crossmr

If you're going to hunt and peck then I'd suggest these be in your top buys: OCM15000 - the tank is only like $9-$10 if you can find it in stores. last year it was everywhere, but with the new line coming out, it might be hard to find. For the price it's a great value all around. The stealth bomber could be a pass, but I really dig the truck and mobile AA gun. For NCM, 48 and 72 are your best bets. The two biggest ones. I really like the truck from 48. The Truck in 72 is not bad, but the truck in 48 is really superb. The rocket artillery is so-so 72 needs to be bought just for the price vs pieces vs figures provided. Also MC0825-7 if you see it. Just to get the unique military hat. Those 4 sets should be on your list if you can get them. If there are any old sets you like, you might be able to find the instructions online. There is a naver cafe that has instruction scans of all the old sets. Most of them I think could be rebuilt by buying some canibalized sets, like say buying multiple 72s or something..but there are a few unique pieces. Like the stretcher for the ambulance, or some of the pieces that make up the chinook body and the string to attach the jeep. I really wish oxford would release a new army ambulance, either a truck or a chopper would be cool like a mash chopper.

Yes, that's a weird set. It combines the unique helicopter from the bigger set with a truck. If you get that, there is even less incentive to get the big set. All it has is a unique sniper tower. The older sets, NCM, and especially OCM should be scooped up whenever you can. The only OCM sets you're likely to find right now are the old K1A1 tank and the stealth bomber. I'd grab them ASAp if you haven't. You can get them on gmarket easier, and usually cheaper.

http://oxfordtoy.co.kr/pro/oxford.asp?p_code=15&menu_img=6 You can see their full hello kitty line (duplo and regular lego sized blocks) listed on this page. You should be able to buy most or all of them through Gmarket, the link is in my sig if you didn't see it.

How many machines do you really keep in your house that you'd see that much benefit from this? Just share files. Settings can be ported from one machine to another if necessary.

To be honest the Oxford Hello Kitty sets seem far better than this. They're far more Lego like in that there is little juniorization of the parts and you actually building something. The Kitties are also made off minifig bodies, so the heads can be moved around from figure to figure.

Follow the link in my sig, you can order them pretty cheaply directly from Korea. Yes and undeniably a lot of little girls like that colour. That said, Lego could go a long way simply by adding things that girls are traditionally interested in. We don't need everything to be pink, but if you take cues from other girls toys and build sets based around those themes, it might help them reach that audience. Like Lego Barbie. Include things like horse ranches, maybe beauty related things. see their more or less current line-up here http://oxfordtoy.co.kr/pro/oxford.asp?p_code=10&menu_img=1

Only if you define the "girls market" as pink. Even if you define the "boys market" as things like castle, pirates, space, star wars, and other "Action" lines, the town line is rather gender neutral, with plenty to cover a more softer, nurturer mindset with things like hospitals, and the like. That said, Oxford has done a reasonable job with their Hello Kitty line. they've got several decent "girls" sets in that line both in small lego sized blocks and duplo sized blocks.

Unfortunately that isn't in line with the justification given for the prices. If you read it again, they're clearly trying to claim that the price is a reflection of the cost of doing business in various countries. Unfortunately that simply doesn't add up.

There is an unfortunate problem for him. If he wants to talk about markets, there already exists a construction block toy industry in this country and on a price per piece count, Lego has priced itself WELL above that existing market. While I agree it might cost them a little more to ship the stuff here, than to the US, that cost is eaten up in the volume of their shipments. I can guarantee you that the cost of any employees they have here, as well as commercial space is cheaper than the US. Overall the cost of living is lower in Korea than the US, so again the logic doesn't make any sense. I'd have to sample far more set prices, but part of his answer almost sounds like he's using the European market to prop up the American market. As you highlighted my main point in my last response, I'll repeat again because it is very important: If I can send the same item to Korea via regular post, cheaper than it can be bought in Korea, then there is a problem with the pricing. Why doesn't Lego just ship stuff to Korea from the Lego US shopping site if it is so expensive for them to do business in a place where the minimum wage is $4/hour?

To a certain degree yes. However, the price difference should not exceed normal postage from one country to another. If it does, there is something wrong with the pricing structure, because you can't justify it otherwise. in Korea VAT is 10%. Most US states have tax rates lower than that.

well obviously I'm not going to stop them. I can't really see why anyone would. That's approaching Westboro Baptist church level of behaviour to be honest. You will be happy to know that despite Oxford being of exceptional quality, about a month ago I was in the store, and a Korean couple was looking for a set for their (I assume nephew), and when the husband first pointed at the Oxford the wife the pointed at the logo and said "That's not Lego". It's odd because Koreans are usually very nationalistic when it comes to a lot of kinds of product buying. I'd never buy any of the chinese stuff for a kid though. Occasionally I pick one up to see how the other half lives, and it's never been good. Enlighten has poor design, sluban has crappy quality, and ligao and kazi stink to high heavens.

Another little update: Oxford seems to have removed OM3301 (the mobile howitzer) from their military site listing. This makes the new OM3305 and 6 the only way to get that now. There are still people selling it on Gmarket if people want one though, I don't know how long they'll have it. I got one and I've been meaning to post the review of it. Maybe later today. OM3305 is coming in at 43,800, which is $39.78. This is slightly cheaper than the NCM72000 I compared it to before. By about 10,000W maybe, if I remember correctly. This gmarket auction is the only person I found selling it, and they have some nice up close product shots of the new chopper and the small tower in the preview: http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=230351365&pos_shop_cd=EN&pos_class_cd=90000001&pos_class_kind=T&keyword_order=om3305 I'll definitely be getting this one after I move next month as my current shelf is just about at the limit. The little chopper is a small attack chopper, but it seems to have some passenger space for 1 or 2 guys, and the tower looks nice with a lower gunner position and a higher look-out/sniper spot. OM3306 is going for 54,600, or around $48.86 at today's exchange rate. If you wanted to get some Oxford military and were waiting, I'd say start with OM3305. It's got unique stuff, and you can buy the bigger chopper separately.

For those who frequent the community forum, you'll often see me reviewing Oxford bricks, this was for a variety of reasons (good quality, price, lack of space to expand significantly, uniqueness, etc) well now I'm moving into a much larger space, and I'll have an office with shelves that I can fill up within reason ;) So I started poking around Lego in Korea. Despite the price, it does usually get more shelf space than Oxford at the local stores. But after checking some prices, I realized the prices are being inflated not just by Korean sellers, but by Lego themselves. I have mostly been collecting Oxford Military, but after moving I wanted to expand into City/Town. Oxford makes some interesting vehicles, but they don't make a lot of good buildings for town stuff. One thing I'd been interested in, since reading a review here was 8404 the transport set from Lego. Priced around $99 on Lego.com I jumped over to the Korean online mega shopping place, Gmarket, which is known for having the lowest prices, and they were charging 140,000 korean won for it. At current exchange, that's $124. So I thought, how about shipping from Lego.com? Ah, they have a Korean region. So I select it, find the set and Lego is charging 145,000 Korean won for the set locally. Nearly $128. You could ship the set here for less likely via standard post than the mark-up Lego is charging. It certainly can't be costing them that much more to move the item to Korea than the US. On a price per piece basis, it's really putting it up there, especially when compared to local products. The mark-up on the road plates is slightly better, $16.80 vs $14.99. Around 12%. Far more reasonable than nearly 30%. Before going to the site, I'd just always attributed the higher price to local mark-up and not Lego themselves. I don't know if Lego is doing themselves any favours in secondary markets by charging such ridiculous mark-ups.

That's nothing, apparently the only one I can find for sale in Korea is $185 give or take http://itempage3.auction.co.kr/DetailView.aspx?ItemNo=A573768892&frm3=V2 haha...

I'm going to bump this as I've added two new sets to the new oxford military line. I must say though, as a huge fan of Oxford, I'm underwhelmed by the latest additions. Previously Oxford gave us a nice large set of multiple vehicles. NCM72000 This has a new chopper, new radar truck and new transport truck. The Tank and jeep included could be gotten in other sets. In these new sets, well they just don't provide much for someone who has already bought the other stuff. OM3305 only gives us the sniper tower and small chopper as new items. OM3306 really only gives us the sniper tower. They're identical except for the chopper It is nice to see a military building of some substance though. I wish they'd issue a new base. The last line didn't have one. But I guess you don't need to defend since we still don't have opposing forces. I don't know what the retail price is yet, as Oxford has just issued them, and they haven't made their way to the shopping sites yet. These are reasonable sets for people who haven't bought anything yet though. If you haven't bought an Oxford but want some, I'd highly recommend the 3306, as it gets you the awesome blackhawk chopper, the Humvee with anti-tank gun, and the artillery. Those are 2 complete sets, 3301, and 3303 as well as half of 3304, and the sniper tower. You could then buy 3304 to give you 2 humvees. The humvees are pretty great, so it doesn't hurt to have more than one.

http://oxfordtoy.co.kr/pro/oxford.asp?p_code=10&g_code=97 OM3305 and OM3306 though honestly I'm a little underwhelmed. I'm going to add them along with some thoughts to the military thread

Glad to see you go it! I'll make a couple comments: The guns included here are the old guns. Newer military sets have better sized guns as you'll see in my recent reviews minifigure bodies are also the old oxford style. With their latest military line they've changed the body style again. I don't think you could really mix them with Lego figures, except for heads, hands and accessories. As for the "chunkyness" of it, you'll have to remember that most military vehicles are a little chunky. If you want to see other designs, check out some of their other sets. This is also from their last line. This set is several years old and Oxford is in the process of redoing their military line (they just released 2 large sets in the last day or so) so there may be a new boat coming I think their fire and city sets look nice. I wish they'd make more buildings.

Yes, you're right. I posted it in another thread, and forgot to re-post it here for some reason. The box wouldn't help you because unlike previous series Oxford didn't list the actual real vehicle on the back of the box.

Oxford also makes Hello Kitty sets, in regular Lego sizes, which are actually pretty nice and provide a selection of brick colors which I think Lego doesn't even touch.

Their quality is right around the top. Good clutch, good plastic. I haven't had any sets come apart unusually, or any pieces break. It feels solid, no smell. The colour doesn't seem to fade either, and of all the sets I've purchases, I haven't noticed any inconsistency across them. If you want to buy something that isn't lego, I'd recommend this. I'm quite happy with all my purchases, and they do work very well with real lego. Hopefully after I get my new apartment in a month or so, there will be some more room, so I'll try and pick up a little Lego to go with it. The only thing I wish oxford did was sell some bulk pieces. I'd like to get some bigger bricks to do some MOC bases and things, but the only choices I have are to buy vehicle sets and use those pieces. But most vehicles don't have a lot of of big bricks in them, just a lot of flats and things as they're built up. The tail section of the chopper has a decent amount of big bricks in though. The new chopper + the new howitzer tank (I'll put up the review for that today) might give you enough pieces to do a nice MOC outpost or something like that. I should try contacting them to see if there is anyway I could order some bulk bricks in that colour. For an idea of my perspective this is my Oxford military collection:

I actually found some of these still on the shelf here in Korea. There were 6 after a big wal-mart type place (called Emart) did some renovations. Maybe they found old stock. I got: Sumo guy Race car driver MC rapper mummy gorilla tennis girl At least I didn't get any duplicates, but none of those would have been on my top list. I'd much rather have pulled an: elf samurai native or maybe the space villain guy

Good to hear it, let us know how it goes!

Ah..they had that when I wasn't buying Lego, so I didn't know they'd gone and made one. Glad they got it covered already then ;)

You don't want to hear it..but you should try and grab a set or two from the Oxford Movie/broadcasting line. They have some nice cameras and stuff that would be useful for this. Specifically this guy: You could swap the head out. I could probably get you an instruction scan of this if you want to do a show on the road.