[VIDEO REVIEW] 42056 - Porsche 911 GT3 RS

[TheItalianBrick]

Let me clarify:

respect for Sariel's great reviews, indeed. But this time I think he "twisted the knife" a bit... probably this set should have been reviewed with a different eye compared to the other technic sets. Let's say, if he had assumed this is not an usual Technic set but rather a good lego version of a real GT3 RS then the opinions/comments would have been more positive!

Obviously he did pointed out the gearbox does't work well, but should this let a set down? No I don't think it should! What if he (I know he builds carefully) made a little mistake (2700 pieces takes a long time a lots of concentration specially when lots of gears are involved) resulting in a gearbox failure?

As someone said Lego it's not a finished product, but a starting point for our own developments! This is why we love it I guess...otherwise if you only like to build and then put it on a shelf then this set does the job!

Edited June 3, 2016 by TheItalianBrick

[Meatman]

I would have to say that if the heart and soul of the set doesn't work well, then yes, the set is a let down. And apparently he didn't make any mistakes, because everyone else that built it is having the same issues. Lego is calling this set the "Ultimate" and is seems to have fallen well short of that moniker.

[Appie]

Let's say, if he had assumed this is not an usual Technic set but rather a good lego version of a real GT3 RS then the opinions/comments would have been more positive!

Most likely that would have happened yes. It's the way I try to look at the model now. I now consider the set pretty decent. Especially with the tweak from Blakbird to fix the gearbox, how that got passed testing is beyond me. I build that part and that pin joiner really doesn't want to be in there, at all. However to look at the set in that positive way, I needed to forget all of Lego's marketing for this model. They hyped it too much with "#ultimate" and the quotes in interviews "tried to make it as much like the real model as possible". That's not our fault for hyping, that's all directly from Lego themselves. So that's not Sariel's fault for believing what Lego was advertising and as a result even if Sariel wanted to start his review with that positive outlook towards the set, Lego's marketing was already in his brain, setting him up for disappointment.

[agrof]

Let's say, if he had assumed this is not an usual Technic set but rather a good lego version of a real GT3 RS then the opinions/comments would have been more positive!

As someone said Lego it's not a finished product, but a starting point for our own developments! This is why we love it I guess...otherwise if you only like to build and then put it on a shelf then this set does the job!

I disagree. Even if one say, it is a lego version of the real thing, this assuming replication as well. The bodywork is OK (except the easy twist by Jetro for modularity), but the rest is not accurate in many way. If it would have been communicated as Ultimate Technic Racer series, than also the expectation would have been set different. Own-goal in this point of view.

For the last sentence: You can not be serious! Really? It is not a finished product? I tell You it is. Imagine if You buy a washing machine, a fridge, or a cell phone, which doesn't work, as it should (for example the washing mashine doesn't pump all the water out). You go back to customer service, but they tell You: it is on purpose like that, to increase the customer experience by giving the opportunity to improve this.

You go home happily, because You got chance to repair, even without necessary material, tool and knowledge?

You should not forget, that the way of thinking what You wrote can be - and probably IS - true for Afol community, BUT the common new-in-Lego customer doesn't has parts, knowledge for corrective actions.× This ultimate experience is a stand alone product, and should work out of the box. End of story.

×Edit: there can be newbies, who do find these issues annoying, right?

Edited June 3, 2016 by agrof

[allanp]

Yeah, the whole "it's not a finished product" and "it's open source" argument just doesn't seem valid to me. Not all of us are MOCcers and it just seems like a cop out way of finding excuses for them. Stop enabling them to be lazy!

[TheItalianBrick]

Imagine if You buy a washing machine, a fridge, or a cell phone, which doesn't work, as it should (for example the washing mashine doesn't pump all the water out).

You don't disassemble a washing machine to rebuild it into a B model or something else... the concept behind lego instead is to do build limitless things!!

Also I prefer to enjoy the product...not the tag given to it: ultimate/racer/creator/technic

[aol000xw]

Great review, thank you.

I am baffled at how they pulled this out as an Ultimate Technic set. It makes me feel really bad because it looks quite good.

Can I take one without the flawed gearbox and the "ultimate box and book" for 1/3 of the price?

[agrof]

You don't disassemble a washing machine to rebuild it into a B model or something else... the concept behind lego instead is to do build limitless things!!

Also I prefer to enjoy the product...not the tag given to it: ultimate/racer/creator/technic

You don't disassemble 42056 to rebuild it into a B model. Actually You can use the parts of a washing machine to rebuild something else: screws, sheetmetal, motor, turn it into lawn mover machine like lot people did in Hungary, even my dad... so? Anyway it wasn't the point of my example. Lego sets are also just products like the mentioned ones.

A lot customer don't build B models, or disassemble the sets for Mocing, so this is not an argument. Really no offense, but TLG is just a company, not the Olympos.

They just made a mistake, whatever if marketing or design-wise, happens. But making cheap and slippery excuses is not a mature or even respectable human behavior.

They can do this better, like they did in the case of 8043.

Peace!

Edited June 3, 2016 by agrof

[Didumos69]

But making cheap and slippery excuses is not a mature or even respectable human behavior.

To me this is the most disappointing part of the whole story. Actually TLG didn't even make excuses. They act as if this is part of the deal and label it as something 'open source'. If this set was 'open source', everybody should be able to pick up a free box at the corner of the street instead of having to pay 300 euros.

They should have acknowledged making a mistake and do their best to rectify by sending out errata.

THE PORSCHE IS THE FIRST CAR OF A SERIES

I think there will be 7

Edited June 3, 2016 by Didumos69

[aol000xw]

The gear box is flawless, you are holding it wrong

[Sariel]

To clarify:

- they clearly said this is the start of a series of car sets. They didn't say what cars or when.

- their official approach is "there is no problem with the 42056 whatsoever" except for the problem with the box getting damaged which they are supposedly fixing right now

- I understand why my review might be seen as harsh. I believe that I would see much more potential in this set if I knew it was first of a series at the time of reviewing it. Still, in my personal opinion the set is miles away from living up to all the hype Lego has build around it. Remember, it's being marketed as "the art of engineering" and then you get a noisy gearbox driving an engine you can't really see.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Sariel

[Paul Boratko]

To clarify:

- they clearly said this is the start of a series of car sets. They didn't say what cars or when.

- their official approach is "there is no problem with the 42056 whatsoever" except for the problem with the box getting damaged which they are supposedly fixing right now

- I understand why my review might be seen as harsh. I believe that I would see much more potential in this set if I knew it was first of a series at the time of reviewing it. Still, in my personal opinion the set is miles away from living up to all the hype Lego has build around it. Remember, it's being marketed as "the art of engineering" and then you get a noisy gearbox driving an engine you can't really see.

I am convinced at this point that even if the model had gears flying out of it while the user played with it that they would still stand by the design.. I guess they kind of have to since it has been hyped up so much and has the Porsche license attached.. They don't need to admit anything is wrong seeing how they know that the number of people that will never know anything is wrong will outnumber the amount of people who realize there are problems..

Edited June 3, 2016 by Paul Boratko

[Sariel]

What if he (I know he builds carefully) made a little mistake (2700 pieces takes a long time a lots of concentration specially when lots of gears are involved) resulting in a gearbox failure?

That's a real possibility, which is why I have consulted several other reviewers and made sure they are experiencing identical issues before publishing my review.

The "it's a product you're supposed to improve" argument doesn't make sense to me. Which company is charging $300 for a product you have not only to assemble all by yourself, but then improve? Can you imagine Ikea selling 3-legged chairs so you can improve them on your own?

Edited June 3, 2016 by Sariel

[TheMindGarage]

Let me clarify:

respect for Sariel's great reviews, indeed. But this time I think he "twisted the knife" a bit... probably this set should have been reviewed with a different eye compared to the other technic sets. Let's say, if he had assumed this is not an usual Technic set but rather a good lego version of a real GT3 RS then the opinions/comments would have been more positive!

Obviously he did pointed out the gearbox does't work well, but should this let a set down? No I don't think it should! What if he (I know he builds carefully) made a little mistake (2700 pieces takes a long time a lots of concentration specially when lots of gears are involved) resulting in a gearbox failure?

As someone said Lego it's not a finished product, but a starting point for our own developments! This is why we love it I guess...otherwise if you only like to build and then put it on a shelf then this set does the job!

I don't think of TECHNIC as a "display" theme. I think TECHNIC is primarily about the functions, not just about the fact that it uses studless beams. Although this set would have been much better received if they dropped the "TECHNIC" and just called it the "Porsche 911 GT3 RS Studless" or something along those lines. Then the 4-speed gearbox would be marketed as a special technical feature, but with the appearance as the main focus.

Oh well, looks like I'll be getting the Bucket Wheel Excavator instead.

[Beard]

I am convinced at this point that even if the model had gears flying out of it while the user played with it that they would still stand by the design.. I guess they kind of have to since it has been hyped up so much and has the Porsche license attached.. They don't need to admit anything is wrong seeing how they know that the number of people that will never know anything is wrong will outnumber the amount of people who realize there are problems..

This is a dangerous position to take by Lego. There are restaurants and other businesses going down because of customers sharing their bad experiences in social media. In all the cases that I remember, the problems really started when the business reacted badly towards the criticism. Even if the set sells well and most customers are satisfied with their purchase, the underlying problems don't necessarily stay hidden between afols' grinding teeth. Careful PR is absolutely necessary these days. There is no reason why this one set should cause problems for TLG. They just need to fix the problem and move on to the next, supposedly excellent sets. Most of the fixing can be done in PR, without spending too much money.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Beard

[Ngoc Nguyen]

To clarify:

- they clearly said this is the start of a series of car sets. They didn't say what cars or when.

All the more reason to skip the Porsche and wait for a better Ultimate car.

[Foggy]

I have the same opinion on many of you about porsche. They created too much expectations on it and then failed in its heart..many say "i don't mind, i put it on display so don't need the gearbox works" but looking at the expectations and the price you pay, it's not good you pay for something that doesn't work as supposed to. If the Lego intent was to produce just a good looking replica of a real car they couldn't put the gearbox in it and make a model as the tumbler (that is a display model in fact hasn't steering wheels for example..) so without functions. But if you decide to put a function in a model, i pretend that it works! And the nice box is not enought to compensate this not working function.

[suffocation]

*snip* probably this set should have been reviewed with a different eye compared to the other technic sets. Let's say, if he had assumed this is not an usual Technic set but rather a good lego version of a real GT3 RS then the opinions/comments would have been more positive! *snip*

Why on earth should he have assumed it was a good Lego version of a real GT3 RS when all it has in common with the original is, more or less, the aesthetics? And for €300? C'mon man, don't be such a gainsayer - or as you Italians say, bastian contrario.

[MacKaiwer]

This set is like my MOCs, everything for the shape and looks and quite poor functions... It looks good but works bad And this is no joke... I must get better with functions so maybe TLG too? What do you think?

[Andy D]

ok then you shouldn't criticise this set at all....you actually shouldn't even be interested on it at all....because this set is not meant to be too "functional"....but rather good looking!

The 8070 had 4 useless and easy to design functions and looks dull and cheap compared to the porsche......why so much hate for this porsche then? Guess it's the price...

You are right, sort-of. The set was advertised to have a functioning transmission and other functional elements, that is why I was initially interested.

I don't think the price is the only thing. For me it is the precieved value for money spent. I just spent over $300 on 2 42043 and I perceive it a good value. I will spend over $500 on the rest of the 2H sets and I perceive them to be a good value for money spent. I am not sure that the cost is the reason for many. I think it is the disappointment of value received for cost.

Just MHO, YMMV

Andy D

[TheItalianBrick]

@ Sariel: Afterall I would like to thank you for the review, we all know you express your own opinion in it but don't forget you have 100K subscribers so somehow it's an opinion with a lot of power and influence. Hope when each of us get hands on this set will be able to enjoy the build, the look of it and eventually give our own opinion on the "working" gearbox.

[Sariel]

I'm doing my best to be accurate when reviewing, that's why I collaborated with other reviewers when I found issues with 42056. On a positive note, several Lego employees told me they understand my review and have no problem with it. The bottom line, I think, is that 42056 isn't targeting regular Technic fans. Also, it's selling like crazy, with or without my review.

[TheItalianBrick]

An "healthy" company that sells well means more development and investment in the future...so we can expect greater sets in the future!!

Now...let's move to the Class Xerion as soon as possible because I can't wait! Update us anytime you can Sariel!

Edited June 4, 2016 by TheItalianBrick

[Sariel]

If i never get the Xerion, I guess that will mean they weren't OK with my review after all ;)

On another note, as soon as I've heard that Porsche is first of a series, I've started lobbying Technic guys to make a Pagani Zonda next :)

[MaxSupercars]

No! Aventador! :)

Max