REVIEW: 6472 Gas N' Wash Express

[WesternOutlaw]

Lego Legend 6472, Gas N' Wash Express

Set #: 6472

Year Released: 2001 (Original set released 1992)

Piece Count: 461 (453 originally)

Minifigs: 3

List Price: $50 (USD) - $52 in 1992

Lego brought back this Classic Town Gas Station as a Legend in 2001. The set was originally released in 1992 as set 6397. I do not own the original set, so I managed to swoop it up after seeing it through Lego SAH when available. Strangely, the original set price was $52 in 1992. Nine years later, the set was offered at $50 (USD) containing some additional pieces. I haven't figured out the differences between the two sets.

Starting with pictures of the box:

Front

Back

And I love the fact that this minifig dressed in a black suit is scrubbing his car with what looks more like a hair brush than a scub brush :

Here's some shots of the instructions:

Front

Back

Completed Instructions

The set includes three minifigs, all with printed torsos:

Where have I seen that suit before?

The black-suited minifig owns this little 4-studded red cherry of a vehicle with classic town design:

The car is a convertible in that the top and the back window can be opened and/or taken off:

If you liked that, check out this Classic Town tow truck with working winch:

Here's a shot of the front end:

A tire is used to turn the winch:

A printed gauge measures winch pressure:

Here's the tow truck coming to the aid of the business man:

The set includes some nifty extras like this trash can and wheel hauler:

And this small blue jack for quick car repairs:

Here's a shot of one of the fuel pumps with the brown hair brush:

Three pumps are included within this set. I love the prined white slope and the lights above the pump:

Now check out the best part, the gas station itself:

It has an attached car wash which adds to the playability:

A black arrow tile and red/green lights becon dirty 4-stud wide vehicled for a good "Wash-Me":

The wash has three brushes, one in the back, and two that push closed until cars roll through:

NOTE: The grey hose pieces are attached to each of the brush sections and cause the brushes to push closed.

Here's the business man in his red cherry driving through the wash. Nevermind the fact that he left the windows open.

There's not much inside the gas station. Here's a shot from the outside:

The roof of the station is rather large to provide shade and cover from inclimate weather:

I like the sloped windows that add to the unique design of the station:

The set includes a small sticker sheet with green and red Octan decals:

Lastly, the complete Gas N' Wash Express:

_{Trees and additional roadplates not included}

Hope you enjoy this Classic Town Review.

[metalandi]

Thanks for this great review TheBrickster! This is one set which is on the top of my wishlist, and i really wish i'll get my hands on it someday. I voted outstanding, even if for me it's the second best gas station ever, only beaten by the new one.

[Klaus-Dieter]

That's again a great review, TheBrickster!

I voted for Above Average:

I really this set. Luckily my little brother bought it when it was rereleased in 2001/2002 (some time ago we detached that I'll keep all Lego sets and bricks in the future - and he'll keep all the model railway stuff (non-Lego) - ). It was nearly the first bigger official Lego set we owned - and which wasn't destroyed shortly after having bought it .

I like the car wash, the gas station itself and the beautiful cars. These are cars TLG should produce again!

The only thing which I don't like that much is firstly that there's no garage and secondly that the interior of the gas station is nearly empty although it's very big.

But otherwise this set is excellent.

Klaus-Dieter

Edited September 15, 2008 by Klaus-Dieter

[WhiteFang]

I never knew this set was re-released before in 2001. In fact, I looked at Brickset, under the Legend category. I can't seemed to find this set tagged under the Legend. To be honest, I had not seen this Octan Gas Station before.

On a serious approach, how can I ever miss such lovely Gas station before? I must be blind during that period, obsessed with SHELL. The red car and the tow truck are just so lovely and nicely designed. Miss these doors, 4 studs design, 4 studs windscreen, and etc. There are so many reasons to justify the beauty of such classic vehicles.

The Octan Station itself, is an impressive design with car wash, 24 hours mini mart, petrol kiosk, red rooftop with window frames. I find this is a very good set to play with. Love these old Gas stations, but I love the 80s Gas Station even more.

Great review, once again Brickster!

[bullet8542]

Sweet Review Brickster.

I do like these older classic gas stations better than the current one, I also as stated way to many times like the alternate building idea's I think it just adds some more playability to the set.

And I really like the tow truck

Another great review!

[dj2005]

I remember this set back in 1992. Ah, what great times were had. I wish I didn't miss out on all the Legend sets.

[VBBN]

Great review.

I like this set a lot. But I am not to fond of the trash can. Of course, I don't belive the gray ones were made just ye, so it is perfectly fine.

And if anyone wants to see the instructions for this set or any of the other octan sets, just go to theme name Octan on this page.

[JopieK]

Really nice review indeed and nice set.

My brother has one from before our dark ages and we now have at least two in total but it is a really nice set with nice details!

B.t.w. those are not decals but stickers (decals are those ugly water based things).

[CP5670]

I got this set in 2001 when they rereleased it, but it's one of many that I never got around to opening and still have in storage. I'll build it at some point when I have the space for it. I especially like that roof that covers a large part of the station. The car was also better than the typical ones from its era, larger and having a rear windshield.

[maiq the liar]

How are the gas prices? not even lego city is safe from the oil crisis...

Anyway, looks to be a nice set.

[Eilif]

Nice review of a really neat set. This is one of those TOWN sets that really captures the essence of it's subject. I'm satisified with my service station, from Town Plan, but these earlier service stations, do have a bit more realism.

[JimBee]

Thanks, Brickster, this is one of my favorite of your reviews (I'm not sure why). This set looks like a nice one, with plenty of details to go around (although the inside of the station could have been more detailed). The car wash is probably the coolest part, and having two cars in this set is nice. I like your back drop on the last picture.

[Freddie]

I think it's one of the better looking gas-stations LEGO has released. A particular design I like with this one is the design for pillars and roof, and how they continue through the roof and support it from above, and then come down one the other side a shape the facade of the shop.

IMO, it's not as good as Town Plan's gas and service station, which I find stylistically more pleasing, but then again that's an unfair comparison. Compared to the other modern gas station, this is the one wearing the crown.

[Zarkan]

I actually own this very set - and it's one of the best parts of my town. It's a wonderful kit - and has a lot of great features. However, I really can't decide whether I like it better or the 2007 gas station better. I mean, this kit has a wonderful design, but the new one has some interesting techniques; this one has a wondeful tow truck, but the new one has a cool motorcycle and hot four wide car; this one has awesome pumps and a better car wash, but the new one has more exterior detail and an awesome price sign - man, I just don't know which one I like the most!

On another note, while I love some of the earlier four wide vehicles, I don't understand why people love the little car designs so much. Sure, they have a ton of nostalgic value - but IMO, they are way too small and look more like go carts than real cars. I really prefer the new four wide style used in sets like the Spiderman street chase set, the big cargo train set from 2006, and the car in the recent gas station - it's bigger and more realistic while still retaining the four wide scale.

Edited September 16, 2008 by Grevious

[CP5670]

On another note, while I love some of the earlier four wide vehicles, I don't understand why people love the little car designs so much. Sure, they have a ton of nostalgic value - but IMO, they are way too small and look more like go carts than real cars. I really prefer the new four wide style used in sets like the Spiderman street chase set, the big cargo train set from 2006, and the car in the recent gas station - it's bigger and more realistic while still retaining the four wide scale.

I agree. I grew up with those old cards but never liked them even as a kid, and my set mods often involved making them bigger in some way. The new, longer 4 wide cars are much nicer.

That being said, the car in this particular set is better than most of the others from those days, which often didn't have rear windshields at all and just had a big gap there.

[missouri_bb63]

I really liked this set and actually found the original 6397 (released in 1992), in a supermarket looking dusty and faded back in 1996. As it happened they had a ton of older sets lying around so I ended up buying as much as I could afford. Thanks for all the pictures Bricksters. That really brings back memories.

Here is the BlueBrick set GIF for those who want to add it to their virtual layout.

GIF XML : 6397 Gas and Wash Express

Edited October 25, 2009 by missouri_bb63

[ACCURATEin]

I remember this being my favorite set as a child. It was very exciting to see it under the Christmas tree and I remember opening it up without hesitation to build it.

Voted Outstanding!

[ilikeboomerang1]

Hi, sorry for bumping the thread, but I can't see this review's photos and your other ones in Chrome. The photos don't appear.

[THERIZE]

Hi, sorry for bumping the thread, but I can't see this review's photos and your other ones in Chrome. The photos don't appear.

I think that is because of the pictures not 'existing' anymore on the the forums. It happens to a lot of old topics. or sometimes when a server is down. I believe I heard something about brickshelf hosting and it being down a lot of times. my advice would or, look at a different moment to check if it was the server. if that doesn't help the pictures don't exist anymore and there is nothing to do anymore. in this situations with old topics I think its handier to check if the original poster is still active and send that person a pm. In this case 'TheBrickster' isn't active anymore and sending a message would not help.

[ilikeboomerang1]

I think that is because of the pictures not 'existing' anymore on the the forums. It happens to a lot of old topics. or sometimes when a server is down. I believe I heard something about brickshelf hosting and it being down a lot of times. my advice would or, look at a different moment to check if it was the server. if that doesn't help the pictures don't exist anymore and there is nothing to do anymore. in this situations with old topics I think its handier to check if the original poster is still active and send that person a pm. In this case 'TheBrickster' isn't active anymore and sending a message would not help.

Oh, well then, I'll just imagine the photos.