Perceived Value, Part II

May/June 2019 edition
Issue #5 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
Marshall Buck

1:18 scale Aston Martin “Franken-pig” by CMC. Prices range from $400 - $600 depending on seller and version. Always found on eBay.

I’m back on my soapbox… there are several very common perceptions & misconceptions which I see all the time with collecting good to great models, as well as with selling them. And then, on a lengthy sliding scale, there are always exceptions to the rule, which we don’t have room for here… and I don’t want to bore anyone to death. All of the aforementioned get more complex and confusing if your tastes are eclectic (mine are).  

Dealers and manufacturers will often tout special extras or various features to try to emphasize value, which usually do not add any or much value, such as an included display case, and/or parts count, and working features…Well it all depends, there is no simple answer on working features, though with that, you should always consider… How good and accurate are they? No point in having them if they are far out of scale and/or the part(s) appear to have been made by The Three Stooges.

I’ve previously mentioned other misleading claims made by some manufacturers in my earlier columns, and those also pertain to “perceived value.” And remember, high price does not always buy you quality or value, but in most cases, it does. 

1:24 scale resin Ferrari California Spyder tied to a brick for “value.” The brick weighs 6 pounds, the model weighs all of 1/2 of a pound. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” and don’t judge a model by its weight.

The weigh in….
Weight is important for real racing cars, boxers at their weigh in before a fight, super models on the cover of fashion magazines, and buying roast beef at the deli counter, but NOT for model cars! I’ve heard too many times… “wow this is a great model, it’s so heavy.” Wrong!  Many of the “heavy weights” in the model world are barely worth more than the raw material they are made of. Don’t be concerned about “weight,” and don’t tie bricks to any light weight models.

It’s a material issue….
Too many people get hung up on the material a model is made of. Materials rarely matter; resin, metal, plastic (styrene), wood, paper…. Just judge how good (or bad) the piece is based on how it actually looks, and if it rings your bell. You’re not buying a diamond engagement ring here, and the right model will most likely hold its value better. One great “material” example is the 1:12 scale Ferrari 288 GTO by Tamiya. Perfectly accurate, excellent quality, terrific detail, many working parts, top notch fit & finish, beautiful paint finish, and it is almost all plastic including the body… oh and it is also mass produced.  

Fabulous 1:12 scale Ferrari 288 GTO by Tamiya. Extensive detail. Still available; prices range from $500 - $700 depending on seller.

This is one of those rare instances where you really get superb value, much more than what you pay for. Metal is not always a good thing.  Zamak, the metal used in all diecast metal models is a cheap low end low quality metal, and if it has been contaminated in its mixture, which happens… then models will eventually deteriorate, and the deterioration cannot be stopped… this has happened to hundreds of models. Don’t panic… the vast majority of models made with this metal are still OK.

The more the better….
Manufactures rave about parts count….’Our model is great because it is made of a million parts.’ Well, truth be told, parts count does not guarantee greatness. That is never, the best or only way to determine the value, quality, or accuracy of a model. Case in point, and I am truly sorry if I offend anyone who bought one of these. The mass produced 1:18 scale Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato model by CMC is the poster child for a good idea gone wrong. Perhaps one of the engineers for this was related to Dr. Frankenstein. 

It’s bad enough that they made one version, but to maximize their financial return on this thing, they created five versions, which they promptly foisted on innocent collectors. Yeah, each has lots of parts, along with lots of flaws. All are very wrong in many ways. It’s a toy at best, or a Franken-pig model. It was not based on any one of the real DB4 GT Zagato’s… It is a combination of several cars, with some fantasy thrown in. It’s easy for any collector to see why it is wrong by simply doing a quick internet search or opening a good Aston Martin book. Do the same when judging any model, it helps.
 
In our next issue I’ll have part III, and will show some of the good (even from CMC) and what to look for. 
 
Marshall Buck

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