# Christmas Sets Show Up Yet?



## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Usually at Christmas time we can count on Mattel to put sets into stores like Costco. So far, I have not seen them show up in my local Costco. The only set I have seen is in Target.

Anyone see the once-a-year sets pop up in Costco, BJ's or any other store?

Thanks...Joe


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## DesertSlot (May 8, 2009)

I saw one Life Like set at my Target the other day. I was looking for those AW ornaments.


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

I've been cruising Ollies. Last year they had some LifeLike demo derby and skateboarding sets, as well as a couple different NASCAR sets. As of today, they had 5 demo derbies and 1 skateboard set left over from last year. Nothing new, sadly. (Hey Sethndaddy, you reading this? If they go on 50% sale after xmas again and there's any left, you still want the demo derby cars?)

--rick


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

DesertSlot said:


> I saw one Life Like set at my Target the other day. I was looking for those AW ornaments.


yeah i've been haunting the Target staff for them, brandishing my iPhone with that thread from pms485 and the pics of the packaged cars for anyone who will look. a couple of the stock people were interested--"hey, where'd you get those pictures? that's real Target packaging, the way the stock number is printed up on the right there"--but most of them are getting tired of seeing me. :tongue:

--rick


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

I haven't seen any sets show up yet.


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

ParkRNDL said:


> I've been cruising Ollies. Last year they had some LifeLike demo derby and skateboarding sets, as well as a couple different NASCAR sets. As of today, they had 5 demo derbies and 1 skateboard set left over from last year. Nothing new, sadly. (Hey Sethndaddy, you reading this? If they go on 50% sale after xmas again and there's any left, you still want the demo derby cars?)
> 
> --rick


Ya know, before I finished reading the first sentence, I was like, "ooo, I want that demo. derby set". How much are they now?


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Still 40, which seemed a little steep... It looked a lot better for 20. Remember their 50% sale was only for like a week after Xmas last year and by the time I went back I missed it...

--rick


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Well, it's the first week of December. Except for the one Mattel HO set in Target, I haven't seen anything else in retail stores. Anyone else see something?

Thanks...Joe


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## Rolls (Jan 1, 2010)

Two Mattel sets in my Target, but very similar ones. Some Scaley sets there, too - 1/43 I think. Nothing in Costco so far.


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## sjracer (May 25, 2008)

I'll have to recheck my local Ollies I didn't see any.


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## plymouth71 (Dec 14, 2009)

ParkRNDL said:


> I've been cruising Ollies. Last year they had some LifeLike demo derby and skateboarding sets, as well as a couple different NASCAR sets. As of today, they had 5 demo derbies and 1 skateboard set left over from last year. Nothing new, sadly. (Hey Sethndaddy, you reading this? If they go on 50% sale after xmas again and there's any left, you still want the demo derby cars?)
> 
> --rick


I might be interested... what do they look like?


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

plymouth71 said:


> I might be interested... what do they look like?


They're gone. And I don't know where, because I doubt they suddenly sold them all. They've had like 6 or 8 of them collecting dust since last Christmas, and now sometime right around when they put the new Christmas stuff out, they vanished. I've been looking, but no luck...

--rick


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## plymouth71 (Dec 14, 2009)

Anychance you could ask about them at the store?


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Next time I'm in there I'll do that.


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Not the "typical" Xmas Set...*

... but this is due mid-December. Looks interesting, but does the picture show 3 cross-overs??? Shouldn't there be 2 or 4?? 

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXZKC2&P=ML


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## Jim Norton (Jun 29, 2007)

The AFX 24 hour set is the most anticipated set of the year.....at least in some circles!

Jim Norton
Huntsville, AL


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## Rolls (Jan 1, 2010)

Good eye, 'nuther! 

IIRC, the photo showing 3 crossovers is an early proof that Racemasters used to meet a deadline much earlier this year. One crossover is actually supposed to be a squeeze track. 

Very cool set, though! Great selection of bigger curves and those sweet, sweet new cars.


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## Rolls (Jan 1, 2010)

Has anyone seen this set appear anywhere yet??


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Grandcheapskate said:


> Well, it's the first week of December. Except for the one Mattel HO set in Target, I haven't seen anything else in retail stores. Anyone else see something?
> 
> Thanks...Joe


Well, it's that time of year again. Anyone see Christmas time sets popping up anywhere, like Costco's, etc.? I checked Costco and Target within the last week and nothing.

Well, actually Costco had this 1/43 Shelby self-powered set for something like $32. I had seen it before at a TRU clearance for $25. I doubt it's worth $10.

Joe


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## hefer (Sep 18, 1999)

Rolls said:


> Has anyone seen this set appear anywhere yet??


 I saw one at a Hobby Town USA here in Kentucky.


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

I saw a Mattel set last week, pretty sure it was at Target... pretty sure the name had "Rally" in it. The cars were the recent HW-copy thingies that have turned up a couple times recently... I think one is called Iridium?

--rick


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## Rawafx (Jul 20, 1999)

The Wall Mart here in W-S, NC had an "end cap" of an isle full of the Mattel sets with the white Mustang and the yellow Camaro. They were $28.88 I believe. I was in there Fri. Am and didn't see them on the end anymore, they may have moved them to an isle spot.

Bob Weichbrodt
[email protected]
Winston-Salem, NC


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Well, another Christmas has passed. I did very little looking this year, but my Costco had nothing. Did anyone find sets this year? Mattel seems to have pounded the final nail into the old Tyco line by not even going for Christmas sales this year.

Joe


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## gomanvongo (Jun 12, 2010)

In terms of HO - I saw 2 basic life like sets with the reliable old t-birds in the local model shop (hobby store is bit optimistic, as all they usually carry is model kits and scuba gear). but judging from the packaging condition they've seen a few holiday seasons come and go (Plus, i know he had the same sets last year for sure) they were way overpriced, and he had no interest in talking slots at all - to the point of rudeness! 

Other than that, it;s all real cheap 1:43's at toys r us, and a bit of scaley and a couple of spin drives at the other local hobby shop.

it seemed like pretty poor year for slots on the eastern canadian retail front!

john


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Year 3 for this thread. Anyone see the once-a-year sets popping up anywhere? It may be a week or two too early to know.

Thanks...Joe


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

Nothing in Saint Paul yet.


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## clausheupel (Jan 27, 2005)

*Funny...*




tjd241 said:


> ... but this is due mid-December. Looks interesting, but does the picture show 3 cross-overs??? Shouldn't there be 2 or 4??
> 
> http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXZKC2&P=ML


...the pic definitely shows 3 (three) cross-over pieces (which is a no-no as we know...), but the description says there are 3 squeeze tracks included!

They probably just didn´t have the correct track pieces on hand for the photo shooting...? :hat:

CU,

Claus

...oops! That thread is REALLY old...! Sorry for my comment probably nobody wanted to read...


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

[email protected] no worries, it was entertaining anyway. ROFLMFAO


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## swamibob (Jan 20, 2009)

joez870 said:


> Nothing in Saint Paul yet.


Hey JoeZ: 

I didn't realize you lived up here in the Great White North? :wave: Do you race up here at all? There are a couple St. Paul guys racing in our group.

Did you make our last slot Car Swap meet? It was about a month ago at the VFW by the Midland Shopping Center in New Hope.

Drop me an e-mail if you need a group to race with. [email protected].

Tom


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## plymouth71 (Dec 14, 2009)

Hmmm... Only 7.5 hours away... Might be able to do it on a weekend... LoL :freak:


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## GenevaDirt (Feb 18, 2011)

Ha...didn't realize it was that old either...but I looked up that set and you can get it shipped for free from amazon for $127.00...they have a lot of slot car stuff on amazon.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Year 4 - any sets showing up yet for Christmas?

I did see a Bass Pro Shops commercial where they mention a slot set. I checked the website and I found an SCX 1/32 set they are selling.

As speculation grows that Lifelike/Walthers may have, at best, taken an hiatus from slots, it would appear that Mattel has completely withdrawn even from the once a year issuing of sets. I don't believe I saw a Mattel set pop up in Costco for the last two years and while it's still early, I have seen nothing this year.

Anyone seeing activity for this season?

Thanks...Joe


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

I saw Three Slot Car sets at my local Boscov's Dept Store. Two were Carrera sets(one of those was with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). The 3rd set was a Life-Like Set, BUT, it wasn't HO !...it's looked like maybe 1/43 and was a Folding layout set, and used Cranking Power supplies that the user had to crank to power up. Rather unique, but something I think the Kids would tire of fast, as the layout could not be expanded.


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## A/FX Nut (May 28, 2004)

With the offerings from Mattel just before they quit, they're better off not releasing anything. I wasn't impressed.

Randy.


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

I also forgot to mention. At my local Target, I saw they again have the Carrera 1/43 scale Mario Bros. Go Kart set (battery powered) for $29.99


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## FOSTBITTEN (Aug 1, 2013)

I saw that Bass Pro commercial & I was able to get to a BP store. I did not see any except for the demo set (which was cool). I asked the girl there if they had any & she said no. They had 50 of them & they sold very fast. She said that kids were having so much fun with it that their parents were hiding that they were buying sets for their kids for Christmas. She said that she gets asked several times a day if they have any of the sets. And that she is directing the folks to the BP website. 

The set is really cool it is a digital set with 2 cars. The store setup had 6 cars on it with the pit stop accessory attached. This does not come with the set they sell. But here is the kicker: this set sells for $159.99!!! Which I think is a terrific set for a family to get started into slot cars. I am currently trying to talk the wife into getting one for Christmas before they are all sold out. BPS is also running free shipping on anything over $99. 

http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-SCX-Slot-Car-Race-Set/product/13061108265923/


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## brownie374 (Nov 21, 2007)

I like the Video with Tony Stweart with the kids


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

As an aside...I asked this in another thread, but does anyone ever get to a Mattel outlet store? There's only a couple and I don't think any are in the eastern half of the country. Just curious if things pop up there around the holiday...or any other time.

Joe


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## vansmack2 (Feb 9, 2012)

I have not been to the Mattel Outlet store in probably over a year since it is about 40 miles away. I have not seen anything in stores around here (So. Cal.)


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## Gareth (Mar 8, 2011)

I was in my local toy shop yesterday. They had quite a lot of slots actually. Scalextric Digital, Scalextric Demolition Derby, Star Wars set, the Olympics velodrome (boo!) and another micro set. They also had a Nissan GTR 1:43rd set which appears to be based on the old Artin product. They also had a really cheap battery operated 1:43rd set. It was only £15. Still more than I wanted to pay for it haha!!

Currently though I'm almost more excited by Tomy's Battroborg set. £59 for the arena set which seemed cool. 

It would be easier if more HO was available over here.


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