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Very cool - I hadn't seen you had the rest of the 90s written up! That was around the time Lego lost me ~ where I live the only technic I saw in store around then was Bionicles so I just gave up on the whole thing as we didn't have the internet where I could find out what was going on, been looking forward to find out what they were actually doing with Technic around then.

The steps in that manual aren't linear, they have sections which each start at step 1, and even then they have subsections with their own steps - so if you go back just a few pages you'll see a step 1 on page 457

Just focusing on the technic flagships, i recently finished the 42043, and had built the 42009 last year - i'm building 42030 currently. 42009 - has power functions and LA's (Linear actuator) - nice big crane harking back to the 8421 (slightly smaller but used pnuematics) - outrigger feet automatically extend/retract... This is a unique feature of this set and works well enough - I found the functions in this set seem to be under a lot of strain, there is a mess of shared axels and gear rings in it, which is nice and complex but I think also adds friction issues (I'm exacting with getting gears placed just right, but just couldn't get this model to a point I was happy with) - complex to build 42043 - has power functions, an LA, pnuematics with compressor, suspension (which is quite fun to assemble imo) - could be compared back to the Unimog a few years ago, imo the 42043 is the superior model - outriggers get a new large custom part, and extend out, but the feet do not autoextend like the 42009 (i doubt we'll see that feature again as implemented in 42009) - I really enjoyed building this model, but getting the pneumatics routed just right took a lot of care, for me the pnuematics work well, but I have read that is not the case for all 42030 - power functions (lots, I think it might have one of each motor) and LA's plus full drive RC - I'm still building this model, the build is fun enough, but I think the impact of this model will be when it's completed and driving around. From a collectors point of view, the 42009 won't be around much longer if you can even find it now so you may want to strongly consider it! i really wanted that model having missed the 8421, but for me personally I would put the 42043 above it, and am likely to feel the same about 42030 (but will hold judgement till the model is finished). But I certainly don't regret getting any of these models, they're all great!

I was actually thinking the other day I hadn't seen a technic bus, even as a MOC (though no doubt someone's done it)... maybe something decent sized with most features implemented (functionally, not just stickers): - Windscreen wipers - Raising and lowering for ease of access (mixed with suspension?) - Opening and closing doors at front / middle - RC steering / drive (in this case gears could simply be a nice to have and not too important) That's what I'm wondering on as well... What is actually required to elevate a technic set from a Flagship model (we usually get one each year), to an "Ultimate" tier - it's kind of why I'm a little dismayed at Lego's current answer of an expensive but (seemingly) functionally lacking Super Car (but this may grow on me over time?!?)

I guess the trouble with doing "Ultimate" in Lego technic is one of scale. For Star Wars they were able to scale up the size of the models and add lots more detail and authenticity, and it really stands out (MF, X-Wing, etc) But technic for me has always been about what a model can do, a bigger model with more details is definitely nice - but it's not really what I look at each year when I get the flagship Technic model... E.g. One year we got the Motorised Excavator Another year we got the RC Volvo Wheel Loader. The extra detailing of the Wheel Loader is definitely cool, but really were people thinking "If only the Excavator was branded and had a few more detailings" - I think people were drawn to both these sets because they are full RC covering the important set functions. And yes the size is a plus, but this year we seem to be getting an imposing Technic set in the BWE, which I am looking forward to, but apart from the new turntable I'm suspicious the functional features will prove to be somewhat pedestrian. I'll be interested to see how people respond to it once it's out. I'm not yet sold on the idea of licensing super cars as the way to an "Ultimate" line of Technic... Unless they are going to back that up with Technic functionality which imo doesn't seem to be the case with the Porsche (sticker brake calipers seems weak, when Sheepo has real RC ones in his super car) - time will probably prove me wrong and it looks like it will be a smash hit. But there is one avenue where I think Technic functionality in a sense has a progression from what we have currently - and that is Mindstorms, Mindstorms to me is Technic at the next level - it is programmable, powerful precise motors that seem to prove a lot more functional opportunities... Which I suppose answers the question which I'm grappling with - if I want more features I should just ignore the Porsche and get Mindstorms (which happen to be the same rrp in my country). Perhaps also if Lego figured out a way to put more control and usability around their pneumatics that could also open up possibilities too! (no doubt the parts would be more pricey, but it would come with extra capability).

nvm

I've confirmed the New Zealand (NZ) rrp is $600... It genuinely might be the first flagship technic set I don't pick up for some time! which is a real shame as technic is my go to Lego theme... I do like the look and size of the model... but Mindstorms and GBHQ are this price! Sticker sheets for porsche specific elements are also concerning as those stickers do not last too long at all (I have several technic sets where the stickers are coming unstuck and literally crumbling). I get what they're trying to do with the value add - and maybe this is the only way they see doing a UCS style of technics... But as a long time fan of the technic line - what I want most from my technic sets are style, authenticity, and perhaps most importantly functionality! (it seems to manage 1 and a half of these features judging by the designer video) What I don't care about as a technic fan a book about Porsche - I can go to any book store and buy one of those and stick it on my coffee table (heck I could probably grab one from my parents that is collecting dust) An expensive box (apple already have me covered) Packaging which doesn't even compete with the old school technic packaging they did once upon a time (heck I landed a MISB of 8880 for less than this set costs?!) Ok rant over for now ... after all sooner or later I'm probably going to crumble and hand Lego a blank cheque (particularly if I see the thing in the flesh, I bet it looks huge compared to the other technic cars.... but why of why couldn't they have teamed with Sheepo?!?).

I think allanp has hit the nail on the head here. At the moment I'm scratching my head over the price, what is in this set to make it so expensive? Is it the most expensive technic set ever? It sure doesn't look close to being the most impressive one ever (not that it looks like a bad set, I will get it if I can justify the spend). I think the big thing for me is how close this set is getting to Mindstorm prices...

I just finished putting this model together... I was honestly thinking about skipping it because I felt it was too similar to the Unimog, but since it had quite a few nice new parts I wanted to have a go with I grabbed it. I'm very glad I did! I really like the look of this, in particular the cab, the functions on it operate very cleanly. The crane arm works better than I expected it would too! including the rotation. (though I found routing the tubes took a lot of care). For me the crane parts and construction are behaving as expected (well very tricky to get the routing of the tubes through the base without impeding movement of parts admittedly). I've done a test where from resting in the tray just now I've fully extended the middle cylinder Raised the crane so that it is just over parallel with the floor Extended the boom to max Then I shut down the compressor and close all pneumatic junctions Then rotated the arm while at max reach out to one side. I've left it there for 10 mins now with an object close to it so I can see if it drops any - so far it doesn't seem to have. My first though would be to check connections and the like, though I'm not an expert on what could go wrong with assembling pnuematics (loose hose, pinched tube??), perhaps the main one could be the tube routing causing tension pulling the arm at certain positions - though I would expect that to be a problem when the arm is closed rather than fully extended out (perhaps it is bunching somewhere pressing or pulling an arm?) I'd be pretty disappointed if not all (new style) cylinders are created equal.

MightyApe have 50% off Minecraft Nether Fortress, Snow Hideout, and Desert Outpost. https://www.mightyape.co.nz/daily-deals/2016-04-19/slot/3 The stock still seems ok, the deal will end 12 midday tomorrow Sorely tempted by these myself except I've already got some big ticket Lego I want this year *sigh*

Hi, I would like to sign up please

Absolutely I'd go this over the modular FS with the elevated prices (I have and like the modular FS mind you)... And If I can get this set I will probably add it to the modular city street. I think part of it is pain threshold for the high price, it's a lot to spend on a set especially if you're iffy about it. Normally I would get a set i'm iffy about if it fits in a series I'm collecting, but if not then I'd skip it even if it has some wow factors to it. So i ask myself, a Fire Station that is huge but isn't part of the City Modular lineup and is not going to be the start of a new line up, that is also double the price (in NZ) of a modular which are still coming out and already on the list to purchase. The answer is I would be torn, because this set totally has that WoW factor, but what gets it over the line for me is the GB factor, otherwise I'm saving the money to put elsewhere because I already have to skip sets that I would like to get (simpsons, avengers carrier, Tie Fighter, etc). One thing I've noted is that TLG have afol's well covered with more sets than most of us could afford (again this could be an NZ thing). As for sizing, I feel quite a few of the modular buildings feel cramped, but that's the nature of the beast unless you can afford to build bigger. When I made my post about where such a set would fit in a Lego lineup, I started picturing a second even bigger City Modulars line... My bank balance and house space couldn't cope though sadly. A side thought on investment prospects - this set might have something there (particularly on the GB side of the equation)... but how does that all work when there are more than enough sets available to meet demand and people are generally aware about Lego these days. TLG are more or less producing to the demand that exists with ever more new and compelling sets? I.e. Already the question is do you pay over the odds for the Modular FS or get the newly minted GB HQ... P.s. Sorry for the brain dump, just thoughts swirling in my head.

If you start to consider the nature of the question you've asked this may help - because I think a non GB version of this set would never have been made by Lego. It's similar to a City Modular, but does not fit into that line because it's bigger and a Fire Station has already been done, and it's hugely priced out of line with the others In scale and price it starts to be more comparable to the occasional large buildings Lego release (Tower Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Taj Mahal etc) Except within that range it isn't really iconic enough, it's a cool older building, but its international claim to fame is that it was used as the GhostBusters HQ Now with the above in mind, if Lego had gone ahead and made the set anyway (non GB) would you get it? One of the most expensive sets they've made without clear reason to exist... Personally I really want this set, I am a GB fan. But I am having to become very choosy about what other sets I get as a result due to pricing; there are a lot of other great sets Lego is putting out - so it will be a frustrating year in some regards.

I've been reading more (speculation) about the Porsche, and it certainly does sound like I might be off base re the pricing. The idea of such a huge technic set not being more expensive than the car is still weird to me... partly because that would suggest we're looking at two full on flagship level technic sets this year... This going to be an expensive year for me (assuming I'm able to pick them up) - I actually want to get all the technic sets they showed! (plus Ghost Busters HQ and ahh yeah)

I can't help but think the pricing people are quoting for the BWE is wrong. BWE 180 pounds Porsche 250 pounds??! One would suspect they got the prices around the wrong way there unless there is some crazy functionality packed into that porsche?!? I mean I hope the BWE is 180, but then I want the Porsche too , and 250 sounds punishing...

Nice - I have that set on it's way to me too. I have a feeling that the box pic they have of it just isn't doing it justice

2 13 15 35 55 Wow I really found this tough to choose! The Brewery and the Holiday Banquet Hall really stood out to me, but I didn't want to over weight those, and as it is there were sets I wanted to vote for but couldn't (I wanted to vote the Sewage Works for the amusing story and pictorial and being a little different, but as it stood there were others again I couldn't vote for) Edit: Opps, this is within the hr of posting, I accidentally put 39 for my last vote (which is great) but had meant to put 55.

I call them prefab parts. It's a complicated question - I suspect part of the issue is that Lego use those parts as they are cheaper and so keep the cost of sets down (I could be wrong). I actually don't collect City partly because of them (I did collect for 1 yr). But I wouldn't want them to stop using them in City and that line to get more expensive, really we have Creator and then the exclusive sets if we don't want to use prefab parts (or at least much less prefab).

Well damn, it is not the cheapest set, but I'm loving the mini-figs, the sheer size of this thing and the look seems to be bang on too! First they release Ghostbusters 1 & 2 to blu-ray, and now we get Ghostbusters Lego sets Perhaps to nit-pick the only thing that perhaps could've been added (and presumably not at much additional cost) would've been the prime villains from Ghostbusters Gozer and Vigo. Perhaps they are planning more sets where we would see them? (I would love a 2x4 or perhaps bigger painting of Vigo... printed of course )

Mightyape have some very good sales on Lego for their Boxing day sale (starts today... because consumerism ). Of particular note are the Kwik-E-Mart and Simpsons house 29% and 32% off respectively. (sorely tempted by these myself, but I'll be saving for upcoming sets in 2016). https://www.mightyap...s/LEGO/Specials

It's like trying to predict the weather, so hard to say in general, but you can end up waiting a while particularly for the limited distribution sets. Importantly, that is a retired product according to the online lego shop. Personally i'd grab it asap if it were a set I had my heart on, i doubt you will see it around much longer let alone at discount.

That's a nice collection. Would it be fair to say it's mostly a case of getting each technic model released over the past few years, with some end of life sets that were still on shelves also in the mix? The bottom of the list is easy due to the new numbering range (42000s, and to some extent the 9000s), but I always find it a bit tricky with the 8000s. This means many of those sets are not huge ones but the fun little technic ones as well as the flagship models and everything in between (and double ups on the ones that you liked the B model of). I'm with the others on putting together a few pictures

For me I actually build most models over several days or even weeks - I have a desk where I build and do stints when I feel the urge. As for speed I think it comes down to how OCD you are... For me: Every sticker needs to go on as perfect as possible, and usually I'll read ahead to see how the stickers line up and then put parts together so I can line the stickers up better. Then there is getting the play on each axle just right, not too loose, not too tight... It gets tricky as the models build and when adding parts some perfectly positioned gears/joins will get pushed on which I then individually recheck for how much play they have. I even line up the pins as they're seen in the instructions... And I agonised over the subtle error in 42009 crane truck (the opposite rotation on the actuators as the arm is lifted up... I actually adjusted the base so they both will rotate the same direction now). I think the longer the build the more you get out of it, provided it doesn't get menial.

The warehouse redalert sale today has several lego items. Lots of the little sets have already sold out. But of note is the the large technic sets they have still in stock. The Aroc, the Crawler Crane, and the Green race car are all at fairly good prices.

Toyco are running that sale again today Monday (it had been going for most of the weekend too actually). Stock on the rarely discounted items has come back in this morning as well, so if they didn't have what you wanted on the weekend, go check again it might be back in! This is perhaps the most inclusive discount I've seen on Lego in NZ before... P.S. Wall-E is a great set! I got it prior to any discount (though sadly it's Out of Stock anyway) and have just built it, it's a really well realised model without becoming too complex.