The Energon Pub

Ironhidensh wrote:
The quality has gone downhill, but prices have gone up.

When considering inflation, prices have not gone up. G1 Ramjet would be 31$ today. Would people buy that part-forming toy for 31$ today? From the seeker squadron still being available at target, I would say no.

I didn't like the chrome weapons on the Hasbro version of Jetfire, I associate that type of thing with cheap, knock-off toys so I got the Takara version with more paint apps and no chrome and I really love it.

He looks great on my shelf, better than I was expecting.

Tyberion wrote:I didn't like the chrome weapons on the Hasbro version of Jetfire, I associate that type of thing with cheap, knock-off toys so I got the Takara version with more paint apps and no chrome and I really love it.

He looks great on my shelf, better than I was expecting.

But up to that point, wasnt Takara the one using the chrome on their gen figures and people saying they were superior?











I was glad to once be on the recieving end of the fancier deco.

The chrome accents worked well with some Henkei releases, but not others. When it makes sense, like on Optimus Prime's front bumper or a character's weapons to emulate their G1 look, it's fine. When it's just random for the sake of putting chrome somewhere, like Galvatron's gun turret, it looks awkward. For me, the Hasbro chrome on Jetfire's weapons just stuck out like a sore thumb, though I love the cartoon accurate paint apps. The Jetfire on my Classics shelf is the Hasbro version with the Takara version's weapons. So, yes, I have an extra Jeftire that's all blinged out with extra (non screen accurate) paint apps and shiny guns.

I don't understand why people keep saying the price has gone up on Leader Class figures...they've been the same price since the Cybertron era.

SkyWarpt wrote:I don't understand why people keep saying the price has gone up on Leader Class figures...they've been the same price since the Cybertron era.

We're not saying that, what we're saying is the quality, mass, and paint apps have all decreased drastically.

If you would like to argue otherwise, I invite you to compare jetfire to any leader class figure prior to their resurgence and tell me that jetfire and such are still worth the $45 we were asked to pay

Hellscream9999 wrote:

SkyWarpt wrote:I don't understand why people keep saying the price has gone up on Leader Class figures...they've been the same price since the Cybertron era.

We're not saying that.

You are not saying that, but some were:

Ironhidensh wrote:
The quality has gone downhill, but prices have gone up.

That's what Skywarpt was replying to and he is right to call this out since it is innacurate. Once again to anyone doubting prices, G1 coneheads issued today are 30$ each (the fair inflation price considering they were 13$ in 1985) while Voyager Roadbuster is 25$. Would anyone (including parents) find any of these overpriced?

william-james88 wrote:

Hellscream9999 wrote:

SkyWarpt wrote:I don't understand why people keep saying the price has gone up on Leader Class figures...they've been the same price since the Cybertron era.

We're not saying that.

You are not saying that, but some were:

Ironhidensh wrote:
The quality has gone downhill, but prices have gone up.

That's what Skywarpt was replying to and he is right to call this out since it is innacurate. Once again to anyone doubting prices, G1 coneheads issued today are 30$ each (the fair inflation price considering they were 13$ in 1985) while Voyager Roadbuster is 25$. Would anyone (including parents) find any of these overpriced?

I'm not disagreeing with the fact of lowered quality. Personally, I would have rather had the price raise for leader class toys to maintain what was (in all honesty) mp quality or better. The fact is we are grossly underpaying for a "leader class" figure and price should be around $65 to $75 at least.

william-james88 wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:
The quality has gone downhill, but prices have gone up.

That's what Skywarpt was replying to and he is right to call this out since it is inaccurate. Once again to anyone doubting prices, G1 coneheads issued today are 30$ each (the fair inflation price considering they were 13$ in 1985) while Voyager Roadbuster is 25$. Would anyone (including parents) find any of these overpriced?

I would agree with this sentiment in general. Just look at the legends figures, someone just brought up that we're paying the same amount for figures that now lack targetmasters, or how expensive the rid legion and warrior figures are for how unpainted and insubstantial they are ($15 for what could have once passed as a scout almost), or how high the msrp is for the cw limbs ($18) - tru only exacerbates this to the nth degree. Prices in general have definitely gone up and quality is certainly decreasing (for me, from my experiences), I would certainly never go overboard about it, but this is the trend I've seen develop for a while now...

I'd angle that the current 'leaders' (with possible exception of megatron) are more akin to up-scaled, hollowed-out ultra class figures, at a $15 mark-up, is that fair?

As for roadbuater, he had a ton of accessories, plus a full sticker sheet - that probably added some costs into him somewhere, and might detract from your argument, but I agree with it in spirit

Leader class aren't marked up though

william-james88 wrote:

Hellscream9999 wrote:

SkyWarpt wrote:I don't understand why people keep saying the price has gone up on Leader Class figures...they've been the same price since the Cybertron era.

We're not saying that.

You are not saying that, but some were:

Ironhidensh wrote:
The quality has gone downhill, but prices have gone up.

That's what Skywarpt was replying to and he is right to call this out since it is innacurate. Once again to anyone doubting prices, G1 coneheads issued today are 30$ each (the fair inflation price considering they were 13$ in 1985) while Voyager Roadbuster is 25$. Would anyone (including parents) find any of these overpriced?

The generations Coneheads? I paid 11.99 for those Deluxes. Now the deluxe prices range from 14.99 to 19.99 the G1 platinum reissues can't really count as they are designed to leach money off of nastalgia. Look at regular Transformer prices over the last 15 years or so. Price up, quality down.

The leader class during the movie era was 39.99. Now they are 44.99. Not a huge increase until you compare the figures and find today's are so desperately lacking.

Ironhidensh wrote:

william-james88 wrote:G1 coneheads issued today are 30$ each (the fair inflation price considering they were 13$ in 1985) while Voyager Roadbuster is 25$. Would anyone (including parents) find any of these overpriced?

The generations Coneheads?

No. Come on dude, how clearer could I be?

william-james88 wrote:G1 coneheads issued today are 30$ each (the fair inflation price considering they were 13$ in 1985)

G1 Ramjet was 13.99 in the 80s. That is the equivalent of 30$ today.


Transformers G1 1985 Ramjet Gallery

And for less than 30$, you can get Generations Roadbuster, which has more parts, more articulation, a better transformation and a firing missile. So no. Economically speaking prices have not gone up from the 80s. That is a fact. This also makes that Platinum set a slightly better value than when parents bought the coneheads in the 80s (since they are technically less expensive today then they wee then). And there is no leeching, the price of that platinum set gives you a good idea of how much transformers cost parents back in the day compared to their salaries.

I recall years ago when my Pop gifted me a Fortmax. Around 1990ish, in todays prices it would be the equivalent of $ 50.00. Encore Fortmax cost around $ 300.00 (disregard the sale special offers)

So if we go about the snooze inducing Economics 101, the purchasing power of $50.00 back in the 90s can be said to be equivalent todays $300. But yes, there are a lot of corner cutting now. Not enough to satisfy the "share holders" of Hb though if you look at it, the price shift among TFs is not all that wide.

Now, if only TT/Hb could design a Jetfire with the near same features ( avoiding copyright issues of course) and die-cast content at the same price range of this eras Jetfire, I'd be in Cloud 9!

william-james88 wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:

william-james88 wrote:G1 coneheads issued today are 30$ each (the fair inflation price considering they were 13$ in 1985) while Voyager Roadbuster is 25$. Would anyone (including parents) find any of these overpriced?

The generations Coneheads?

No. Come on dude, how clearer could I be?

william-james88 wrote:G1 coneheads issued today are 30$ each (the fair inflation price considering they were 13$ in 1985)

G1 Ramjet was 13.99 in the 80s. That is the equivalent of 30$ today.


Transformers G1 1985 Ramjet Gallery

And for less than 30$, you can get Generations Roadbuster, which has more parts, more articulation, a better transformation and a firing missile. So no. Economically speaking prices have not gone up from the 80s. That is a fact. This also makes that Platinum set a slightly better value than when parents bought the coneheads in the 80s (since they are technically less expensive today then they wee then). And there is no leeching, the price of that platinum set gives you a good idea of how much transformers cost parents back in the day compared to their salaries.

Read the whole post. You might not have caught the fix I put in.

fenrir72 wrote:I recall years ago when my Pop gifted me a Fortmax. Around 1990ish, in todays prices it would be the equivalent of $ 50.00. Encore Fortmax cost around $ 300.00 (disregard the sale special offers)

So if we go about the snooze inducing Economics 101, the purchasing power of $50.00 back in the 90s can be said to be equivalent todays $300. But yes, there are a lot of corner cutting now. Not enough to satisfy the "share holders" of Hb though if you look at it, the price shift among TFs is not all that wide.

Now, if only TT/Hb could design a Jetfire with the near same features ( avoiding copyright issues of course) and die-cast content at the same price range of this eras Jetfire, I'd be in Cloud 9!

From TF Wiki:

Fortress Maximus is, by far, the largest Transformers toy produced in the original G1 line, and for over 25 years was the largest Transformers toy produced at all. In robot mode, he stands 22" (or 56 cm) tall, nearly 8" (20 cm) taller than his rival Scorponok. The original retail price was nearly $100USD. His size record would eventually be broken by the 24" tall Generations Metroplex.

That is 209$ in today's money. So that reissue was overpriced. However, we will get a nice new fortmax next year for less than that which will be even bigger than the original and have better articulation, while retaining the ssame double head master gimick

william-james88 wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:I recall years ago when my Pop gifted me a Fortmax. Around 1990ish, in todays prices it would be the equivalent of $ 50.00. Encore Fortmax cost around $ 300.00 (disregard the sale special offers)

So if we go about the snooze inducing Economics 101, the purchasing power of $50.00 back in the 90s can be said to be equivalent todays $300. But yes, there are a lot of corner cutting now. Not enough to satisfy the "share holders" of Hb though if you look at it, the price shift among TFs is not all that wide.

Now, if only TT/Hb could design a Jetfire with the near same features ( avoiding copyright issues of course) and die-cast content at the same price range of this eras Jetfire, I'd be in Cloud 9!

From TF Wiki:

Fortress Maximus is, by far, the largest Transformers toy produced in the original G1 line, and for over 25 years was the largest Transformers toy produced at all. In robot mode, he stands 22" (or 56 cm) tall, nearly 8" (20 cm) taller than his rival Scorponok. The original retail price was nearly $100USD. His size record would eventually be broken by the 24" tall Generations Metroplex.

That is 209$ in today's money. So that reissue was overpriced. However, we will get a nice new fortmax next year for less than that which will be even bigger than the original and have better articulation, while retaining the ssame double head master gimick

As I mentined, my pop got me a Fortmax around 1990s.....he was originally released 1986-87. So the $50.00 price must have been a "bargain" offer (but for a bargain offer, it was still pricey as $50.00 is still $50.00).

Encore price I quoted included the shipping cost (and profit margin + taxes) of the online specialty store of my buddy who sell my plastic crack.

People always forget to factor the extra cost (especially when ordering from online stores and ebay) Unless the price includes shipping (which also includes the weight of the item)

Fenrir, I wasnt saying you were wrong at all. I just wanted to keep the prices in check for anyone else to come up with their own conclusions. I even agreed with you that the fort max reissue was more than it was supposed to be.

Same as your post. I was also putting into perspective the added cost on an import item and of course, the period (back then when figs were released)

To paraphrae IH in MTMTE pilot " I remember the time when there weren't scalpers who would clean up the toy aisle dry.......when we could still get a toy albeit at a bargain price range without worrying it would be swiped away..........."

Now? Put an original (sometimes KO) TF (fill in the blank franchise) tag and they sell out in a flash. There will be shelfwarmers of course but the likes of Fortmax (in Japan anyway) or Metroplex and they sell out. (Fyi, TRU did not carry Metroplex and the Hb Devastator)

It's a good thing that TRU does rock bottom sales for Jetfire but in Asia, the drop isn't all that earthshaking (except maybe during the Chinese New Year in HK and Singapore).

Its like with chips\crisps - they keep the price the same but remove one or two every few years from the bag.

I wouldn't call it "KO quality" - just we're getting slightly less for the same amount of money lately.

Ironhidensh wrote:The one that really posses me off is Ultra Magnus. I paid full price for him, and while looking amazing, he feels like a cheap piece of scrap.

Yeah, UM is the one that deserves the sort of slander Jetfire's been getting. For all the niggles, Jetfire is hollow and lacking paint aps and all but still solidly made. UM is literally stress mark city from the time you first transform him (or even before for some people) and apparently suffers from cybertronian arthritis, as he drops his guns in a stiff breeze. Apparently the Takara version is better, but that just adds to the notion of the Hasbro one having the quality of a KO.

Optimum Supreme wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:The one that really posses me off is Ultra Magnus. I paid full price for him, and while looking amazing, he feels like a cheap piece of scrap.

Yeah, UM is the one that deserves the sort of slander Jetfire's been getting. For all the niggles, Jetfire is hollow and lacking paint aps and all but still solidly made. UM is literally stress mark city from the time you first transform him (or even before for some people) and apparently suffers from cybertronian arthritis, as he drops his guns in a stiff breeze. Apparently the Takara version is better, but that just adds to the notion of the Hasbro one having the quality of a KO.

Agreed, it felt like garbage, literally like the crap plastic I recycle