How do you go about purchasing a model kit?

General Discussions
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Several equally important items to consider in Wade’s World before a key purchase:

  1. Will I enjoy paint and weathering process for the kit in question. My perception is formed based on box art, pictures availble of the subject matter and my understanding of the subject. Liking the subject matter has proved to be a secondary factor.

  2. Will I enjoy the build process by my standards? I dislike building. Clean straight forward and keeping the build under my ~100 hour limit is always a goal. Projects that linger often end up as a newest shelf queen because of boredom.

  1. Dimensional Accuracy. Needs to look right and have correct shape. Adding detail if the “bones” are good is enjoyable with quality older kits. If it’s an out of the box build, DA is a lesser factor in some cases.

  2. Value shopping & stewardship applies in my car hobby so it applies in the model hobby as well. Part of the fun is finding quality kits & good aftermarket at reasonable prices. I’m OK with being a year or two late on a hot new release I want in most cases.

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42

I look at reviews and builds( if available). Cost can come into account, but not a real deciding factor. Brand name has some relevance, but kits are and can be subjective, especially if you figure your experience, skill level and time. I hope that helps!

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43

It depends on my mood ,or if the subject s of high interest.

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44

Yeah, I don’t buy kits just to have something to build. I have to really want something and match that with a genuine possibility of living long enough to build it. On a rare occasion an extremely low price may raise my interest level, but even then I’ll only follow through if I’m likely to build it AND if I think I can sell it and get my money back if I change my mind. I was at a show a couple of weeks ago and there were at least 20 kits at near-steal prices that I looked at and thought about but only ended up with one, and that might go on eBay anyway.

After a couple of decades in this hobby the sensible folks become much more selective and can make their buying decisions quite quickly.

KL

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45

I’m looking in the new-kits part of my monthly model magazine and then go on the website of " Modellbau König " , where I always buy my models. Then I see many other things I like to get and mostly it takes some days and I change my list of order some times. I also like to watch catalogues.
My girlfriend wonders how I can buy shoes in 5 minutes and need days to order a model or a book

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46

For me that calculation gets tricky if the purchase is discovered too soon… :sweat:

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47

“Honest honey, they don’t except returns” :innocent:

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48

I tend to “see it, want it” but, I like to try different manufacturers kits as well so, I use that as a way to select my next purchase.

Interesting question.

Watto.

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