The Decision Thread

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

I've got MP10 (albeit the Takara version) and he's pretty sweet...

Options 1, 4, and 5 all sound pretty good. If you can get a sweet deal on the Classics lot it's a good idea, if you can get FoC and some decent Classics figs that's a good deal too.
Bear in mind you could probably hunt online and get the US Hasbro MP10 for less than $150 even with postage, especially if you're patient, don't mind used TFs, and/or get on a decent group import order, and the same goes for FoC.
Personally I'd go for hunting down a cheap MP10, and getting FoC.

[Bidoofdude]

Thanks for the two cents guys! Optimus is sounding really tempting right now and I'm quite impatient; I'll probably pay full price for him anyway. If i have any left over I'll get maybe some classics or whatever, but thanks for the info. I see no-one has made any suggestions yet. Keep it up guys.

[KalEl]

I would def recommend the mp-10 you won't regret it

[liegeprime]

If you don't mind buying loose toys for Generations/Universe/Classics some of our members here are selling them $15 a figure - emmai in particular comes to mind right now. I think he has a loose dirge, Acid storm and RTS scourges up for sale...Kal el has a couple more generations stuff as well so yeah hit the sale threads if your ok with loose figures...

Yeah as OtaG said scour first for a cheap MP optimus coz then you'll have enough left over to buy some cheap Gen/Univ/Classics figure here among fellow members so option

1 and 5 ( albeit online meaning local - which saves you heaps on postage as well.

But if your one who likes MISC/MISB figures then option 5 may take a back seat and go for option 1 first - just don't be impulsive and get the first one you spot - look around online. That way you stretch your dollar more.

[GoktimusPrime]

Umm... hey guys, let's be mindful of bidoofdude's relatively young age. If I were in your situation bidoofdude, I would recommend either option 3 or 4 -- because that's absolutely what I would do if I were your age. Actually, option 3 is pretty much what I did do when I was that age (i.e. buying lots of toys from local retail stores - only that it was G1 at the time ).

While Masterpiece Transformers appeal to us oldies who grew up with G1, I don't really see the appeal to younger fans who don't hold the same nostalgia. Also, your average Deluxe offers better play value than most Masterpieces which tend to be more like articulated and transformable (and very expensive) display pieces than proper action figures.

[Trent]

Actually, option 3 is pretty much what I did do when I was that age (i.e. buying lots of toys from local retail stores - only that it was G1 at the time ).

are you THAT old??

[GoktimusPrime]

[liegeprime]

Well Gok, hence I did offer him first the option of getting from sellers here in the forum, at least we know he's not gonna get gipped by fellow members, and he has the option of buying it at a cheaper price too than the local/online retailers would for already finished production toylines - though loose figures (RTS/ Generations).

[Bidoofdude]

Umm... hey guys, let's be mindful of bidoofdude's relatively young age. If I were in your situation bidoofdude, I would recommend either option 3 or 4 -- because that's absolutely what I would do if I were your age. Actually, option 3 is pretty much what I did do when I was that age (i.e. buying lots of toys from local retail stores - only that it was G1 at the time ).

While Masterpiece Transformers appeal to us oldies who grew up with G1, I don't really see the appeal to younger fans who don't hold the same nostalgia. Also, your average Deluxe offers better play value than most Masterpieces which tend to be more like articulated and transformable (and very expensive) display pieces than proper action figures.

Actually, I am very nostalgic, I seemed to wathc way more G1(2005 reruns) than cybertron. The only thing was, I pretty much only got cybertron toys (beacause they were in). In fact, I am quite particular and really only buy toys that appeal to G1 as they are very nostalgic to me. I've always wanted a g1 prime since i first saw g1 in 2004, so yeah, really wanted one for ages. I don't know why I missed the first too. I plan to start out with some classics, then when the bucks start getting high I can get some G1s. something thats really bad for me is whenever I go to retail stores, its always that time when there's absolutely no G1 styled toys- at all. So I actually am quite nostalgic as its pretty much the only tf cartoon I remember from when I was young.

[GoktimusPrime]

I plan to start out with some classics, then when the bucks start getting high I can get some G1s. something thats really bad for me is whenever I go to retail stores, its always that time when there's absolutely no G1 styled toys- at all.

Classicsverse _are_ G1 styled toys. They're arguably superior to G1 toys in the following ways:
+ More durable. G1 toys break much easier.
+ Superior detailing in sculpts and colour/paint apps. G1 toys are more blocky and you have to apply stickers.
+ Greater articulation. Most G1 toys have poor articulation, they were designed to transform and wield weapons, and that was pretty much it. Classicsverse toys can do all kinds of neat and exciting action poses.
+ Greater cartoon likeness, which I suspect may be a factor for you as someone who got into G1 through the cartoon.
+ MUCH cheaper compared to buying G1 off the secondary market. A MOSC Generations Wheeljack sold at Kmart for $25 but a MISB G1 Wheeljack - that originally sold for less than $20 - I dread to think about how much they'd sell for now. Even a loose (second hand) complete G1 Wheeljack might cost over $50-60... compared to paying $25 for a new minty fresh Generations Wheeljack you can see which deal offers superior value for money. With G1 collecting you're really more paying for the scarcity rather than for the value of the toy.
+ More convenient/easier to collect. Even if you were filthy rich and could afford to buy G1 off the secondary market, you'd still need to find a considerable amount of time and effort to track all those toys down. Then you run the risk of dodgy sellers, or maybe there's a problem with the toy etc. - with Classicsverse toys you can always bring them back to the shop for an exchange/refund if anything goes wrong (like my first Generations Drift that had two of the same hand!), but I don't know if the same can be done with G1 toys bought off the secondary market.
+ No (or much lesser) risk of unknowingly buying fakes. How bad would it be if you spent hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on G1 toys believing they were real, only to discover that they were fakes? That's not going to happen if you buy Classicsverse toys from your local shops.

Ultimately what you want to collect is up to you, but if I were you I'd stick to Classicsverse. Cheaper, easier, better. Anyway, feel free to have a look through the G1 & Classicsverse comparison thread. Reissues is another option you might like to consider if you're really keen on collecting G1 - they're perfectly legit and are also cheaper and easier -- and also better because they won't have physically aged as much as vintage G1 toys. And in many cases they've made improvements on G1 moulds with the reissues (e.g. full powered missile launchers - original G1 launchers can barely shoot if at all).