What makes a current 1/32 car collectable?

[Mayberryman]

I realize that I might get a ration of excrement about this question, however, here goes anyway. What makes a current 1/32 car collectable, I understand the issues of primary and secondary markets and numbers made. I guess my question is why is a manufacture manipulated car more valuable than a regular issue. Over my life I have collected many things from baseball cards in the late 70s to diecast in the 80s to actually racing swag in the 80s and 90s. I found one issue to be almost always true. when you go to purchase a collectable every dealer and person out there will tell you why they are worth more than anything else on the market. If you go to sell you will get the story of how these items really have no value and are only worth what somebody is willing to pay. All of the above "Collectables" along with beany babies and McDonalds figures seem to be mostly a drain on the primary buyers wallet. Do you, as a collector, collect with the idea that the price will increase or do you do it because of a love for certain cars? Last question is, how many of you think that in years to come you will make a profit on your collection?

[etxfisher49]

Someone else wants it more then you do ... !

[Retro Racer 44]

I have never been able to understand why people make collections of BNIB slot cars.

If I wanted a car model collection I would buy die casts. If I want to race I buy slot cars.

There may have been a time when slot cars were a monetary commodity that would earn a profit when sold, but I don't see that happening nowadays. You only have to look at all the BNIB slot cars available on various forums or Ebay to realize that the collectors are unloading so they can put their money elsewhere. Sometimes their groceries or mortgage payments. They are selling often at much less than the current retail price. They may be getting more than they paid, but if you factor in inflation and lost interest on their money, they are may be breaking even or more often losing money.

No matter how scale or detailed a slot car is, it can't compete with die cast for a car collection. If you want a slot car collection, open the box and race them, even if that means more cost for tuning parts.

That said, in my collection of about 60 cars, I have two shelf queens at the moment, an SRC Capri and a Scalextric VW bug. The Capri was a prize for winning a proxy, and before it arrived I heard that SRC would not be making them any more. I'm debating about possibly making some money off it, but I suspect one day soon I will open it up and race it. The bug I just got as a birthday gift, and it will soon be opened also.

Collectors do two things for our hobby. They up the sales volumes which helps companies break even producing cars for us racers. They also, however, buy up limited edition cars making them less available to racers. A good example of this was the Flyslot Lotus 78 John Players Special, Mario Andretti car. It was sold out so fast that a US internet supplier was asking over $180 for the few last ones available. Now that the car has been re-released, you can buy one for $75.

Anyway, I'm going to tune up some slot cars for racing on Friday evening,

Keith

[ElSecundo]

[Ember]

Anything is only ever worth what someone else wants to pay for it. My "collection cars" as distinct to the track fodder cars all have sentimental value. My first proxy car, my first successful proxy car or more often gifts from friends. A few may earn more than was paid should I sell them, but they're not on the market.

I was offered USD 1,800 for a car on my shelf by someone with a huge collection of Racer, Slot Classic and other assorted hand made RTR cars. He congratulated me when I turned him down, but I could tell he didn't understand why I didn't want to sell.

[Xr4ti]

[DHansen]

I have a large collection of slot cars, die cast and assorted other model cars. I keep it fairly simple. If I have the money and can afford it, and it's something I want, I buy it. As far as what it is worth or going to be worth sometime down the road, don't matter to me at all. I have no intentions of selling any of them. My luck with selling anything usually goes poorly. It doesn't matter what it is I'm selling, or what I'm asking for it, I'm lucky to get about 1/2 what ever I was asking for the item. But if I want to buy it back or replace it with another one later, I have to pay twice what I was asking for the one I sold. So why sell it in the first place.

[dreinecke]

I have no problem with collectors other than what occurs with the prices of the cars. The 1:1 world is the same thanks to the nonsense at Barrett-Jackson and the other auctions.

I don't collect - I drive. I sell what I end up with that isn't getting driven. I have a 401k and a retirement plan. Slot cars are NOT that retirement plan. If others do it that way and it allows a manufacturer to continue to provide other non-"collectable" cars, I'm ok with that. If the car gets that expensive, I don't want it. But...if I end up with one of these "collectable" cars and want to hack on it and race it, please respect my decision to do so. I get completely sick of hearing that I ruined a car that was worth a bunch of money. Seriously? It was my money to begin with and I can do what I want with it.

[dreinecke]

Johnny - I like the way you think!

[Dangermouse]

[Florida_Slotter]