3rd party transformers..

[evandouglas86]

What are people's thoughts on 3rd party transformers. While my view is they are fricking awsome, I could never afford them esp if you look on American sites, they seem to jack the price up more. Is the price stopping you? If not what else? What is the most you'd like to pay (without being too cheap) And if you already have bought them, were you 100% satisfied?

[Gofigure]

FP Warbot Springer is all kinds of awesome

love him dearly

got some others coming on the strength of my first 3rd party purchase

[Seraphim Prime]

I like a number of them, but I find cost can be the big cut-off point. I've bought most of the Fansproject and Maketoys figures, and often a bunch of the Unicron.com and Beelzeboss head replacement kits, and a couple of iGear's items.

However items like Feral Rex and these larger combiners, while looking fantastic, are (to me) too expensive for what they are and I have no interest in paying $500 for a combiner who may ultiamtely be too large for the rest of my figures.

[Omega Metro]

The only 3rd party I own is the Perfect Effect Frenzy/Rumble tank things. The quality of these are terrible with bits falling off and not 'clicking in' properly. Most 3rd party TFs look great though but are expensive.

[evandouglas86]

The only 3rd party I own is the Perfect Effect Frenzy/Rumble tank things. The quality of these are terrible with bits falling off and not 'clicking in' properly. Most 3rd party TFs look great though but are expensive.

Ok, so are you saying for the price you paid, the value was certainly short of what you expected? How much did you buy it for and where from if you don't mind me asking?

[evandouglas86]

...Value* and quality

[evandouglas86]

I like a number of them, but I find cost can be the big cut-off point. I've bought most of the Fansproject and Maketoys figures, and often a bunch of the Unicron.com and Beelzeboss head replacement kits, and a couple of iGear's items.

However items like Feral Rex and these larger combiners, while looking fantastic, are (to me) too expensive for what they are and I have no interest in paying $500 for a combiner who may ultiamtely be too large for the rest of my figures.

Ok yer, I'm hearing ya... So would you say the combiners or other third party transformers are worth at least $10 to $15 less for each bot? Would you buy them then? Last time I checked most places were selling them for roughly $95 + each figure yer?

[evandouglas86]

FP Warbot Springer is all kinds of awesome

love him dearly

got some others coming on the strength of my first 3rd party purchase

How much we're they selling for at the time and would you prefer that they were $10 to $15 less?

[Kapryiath]

I have a few fansproject bots and quakewave I paid out the nose for my insecticons and I'm not sure they were worth it but if id paid what they retailed for they defo would have been worth it, quakewave was definately money well spent I like the combiners but ultimately they feel a little bit expensive

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

It's very much on a case by case basis for me.
I paid a horrible amount for City Commander + Classics Ultra Magnus, but it's a beautiful piece and the enjoyment I get from it even now has made it worthwhile IMO - much like MP10. The Headrobots RotF Bludgeon upgrade kit was kind of pricey, but again worth it. Ditto for the Beelzeboss Goldbug set. On the other hand, my PE not-Reflector (the black one, 'cos I couldn't find a purple set at the time), while also a lovely piece, hasn't quite delivered the bang for the buck I would have liked - though it was from a Japanese specialty shop rather than a more economical option, so I might feel differently if it weren't for the Hero Gangu markup.
So far I've avoided combiners, but I'm a sucker for Predaking so I'm probably gonna cave for MMCs Feral Rex crew, and I suspect it'll work out much the same as City Commander - expensive, but ultimately worth it IMO.