I find this to be a really odd question. The uber expensive Fortress Maximus didn't elicit any of us to stop collect Transformers in 1987. MP8 and MP9 were also quite expensive, and the MP Coneheads are just priced to the point of being ridiculous, but none of those have made people quit MP collecting.

If a toy's too expensive then just skip that individual figure. I fail to see the logic in giving up collecting anything altogether just because a few individual figures are heaps expensive. Also, unlike the MP Coneheads, MP XLIV is going to be the third MP Convoy. If you really don't like this price then just skip it and stick with your MP01 and MP10. I bit the bullet and bought all three MP Coneheads because there is no other choice beyond just skipping them. With toys like MP Dirge, you either suck it up or miss out on having any kind of MP Dirge whatsoever. But with MP XLIV your choices are either to pay for the toy or skip it but enjoy MP01 and MP10.

This is why I'm skipping MP XLIV. I could throw money at pre-ordering this toy right now if I wanted to. But the truth is that I'm perfectly happy with MP01. I own MP10 because it was a freebie (that's how happy I am with MP1). Obviously if someone offers to give me an MP XLIV for free I'll take it, but just as with MP10 I feel no compulsion to pay for one out of my own pocket. Maaaaaaaaaaaybe if it drops below $300... maaaybe. But I can happily live without this toy. Truth be told, I'm more interested in the humans that it comes with!