DarkShadow73

I rather liked the 8287 Motor Kit, and the black motor, too bad they hadn't scaled down the battery box, but I guess on the 8421's rear end it held it down almost like a weight. PF elements aren't nearly as powerful, quieter yes, but I don't see the power and torque that the 8287 kit had. And just look at the going price for the 8287 kit brand new now, unbelievable...

Curious still, how did you go about installing a motor, was it with the newer PF parts or the old black 9V motor and huge battery box?

The 8069 is a great set, the alternate kind of blah...same with the 9395,,,again alternate is blah...

Personally, I think the smaller 8048 Buggy was the best designed of all of them out there. As far as 4x4's the 8466 was the very best IMO, at least I have that one. I also bought the 8262 Quad Bike for the alternate model buggy, it needs some seats and a few tweaks as far as off-road lighting I have all set for it, kind of cool, large rims and tires, also the 9393 Tractor's alternate buggy is cool also, all I had to do with that one is add off-road lighting to that one too, and I bought an 8454 a while ago to make the 2 buggy police cars, but modified them without the blue lights to make them just off-road buggies, not police buggies. I bought the 8437 from the 90's as well, it is not the ultimate buggy, but has features that are nice, full engine, diff, and suspension, again just some top lighting made it just right, and too little has been made in blue color, which is what a lot Technic collectors like that I felt it worth the $55USD I paid for that set. @rener - the rear wheels aren't even connected?? That's nuts...does it even use the diff from the tractor version? I was going to buy the newer 9392 Quad Bike (what's the deal with so many quad bikes in the past few years?) to make the orange buggy, but the rear end looked odd, and being so small it really didn't fit in with scale-wise with the rest of my fleet of buggies.

@rener- Thanks, that is what I needed to clinch the deal, I also noticed no suspension either, which is a drawback as well, but I truly think this set was meant for the Tractor anyway. I've got about very buggy or off-road vehicle out there except the newer 9398 Crawler(bit beyond my budget). Appreciate the insight into it. @Richie - thanks also for the review. I built the tractor only, but was unimpressed with the glitchy rear ripping mechanism. I think they just remanufactured the tractor in red for the 8063 Tractor/Trailer, but there again the trailer was goofy-looking with those ugly green panels. However, the chassis of the trailer was useful for me for the wheelbase and LA, I modified it into a flatbed trailer with black panels from a couple of 8041 Race Trucks I got on a deal when they discontinued the 8041.

@dhc6twinotter - thanks for the information, helps since I need some new or at very least some fresher tubing. Going to be a lot of fun disassembling pneumatics, they are great, but routing the tubing and connecting to the T pieces and valves are tough on the 'ol fingers, but I want my 8464 I modified with a forkset is going to be fun since the only good way is to take apart a lot of sections to get to it. I also have one of my 8455's starting to need it too, that one would almost require complete disassembly to redo the tubing there's so much of it and no good way to complete all the connections to make it look neat and tidy, plus that large section with all the T pieces in the middle of the cab would be impossible to do without taking that section completely down.

@Nintendawg - TRU tends to mark up most all Lego themes both in-store and online in the USA. And, yeah the 2H2012 sets have sold poorly in-store here, surprising since usually the summer models go fast, especially the 9398 Crawler and 9396 Helicopter, even the 9393 Tractor. Usually at least in my neck of the woods, our TRU stores tend to get 1H and 2H Technic models in, but once they are sold out, they rarely reappear in store. I would imagine that with this sale most land-based stores will sell out with this sale and before Christmas and never be seen again, except for maybe once in a while they will pop up. I've seen lots of 8070 Supercars this summer and that set was released March 2011, even the RC Bulldozer reappeared. I would expect to see the 1H2013 models come in about mid-Dec, they usually do right before Christmas. I haven't really even kept up with what's being released, we got some good ones 1H2012, its usually just smaller sets only until summer again. @Galaxy Explorer - With TRU usually they end up going for buy 2 get third 50% off, or some variation of that, sometimes BOGO 50% off. Kind of crappy really. Like say you wanted 2 big sets, then you want a smaller one, and you only get 50% off that third set, which hardly brings your total down much at all. @FuzzyBallz - I didn't see this flyer, but I wonder if it includes all Lego or just certain listed sets. From past experience being on their Rewards program I have seen just certain themes or sets involved, sometimes Technic (which I'm into) isn't even included since it doesn't seem to be a hot seller in my area. I noticed this topic was moved from Technic/Mindstorms forum where it was this morning(USA), I figured it probably would be, but was nice a moderator included a link to it.

I owned this set back when it came out in 2006, but gave it away, the back rotors never seemed to work right, the gears just didn't seem to mesh. The 8063 Tractor/Trailer is a much sleeker looking tractor (trailer IMO detracts from it though) with the newer red panels, even though this set is over 2 years old, think it was released in '10, maybe '09, can't recall off hand. What I am asking though is I came across a new 8284 Tractor/Buggy set. I never built the buggy, but it looks kind of cool and I'm into buggies, too, think it would be a nice addition along side my 8466 4x4. Anybody have any impressions of the buggy model of this set? I know in different countries it shows the tractor on the front of the set, others the buggy, can't remember what mine said. I think it was originally released in the USA as the buggy, with the tractor being the alternate model. I checked Brickset and there were mixed reviews, most leaned towards the tractor model, but I thought I'd see what EB Technic members had to say about the buggy. Thanks in advance, Eric

Yeah, if you like heavy traffic; long, long lines; and tons of shoppers. I know everybody opens early today, I've seen lines of people in front of stores at 4am or earlier waiting to get in first. Would imagine that a good deal of the Lego stock is already gone or close to it by now. Being a guy, I'll pass on black Friday, its just nuts, but hey lots of people love the craziness of today and all the way until Christmas eve. Usually if I go TRU between black Friday and Christmas eve, I go late since usually store hours are extended between now and then. It is a good deal nevertheless, but I'm guessing, haven't looked, that TRU's website has the same offer, don't know though.

Just thought of another one, the 8443 Pneumatic Log Loader. Its a great smaller set, but has just enough pneumatic parts on it, and the box is not large at all. I bought 1 brand new in September.

@ Alasdair - thanks for the link, but looks to be an European shop, so customs and shipping could be high getting it to the USA...appreciate it though, gives me some options...Lego Education USA has kind of downgraded and bulked together pneumatic parts nowadays, believe the last time I ordered some airtanks, valves, tubing and such it was something like 2007 or 2008...

@ Technic Gearhead - Agreed, the 8455 B model is still full of pneumatic functions but IMO is rather subpar at best...if it had 2 of the same size tires on front and back it would be much better...tried larger tires and rims but it just doesn't work without some major modification, the 3x5" thin liftarms make it impossible to put larger or same size tires on it...the design is nice though, a telescoping loader...even the 8439/8459/8464 is ok too if you build either the main model or the B model... @Richie - the 8460 is nice, I have one, but like the 8421 it is very limited in pneumatic functions. A really nice compact, if you can get it, is the 8837 (think I have the set # right, I have one used) Excavator is packed full of pneumatic functions...however it is a wheeled excavator, not tracked like most, but still a great old vintage model...

Some of my pneumatic sets need new pneumatic tubing as it tends to wear out and become brittle after a while. I bought an 8464 Front Loader in 2001 and I can hear hisses in various pieces of tubing. In the past I used to be able to buy bundles of tubing from Lego Education out of Kansas, USA, but now it appears they only sell kits with all pneumatic pieces, but with just a few lengths of tubing included. Anybody have any ideas?

@legomuppet9 - the 8074 is good set, but I still like the clean lines of the 8451 grader best. Amazon has a couple available, but high priced too.

Thanks David - yeah it was scary indeed, I drive a compact Mazda Protege and truthfully I was surprised the body shop could fix it. I had to go with a shop that did basic repairs, paint job on the hood and bumper cover was and all the other pieces like the super-expensive headlight wraparound assembly was expensive as was pulling out the front frame rail and straightening the radiator and such, but at least it runs and drives fine again, the passenger side fender was curled up in front but they just banged it back down, so you can tell it was in an accident but with a car 10 yrs old, and only PL/PD basic insurance, I didn't have a lot of choices, the windshield had to be replaced, one of its antlers came through I was cleaning glass shards out of my hair later, and the roof is dented in a few places, but they said it would a major labor repair to fix the roof because of all the trim that had to be removed from the inside of the car to remove the headliner, and I declined that, it was buck and very large, I have a pic of the car after the accident the next day, I seriously thought it was totalled. I called my insurer and re-added comprehensive coverage with a low deductible just in case this ever happens again, but I am on constant alert and almost scared to drive at night now because of heavy running of deer in the area, but at least that gives me some solace knowing I won't have to pay a huge bill again.

If you really want to get into heavy duty pneumatics, the 8455 Backhoe Loader is the way to go, miles of tubing, tons of valves, 2 cylinder pumps, and if I recall 10 valves. You will end up paying a mint for it these days since it was released in 2003, but it is well worth it.

I'm thinking of going simplistic on this one and just adding beams as posted by Blakbird to hold the crane's boom in an upright position as it will be a display model (although I want to play with it from time to time )

@ DLuders - yeah I know, it is rare to find a MISB or even one that is still sealed. I had 1 7 miles away from me, no shipping involved, and I was on my way to pick it up on 11/2 and then I got in the car/deer accident and the furthest thing from my mind was buying anything, all I saw after I hit that buck was is my totalled, or how much is it going to cost to fix if it could be done. I got a body shop to fix the car with mostly used parts, needed a lot of parts, passenger side headlight assembly, grille, bumper cover, hood, windshield, bent the frame rail and knocked the radiator back and bent my power steering components. But all that aside, I still wanted it, but the guy had the nerve to come over that next day as I was assessing my car's damage in the daylight and he had the sets in his truck, and although I wanted the MISB 8462, at the time I was overwhelmed with not having a car to drive and the unknown ahead and passed. I think that pissed him off, obviously anybody in my position would be worried, but he didn't think too much of it. So off he went and I contacted him twice about buying the 8462 but he didn't 'have the time' for me to come pick it up...ah well...

I always liked the road grader model, unfortunately I gave it away to a neighbor kid...now it fetches a lot more money...not that I could sell it, no box, kept the instructions though...a great compact model that works well with the 8453 Front Loader that if I recall came out the same year...

@ DLuders - Not bad, but this seller on BL had it MISB in his truck for $190 and I figured it was a great deal owing to the fact that it is in nearly perfect off the shelf condition...this way also I didn't have to print instructions, takes a lot of paper and ink and you never get the same quality with an inkjet printer...I do that a lot of alternate models and mods for models I find on EB, thanks for the link though, appreciate it...heck even the older sets he sold me for cash in Sept. were like they were just shipped from S@H, incredible for sets from the late 80's and early 90's...

Yup, that's him...only about 7 miles from my location, and you are right, who doesn't like cash? No Paypal fees on his end, I've sold and Paypal charges 3% of the transaction if you transfer funds back to your bank account. I think what made him mad was on Nov 3rd I was on my way out to meet him rather late at night and I clocked a deer and it messed up my car bad, I called him from my cell phone and told him I had to cancel out because of that, who wouldn't? The last thing on my mind at the time was Lego, I was looking at my smashed front end of car that has only basic insurance on it, and if it was going to be worth fixing, or if I could afford it. He was rather upset, but come on, my car was sitting on the road with most of my right front end in pieces and hood crumpled, but I guess he didn't think that mattered. Car is somewhat fixed now, driveable, got a body shop to replace some parts, bang some back down and straighten the frame and some internal engine components. He told me he would be available on Wed or Thurs and I contacted him twice about making that transaction but he always had an answer that he was too busy and even though his wife operates the store while he is away on business, and I agreed to meet in an open air strip mall during the day, she wasn't willing to do it, doesn't make any sense...if somebody wanted an item I had and I have about 160 MISB sets available, I would jump for joy, no packing, shipping, dropping off at a shipping store, etc...just pure cash in my pocket, heck I would have driven to wherever the customer was if it was in a certain mile radius of my location for cash...his loss, apparently he isn't all that interested in selling his stock and he's got a lot of it, much more than I do...

What is your store name? I might check them out, this seller doesn't seem very motivated at all, he was gung-ho in late Sept. when I bought 3 vintage sets from him at a cost of $370 USD, and he could have had another $190 in his pocket last week, but oh well, his loss...are yours new and sealed? Just curious...but of course if you gave me your store name on BL I could check them out at the very least...not sure if this violates EB's TOS to post that info but if not, please let me know the store name...thanks...

That's not a bad idea, would work on the 8421 at the very least, possibly the 8455's backhoe arm too...thanks to all for the ideas...gives me some thoughts, I've had both sets since 2005 and it just bothers me that the cylinders on the backhoe arm drop and the boom on the 8421, you want realism as most real cranes leave their booms in the upright position and backhoe/loaders always leave their booms up when not in use...

I looked on a couple of websites and $190 seems to be on-par...but that's exactly why I asked the question, that's the nice thing about EB is that you can get feedback so you don't taken. Funny thing is that the seller has tons of vintage sets available, but it seems he's always gone on business. He has tons of sets available for sale, most MISB, and I've bought 4 old vintage sets in September and early October to the tune of $425 USD, but I can't seem to get him to nail down a time for exchange cash, we only live 7 miles apart. His wife operates his BL store while he is gone, but won't meet customers directly in a public place for exchange, not much sense there. He could get $190 in a day if he wanted to, but appears he doesn't want to. He was home Wed and Thurs of this week he told me after his latest trip and I e-mailed him, but he said he didn't have the time and he's only a mile away from the parking lot where we did our last transaction, am guessing money in his pocket, bypassing Paypal isn't his thing. And I'm sure not going to pay shipping cost on an item that I could buy in the same city, seems ridiculous, guess I'll just keep looking, I have the 8428 Turbo Command car and it uses the same rims and low profile tires, seems odd on a tow truck, but the overall design is excellent I thought and its mainly old school Technic which I like.

I rather like Blakbird's idea, I might implement that idea, I have tons of yellow beams. One would assume you have to remove the beams to let the boom back down to its resting position?