# Dearth of diecast?



## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Is it just me or are 1:24 diecast cars & trucks getting kind of scarce in the mega stores? (K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Target, Toys rUs, etc) I hit all the ones local and in Greensburg while Christmas shopping with Kim, and... nothing period stock, just customs and new cars. Even both of the LHSs have really crummy selections.

Kind of like both Michaels and JoAnn dropping shadowbox stuff just about the time I started buying bits of it for the layout.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Our Walmart here has not had much for years.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Theisen's (a farm type store) usually has a large supply of many scales and they often have 1:24, but the relative numbers of each of the dozens of scales they carry seems to vary a lot. Since I don't do 1:24 I seldom pay attention to items inthat scale, but the 1:32 scale stuff will go from lots to none and back to lots in less than a month... confusing as I didn't really think they sold that much of any of the toys... but then, they do have two aisles devoted to toy farm and road construction vehicles.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Ebay and the internet seams to have become the largest source, kinda sucks because you cant look at them before you buy them and all the drama that shipping can incur.


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## DennisB (Jan 2, 2008)

The same is true here in Canada. Walmart and others have chosen to carry the larger scales. The internet and model train shows are the only ones carrying the 1:24 scale. Very sad really. Dennis.


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## bryanj (Jan 2, 2008)

I have been finding them at Flea Markets and foreign run dollar stores occasionally for under $20 ! Miss KB Toys though .


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## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

This seems to have occured over the past couple of years. It is all 1:18 or 1:16. I even ask a guy who specializes in it and he did not know why. The toy companies do not understand the market. If they did they would coordinate scales with the model industry or boats, planes, and trains. Those larger sizes just seem to sit there on the shelves. I think there are still trying to sell the ones from last year.


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## bottino (Feb 7, 2008)

I still see a lot of them at car shows, as well as flea markets. A guy in our club got some very nice pickup trucks at a agricultural show also. The prices are very good there also. Our Food Lions used to have a nice display of them all the time, and that is gone too. 

Paul


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Try here guys, they have lots of various scales and era's. http://www.motormint.com/
Rod


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Yeah, but you have to pay shipping.


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

The best selection typically can be found at train shows. 

Anything you'll find at Wal-Mart and similar stores now all seem to be flashy painted low riders with chrome wheels etc... But there are still a bunch of great period equipment depending on your era in 1:24 and 1:25. Ebay is a good source to see what's available and then you can look around for better prices, shipping, deals, or just know what to look for at train shows.

With all of the neat diecast cars and trucks out there, it's easy to get carried away. You might end up with shelves looking like these, and this isn't even close to all of them


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I gave up and re-adjusted my time period from 1959-60 to late 1966-or '67 ... Just because he only decent 1:24 convertible I could find locally was a '67 Belv...($15) now I have to find a couple hippies.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

I had an extensive collection of European diecast cars in my yonger days. Most any toystore could yeild some real gems, Corgi, Burago, Solido, etc. Quality was a bit dicey, but there was quite a range. 

Today, there are many higher quality (detail) models, oftentimes found at WalMart et al. Some interesting topics too (I have a complete set of Vespas, a couple 1960 Studebaker, etc) but not as much of the range as in the past. 

Case in point are the buses by SunStar. The UK outline busses are nice (the Bedford is tempting) but nothing for the Continent.


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## kevrut (Jan 3, 2008)

I collect 1/18 scale cars and military items. It seems to me that the larger scale items are getting harder to find. Wal-Mart used to carry them, now the only carry the 1/18 figures. If you can't find anything at Toys-R-Us you'll have to check on-line. 
Kevin.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

If you want 1:18. The "hot" item seems to be Harley-Davidsons. They are just about EVERYWHERE this year (including sidecars and trailers). I found some in 1:24 last year, good thing I bought one, because they aren't to be found this year.




I don't like buying them online because the shipping is often nearly as much as the car.


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## trainman707 (Jan 3, 2008)

I've found several in convenience (gas station) stores. Truck stops also seem to have several in our area. I used to sell them on E-Bay and our 
former website but have been out of the business for a few years. We have a lot of customized or 'low rider' type of vehicles in our Wal-Marts 
here. Not what I want on my road. diecastdirect.com is a good source. Sometimes they have a good deal on 3 or more, but as has been said 
prior...the shipping eats up any savings.


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## Paul Norton (Jan 8, 2008)

Our Wal Mart had a huge selection of trucks and cars one year. The pick-up trucks came with a trailer and car. Cars by themselves were $10, the truck, trailer and car $20. They did not sell well. After Christmas they cleared them out at half price and I bought a bunch. I haven’t seen any there since, although there were some beautiful fire trucks a couple of years back.


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## pete (Jan 2, 2008)

We buy ours at the local flea markets.You can get some great bargins most of the 1/24,1/25,1/32 diecast models cost between $5.00 and $10.00 if i can,t get it at a price around that i don,t buy. This past summer we drove the route 127 flea market from kentucky to tennessee and found more diecast than we coul use.


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## Big John (Jan 4, 2008)

About 8 years ago I bought 30 1/24 matisu cars and trucks at a local hobby store in Detroit that was going out of business. Paid $2.00 cash for each one, no checks or credit cards accepted. Probably the best find ever. I would have gone back the next day to pick some more up but there was a shooting in that strip mall the next day and I thought better of it. When you traveled around Detroit you needed a jacket with a gun pocket. 

Big John


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

MOST of the flea markets around here seem to either rubbish that someone got a whole box for a quarter at auction (or found in a dumpster) or once a week mobile antique stores... or the former who THINK they are the latter.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

My latest finds have been the last two 1:24th diecast in a KB Toys near Rochester Sunday and an SPCA "flea market" set up in our local mall raising money and trying to get animals adopted. The one at the SPCA thing was a $5 donation for a old dodge stake bed pickup. The ones at the KB were much more Modern. The deals are there but not when you want them. Only when you aren't looking for them. 

Chas


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## Fritz (Jan 11, 2008)

Hi, 

The initial question was, if diecasts get scarce at the mega stores. 

Of course they are. They are mainly made in China. The Chinese want more money but the customers are not willing to spend more. So the stores don´t see a profit anymore. They simply use the space for some other goods which they hope, they can sell fast enough. 

But just like trains. there is plenty around second hand. Most large scalers are fifty years old and older. So the supply will last for their lifetime plus theit grandchildren. After all, we are still playing with the tintoys, Mäklin made 100 years ago. 

Have Fun 

Fritz / Juergen


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