Arctic Base Camp 60036 disappointing

[SnapLock]

I recently purchased the Arctic Base camp ( $115 Aud) & I'm really disappointed in the actual height of the set.I have increased the set height by 1xbrick and think it looks much better.

Overall i like the idea of the arctic theme however just lately im finding after purchasing and building Lego sets i look at the end product and think "WoW i paid that much money for this!".I guess im expecting too much from what is essentially a child's toy.

[Wodanis]

I wouldn't say you are expecting too much. I've noticed that with a number of sets starting last year. That is not to say that the models aren't good or detailed however to get to an appropriate price point for production they sacrifice parts. The prisoner transporter 60043 is an example of this. I will have to modify the back compartment with about a dollar more of parts to conceal the unsightly tires poking through. Cutting corners detracts from the overall satisfaction I find. Especially in light of the fact that Lego has been charging more.

Personally I would like to see a lower price point for kits coming out. 2012 was a really good year for models that weren't over the top in pricing.

[talos]

I have to agree with you too. I am being a bit more choosy about what sets I want, comparing size/brick content along with the theme and other factors. I wanted to get all the Arctic sets, but decided not to. A lot of the City sets I feel the same way.

[Venunder]

The really bad part of the base camp is the Helicopter.

The pilot would freeze to death before flying more than a mile in that badly designed thing.

Lego should have used the parts for an ice core drill or maybe some kennels for the Huskies.

The Larger http://brickset.com/sets/60034-1 Helicopter is also just slightly too narrow at the rear legs,

to airlift the base into position.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Venunder

[SnapLock]

Lego should have used the parts for an ice core drill or maybe some kennels for the Huskies.

Agreed some kennels for the huskies would have been a great idea.

[Bricknblue]

I have been having this issue for years. I will see a set and go "no" then see it for 30-40% off and still not buy it because I feel it's not even worth that. It's happening a lot know across many themes.

[AncientDayz]

I at least agree with the Artic theme. I was looking forward to getting the whole line, but after getting the base camp and another smaller set, I decided to pass on the rest. For the first time, I felt disappointed after the build. That experience has made me think twice about some sets. My wallet and wife likes that but not my hobby.

[ritzcrackerman]

I have been having this issue for years. I will see a set and go "no" then see it for 30-40% off and still not buy it because I feel it's not even worth that. It's happening a lot know across many themes.

Yes. 2014 has been especially bad. It's getting more difficult to muster up enthusiasm for uninspired themes. I'm finding myself being far more selective these days.

[Tacker]

I got 6 boxes out of the Artic set. After building them all. I wish id saved me money

[Bricknblue]

Yes. 2014 has been especially bad. It's getting more difficult to muster up enthusiasm for uninspired themes. I'm finding myself being far more selective these days.

I used to buy a random set in different themes for the pieces / colors / mini figures. But the last few years I have built the sets and go "This was $X.XX?!" and it's just not worth it anymore.

Having looked at the Arctic base set pictures again the whole set is one brick too short, even the mini figure looks like he barely fits in the thing. That's really sad because the base looks neat.

I think the problem is sets 15-20 years ago would be sold from 1-3 years and there would only be like 100 new ones a year. We now get like 500 new sets a year and the sets are around 6months to a year, tops. So why would LEGO take their time making the sets? They are rushed out before kids get bored.

The only ones that haven't been a disappointment have been Friends and Movie sets.

[SweetiePie88]

I used to buy a random set in different themes for the pieces / colors / mini figures. But the last few years I have built the sets and go "This was $X.XX?!" and it's just not worth it anymore.

Agreed! one of the latest examples i faced was with one of those chima animal fighter sets, the lion one. I was at Barnes and noble to look for a book and i saw the lion set that i've been seeing and i decided to grab it. Big mistake! most of the parts that looked printed were stickers, the way the lion was designed made him look way to skinny and i can't get the mixel hinges to agree at all. Would it of killed them to use technic hinges and click hinges???

but i think the thing that peeves me almost as much is legos friend animal release schedule for the states. we went from september to late march b4 we got wave 4. It's now september and we are waiting on wave 5 while not only has the uk BEEN having 5 for at least 3 months but they now have wave 6!!! if it wouldn't be for the neat animal molds and parts, i'd think about abandoning ship on the theme.

[Colossus]

For being the biggest toy manufacturer in the world now, Lego is getting rather expensive. I can't believe the polar expedition icebreaker set cost so damn much. I scored the Coast Guard boat, Helicopter, and plane sets for the price of the icebreaker. At the end of the day, my son ends up with 2 boats for the pool/tub, and two other large vehicles outside that.

[Bricknblue]

For being the biggest toy manufacturer in the world now, Lego is getting rather expensive. I can't believe the polar expedition icebreaker set cost so damn much. I scored the Coast Guard boat, Helicopter, and plane sets for the price of the icebreaker. At the end of the day, my son ends up with 2 boats for the pool/tub, and two other large vehicles outside that.

I agree. I thought the boat would be $100, it's what $120-$130 I know the boat pieces cost a lot but the Coast Guard one is insane. Also $40 for 220 piece cargo plane thing is nuts.

And the Friends animals have been annoying. It's not just the release dates are weird, it's also like we get a ton of one series and a lot less of another. I never found the cute little deer set, seemed to be released for only a few weeks, but the penguin and lion and turtle seem to have been out forever and recently got restocked at Targets near me.

However at least the Friend theme has gotten cheaper. The $10 sets doubled in piece count and the animals went from an outrageous $5 to a correct $4.

But CMS China figures will go up 25%. i don't get it.

Edited September 10, 2014 by Bricknblue

[SweetiePie88]

And the Friends animals have been annoying. It's not just the release dates are weird, it's also like we get a ton of one series and a lot less of another. I never found the cute little deer set, seemed to be released for only a few weeks, but the penguin and lion and turtle seem to have been out forever and recently got restocked at Targets near me.

um... any chance it could just be that the deer is really popular? And the penguin, tiger(not lion),and the turtle were released in late-ish march of this year so i guess lego isn't planning on coughing up wave 5 just yet OR the packs are really popular at your store and they needed a second box.

Is lego getting to lazy to get an animal shipment to the states or something? It's been about 6 months since wave 4 and we are waiting on 5. B4 that was 6 months from 3 to 4. Yet judging by what i heard, the UK got 4 early in the year, 5 by the summer, and they just got in wave 6!!! There is NO excuse for this!

However, here's a confusing issue i just discovered. I go on lego shop and search for the macaw's fountain(one of the series 5 animals) and nothing. I google macaw's fountain and it leads me to a lego shop page but no option to buy. WHAT'S GOING ON HERE???

[pagan]

At least some of us agree and dare to write this on a forum. LEGO is expensive and a lot of sets are really not worth the price, even with a discount. Poor design, litte parts and bricks, ... When I a wrote about this on the forum of my LUG my post got removed . It is not because we are fans of LEGO, we have to agree with everything the compagny does and the commercial path it walks. I try not to buy to many sets anymore, only with huge discounts so I don't feel to ripped off. Mostly I buy bricks to build MOCs.

Cheers Pagan

[Bricknblue]

um... any chance it could just be that the deer is really popular? And the penguin, tiger(not lion),and the turtle were released in late-ish march of this year so i guess lego isn't planning on coughing up wave 5 just yet OR the packs are really popular at your store and they needed a second box.

My store? I don't just go to one store, I go to several. I usually have to leave the area to get them, but the series with the deer seemed to be around for a month, yet the newest theme has been out for months and months and months. It seems like LEGO didn't ship enough to the USA or something.

I think LEGO needs to slow down and release only two series of collectables a year, not three randomly. I buy less LEGO because of the whole collectable crap makes me not go out of my way to find them, I normally only buy LEGO in the winter because I'm busy in the summer / warm months.

[paul_delahaye]

For the last 5 or 6 years I've been buying all the city sets each year, but 2014 was the first year of change, for many of the above reasons, I stepped back and thought about the price rising, I have not purchased any Police sets this year, plus I'm bored with Police, and until LEGO see a reduction in sales, they will just keep going.

But I often look at sets and think, yes that £70 set is only worth £49.99, how did they reach that price point,

Especially when you see the Cost of Manufacturing if anything is going down, (maybe not the ABS raw materials) but the process of manufacturing and efficiencies of automation.

What is annoying, is when you look at the Great Vehicles range, you see how relatively well built they are for a price point, then you compare a police vehicle at the same price point and you start to wonder.

Paul

[wgemini]

I know this is an old thread, but I am eyeing this set (trying to decide between this and 6575 polar base). Could you share why you didn't like it?