2009.02.19, 02:36 PM
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 291
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"Fine Hand Polish"
This is going to be an informal survey.
I'm sure that by now some of you have already purchased or at least seen the new "Fine Hand Polish" ASCs. What is you impression of this new and "improved technology". Here is my take on it:
Yesterday I just received my Ferrari 430GT (Ecosse Scuderia), and I started to look at it in detail. Originally because I wanted to see how close to the original car they got (I have many detailed pictures of the real thing). However the more I looked, one thing became more and more obvious: the poor quality finish.
1. The high gloss is gone. The painted areas are glossy (not as glossy as before, but glossy), but the areas where the decals are are satin finish at best.
2. You can see the edges of the decals.
3. The decals no longer conform properly to the body details (bumps, grooves, depressions, etc). In fact they look very much like vinyl stickers.
4. I was able to scratch the paint with my fingernail (in an unconspicuos area). This means that these bodies will not take anywhere near the punishment that the previous bodies could take.
5. Altra fine details that we came to expect from Kyosho are now less defined, inaccurate and sloppy.
I then dug out the other "Hand Polish" models I bought, took the cover off and started looking at them in detail. Only the Aston Martins look decent, but even on those the decal surface is not glossy and I can see their edges. The new McLarens are a disappointment just like the 430GT.
So, here is the new line of product that to me is not as good as the previous one, and we are asked to shell out an additional $10 for it. That just sucks.
Anyway, I'd like to hear from you to see if you agree or disagree with my comments. Also have any of you put one of these bodies through the paces on the track? If so how well did they resist impacts, scratches, etc.
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2009.02.19, 03:33 PM
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,683
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You are right about everything. We just have to understand about the Economic times. Much of it has to do with the strong Yen. Much of it has to do with inflation. These bodies look much like the older Mini-Z bodies that came with no Gloss coat. At Reflex We are taking half of the hit of the pricing on the AutoScales, I think pricing is getting a little bit high. Maybe it is time we all start considering lexan bodies for racing... Either way, the pricing is probably never going to drop again.
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2009.02.19, 04:14 PM
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#3
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CCMMMK
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 243
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^^^ C has it right with the yen and the dollar. the dollar is getting trashed hard with the financial issues and deficit, some are predicting hyperinflation which means someday you'll be saying "remember when kyosho bodies were only $40-$50?". Thanks to rr for the lower price, i saw that and once someone tells me the mclaren gtr is "tough as nails" i'll buy it. I just don't want to risk $50 and have it crack on its first hit like other bodies. I also noticed white bodies are available in Spain, hopefully here soon. I don't much care for the quality of the paint since i race any auto scale i buy, i dont collect or stare at them, but spending 40-50 is getting crazy for a race body.
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2009.02.19, 06:57 PM
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 35,480
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much of this has been covered in the thread about the price bump on autoscales.
it's just a spin on a cheaper product while attempting to pass it off with a price increase. none of us are really happy with the results but what can you do.
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2009.02.19, 08:44 PM
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 291
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It's interesting how most of the feedback so far has centered around the price. I guess that's what's concerning most of you.
For me the concern is more about the quality of the product, than the price. Yes, it suck that we have to pay more, but at least give me something as good as, if not better for the money. What we're getting here is an INFERIOR product, AND we're being charged EXTRA for the privilege.
A lot of us spent more money on the collectible aspect of this hobby, and we came to expect a certain value for our money. I for one got interested in mini-z's because of the quality and detail of the ASC bodies. But now I have doubts about collecting the new cars.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jace1283
..."remember when kyosho bodies were only $40-$50?"....
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I don't know about that, I think it will be more like "remember when Kyosho bodies were GlossCoat and were nearly indestructible?..."
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2009.02.19, 08:55 PM
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#6
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Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 35,480
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there was plenty of discussion about what hand polished meant and how it looked in the other threads.
yes, i think everyone is disappointed in getting a cheaper quality product however yes, price hits you more than the quality does as your paying more for a lesser product. cost comes up as the first obstacle.
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2009.02.19, 09:29 PM
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#7
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Honda Insight Racer!
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Colorado, USA!
Posts: 6,399
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Are they nice enough to collect or not worth adding to the collection? What does one look like close-up? I've heard they have an orange-peel look to'em?
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2009.02.19, 09:41 PM
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#8
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Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 35,480
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look at any of the pre glosscoat bodies.
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2009.02.19, 09:50 PM
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#9
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Honda Insight Racer!
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Colorado, USA!
Posts: 6,399
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Like the original Toyota Altezza?
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2009.02.19, 10:56 PM
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#10
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CCMMMK
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 243
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waxing is kind of relaxing though, and it makes you feel like you made that autoscale look good! haha. I do have a serious abundance of polish around as people give it to me as gifts often...
You could buy all the autoscales with glosscoat and not the ones without...it would only be a problem if you had every body...
I have my takata dome nsx here and must say the gloss coat is a wonderful thing, its chipping off my sc430 along with its decals... but once your used to it its hard to go back.
We dont really know whats up at kyosho besides what we can guess, economic reasons, performance reasons, who knows. The hand polish really isn't bad if you check out the pics hrdrvr posted:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...9-01-26021.jpg
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2009.02.20, 01:50 AM
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 336
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Hello,
I agree with your comments. For me the "fine hand polish" looks like the perfect opposite of a step forward!
To me it's much more like the old autoscales. I recently purchased two brand new Mercedes DTM (a D2 one and a Warsteiner) that aren't glosscoated and was amazed how the fine hand polish and the ancient finish are so close. If you come close to the three finish, I would assume the place would be third, ancient bodies, second, fine hand polish ones and first, glosscoat!
The major grief a have against the new fine hand polish is that the decals are not included in the coat anymore. Making them very exposed to scratches/hit. When first pictures of the aston came out, I couldn't believe kyosho could made such a mistake for all the following bodies... But they did.
Let's hope this is only about time to get the quality back for this...
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2009.02.20, 05:15 AM
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 189
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marc
Are they nice enough to collect or not worth adding to the collection? What does one look like close-up? I've heard they have an orange-peel look to'em?
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Marc you can see the edges of the decals and they are not as shiny.
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2009.02.21, 10:21 AM
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#13
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Honda Insight Racer!
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Colorado, USA!
Posts: 6,399
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That suck's. That kind of makes you want to loose interest in collecting AutoScales. Sure we can collect the older ones that we can find, but we like to add more and more to the collection. Don't understand why if price has gone up quality has gone down. Sure economy sucks right now, but that's no excuse for going back in time with quality.
What made the newer bodies so apealing WAS the high-gloss coating and the smooth disapearing decale lines.
I think this may have been one reason for my loss of interest. Kyosho, get with the program, bring back the gloss-coat!
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2009.02.21, 10:24 AM
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#14
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Honda Insight Racer!
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Colorado, USA!
Posts: 6,399
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Oh! And if the finish is like the original AutoScales, why the tag-line Fine Hand Polished? When I first saw this label, I thought it meant that they took the gloss-coat further and polished it for even shinier appearance like a real show-room look!
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2009.02.21, 10:35 AM
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#15
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Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 35,480
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because, they have to dress up the switch some how. you can't just drop the gloss coat and drop the label and increase the price without trying to draw your attention to some distraction. so, fine hand polished is the new buzz word for the same old thing you used to get, only now it costs you more.
what i find most frustrating really is there is no response to the outcry. just about any other company would issue a statement that would attempt to explain away the issue. rather we get continued silence. it would be an easier pill to swallow had they simply issued a statement that due to blah, blah, blah, we were forced to change tactics and pricing. it' atleast provides the consumer with some level of justification for the change vs. feeling like we are being duped into buying a cheaper product at a higher price by slightly altering the product description. call it what it is... don't put a bow on a terd and try to call it something fancy. i respect honesty and being forthright, not gimick advertising.
Last edited by arch2b; 2009.02.21 at 10:40 AM.
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