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Has anyone seen the Seasonal Reindeer 40092 or Seasonal Snowman 40093 sets available from the official lego site for New Zealand? (I know they came out a few months ago in the US). It seems a bit ridiculous that they specifically use images of those two sets when promoting christmas sets on the web site, yet neither are even listed on the NZ site (they're sold out on the US version).

I'll be contrarian and suggest he's telling the truth. The original listing didn't have instructions or boxes, I think it would be pertinent info if those listing did not have those materials. (plus Market Street wasn't in the other lot). With that said I'm a bit disappointed, I would have expected that he has the opportunity to make those two offers complete by covering the missing parts from one set with those from the other... At the asking price it is what I think should be done... Or he could be fibbing after all and doesn't have two of each?! I'll be interested to see if he finds a buyer.

It's been a while since I signed up for VIP so can't remember all details but roughly this applies: - As we're in NZ you do it online, from memory you create an account on the store like most sites... And then after that somewhere online there is an opt in to make it a VIP flagged account, I'm not aware of VIP being run through any stores in NZ so for us it's online only. - Once signed up as a VIP then you should get VIP points, and obviously if purchasing during October it sounds like there will be double points (which I think works out at roughly a 10% equiv discount when double points... important when weighing up where you buy from) - Important! Just making an online purchase from the online lego store does not make you a VIP, I got caught out by this as I didn't know about it during my first purchases from their store... You have to specifically flag that you would like to sign up for the VIP treatment (stupid in my opinion, but I guess jokes on me in that regard ), I'm not certain whether or not the option is available only after your first purchase (I wonder whether asking them online they may just flag you for it regardless). - the online store you see should be the one for New Zealand (if not change the region to NZ), it will show NZ $ prices, and provided your region is set correctly it will show promotions that will apply - so provided you see the promotion advertised on the NZ version of the site you will get it, but if it is on the US version then probably not. I can't speak to the Lego Calendar you're looking at, but I suspect that if there is any NZ localised info on it then probably any promotions it mentions will apply here (but I'm not certain) My advice would be to contact them online to get some answers regarding signing up for VIP before making a purchase if you can't find where to flag your online account with them for VIP... The postage costs for under $400 can be punitive. Hope that helps

I just noticed that the b- wing is discounted 40% again if you missed it... Sadly i'll be skipping it, star wars is proving too costly for me at the moment, and id love that sandcrawler. I did get some other good deals though :)

Looks to be the case - shipping seems to be punitive in price: A few years ago they ran a fairly long promotion where the threshold was $120, then its $300, now it's $400... Given the shipping cost seems quite punitive, buying from the website with its lack of good prices is going to be a very unlikely scenerio - I had sent quite a bit of money that way in past too. Heck I even have $90 worth of VIP points on the site from previous purchases - but using it at the $400 mark means at best I'm getting a 22.5% discount at this point (of course a lot of money was spent full price to get that). Disappointed.

Scalpers annoy the hell out of me. The lot that descend (buy up bulk) on the limited run editions IMO don't add any value - and as such I classify that as parasitic. They effectively insert themselves between the customer and the producer and hamper the trade of the goods rather than facilitating it. Speculative investors - don't annoy me as much, though I worry if it leads to a glut which ultimately hurts the product. But resellers (that sell at realistic prices), and parters; I think both offer useful services to Lego fans. Parters are probably a godsend for MOC's, and resellers enable people to buy sets that they wouldn't have otherwise had a chance to buy (providing the price isn't so extortionate). At the end of the day TLG are the gate keepers on this stuff; they determine how many sets are available, and it's their processes that don't (or sometimes do) adequately prevent scalpers buying out limited run sets. Though I wonder on that last point, how many Rovers did go to scalpers vs genuine customers. The same goes for the 41999, did many genuine customers miss out at the time? Oh and I wish Lego would do a rerun on the first two in the City Street series, they were before I got back into it, but I hear even then they had a very limited run - I'm sure there are a huge number of AFOL's eager for those two sets (just not at the crazy resale prices).

Looks like i'll be waiting for a significant discount, 600 nzd feels on the high side. Though i guess it has a similar part count to the ssd

Mighty Ape is running a daily deal - that will expire very shortly (12pm lunchtime): http://www.mightyape.co.nz/daily-deals/slot/14493 There seem to be a few good prices - They have the death star at 670, perhaps the cheapest i've seen it

I have seen HOTD, not the most subtle anime/manga out there... I hadn't ever seen a manga character done in lego before, I'm very impressed by this, particularly the pose of it!

Thanks for the tip offs, unfortunately it was out of luck; my local Toy World was out of 42009, and while they did have an Opera house it was an empty box (I have a rule about not buying items that have been opened even to just store the contents out back; a personal pref). Looks like I'll be holding out for IQToys for the Opera House, and perhaps will get the 42009 from TLG while they have double vip points. (I've bought from IQToys once before and was pretty happy with the experience)

The NZ (New Zealand) price appears to be $300 NZD from the lego shop... I love this series, and this one looks great like the others in the series; though I might need to get a second job to keep up with all the sets I want. p.s. $250 AUD for our mates across the ditch ;)

I'm not too happy with the reseller (scalper) situation with this particular set either. A reseller going into a store and cleaning out that stores entire stock is basically screwing everyone else in the area. The stores should be preventing it too, that is if they wish to remain relevant to their customers?? My hope is that Lego learns from this and better manages it in future - I don't think it leaves a good vibe in the air. That said, I still haven't seen many calls from people who didn't get a set through retail (I think maybe one or two, which still isn't good), no idea how well the ones that have been listed on ebay etc are selling?!

My mind boogles at that! I picked it up from amazon shortly after I left my dark ages for about $1100nzd shipped (I think it wasn't available from the lego store anymore)... I kinda wish I grabbed a Star Destroyer which were priced the same at that time (so also about 1100 shipped, assuming I could get them to send to NZ), but couldn't justify such a huge spendup

I'm fairly particular to match to the instructions. I go as far to orientate the pins also, as well as spending quite a bit of time trying to fine tune placements on axles to get as smooth a spin as possible.

For a second I thought that was an Enter the Dragon reference. Cool truck, I quite liked the rear wheel steer and the trailer stand feature.

I did a 41999 BTTF order as well - can't remember what the shipping info said - but no duty charge, but since it would've been under the limit anyway ($400 I believe?)... I had a May 4th order as well which was over the limit and that went without hassle.

It isn't the most reassuring message, but I can't actually recall what the message said or if it's different (it could also be a partially generic message rather than fully specific for NZ). My expectation is that yes they would still cover it, it would be quite a change to just leave the prices the same but stop paying gst or whatever the charge is to the govt...

Just brainstorming other ideas here - is it possible that with the change in season tolerances have altered slightly and there is more friction along the drive chain? As for motors failing though, I've had it happen to me with a lightly used Medium motor (from my 8043 excavator)... Lego didn't replace, I'm guessing since I had the model for 18 months (not sure what I think about that). In my case the motor wouldn't start without a nudge, not sure about it losing torque or not?

we got some good number plates here... I actually think that 08880 is an incredibly good number plate - probably one of the best! It reads the same left to right, right to left, and also upside down! plus it is the number for one of the most iconic technic sets out there (though for me the Lego Test Car 8865 is my preference, it was my holy grail technic set when I was growing up - and I did save and buy it too). (08811 is a good plate too). I got 01799, I like it because it is the plate for my set

Hurray, BTTF MiniMech and 41999 have all arrived (and boxes aren't damaged, except for some very minor surface indentation on 41999, but no tearing or creasing)... 01799

I'm told mine just got dropped off - although I'm not precisely sure what, just that a large box has arrived - can't wait to get home, hopefully it survived transit intact. , I found out about that status from Bricktrain just before mine flipped to shipping too. I've got a BTTF in my order as well, so I'll be interested to see if it's in the package, score finding a colleague you can bundle orders with - I know it's going to be interesting in a few months time when the new Minecraft sets come out what I will bundle them with ?!

It sucks when doing the right thing isn't recognised (I do think TLG's response was pathetic ); But you did do the right thing - don't doubt yourself on this one.

I agree with you, I'm not actually annoyed by people buying up freely available sets to sell at a later date for profit - they are value adding in the way you describe. (I've also been a happy customer of them too, having gotten a 10179 and 8880 for reasonable prices). I'm really just specifically referring to this set, but maybe it's just an imagined problem, and those with a yet to be shipped order will have their orders completed in due course. Doh! I was going to stop winding myself up about this and enjoy my set when it arrives

I had read a story as well that made me quite disappointed by the dishonesty of some people in order to exploit their fellow person; looking at ebay now is enough to make one quite mad. I hope Lego reads those forums to see what kind of subversion of their processes and good will goes on... I'm going to have to stop talking about this now, and simply be happy I got a set. Is your crawler now set to "in process" though? Hopefully so, that is a good sign as was recently explained to me.

I saw someone comment that Lego was limiting the bonus polybag, to one per household rather than order, which is understandable.