# A Plea for Revising the AutoWorld Slot Car Distribution Packaging



## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

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## SwamperGene (Dec 1, 2003)

A better solution would be to remove the chase cars. While I believe your personal intentions are honorable, AFXToo, you inadvertently summed up the disastrous business model that has crept into the hobby of slot car racing. I believe Tom is very interested in sustainability of the product line, for that to continue he needs strong support from within the hobby. Money games do not belong here, and people who want shelf queens should stick to die-cast. Sorry, but that's my .02.


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## krazcustoms (Nov 20, 2003)

I vote to do away with the chase cars entirely. Although I'm always up for buying the rest of the case of "non-chase cars" for cheap!


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

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## Piz (Apr 22, 2002)

I think think the new 2 of each car in one case of 12 is perfect , I have always bought the JL / RC2 and now AW cars in duplicate anyway , One to race and one for display ( and then sometime one or two for mods ! )


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## micyou03 (Apr 8, 2003)

Piz said:


> I think think the new 2 of each car in one case of 12 is perfect , I have always bought the JL / RC2 and now AW cars in duplicate anyway , One to race and one for display ( and then sometime one or two for mods ! )


If they do six car cases, you can just buy two cases, and us who just want cars to run can buy just one case. So im my opinion six car cases are better, because it can satisfy bith types of buyers.

I would really rather just see them hanging on pegs without even knowing which ones are in a particular set, and just buy what I like.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

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## Rayk (Aug 11, 2005)

I try to buy 1 of each style/color that is available. As for the chase cars the true collectors don't get a chance. My local hobby shop opens all the boxes and puts the chase cars on ebay, the owner told me this himself. I guess I don't understand the purpose of the chase car when most dealers don't give the public a chance to purchase them without ebay. Do away with the chase car. Autoworld and true collectors make nothing off them only greedy dealers who care less if HO slotcars even exist.


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## Tazman6069 (Mar 20, 2005)

chase cars will never be worth what you have to pay to get one these days


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## Captain Fred (Feb 19, 2000)

I vote to kill the chase car!

Tyco had a program where you sent in the UPC or bar code from a couple of your Tyco purchases, along with the original receipt, and they would send you a special mail order only F-1 car. That rewards the guys who buy the regular cars and give the collectors something to go for too.

I still have my black & gold #1 Tyco F-1 car.


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## RacerDave (Mar 28, 2006)

I don't buy the chase cars either. Don't like the look of those pale white things. So why pay more for them? If people are buying those thinking they will be worth a lot one day, good luck. I remember the Tyco promos also. I got the silver chrome Buick that way. That was a great idea. Of course I still have the car.


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## 22tall (Jul 28, 2002)

I also get one to race and one for the shelf. Six pair works for me.

I don't see any reason to mess with the white thunder program. If you don't like them don't buy them. If you get a case that has one put it in the swap section as an equal trade for a non white version. Problem solved.


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## mopar78 (Sep 23, 2004)

i'd rather buy a 6 car case and then if i wanted to buy any extras,i'd just buy the ones i liked.I buy them to race them,not to sit them on a shelf.Just my opinion


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

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## 22tall (Jul 28, 2002)

AfxToo said:


> I wish everyone could buy them off pegs at retail, but that's not going to happen anytime soon. I have also noticed that fewer retailers carry the AutoWorld cars than the earlier PM and RC2 ones so even hobbyshop rich areas see the AW cars in shorter supply.


I have well over 400 TOs and XTs. Considering the fact that the local hobby shop only supports the big three and the local Hobby Lobby has had a total of 36 cars for sale. Would I have even 10 JLs if I had to paid retail? Probably not. I have at least 2 of every regular car produced. Could that be accomplished going to retail outlets? NO! 

Retail only benefits the retailer and the state sales tax poeple. Tom Lowe loses nothing. Gains nothing. Why should I even consider paying $16 msrp, $1 sales tax, travel expense, time and aggrvation for a crap shoot? Twelve cars in my hands for $120 total in 3 days makes more sense.

Yes I support my local hobby shop. That's where I get most of my new Mattel, Tomy and LL cars. They charge msrp. Very nice people. When they heard my house burned down thet offered to let me stay with them.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

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## 22tall (Jul 28, 2002)

Not so much opposing as wondering why anyone would go out and pay retail. High price, bad selection and no consistant supply. Nothing personal.

Now if you want to talk taxes I am 100% behind you. Way too much waste.


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## micyou03 (Apr 8, 2003)

AfxToo said:


> 22tall, not sure if you are opposing my post, which was in response to micyou03's post about limiting them to peg sales.



Just to clarify. I don't want to see sales limited to peg sales. I just wish I could walk into a store see what they have hanging there and buy what I like.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

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## vaBcHRog (Feb 19, 2003)

What I would love to see in the packaging is some Theme’s packaging i.e. several Bow Ties (3 -4) or Mopars done in racing trim. Also I would love to see a couple of cars in Dioramas either movie the=med, racing themed nostalgia themed with building, back ground figures anything that can be reused on my tracks or future projects or just plain backdrops for photographs.


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Me too...*



AfxToo said:


> This really rankles me...people always find a way to cheat the system...cherry picking at the retail level.


*ALL* of the hobby stores within reasonable driving distance to me now strip out *ALL* of the special cars. Ironically, this was pretty much the last thing I went in to buy from them too. They have no parts I want and even silicone tires seem to be beyond their capability to keep in stock. I remember when release 5 came out, I was at this store the same day they received the shipment. All the cars were stacked up, but no WT's. I counted them. Hmmm, one short... I guess some other guy beat me!!...Oh well, I just picked out the red Vega. Then as I was paying I see the WT Boss Mustang sitting on top of the cash register. He had a price tag of $50 on it. The shop owner then made a comment about how he was "lucky he got one", and "you have to be quick to get one of these"... I guess he was lucky I even bothered to buy the Vega from him. Haven't been back since. Ban the Chase cars and do a Club Car or something else along those lines.


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## zanza (Sep 23, 2005)

For all the reasons mentioned above I never ad a WT to my collection.... 

And for me a white car with white tires sucks


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## micyou03 (Apr 8, 2003)

The hobby shop I went to would sell the WTs on ebay for what he could get or in the store for $30. I didn't mind because he sold the regular issues for $9 each. I even bought some WTs from him.

Eventually he sold me like 70 cars he couldn't sell for $3 each.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

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## win43 (Aug 28, 2006)

A six pack of cars works for me. I don't really need 2 of every car made.


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## noddaz (Aug 6, 1999)

*interesting...*



micyou03 said:


> The hobby shop I went to would sell the WTs on eBay!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Interesting...
And I suppose that the owner now has no desire what so ever to carry AW cars... lol


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

Thanks to online stores and e-bay, brick and mortar hobby shops often have to resort to selling the chase cars for a premium. It's a way to turn a few extra bucks and stay in business.

I personally don't give a rip for chase cars but I can see the good (and the bad) in them. I also don't think Tom Lowe has any intentions of doing away with them -- they create an obvious collecting buzz and increased awareness for his product.

'doba


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

1976Cordoba said:


> Thanks to online stores and e-bay, brick and mortar hobby shops often have to resort to selling the chase cars for a premium. It's a way to turn a few extra bucks and stay in business.
> 
> I personally don't give a rip for chase cars but I can see the good (and the bad) in them. I also don't think Tom Lowe has any intentions of doing away with them -- they create an obvious collecting buzz and increased awareness for his product.
> 
> 'doba


Well said, keep them, the collectors like em, the dealers like em and the racers dont care. no harm done


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## micyou03 (Apr 8, 2003)

noddaz said:


> Interesting...
> And I suppose that the owner now has no desire what so ever to carry AW cars... lol



No, as a matter of fact a couple of months later he sold me all his slot stuff he had for a real steal. He is dealing only R/C now.


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Changed my mind don't ban'em...*



zanza said:


> ...for me a white car with white tires sucks


Well put and I agree (now) with this and other people who say keep on making them. Since I could care less about them (now) *I guess I should say that when I posted before and said they should "Ban" them it was too harsh of a viewpoint. If people are after them for their collections then who am I to say stop making them. * Personally though my experience was bad at the brick and mortar, hay and straw, (hobby shops) whatever you'd like to call them... If they are relying on the few extra bucks from a White Thunder sale above normal (fair) retail... then they are short sighted to say the least. If things are that bad financially that you have to resort to cherry picking the slot cars? At your customers' expense? ... Well then I don't know what to tell you, but it certainly won't sound like _" Thank-you sir may I have another"_. If you want to yank out the best cars, fine, just don't rub it in your customers' faces. Sell them elsewhere or lie and say you didn't get any. Otherwise what's the point? That's why I like the sound of a Club-Car through the website. If you want one you can get one without relying on the good will of your local hobby dealer. Don't want it? Then sell it, trade it away, or don't even buy it in the first place. At least it was obtainable fairly.


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## bumpercar88 (Feb 6, 2005)

I agree w/ supporting your brick and mortar stores, who wants to wait a week for a bottle of paint or oil? If you're not there for them they won't be there for you. However my experience is that if the hobby shop doesn't have a track it doesn't have much of a slot car selection. My closest hobby shop, which carries NO slot car related items, didn't have Tamiya masking tape or white primer. They sell models but didn't have masking tape or primer? I will leave hobby shops out since my frustration with them sent me to the internet.
I think that the biggest frustration with the JL or RC2 releases has been the length of time between releases of different bodies. How many different colored Willys or 68 GTOs do you need? While I run all my cars, I'm thankful for those who collect shelf queens, it allows the manufacturer to recoupe their investment sooner and may speed up production of new models. I imagine the chase cars are part of this concept. I personally wouldn't mind buying a case consisting of two variations of six different cars if the next case would have totally new cars. Heck I'd subsrcibe just send me the next case and bill me!
Ideally I would like to see AW have new body styles w/ each release, maybe release 1/2 dozen other colors (maybe racing versions) as loose bodies or in kit form. Keep packaging to a minimum on the bodies. I've seen what Dash has done as well as what modelers/ collectors have done on this board and Ebay, I think that there would be enough support of the loose bodies to make it work. Until AW releases thin line Tjet chassis my 50+ JL TO chassis will keep me and several future generations in running chassis and parts.


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## BRS Hobbies (Feb 16, 2006)

What would be the fairest way to sell these Auto World cars as they are right now? Individually, by the case, etc.

Best regards,
Brian


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## micyou03 (Apr 8, 2003)

BRS Hobbies said:


> What would be the fairest way to sell these Auto World cars as they are right now? Individually, by the case, etc.
> 
> Best regards,
> Brian


I would like to see them sold individually with quantity discounts.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

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## lenny (Feb 29, 2000)

22tall said:


> Not so much opposing as wondering why anyone would go out and pay retail. High price, bad selection and no consistant supply. Nothing personal.


A hypothetical question...

If brick and mortars were the only place you could buy these, and you were forced to pay $15 or more with little or no discount for a 12 car or 48 car case, how would that affect the way you buy AW products?


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## dlw (Aug 17, 1999)

Lenny, that would definitely alter my buying habits. I'd have to settle for a few new cars every few weeks (which would be $50 after taxes), instead of a case of 12 for around $130, knowing that the next release is months away allowing me to start saving up again. I'm not against brick and mortars, but common sense says take the better price.


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## noddaz (Aug 6, 1999)

*Well....*



lenny said:


> A hypothetical question...
> 
> If brick and mortars were the only place you could buy these, and you were forced to pay $15 or more with little or no discount for a 12 car or 48 car case, how would that affect the way you buy AW products?


Well.. The way it would change my buying habits is that I would no longer buy cases. (Not that I bought many anyway...) I would buy the individual cars I wanted. The few times I bought cases I figured that I was paying for the cars I wanted. The rest were spare parts. 
So to end this wandering, less than clear excuse for an explanation I will say:

I would only buy the cars I wanted and the retailer would make more money per car.

Scott


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## lenny (Feb 29, 2000)

noddaz said:


> ...and the retailer would make more money per car.


 And probably get stuck with the dogs... Not that you should care about that.


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## SCJ (Jul 15, 1999)

AfxToo said:


> Maybe some sort of "Collector Packaging" program needs to be put into place.


I think it already has......I read somewhere that the clam shell packs and the cubes will both be available for future releases and with different paint schemes...instant "Collector Packaging Program".

-------------------------
www.SlotCarJohnnies.com


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## videojimmy (Jan 12, 2006)

I used to buy cases from JL, but after a while the novelity wore off because the only thing that would change between releases were the color combos. Like one poster said.. how many different color Willies do you need, same goes for Nomads and Camaros? 

As a a collecter and home racer, I would like to see a wider varity of body styles, not just different color combos of bodies already in my collection. That's what's driven me into costumizing.

I can understand makers wanting to get the most out of their molds, maybe instead of back to back releases of the same cars with different colors, they can re-release a certain set later on down the road, with all the new color combos... and create nwer sets with different bodies and mix up the releases.


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## micyou03 (Apr 8, 2003)

I would be willing to pay more for more body styles. I would rather pay $15 each and have two different cars than pay $10 each and have three of the same car.


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## bumpercar88 (Feb 6, 2005)

Variety, just give us variety. When you can't unload a new car in an unopened cube for $5.00 on Ebay, the market is either saturated or the body style is a flop.


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## 22tall (Jul 28, 2002)

lenny said:


> A hypothetical question...
> 
> If brick and mortars were the only place you could buy these, and you were forced to pay $15 or more with little or no discount for a 12 car or 48 car case, how would that affect the way you buy AW products?


I am fortunate to have a good job and no real expenses. It probably wouldn't affect me at all. What would affect me is availability.


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*When is this point reached?*



videojimmy said:



> I can understand makers wanting to get the most out of their molds.


I can understand this too... but only to a point. Maybe I'm missing the facts on the manufacturing side here. Still though, I can't help but wonder why I have to be understanding as they make a dozen different color Camaros or Willys, or whatever, yet they don't care to understand why I don't want them all?  So if I had to choose... Just skip the rainbow of colors on one body style and give me more new stuff more often. I honestly wouldn't mind paying more for the sake of variety either.


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## prorailspeedway (Sep 16, 2006)

Exactly! Give the hobby shop owners a break! You see any of them getting rich?
If you want a chase car tell them to order you a box at a discount price.
Hobby shop owners will usually order the cars you want if you tell them what your looking for.


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