Which set brought you out of your 'dark' age?

[Tomik]

I've come back from my dark age by buying buggy 8048. It remembered me my very frist Lego set 8829 (another red buggy). I was not satisfied with official alternative model - tractor so I've decided to build motorbike similar to that one from set 8829. And this started my alternative model mania...

[lee82gx]

My first Lego set ever was 8852 - Robot, got it as a birthday present in 1988/9 (I can't recall) at 6/7. Due to a combination of reasons ($ mostly), I never got any new sets since then. A most interesting reason was that my parents did business with Lego Malaysia (it was a factory, I recall) and I used to get dumped many large sets which were always only 20-30% complete.

31313 got me out of the dark ages as I wanted to get my 5 yo son into STEM, but it seems, within 2 weeks later I'm now totally in awe of the 42009 (still in box), daring me to build it.

[GoldCivetta]

I haven't really had a dark ages, but I remember a couple months I took a break. I didn't really get a set that got me back in, I was just bored one day and wanted something to do, so I picked up some Lego and started playing.

[bj51]

During my Dark Age, I still bought a few sets (and I'm glad I did today) such as the 599 GTB or the Ferrari F1 1:8. But the set that got me out of it was the Unimog, in 2013.

[LegoGabri]

I dient really have a dark age vut then I think the 8292 cherry picker

[JayPee]

I have only just got back into the technic.

I bought the 42009 absolutely got me hooked straight away.

So now just eyeing off what set to buy next.

[rollermonkey]

Architecture Space Needle

[Juize75]

For me it was Volvo 42030. I had quite long dark ages, ca 28 years. I had some technic sets as I was kid. Last sets were 8660 and 8851. These were bought ca. 1986 or 1987, can't be sure :)

Last christmas I was visiting in local toy store to buy a lego set for my nephew and in same time I saw this Volvo. Didn't buy it at once but after couple of days I went back and bought it. It was very fun to build lego after long time :)

After that I have got more sets like 9398, 9397, 42009, 42000, 42039 and allmost like the 40 th. birthday present the 42043. I like PF elements a lot, that's something we were dreaming as a kid with my little brother.

[Richard Dower]

I've come back from my dark age by buying buggy 8048. It remembered me my very frist Lego set 8829 (another red buggy). I was not satisfied with official alternative model - tractor so I've decided to build motorbike similar to that one from set 8829. And this started my alternative model mania...

it is interesting you say that....as i personally thought the B model of 8048 was superb and beter then the A, i remember reading an interview with the designer saying it was the most difficult model he had ever designed.

[LegoCube]

I never had any technic lego as a kid. Me and my brother had some of the 70's and 80's knight and space lego sets. Browsing those at brickset site really brought back some memories :)

I remember playing with a neighbour's technic set: http://brickset.com/sets/854-1/Go-Kart

I built it once and took it apart and rebuilt it several time with small changes... After that my dark age began :)

It ended last month when I saw a discount on this: http://brickset.com/sets/42022-1/Hot-Rod

I was shocked how big and complex it was to build. I enjoyed every moment of the building provess but thought this is enough... Then I found this Creator set: http://brickset.com/sets/31030-1/Red-Go-Kart

That filled my retro feel perfecly. Bought another creator set (different one) for spare parts to try small alterations then found out people sell used sets and landed on 8070 Super Car...

All in one month. I am hooked deep ;)

Edited August 3, 2015 by LegoCube

[zver]

I've started when I was a child in 80-s with some brick sets made in Soviet Union:

When I was at school in 90-s I played with some fake lego bricks. It was my first acquaintance with lego mechanics.

I could only dream about some native lego-technic sets that time. They were too expesive.

The sets that brought me out of my 'dark' age were Tow Truck #8285 and Motorized Bulldozer #8275. I've bought them in 2007.

The first serious challenge was Tow Truck motorization.

Then I've started the construction of 4wd models. And I'm doing it now :)

[Samer]

EV3 in 2014, almost 30 years after my last build as a child. I wanted to get Technic long time back, as early as 2007 but its too expensive here and I couldn't afford that until recently when I learned how to buy it for reasonable cost.

[AOW]

My return was related to "rebuild" of the 8862 - it spent almost 5 years been covered by dust.... then I got (again) buggy 8840 :) and I got to the bright side :)

[Good old Lego builder]

When my son was born, I rebuild all my Town sets. That was in 2009. I think the last set I bought was the Model Team Highway truck around 1986/87. I then started MOC-ing a bit in Model Team scale (12-studs wide).

My first new set was 8110. Later followed by 42009, the Tumbler and this year the Arocs. Oh, and the VW Campervan. Great sets all. But I must say these days I'm mostly intrested in Technic. It is really the most challenging. So that is what I follow on the forum here.

My son loves the City stuff. I occasionally build stuff for him from my old bricks. He is really into Lego Batman these days... (with my help :-) )

I haven't rebuild any of my Technic sets from the mid-80's however. Right now I'm now and then working on a Unimog 406 like truck, same scale as 8110, but build with my '80's classic technic bricks. And 12V motor to power some sort function.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Good old Lego builder

[Tyrell]

It was 9398. I always wanted to have a RC car when I was a child and finally I could afford it.

Next was 42009.

[knotian]

My return was a fluke - I bought a Mindstorms for my Grandson and then made the misteak( ) of 'borrowing it. Since I am a retired computer geek, I didn't think it would get to me, but it did. There have been so many changes since I had Legos for my daughter!! Anyway ---Hooked--- Built a few of the Flagships to get some 'larnin' [And Parts] and now am busy on a PF/EV3 MOC. At least it keeps me out of my wife's hair.

[P3_Super_Bee]

9398 4x4 Crawler brought me back. Went on the road for work, made some extra money. Decided for once I was buying something for me. Had to go to TRU to spend a gift card for grandson. Went into the Lego section, and it was between the 9398 & the Unimog 8110. The Crawler one out because of the R/C function. Figured that would be it for me. That was Feb 2014. Here we almost two years later, and with the great deals from a store called Bargain Hunt, (But not all from there) I have added:

All of which are the A model built out of the box unless otherwise stated. I do mod some slightly. to get it a better look, to me anyways, move add "lights" etc.

8051 - Motorbike (B model built)

8445 - Indy Storm

9396 - Rescue Helicopter

9797 - Logging Truck (This one is heavily mod'ed. Added dual wheels to rear two axles, blacked out a lot,)

9798 - 4x4 Crawler ( Blacked out a lot of the gray bars, added Lego LEDs for headlights, fog lights, and tail lights)

42000 - Racer

42007 - Motocross Bike

42009 - Mobile Crane Mk II

42020 - Twin-Rotor Hellicopter (Two sets both A & B models built)

42021 - Snowmobile (Two sets both A & B models built)

42022 - Hot Rod

42025 - Cargo Plane

42028 - Bulldozer

42030 - Volvo L350F Wheel Loader

42033 - Record Breaker

42036 - Street Motorcycle

42039 - 24 Hours Race Car

42040 - Fire Plane

42042 - Crawler Crane

42043 - Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3245

And a crap load of City(for grandson) & Friends (for Granddaughter), as well as the last 3 creator vehicles (VW T1 Camper, Mini Cooper, Ferrari F40). The Fairground Mixer, The Simpsons House etc.

I think at last count my little collection is over 50,000 pieces.

Edited October 30, 2015 by P3_Super_Bee

[Samer]

My return was a fluke - I bought a Mindstorms for my Grandson and then made the misteak( ) of 'borrowing it. Since I am a retired computer geek, I didn't think it would get to me, but it did. There have been so many changes since I had Legos for my daughter!! Anyway ---Hooked--- Built a few of the Flagships to get some 'larnin' [And Parts] and now am busy on a PF/EV3 MOC. At least it keeps me out of my wife's hair.

My wife got upset with my new LEGO madness. But recently she attended one build and liked it and started to participate. But of course still, she continues to hate it a little.

[JohnBS]

So when did my "Dark Age" begin?

Over the years, we had acquired a considerable amount of Lego - four larger storage boxes of parts and a copious set of instructions. Back in 1989, I bought the 8862 Backhoe, "for the kids" and spent a happy Christmas building it myself - a great experience. Then the kids moved on to computers and video games and left home for Uni so I no longer had the excuse for buying more Lego.

Last year, while Googling around, I bumped into the brand new 42030 Volvo wheel-loader, bought it and was hooked by the sophistication of it all - although 8862 was state-of-the-art at the time, how things have changed in twenty five years!

Since then, I have become an avid builder, buying the following:

42009 Mobile Crane (Jurgens Kroonshop's Ultimate version)

8043 Excavator (MOD)

8275 Bulldozer (MOD)

---- Articulated hauler (Jurgens' MOC)

---- Truck and gooseneck trailer (Jurgens' truck, hybrid trailer with Ingmar Spijkhoven)

8880 Supercar

And finally, 42042 Crawler crane.

Currently I am working on a "proof of concept" mock-up for a level-luffing dock crane (the geometry is complex!) but I'm much too slow to participate in TC8.

Who knows, one day I may manage an MOC of my own.

Best wishes,

John

[Chr.Maglekaer]

For my part, it was these two sets which got me back:

10151:

8654:

[kristofpanna]

The first set I got after my dark age was 40005 Bunny - my boyfriend got it for my birthday. It's still sitting on my desk (along whith some other bunnies now, too). :)

[Saberwing40k]

I didn't really go through a dark ages per say, but I wasn't hooked on Technic until I got 8258, back when it was released.

[2LegoOrNot2Lego...]

Did not reply to this, and will do so...

Set 8421 is what brought me back...!

Having this finished, I remember bing ashamed buying this set in a toy store I started collecting all sort of old Technic sets. Slowly progressing to build models and currently not owning any sets anymore...

[SmeggedAU]

I never had Lego as a child and have only just recently become involved. It started with the 42009 Mobile Crane Mk II which I purchased as a gift for my brother. After helping him build it I soon started purchasing my own sets (42030 was my next purchase) all though they are all ones that have been released in the past 3 years.

Being new to Lego means that I have a long way to go before I actually start building a good collection but I am looking forward to it!

[muffinbrick]

Besides the fact, that I haven't had technic set in my childhood, my dark age started at my early teen years, when I left LEGO and started to build plastic aircraft kits. It takes about 25 years to come back to LEGO.

It's hard to say, which set it was - i bought 42004 for my nephew and it exited me that much, then next I bought 42029 for myself.

I still can't believe, that this is my new hobby, when I'm almost 40. My girlfrend takes it with no problem, maybe she still hopes, that this is just short period, which will ends next summer