The Energon Pub

News Credits: 3 · Thu Jan 09, 2014 7:05 pm

Well, after much waiting and reviewing I finally purchased Springer. I was kinda disappointed immediately with the quality. The sword was not very straight and the ball joints were pretty loose. I knew about the other problems in the alt modes but man, I did not expect them to be so bad. The car mode looks great but nothing clicks together. It just sorta sits there.

I had planned to get sandstorm as well, but now I'm not so sure. Have they improved the problems with Springer when they made Sandstorm? Does anyone have Sandstorm and can tell me?

News Credits: 60 · Thu Jan 09, 2014 7:51 pm

My Tomy Springer has a slightly loose left chest panel but aside from that he's great!

News Credits: 3 · Thu Jan 09, 2014 8:07 pm

Optimizzy wrote:Well, after much waiting and reviewing I finally purchased Springer. I was kinda disappointed immediately with the quality. The sword was not very straight and the ball joints were pretty loose. I knew about the other problems in the alt modes but man, I did not expect them to be so bad. The car mode looks great but nothing clicks together. It just sorta sits there.

I had planned to get sandstorm as well, but now I'm not so sure. Have they improved the problems with Springer when they made Sandstorm? Does anyone have Sandstorm and can tell me?

You got a bad bothced toy. My Springer is tight, and all the joints click. Years ago I bought the Sam's Exclusive RID Optimus Prime. It was the last one in the store. It looked good in the box but when I cut him loose I noticed right away the plastic was uneven and ruff around the edges. Having the Car Robots version I already knew how to transform him. Nothing would fit right. The holes were either too big or too small. I called my friend and he brought over his Sam's Club prime over and it was flawless with no odd edges and holes. I also had this problem with Generations Sky Shadow, and when I bought Powerlinx Optimus Prime from TRU.

Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:25 pm

My Springer was fine and so was my Sandstorm for the most part. For SS I found he didn't fully click together in his flight mode. I keep the 2 of them in bot mode for posing so I don't transform them much.

News Credits: 14 · Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:39 pm

Mine is also fine. Sounds like you got a bad one.

He holds together fine in both car mode and Robot mode. Chopper mode is slightly iffy since the side panels/wings don't really peg onto the chopper body, but the shoulder assemblies are tight enough on mine that they really don't move much.

The only other thing that doesn't peg in is the rear flap. The slots don't seem like the fit the tabs on the legs.

As for the sword, I think its one of the better swords out there. Its solid in both modes.

I got Sandstorm still boxed up. Haven't had time to open him. But he also looks great.

News Credits: 1 · Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:11 am

Personally I think Sandstorm is slightly better. The new backpack improves the stability of the alt. modes, and everything just seems to click together better. Plus I don't have to take his head off to transform him to robot mode(my Springer's head never did fit through the chest piece).

News Credits: 12 · Fri Jan 10, 2014 10:40 am

For me, both figures have some panels that don't quite line up in the alt modes. It doesn't bother me much, though, mostly because they're usually in bot mode and the bot modes don't have any issues. And even where things don't quite line up perfectly or click into place, everything is tight enough that it holds together.

News Credits: 4 · Fri Jan 10, 2014 11:44 am

my Sandstorm clicks together a lot better, but still has a couple of bits that are a little tricky. Springer is quite uneven in car mode especially, but the sword/blades are solid. I've no real issue with them, as they're great toys already, but I'd seen and heard plenty about Springer being a bit dodgy prior to him being delivered anyway.

News Credits: 3 · Fri Jan 10, 2014 1:56 pm

well, I guess I'll just try to fix some of the bad seams in robot mode and leave him in that. Helicopter mode is pretty good. I just hope when I get Sandstorm the figure holds up a little better. Springer seems like a well designed toy it's just the plastic used or quality control. That's a shame. Well, Sandstorm is next so heres to hoping its a little better.

Thanks.

News Credits: 6188 · Sun Apr 27, 2014 6:44 am

Resurrecting this thread, because true to my current British status, I am late to the party.

Between Sandstorm and Springer, which one would you say is the better toy? Not the better character, mind you, but toy.

I have an itchy customising finger, and it looks as though Springer at least could look even more amazing with some detailing (I've seen some versions around the web, and they look gooooood). But at the same time, Sandstorm has so much going on - though the backpack is what puts me off, in robot mode.

Any suggestions?

News Credits: 4 · Sun Apr 27, 2014 8:30 am

I like them both. I think some of the molded details on Sandstorm are nicer, and I love how they've got the extra armouring on the front of the car. I like Springer more but that's because of the character. His head sculpt is spot on, but Sandstorm's is maybe a little nicer in the detailing again. Those big ass wheels though! I've called for a Battletrap from this mold, using the shoulders and chest of Sandstorm but the legs and back of Springer. (but do a bloody Flywheels out of Blitzwing first!)

News Credits: 14 · Sun Apr 27, 2014 8:33 am

Va'al wrote:Between Sandstorm and Springer, which one would you say is the better toy? Not the better character, mind you, but toy.
I have an itchy customising finger, and it looks as though Springer at least could look even more amazing with some detailing (I've seen some versions around the web, and they look gooooood). But at the same time, Sandstorm has so much going on - though the backpack is what puts me off, in robot mode.
Any suggestions?

I had my concerns about the size of this mould, but in hand the mould is pretty good. I only have Sandstorm at the moment as Im still debating on getting Fansproject Warbot Springer instead of Gen Springer as I would prefer two different moulds for two very different characters.
Sandstorm has a weighty backpack, and with that Id say grab Gen Springer to try customizing!

News Credits: 4 · Sun Apr 27, 2014 8:39 am

check out http://www.cheetimus.com/ for some looks at the Springer mold customised. he's done loads.

News Credits: 6188 · Sun Apr 27, 2014 9:38 am

craggy wrote:check out http://www.cheetimus.com/ for some looks at the Springer mold customised. he's done loads.

Ah, was thinking more of touchups than full on custom job!

Something like this: http://customtankfigure.com/figure-gallery.html

News Credits: 65 · Sun Apr 27, 2014 11:24 am

I love these molds. It's a great example of how much Hasbro/Takara can accomplish with pre-engineered retooling. By the way, which version of Springer has the consensus as the most G1 accurate? I've got Takara Sandstorm, because he's got a LOT more orange to augment his G1 screen accuracy, but I'm a little torn on the proper Springer. I have Hasbro's version with the more vivid greens and yellows, plus two tones of gray (which seems more screen accurate to me). The Takara version has more washed out looking green and yellow (which is more screen accurate, I suppose), but some details are wrong, like the green feet and single tone gray legs. I lean more towards the Hasbro version, since the brighter colors make him pop, and he's got some more of the little coloring details right, to me.

News Credits: 4 · Sun Apr 27, 2014 12:04 pm

I got the Hasbro one, which is far more screen accurate for 20 quid than you'll get for the Japanese one at twice the price. Course, neither is screen accurate, unless you're reading the comics it was based on digitally.

News Credits: 65 · Sun Apr 27, 2014 1:02 pm

craggy wrote:I got the Hasbro one, which is far more screen accurate for 20 quid than you'll get for the Japanese one at twice the price. Course, neither is screen accurate, unless you're reading the comics it was based on digitally.

Those are my sentiments as well, but I thought I'd bring it up, because there is every possibility I don't understand what Takara was thinking with their version. Knowing that could help me appreciate their altered color scheme a lot more. Like, how Takara went for a more IDW comic accurate color layout for Blurr, while Hasbro instead went for more G1 show AND toy accuracy, which is what I look for now in my Classics figures.

News Credits: 4 · Sun Apr 27, 2014 1:06 pm

I'm fairly unpredictable in this regard. Usually I'll go for show/comic accuracy, but sometimes I'll just prefer another colour scheme more.

News Credits: 12 · Mon Apr 28, 2014 8:18 am

Va'al wrote:Between Sandstorm and Springer, which one would you say is the better toy? Not the better character, mind you, but toy.

I think Sandstorm is more fun to play with. I like his VTOL jet mode better than Springer's heli mode, and I like his big dune buggy wheels in car mode. And his big wheels give you something extra to play around with in bot mode when you're looking for cool poses, since they can be twisted and turned.