Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn Posted January 21, 2008 (edited) Hello, Well, as some of you may recall, I wanted to get back into SW Lego a while back, but decided not to at that time, as I had other interests more important. After much debating, I've decided that, although my movie loyalty is to episodes 4/5/6, the SW sets for much of 2/3, as well as the sheer versatility of storyline and theatres of war would make the Clone Wars a more entertaining era to have Lego adventures in. So, I started looking into some basic sets to launch a Clone Wars collection. Lets see, clone and .. Ep 3 style Jedi Starfighter and vulture droids (Anakins will do nicely...)... lets throw in a V-Wing for some light clone support, since the ARC 170 is a big set.. ... some light mechanized ground gear for the Clones and Droids - That Ep 3 single-person walker and the Hailfire/Spider Droid combo will do nicely... what, Lego doesnt sell most of these from their website? Okay, lets look elsewhere, no biggy... And then it hit me. Clone BP: 10 USD Droid BP: 10 USD V-Wing: 10 USD Hailfire & Spider Droid: 20 USD... ... wait, what the crap... I'm at 50 USD already? But I've barely got enough set s to have a decent battle or scenario! Well, lets go for just the JSF and vulture droid... wait, I cant get one cheaper than $40 now? Ok, hell with it, I'll get Obi-Wan's OOP Ep 2 figh-- the hell, the ONLY ONE on Ebay is going for over 100 dollars? What the hell? The sheer absurdity of it hit me. I am also a model builder; I like lego because I can have roleplaying adventures and blow stuff up and wreck it and customize it as I see fit, which I cant do once I've built a model. So, while the model will look far better when finished than a lego model, the lego model has playability. But when I realised that I could get an exact, movie-specific, ultra-fine detailed exact scale model of an ARC 170 starfighter for $20, and the somewhat crude lego version for NO LESS THAN $130 ANYWHERE, I realised that your "average working kid" cannot afford to buy this stuff anymore. The stuff Lego currently has in production - and its not much, now - is damn expensive. $40 for an AT-AP walker? I sure as hell cant afford that. Now, Legos target audience is kids age 15 and under, right? I know for a fact that most of them cannot afford this, and I'm sure its a stretch on many parents - and its even worse for folk like me, who might actually like some of the older sets. So, I'm just curious: How can you guys afford to buy Lego SW sets, when the in-production stuff is steep and the OOP stuff is outrageously over priced? I usually only have about $50 in cash that I can safely spend at any time, and replenishing it is not quick; Its as if you actually have to be an AFOL with a full-time job and no other hobbies to afford this stuff. My collection consists of mostly '90's era parts, so any MoCs of these vehicles I might undertake will be crude representations at best - and if I want suitible mini-figures, I can just forget it, as SW figs are at an all-time high on Bricklink. *sigh* - Ravensomething Edited January 21, 2008 by Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
madoka Posted January 21, 2008 To be brutually straightforward, Lego is not for the poor. It's a higher end toy, so unfortunately we have to pay for this privilege. But it's not like Lego is a necessity in life either. Well, for most of us anyways. :-P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn Posted January 21, 2008 Oh, I know... its just hella dissapointing for someone who has lived in a psuedo-dark-age for years now to get canned the instant he tries to get back into it :P On the other hand, I've gotten literally 10-pound tubs of raw unfiltered 90's era LEGO for $10 or less at flea-markets and the like... I almost wish I could just trade my entire collection to a good MoCist in exchange for all the sets I've always wanted but could never afford :P - Ravensomething Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siegfried Posted January 21, 2008 Well since I am Australian I can't. For example we are being charged $100 AUD for the Rogue Shadow which is absolutely insane for a set with under 500 pieces. Especially when you consider that black is the cheapest colour for Lego to make. The only must-have Star Wars set for me this year is the Rebel Scout Speeder, and that is $20 AUD. The current exchange rate is about 0.88, but Lego seem to think it is 0.50. :-| Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hollisbrick Posted January 21, 2008 (edited) Well since I am Australian I can't. For example we are being charged $100 AUD for the Rogue Shadow which is absolutely insane for a set with under 500 pieces. Especially when you consider that black is the cheapest colour for Lego to make. The only must-have Star Wars set for me this year is the Rebel Scout Speeder, and that is $20 AUD. The current exchange rate is about 0.88, but Lego seem to think it is 0.50. :-| Tell me about it :-| if you think its expensive in America it's 9/10 double here |-/ ,and dont get me started on the impulse, so no offense Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn but i dont think you have much to complain about.. Edited January 21, 2008 by hollisbrick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brickmaster Posted January 21, 2008 To get a heafty amount of lego, you do especially have to pay a heafty price, especially star wars lego. Especially on discontinued sets. Ep II clones are how much!? *wacko* I was thinking of selling my 12 or however many just because theyre going for insane prices, and I'd rather build an army of something else. Star wars lego, especially discontinued, are also absurd. Collecters and hoarders for battles especially boost prices :-$ Expensive and addicting, not good traits for the mostpart, but hey, most hobbies people have arent cheap ;-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Legoman Posted January 21, 2008 ^^^^ you think you have it bad - well, you do, but still, worse that you is us kiwis over here we pay $130 for the RS!!! luckily, i don't want it anyway the sets i want from 2008 are 7668 - Scout speeder - i'll just grab it at k-mart 7670 - Hailfire droid - got one cheap on ebay ($32 NZD) becouse of a damaged box - useally $45 here, but not here yet 7671 - AT-AP - again, got one cheap on ebay ($50 NZD) becouse of a damaged box - useally $90 here, but not here yet all in all, america - YOU ARE SO LUCKY! if you think you have it bad, come to New Zealand NO lego shop, NO TRU, NO target, NO Walmart i try never to pay full price but buy off ebay.but it's still annoying... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iamded Posted January 21, 2008 7668 - Scout speeder - i'll just grab it at k-mart7670 - Hailfire droid - got one cheap on ebay ($32 NZD) becouse of a damaged box - useally $45 here, but not here yet 7671 - AT-AP - again, got one cheap on ebay ($50 NZD) becouse of a damaged box - useally $90 here, but not here yet all in all, america - YOU ARE SO LUCKY! if you think you have it bad, come to New Zealand NO lego shop, NO TRU, NO target, NO Walmart i try never to pay full price but buy off ebay.but it's still annoying... How right you are. The Rodue Shadow and AT-AP are ridiculously expensive. I'm only gonna get 1 Stormie battlepack too, as to get a nice battle, 2 of each the Stormie and Rebel BP's, that's 100 NZ bucks gone right there. :-| That's why I stick to Castle, 10 bucks for 3 figs and a little siege machine, much more affordable. X-D Oh, and at least we do have Toyworld! X-D ~Peace Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
captaintau Posted January 21, 2008 This has occurred to me, too. Although I have virtually every (non-UCS) SW set, I am wondering if I can honestly afford this year's offerings. I make no attempt to hide that my first priority is Martial Arts, which also eats into my money. I a, also still clearing student debts. As much as I love LEGO, and SW LEGO in particular, I can see 2008 being the start of my second Dark Age. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shadows Posted January 21, 2008 If you're complaining about the US prices of currently produced sets then maybe they just aren't for you, but they're the most reasonable you'll find on the planet for the same items. Complaining about sets that have been out of production for years is just silly. Go buy a monorail or a green forestwoman and then come back and gripe about these. The beauty of LEGO is that it offers possibilities. You can buy a set or you can build something similar yourself. No one forces the issue, and as many here have shown, some of the best creations are your own creations. I'll admit, it's an expensive year. Indy, the normal SW line, the Clone Wars line, great sets in Castle and City, impulse sets. It isn't cheap, but it sure beats those years when everything was crap. Just pick and choose and use whatever restraint you can, but don't come back griping later when the ones you missed are a fortune, you already know that's how it works. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
der seb Posted January 21, 2008 Hi Hailfire & Spider Droid: 20 USD... oh, wow 20 USD? Thats about 13 Euro. Oh, wait, in Germany it costs 26 Euro? Thats about 37 USD? Or go to Denmark, the home country of Lego, where the Hailfire costs about 44 USD!! More than double the price you have to pay!! So don't be a whiner, but call yourself a lucky guy, because you live in the United States, where you can buy Lego at the cheapest price all over the world. Sorry, but I can't understand what you're upset about... rgds Sebastian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Pete Posted January 21, 2008 sorry, an American complaining about prices of SW sets?! X-O Not only is America the cheapest location to buy sets at RRP you also have stores that regularly put Lego on ridiculous clearance offers ... and that hardly ever happens in the UK (don't know about Europe, but it seems unlikely there also). However, it seems that you're mostly complaining about only having $50 to spend at any one time ... if that's all this is, either choose to buy something cheaper or get a better paid job. Sorry if you think this is offensive or anything, but you'll not get any sympathy on Lego prices from non US folks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn Posted January 21, 2008 ...woah. I hadnt realised it was that bad 0_0 Yeeblies. So basically, what most of you are saying in a nutshell is that you cant afford SW Lego, either :-P Okay, well... that answers my question. And for the record, I did actually get most of an old Monorail set at someones garage sale for about $8.... - Ravensomething Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snefroe Posted January 21, 2008 1) this may surprise you, but lego has actually gone down in price. sets of the 80's-90's were far more expensive than current sets. just check the prices in the catalogs and x2 . that would more or less be the price you'd get today. A classic space monorail would cost about 350 euro today.... who would buy that today? 2) at least you get some decent quality in return. SW sets are considered top of the line. i can only dream of MM sets of that quality, or do you really think i prefer the MM aliens over the SW creatures? 3) i see people complaining about the high number of great sets. so now they have to make a choice what to buy and what not to buy. For most of us, it's always been like this. it's unfortunate, but most of us just don't have everything we want, that's life, get over it... sorry if that sounds harsh, but that's reality. if the Captain prefers to put his martial arts at the top of the list, with only sw as second place, so be it, that's his choice... 4) nobody says that you guys have to buy everything this year. some sets will remain in the catalogs for two years and if you're lucky even longer. and the impulse sets... well... 8 sets x 3euro... 24euro hm... buying those will surely not lead to a divorce, right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
casewindu Posted January 21, 2008 I know what you mean. I want to buy every new lego star wars set out yet at 50 to 100 pounds each I just can't afford it! :'-( especially now i have retired from my paper round! :-D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Megatron Posted January 21, 2008 $40 for an AT-AP walker? I sure as hell cant afford that. ah quiet you Its $80 dollars here - quit your complaining - u get it HALF the price we do Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Order66 Posted January 21, 2008 I do agree with u that the sets are expensive but the new sets this year arent that expensive. The only set i think right now that is over priced is tha at ap but i live in canada so thats a completly diffrent story(55 here). plus the prices have been rising over the years BUT the new battle packs have came out so they have to raise the prices of bigger sets because they are over producing on minifigs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mutley777 Posted January 21, 2008 Lego is a expensive hobby, but only if you want everything. If you do then look out for sales and deals and if you hear about one don't wait, check it out straight away. There is nothing worse than missing a good deal :-D . I once managed to get 2 UCS X-wings for Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blueandwhite Posted January 21, 2008 Ironically, I feel that the worst prices are on the "impulse" sets. At $5.00 Cdn a pop, these things are pretty hard to justify. Heck, it's hard to justify buying the Knight when I can get a crossbow attack with its three minifigs, a skele-horse for a few dollars extra. At 20 cents per brick, that knight is just not worth it. How can one build an army when a figure costs $5.00 a pop? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Norro Posted January 21, 2008 On the other hand, I've gotten literally 10-pound tubs of raw unfiltered 90's era LEGO for $10 or less at flea-markets and the like... I almost wish I could just trade my entire collection to a good MoCist in exchange for all the sets I've always wanted but could never afford :P Tempting... ;-) Now if only I could afford the sets you want... X-D God Bless, Nathan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Admiral Helden Ravensdorn Posted January 22, 2008 My apologies for my "complaint"; I didnt realise that its even MORE expensive for everyone outside the USA. But, it DOES answer my question - nobody can afford it :P - Ravensomething Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bobskink Posted January 22, 2008 (edited) My apologies for my "complaint"; I didnt realise that its even MORE expensive for everyone outside the USA.But, it DOES answer my question - nobody can afford it :P - Ravensomething haha, you didn't know, it's almost the double here if you convert the currency. We have VAT on or toys. But to give you some answers, when I was joung I couldn't afford most big sets, I saved my small money for a whole year to but sets like the Falcon or Cloud City, cause I know I would regret later. Now that I earn money enough to buy every set, I still don't. Not every set is worth it my friend. I know it sucks, but neather one of us can't complain, we're not born in Africa for example. I for example have all the minifigs from the original trilogy, but not the ones who come with the UCS Falcon, they are just to expensive, at first it bugged me like hell, but now I don't really care that much, it's not that important and maybe they will be for sale in a les expensive set someday. The fact is, you'll never get enough of Lego's. Keep in mind that Lego's are still easy to get, I collect GIJoe's, those are 25 years old, european, american, brazilian ... variants, the list goes on and on, not one of the collectors has all of them, exept from Leonardo Dicaprio, but when he got all of them, he sold them, fun was over. Edited January 22, 2008 by Bobskink Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2551_1474455179 Posted January 22, 2008 It's a lot of money but I can afford it most of the time. I just need a job and prices won't be a problem anymore. The only set price I dislike is the Hoth Base. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
voltio Posted January 23, 2008 I know that US prices are a relative, heck, an absolute bargain when compared to anywhere else, but I still find myself passing on excellent stuff for want of $$$. There is not much space in a college dorm for Lego, and a $40 AT-AP costs the same as 100 packets of Ramen noodles. 8-| Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dark Sword Ragnarok Posted January 23, 2008 ah quiet youIts $80 dollars here - quit your complaining - u get it HALF the price we do Technically, you get it twice the normal price, we don't get it half off... X-D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
