I do prefer an opening diecast to a sealed one normally, but at the same time overall quality matters more. Unfortunately due to my... Varied taste in cars, a lot of oddball ones I really like only get made in resin due to low popularity.
This is how most people would see it from a logical perspective, as you're getting the most out of a product quantitatively. This is how we have budget models like Maisto and Bburago. They got doors, bonnets, spinny wheels, but the brake discs are flat grey plastic, the engine block with all their hoses, tubes and whatever else an engine has, is a single plastic piece of a single colour. It's got a little bit of everything you want, but isn't amazing at any feat. Noticing this is how I've arrived at what I look for.
Opening parts is the whole reason why you buy a 1:18 car in the first place... Resin models aren't worth it - you might as well buy a 1:43 scale car.
As a long time collector, I don't think it is quite that simple. Even being sealed, a 1/18 resin is generally going to have more detail than a 1/43 one, just due to having more room to work with. My Ignition 1/43's are a decent amount less detailed than my 1/18's from the same company, especially in wheel and brake detailing. Also you get more little details that are just impossible to capture in 1/43. Anyway a 1/18 is just going to have far more shelf presence than a 1/43 any day of the week.
To me it’s a bit of most of the opinion that others have voiced before me, but I think Venom800tt’s view that fits me the most. Whenever I saw something that I want, I’ll always want to make sure I have the most detailed model with the most ‘gimmicks’ (without it going crazy expensive, such as into the realms of Amalgam), which is why when there is the option to choose between models that have opening hoods and such and fully closed ones, I usually go for the former. This explains why I have an openable Frontiart One-77 instead of a fully closed version made by the same company. But if the openable model’s overall quality does not stack up to the closed version, then I’ll go for the closed version instead. This explains why I have an AUTOart DBR9 instead of a Solido one. Another reason I go for the openable models is that there is usually much more details that can be photographed on them, thus opening up more possibilities for photography that simulates realism. In fact, I think whether the model is photogenic has a very hefty place in my buying decision as well, so if I ever decide that I need a LC500 in my collection (just to illustrate; hope that won’t be the case
), then I think I’ll go for the AUTOart one instead of the Almost Real version, in spite of the latter having more gimmicks, because from what I see, the AUTOart version’s tyres are more realistic, and Almost Real’s gimmicks don’t aid in the ‘photography realism’ bit. And also because I’m not a fan of the blue+orange interior colour combination on the Almost Real, but that’s an aside.
I buy model cars because I don't possess the skill level or tools to make them myself. I also buy what I'd like to own and would probably never own (to a reasonable financial degree/other priorities).
For me, my initial reason was keeping control on my discretionary spendings. Basically If I want more, I let go of some; minimize new costs incurred.
Then it became a case of running out of storage space. I'm trying my best to contain all my collectibles' boxes within my room only without it spreading out to other parts of the household. I'm not interested in the idea of developing a man cave or walls of things of little significant meaning to show off. A whole wall of model cars to me indirectly shows off how much disposable money I have. I could be putting up my own artwork/other creations instead and that would have infinitely more value/meaning.
After that, I've been cutting back even more because I've been keeping myself relatively broke (in my eyes), never paid attention to how much I've been spending per year. I learned a few years ago I'd be drastically wealthier today if I made better use of my money back then, so with the saying "better late than never", I'm on the road to making that change. Instead of narrowing what I would consider buying down to only decent quality brands, I'm narrowing it down keeping what cars are the most special to me. A shoddy all-plastic and sealed Minichamps Ford Fiesta WRC opened my eyes to that.
It is easily the lowest quality model I have, and I rather keep that over others of greater quality such as:
In realizing that allowing myself to collect anything so long as it was of good quality, creating the mancave would've been inevitable. I like too many cars for too many reasons. It would mean more if I can be more selective in what makes the cut. I've been reviewing what I currently own every now and then for the last month, and there are only about three more I think I can let go of (if I really have to). In the last 2 years, I've recovered about $4400 by letting go of things (all scales) that I've no strong attachment to.
Collecting things was an experience I didn't fulfill when I was younger, and now that I've had 8 years of it, I'm content with dialing it down. I can't deny there is a thrill of hunting discontinued goods, appreciating the beauty of the work, and basking in the prospects of profiting off a resale. I don't foresee me graduating from this entirely yet, but I'm definitely not going to be as active as I once was.
Edit: These are great discussion topic questions you're dishing out by the way. I'm enjoying this quite a bit.
I say this because I bought a resin V8 Supercar a few years ago. I'd never purchased a 1:18 scale car at that point, and because it was relatively cheap, I thought why not. I had in my collection for a while but sold it soon after because I couldn't justify keeping a 1:18 model without the 1:18 features. At that size, it's stupid not to have opening parts. Maybe if I was an exclusive 1:18 collector I wouldn't care but because I'm not, a resin model makes no sense to me. Buying a 1:18 is very much a novelty for me, and having a car with opening parts adds to that novelty value. Simply buying a 1:18 for the extra small details is pointless if nothing opens.
How much disappointment should I expect from buying the Bburago 1/24 scale Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrafoglio? I'm finding myself diving into a bad rabbit hole of wanting to buy diecast models of cars I've experienced in real life. At least in terms of having the opportunity to drive with my journalist friend. (Which...this could get expensive if I plan to buy ALL the cars I've tested) Honestly had a lot of fun with the Stelvio and I'd love to have some physical sort of memorabilia for that time. As much as I liked it though, I'm not sure I want to go for the Ottomobile version.
On the other hand, it might almost be worth it to buy the Ottomobile model.
I suppose it's more of what it's worth to me.
