1:48 scale kits are getting too pricey!

[Down Time]

I usually check the clearance shelf.

That too, especially at Hobby Lobby, returns usually wind up there.

 

[ohbejuan]

I think my problem is I am addicted to all of these esoteric manufacturers like Arma and Clear Prop!

 

[the Baron]

There are a number of things to consider, when we talk about the price of model kits, especially if we compare prices to where they were when we were kids-that can be 40, 50, 60 years in the past for many of us.

General inflation over time, for one.
The price of petroleum, which is used to make the styrene.
The price of tooling the molds.
The fact that the manufacturer has to take into account how many units he can sell, at a time when there are fewer people buying the product-even allowing for different levels of demand in different parts of the world. He needs to recoup his costs and make a profit, or, he doesn't make kits anymore.
Also we need to recognize that this is a hobby, so it's discretionary income.

Having said all that, the prices can impact your tastes and decisions. I'm more of a nostalgia modeler, for example. That is, I like the brands I had when I was a kid, like Monogram, Revell, Lindberg, Aurora, Pyro. I do buy new models, but again, my tastes determine what I buy. I don't really build armor today, mostly airplanes, and my preferred scale is 1/48. With an eye to prices, I like Airfix and Eduard. I have also bought Dora Wings kits, balancing the price against the unusual subjects DW puts out.

But I have also bought a lot of kits on the secondary market, where prices are negotiable. So, eBay (can't really negotiate there) but also at shows, club meetings, through forums and social media (where haggling is more often part of the process). And I've got rough guidelines that I follow, approximate prices I'm willing to pay. For second-hand kits, if I can get a single-engine 1/48 aircraft for $10 or less, I'm happy. Multi-engine kits, like Monogram's kits from the 70s, I'm willing to go to $25, but most of the ones in my stash I got for $10. My coup was 2 B-29s and 2 C-47s at the IPMS Region II show in Cherry Hill NJ about 10 years ago or so. Ten bucks each, marked down from forty each, because it was the end of the show, and the seller didn't want to take the kits home. I was very happy with that one.

People will say that building models is too expensive for kids to take it up, the way many of us did when we were kids. And it's true, prices are higher, but there are still bargains to be had. I mentioned Airfix and Eduard earlier, which can be had at reasonable prices, and are nice kits as well. And supplies-tools and paint, glue, for example, can be found at reasonable prices. Again, it takes some thought, some preparation, but it can be done.

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

Agreed on every single point mentioned above.

 

[durangod]

What is the average cost for a good kit now days $45, more? I looked at firetruck kits today, out of this world expensive. My personal limit for any kit is $45 bucks, im not paying one penny more regardless of what it is. If i am going to spend more than that i would rather go to the shooting range.

What is it that drives the market, limited MFG, limited models? Not just aircraft but all kits.

 

[the Baron]

Given the variety of subjects, of material used, of scales, of quality, I'm not sure we can say that there is one average cost. Your example of a fire truck kit, for example, is a relatively specialized subject, with a smaller potential market than say a Formula One racer, or a Sherman tank, or an Me-109. You've got the right idea in setting yourself a limit, though, too. I've generally followed the limits I described, with occasional exceptions. I once paid $100 for Classic Airframes' P-43 Lancer kit. It was a short-run kit of a subject no one else had kitted in 1/48 scale at the time, it was out of print, and there was no prospect of any other company. I followed the auction on eBay through many cycles of auction ending and getting relisted, when I finally decided to buy it. There were other examples for sale, but the sellers all asked more than a hundred bucks. And then sure enough, a couple years after I bought the kit, Dora Wings opened up, and one of their first releases was a P-43 Lancer. Their retail price was around $48. And that, too, was not a bad price, considering the quality of the kit, the relative rarity of the subject, and that it was the only kit of the subject available retail. And of course, most of the listings I've seen since then for the Classic Airframes dropped in price.
The point of that story is that $48 was a good price for that kit. But it would be an inflated price for an old Monogram 1/48 single-engine airplane, even in the latest incarnation as a repop under Revell-Monogram.
As modelers, we have to ask ourselves what subject or subjects we like, what scales we want, and how much we're willing to spend. So an absolute average that applies across those factors is kind of hard to calculate. Your tolerance might be higher or lower than mine, our interests are likely to be different, our incomes are probably different, and again, those are just some factors off the top of my head. There are probably others that we figure in to our calculation.

 

[ohbejuan]

And I will be honest too. I can be compulsive and get really interested in "the new shiny" thing ", hence my interest in Arma hobby.

Interestingly, I recently bought a 1/48 Eduard Bf-109 F4 based n their fairly modern tooling. I struggled with the kit and ended up abandoning it. Then I bought an ancient ICM 1:48 version of the same subject for $18 and it is perfectly fine. It was good lesson for me.

 

[airdave]

One of my 1/48 scale Elco 80' PT Boats (as an example).
Big! model, 20" long, lots of deck details.
No painting required. Fully liveried.

Initial kit cost = $15.00
[assuming you take the kit to Staples for high quality printing]
23 Parts pages printed @ .20 + .55(cardstock) each = $17.25
11 Instruction pages @ .20 = $2.20 (optional)

Total kit cost = $34.45

And, consider the massive savings from not needing putties, primers and paints* and additional decals (if any).

I won't included the cost of tools and glues since these are also not considered when pricing a plastic model kit.
*Clear coats are often used to seal printed pages, and spray finished models.

Just sayin'

 

[Motoretrolia]

For me the kits are getting pretty pricey although the detail overall is much better than years ago. I've actually avoided the hyper detail enhancements on a few kits just to determine how well it comes out. It
was fun and came out respectable. It felt like I was 15 years old again.

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

What is the average cost for a good kit now days $45, more? I looked at firetruck kits today, out of this world expensive. My personal limit for any kit is $45 bucks, im not paying one penny more regardless of what it is. If i am going to spend more than that i would rather go to the shooting range.

What is it that drives the market, limited MFG, limited models? Not just aircraft but all kits.

Not necessarily limited editions. Tamiya's F-14 Tomcat and P-38 Lightning are fantastic kits yet pricey. Are they worth it? Absolutely. 1/48 and 1/32 scale aircraft kits can get expensive - Hasegawa, Tamiya Hobby Boss, whatever. Even high quality armor kits can be pricey depending what you're getting.

1/350 scale naval ships are stupid expensive while 1/700 are not.

That's why it pays to shop around in various online hobby shops. Look for sales. Holiday shopping season is coming in a couple months - so watch for sales especially Black Friday specials.

Attending model shows is another great place to find deals. Vendors can give you deals because they want get rid of them and less to bring home. Raffles is great way to get model kits too.

Look in garage sales, antique stores, and thrift stores. I've picked up a few for less than most eBay sellers.

eBay is another good place to look. Find something that piques your interests? Click on Watch List or make them an offer. Sellers will often will accept or make a counter-offer. If you choose Watch List, they will come back and put in an offer less than what they're asking on the listing.

I usually avoid bidding. I never or rarely win.

Another Wild Card place to look is… believe it or not…. your local Craigslist.