TFs toys that were a welcome surprise?

[Autocon]

have you ever obtained a tf thinking 'geez this will be crap!' only to be surprised at how awsome it is? well atleast not utter crap

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Movie Payload. Got him with Movie Arcee (the blue scout one) and Cybertron Cryo Scourge and he turned out to be the best of the lot.

[Autocon]

Movie Payload. Got him with Movie Arcee (the blue scout one) and Cybertron Cryo Scourge and he turned out to be the best of the lot.

does he fall apart, the head, the bumper bar, front end of the claw? hes like movie waspinator

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

does he fall apart, the head, the bumper bar, front end of the claw? hes like movie waspinator

He is a bit (okay, a lot), but he's still a pretty solid figure from a line I don't generally like much.
Besides, he's based off the videogame drones so he's arguably meant to fall apart if you look at him funny.

[MV75]

Ejector and legends wheelie. They're so fun to muck around with.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Star Convoy.

Looks like a big brick, but has soooooo much playability!

[SkyWarp91]

ROTF LEgends Soundwave. At first I thought it was going to be crap because it's just a legends class figure (based on the fact that legends have less detail/paint applications and less posable components) but after playing it I realized it's so much more fun than his Deluxe counterpart and he actually transformes into a SATELLITE, NOT A 3-WINGED-STARWARS-WANNABE-SPACECRAFT, YES I'M LOOKING AT YOU ROTF DELUXE SOUNDWAVE, you should be ashamed of yourself!!!! **shakes fist**

[GoktimusPrime]

Original e-Hobby Sunstorm. I initially had NO interest in this toy and never really wanted it to begin with - but of course I had to buy him because I wanted Hauler and they come together. Before I preordered the toy I asked if anyone was willing to go halves with me on the set if there was anyone who wanted Sunstorm but didn't want Hauler. I had no takers. I still don't think the toy is that great, but I'm amazed at the incredible popularity of what was originally an incredibly obscure G1 character.

In terms of toys that I quite exceeded my expectations after purchase, I'd have to go with:

+ God Ginrai. At first I was really hesitant to get the reissue, cos I already had Powermaster Optimus Prime and wasn't sure if I wanted to spend eighty bucks on a reissue of the same toy with Godbomber. But I went and preordered it anyway. Then to my pleasant surprise I discovered that Ginrai is significantly superior to PM Optimus Prime in several ways! ...then of course, the toy shelf warmed and import stores in Sydney were flogging them off at $20 a pop in a desperate effort to sell them. D'oh! Ah well... the toy was still a LOT better than I was expecting it to be.

+ The original Beast Wars Optimus Primal (bat) was also a lot better than I thought it wold be too. I was quite impressed with the engineering when I got it. (^_^)

+ G2 Hero Megatron. At first I thought it was just a scaled down G2 1993 el bricko Megatron with an air pump gimmick. But after I bought it I discovered that it was a really well articulated action figure (which for 1994 standards was freaking groundbreakingly awesome!!)

[1AZRAEL1]

+ God Ginrai. At first I was really hesitant to get the reissue, cos I already had Powermaster Optimus Prime and wasn't sure if I wanted to spend eighty bucks on a reissue of the same toy with Godbomber. But I went and preordered it anyway. Then to my pleasant surprise I discovered that Ginrai is significantly superior to PM Optimus Prime in several ways! ...then of course, the toy shelf warmed and import stores in Sydney were flogging them off at $20 a pop in a desperate effort to sell them. D'oh! Ah well... the toy was still a LOT better than I was expecting it to be.

And yet, I still paid $60 at a fair a while ago that was missing his missile and box (then again, I didn't know much better back then because I was just getting back into TFs)

+ G2 Hero Megatron. At first I thought it was just a scaled down G2 1993 el bricko Megatron with an air pump gimmick. But after I bought it I discovered that it was a really well articulated action figure (which for 1994 standards was freaking groundbreakingly awesome!!)

El bricko, sounds like a wrestler

[MV75]

Oh yea, another one would be alternator hound. I only picked it up because it was $20, but it ended up being the best one.