[Guest]

I just got the 1/43 disease and I am trying to figure out which company makes consistently good models. I have been happy with my Ebbros, but the wheels don't move too good. I just got 2 Spark models (Pantera and Marcos) and the are decent. Decals aren't the best, the weight is too light and the wheels don't roll. My Kyosho Lamborghini is nice overall and the wheels roll. Yea! But the paint is not great. My IXO DBR-9 is excellent, but my IXO Peugeot 206 is light and plasticy. Has IXO gotten better or is the DBR a fluke? Why are wheels so hard to make roll at this scale? What about Looksmart, Red Line, BBR and Gasoline models? I have my eye on some Gasoline models and they are quite expensive. Are they worth it? Do their wheels roll? Does it matter? If hot wheels can make wheels roll, why can't these people? Thanks

 

[Noddy]

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The wheels don't roll on any handbuilt (BBR, Looksmart) models and there is, in my opinion, no reason for them to do so. These aren't children's playthings like the Hot Wheels you compare them to! I'd much rather have the artistry of a Bosica or high-end Tameo or Meri where everything scales properly than to have rolling wheels any day!
The weight of the models is another strange notion to me - Spark and others produce in resin because the cost of the molds is so much less than the cost of making the tooling for diecasts - thus allowing them to recover their investment over smaller production runs and allowing models to be produced that would never be commercially successful if they had to sell 100K of them to make any money. How many Lister Storm fans can there possibly be in the world? How many Lister Storms would Kyosho sell at $100?

Edit: I've probably got 15-18 Ebbros and until your post it never even occurred to me to see if the wheels turn!

 

[Guest]

Depending on what you are collecting, but I think overall Minichamps models are most consistent in terms of quality. Not far behind are AUTOArt (the details on the Lambo wheels are amazing, for example), Kyosho (take a look at their new Ferrari line), Ebbro and Spark. My collection mainly consists of Minichamps (Porsches and BMW), Ebbro (older Dome race cars) and Kyosho (some older rally cars). I have slowed down significantly over a year now, since I switched to handbuilts.

 

[Guest]

I just thought it was a simple thing to make the wheels roll. It is a car. Yes I agree they are not toys, but that seems like a part of a car. I feel like I don't have a car anymore when my rearview mirrors break off. My Kyosho Nomad Lamborghini has very nice rolling wheels and only costs $30. When I look at the models in my display case it really doesn't matter that the wheels don't roll. Just thought it was an easy thing to accomplish.

 

[Noddy]

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Yes on most models you are probably right - no suspension detail to worry about so no components that have to look like they are in scale - just an axle stuck in a hub that can be any size they like so no real reason that they can't roll. Formula One and other open wheel racers not so easy and the super-detailed stuff like the Bosica that I mentioned and cars like Superior Models Ferrari 250 GTO, no way, as their creators try to scale everything to the right proportion even down to the thickness of body panels.

 

[Guest]

Minichamps 1/43 quality is unquestionable, at least on the F1 and DTM front of which i ahve some knowledge. their road cars also look amazing, i should be adding some myself soon. AutoArt are also brilliant, their DTM cars certainly give Minichamps a run for their money. Ixo's look good, i dont own one myself so i can;t speak from experience and the Spark models the same, they look very good in the model shop window but i have no experience. The main thing to understand is what you want to collect, the right 1/43 manufacturer should fall out of that, not the other way around.