

[Gray Gear]

7 hours ago, 992bricks said:

I feel like (maybe) the extra price is from licensing because when you break down the price, you get ~205AUD for Motors and Hub,  maybe around 250AUD for Pieces, and perhaps the other 45AUD for licensing? (Which is worst than most Star Wars sets)

I doubt LEGO prices are really related to the cost of production. They choose the price by market research, what people will still be willing to pay, but will give them the highest profit.

[TechnicRCRacer]

1 hour ago, msk6003 said:

But why need screw in battery case? I think current way has enough for keep close.

Now that I think about it, maybe the purpose of the screws is for a future rechargeable battery insert like the Mindstorms one. I think the pack may have been too heavy and fell out too easily, so they added screws. Just a theory.

[Bricktrain]

Pricing in different countries also differs as some countries include sales tax, others dont

[Gray Gear]

If the reason for the screws really is a rechargable battery, I can understand it somewhat. You wouldn't want your kid to stab the rechargable battery and set it on fire, and after you paid an extra 70+ EUR for it as well. Kids can be stupid 

Edited July 4, 2021 by Gray Gear

[1974]

There have been screws in battery boxes before, it's just a precaution thing