[StuBeeDoo]

QUOTE (honestjudge @ 28 Jan 2012, 18:11) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thankfully, I am afraid that I am 'not' afraid of the wife and I don't have to justify what comes through the front door.
Neither am I afraid of the wife.

I'm fortunate in that I don't have to justify my expenditure, as we each have our own income and accounts, although we do both chip-in to a joint account for household stuff and holidays. As long as that account is covered, we operate a policy of "mine and yours". That's not to say she might not be a little disturbed at how much I've spent in the last year but as long as the family doesn't suffer for it (which, as far as I'm aware, they haven't) she's fine with it. Particularly as I don't smoke, drink, mug OAPs, or do anything chemical...........

Having said all that, I do sneak stuff into the attic (she never goes in!) and she probably thinks I only have 30 or so cars when in reality it's nearer 50. It's just easier not to have to talk about it with someone who has an interest level of zero on a scale of 1-100 and doesn't understand that no two cars are alike. In her world, they all do the same thing although they are decorated differently. If I tried to explain to her that my Cordoba WRC is nothing like the 1:1 car in that it continually spanks the Impreza and Lancer and nothing I've done has made the situation more "real", she'd switch off before I'd even spoken half a sentence.

In a nutshell, she's happy to feed my addiction but she's blissfully unaware of the depth of that addiction. It's pretty much the same as my lack of interest in;-
Soap Operas
Dancing On Ice/Strictly Come Dancing/I'm A (wannabe/ex-) Celebrity......./Downton Abbey
Gardening
Zumba, etc, etc, etc

 

[stoooo]

You're wrong about Downton Abbey. *That* rocks. But then again, I'm a sucker for solidly made period drama.

I'm also a non-smoker, who doesn't gamble, smoke, play away from home and who usually consumes noticably less than 1 unit of alcohol per week, so our lass is pretty understanding when it comes to me spending *my* pocket money on toy cars. And while she doesn't take much of an interest in it, she will play along sometimes when I have the track out. It drives me crazy how she can run two cars at once, though. Damn me and my unitasking manbrain !

 

[FZSsemans®]

stoooo

 

[AAWSCC]

Stubeedoo,
That was what I was getting at. There is no fear and I'm surre I didn't use the word affraid, but it is simpler to not tell the whole story. I know damn well she does the same with shoes. It just doesn't bother me.
Back to the original theme, I think the price of most cars should be around £38 - £40. Anything under and someone is losing out along the line or making next to nothing. Market forces makes the price as has been said.

 

[Rakete]

The perspective of the complainers are valid - even if the math may not hold up. Prices may be rising or maybe they are not, one thing for sure is our incomes are not growing as fast as they have historically. The disposable income any of us have to spend on slot cars is subject to fluctuation depending on our personal finances, so I think its fair to question how much a car should cost. I am a fan of free markets, I am a fan of profits. Our beloved slot car companies, though, need to reach as broad a market as possible to remain viable and that means balance. Price too low and you rack up the losses faster than you can think, priced too high and you die a slow death.

For me the issue is at what price am I prepared to break the car. I run my cars, but I like to retain their original looks - mirrors, spoilers, wings, etc... thats part of the fun. Sure, some of them will break off - I am much more tolerant of smashing up the $35 to $50 car than a $70 to $90 car.

On another board I've seen too many "for sale" threads started by people who have lost their jobs. I get the whole, if you don't like the price, don't buy argument - but we need as many people able to buy as possible to keep this thing going.

Regards,

-- Rakete --

 

[montoya1]

The perspective of complainers may be valid, but the possibility they don't comprehend it's total worth cannot be ignored.

Stoner - no big deal at all, but if you were to make your posts look more like those of others, with paragraphs and capital letters, everyone on here would gain.

 

[Rakete]

Maybe true. Guess it depends on how much of the market lines up at what price point. Just take one look at the housing market. I have colleagues that are stuck with their $1M houses they can't get out of. From their point of view, the house is still worth a million - all the best components, granite, sub zero appliances, pool, exclusive community. Maybe at some point it was, but it ain't no more. The point is the true worth is only what a buyer is willing to pay for a product regardless of what its cost was to produce. You can be totally inside out on costs, be they components or labor, has no bearing on worth until someone is prepared to buy at the set price.

Regards,

-- Rakete --

 

[dodge]

Well I guess most points have been put across by now but, for me, if I want a new car then I save up or wait until next pay day

I don't use e-bay to buy my cars, maybe I should, but if we all did then I guess we would see the cars disappear from the model zone shelves.

Looking at pictures is great on line but every weekend I can actually handle the cars to see if I like them or not.

So, I tend to buy my scalextric cars from model zone,

shock horror I know someone actually paying top dollar
but when you work it out, most of the on-line stores (name not mentioned) are £2.05 cheaper than model zone.

Then you pay your postage, around £1.75 so if my math is correct thats now 30p cheaper.

Then if work all day, like me and can't get someone to stay in when the parcel arrives then you have to drive
to your local PO depot to collect. So wheres the saving. I certainly can't afford to buy multiple cars every purchase to make it viable.
plus I have a hornby discount card

Of course, I do use the online stores to purchase the different makes which Model Zone don't stock, Ninco, Fly and NSR.

This way, I support as many retailers as I can and do my bit to keep the hobby which I enjoy alive....and I guess that is what we all want.

As for the Racer cars, they look fantastic but way out of my price bracket

. NSR prices are my limit.

Dodge

 

[benj]

Licence fee, a complete joke, normally you pay to advertise.

Costs my company loads of money to advertise, be happy to have logo places free of charge?

Personally I love NSR cars, good looking designs, well put together and a great factory who seem committed to the work.

Yes they are a bit pricey to run and maybe crash! But IMO they seem to be built to a good quality and they are robust.

If you collect and want to keep the car in the box, pay the high price and stare at the product! Me, well I buy want I like and put it straight on the track, it's great to see 4 nice cars going around our track, that's what's it's about for me.

Everything is exspensive nowadays, take football strips...... Hmmm now we are really taking the pee