The Energon Pub

Well, Masterpiece Optimus Prime may be revered as the best Transformers toy in history. Unfortunately, Optimus Prime was my hero as a young child yet I don't have this toy. I'm 16 and my father thinks I should save any dough I get towards a car (I don't even have my damn license yet) or something else "worth buying", instead of buying "****** ****" (aka Transformers figures). I really want Takara Masterpiece Optimus Prime (OR Ultra Magnus, my other hero), and maybe the trailer and accessories. At the same time, I still want to collect many other figures, past and present, and maybe start my "Takara collection". What should I do?

Yes. I don't know if you specifically want the Takara Versions, as the US ones are just as good. I *Insert shameless self promotion* have a Hasbro DVD Prime I would sell for cheaper than the Takara one *Exit shameless self promotion* but it depends on you. I personally don't care, but I do like the deeper red. If you are on a budget, Hasbro is the way to go!!!!!

Stixx

MP Optimus Prime is a wonderful figure.

HOWEVER at your age there's a lot more interesting things that money could go towards; cars, dates, movies, you know - social things that "build character." Give those a try for a while. MP Prime's price is fairly stable and most likely won't climb too much in the next few years.

You're young. Go have some fun.

I agree with Mkall. Get the car. When I was your age I should have bought the car. Chicks dig the car.

Mkall wrote:
HOWEVER at your age there's a lot more interesting things that money could go towards; cars, dates, movies, you know - social things that "build character." Give those a try for a while. Go have some fun.

Problem: Dates- Dad would high-five me, mom would cry. Can't get any anyway. I'm very nice to girls, they aren't very nice to me. Movies- Yeah I rarely do that, good advice. Cars- I'm not aiming too high, my dad works in a collsion shop for a great top-rated auto dealer, and gets discounts for the family, and I plan on trying to get a job there doing something. I'm trying to have fun, unfortunately I have only a few good friends and don't do sports or extracurriculars, but maybe I should. I should probably get out of the house more often...
But thanks for the advice, and maybe I'll get a car and make it look like a TF from some continuity. What a novel idea! Hmm...I should take a look at all the Alternators...

Optimus Eeyore wrote:I agree with Mkall. Get the car. When I was your age I should have bought the car. Chicks dig the car.

Yeah that's what I hear. My dad got a '68 Camaro and loved the thing to death. It would be cool to get a late model v6 Camaro and paint it...yellow-orange with black rally stripes?
Besides, I need to get out of the house by myself since no one else ever wants to leave the Enchanted Land of Sleep and Nap over here.

Should you lay down the money? YES - eventually.

Should you do it NOW? Nah. You got PLENTY of time to snap him up. And he is worth it.

OptiMagnus10 wrote:I really want Takara Masterpiece Optimus Prime (OR Ultra Magnus, my other hero), and maybe the trailer and accessories. At the same time, I still want to collect many other figures, past and present, and maybe start my "Takara collection". What should I do?

Since the price is relatively stable… How about focus on raising the money you'd need rather than consider spending cash you have right now? Start from 0. Make some money with a job or somesuch. Sell some stuff on eBay. Whatever.

And once you have that cash, you can revisit the question of whether Masterpiece Prime is what you'd like to do with it.

Get the car. Save the money and get the car. Even if you can't get a date right now, get the car. I can't say it enough. Get the car. If you get the car, you will get a bigger slice of freedom. With freedom, comes new experiences. Get some experiences, and then you get more confidence in yourself. Get the confidence and girls won't be an issue anymore.

Go save money for the car.

MP Optimus Prime can wait.

In fact, I think MP Optimus Prime would be proud if you buy the car.

I'll be blunt.

It's your money. Do whatever you want with it, and then live with any consequences.

Burn wrote:I'll be blunt.

It's your money. Do whatever you want with it, and then live with any consequences.

Freedom is the right of all sentient beings!

I agree with all advice given above: get the driving license and get the car. MP Optimus Prime will give you a thrill for a couple of hours, hopefully a few days and perhaps even a few weeks. But a car will give you SO MUCH MORE: freedom, independence, experience...
And yes, getting active out of the house is a good idea: be it for sports, dating, extracurriculars, movies, shopping, and what-not... Having a car is a HUGE benefit to realizing all that. And I'll be blunt: at your age you really shouldn't worry if girls dig you just for the car...

Then again, as Burn said: it's you money...

Get the car. A lot more important in the short and long term.

OptiMagnus10 wrote:

Mkall wrote:
HOWEVER at your age there's a lot more interesting things that money could go towards; cars, dates, movies, you know - social things that "build character." Give those a try for a while. Go have some fun.

Problem: Dates- Dad would high-five me, mom would cry. Can't get any anyway. I'm very nice to girls, they aren't very nice to me. Movies- Yeah I rarely do that, good advice. Cars- I'm not aiming too high, my dad works in a collsion shop for a great top-rated auto dealer, and gets discounts for the family, and I plan on trying to get a job there doing something. I'm trying to have fun, unfortunately I have only a few good friends and don't do sports or extracurriculars, but maybe I should. I should probably get out of the house more often...
But thanks for the advice, and maybe I'll get a car and make it look like a TF from some continuity. What a novel idea! Hmm...I should take a look at all the Alternators...

Definitely get Masterpiece Optimus Prime at some point but get the lessons & car first.
It is hands down, the best Transformers figure EVER. Forget about that fake Ultra Magnus tho, don't waste your cash it's rubbish and as we've discussed in different threads, just a white prime repaint that looks nothing like the awesome Magnus in all his G1 glory.

It won't be cheap but at the same time this is one of the most important Transformers ever as it's the best figure our main protagonist has ever had and probably ever will have.
If you can't wait then don't worry, it won't put that big a dent in your car fund.

RE: Girls. Don't be a nice guy all the time it NEVER works. If you like a girl then (as long as the girl is not a bitch) then don't be shy, just ask them out. If they say no then who gives a ****, dust yourself off and move on to the next one.
If you don't ask, then you don't get. So just ask!!
He who hesitates, masturbates. Never forget!!

Getting a car will definitely help you with the girls and like the guys say - at your age it doesn't matter one little bit if the girl is going out with you because of the car, just have fun. Plenty of guys I knew at school who girls didn't even look twice at got loads more popularity/attention/dates/sex when they became some of the first guys in our grade to learn to drive and get cars.

If you are concerned about money, get one of the Hasbro MP Primes. That mold needs to be in your collection.

At the same time, he doesn't ahve to be there now. Save that money for college. Use your degree to get a nice, high-paying job. Then spend your tons of money on Transformers.

OptiMagnus10 wrote:Well, Masterpiece Optimus Prime may be revered as the best Transformers toy in history. Unfortunately, Optimus Prime was my hero as a young child yet I don't have this toy. I'm 16 and my father thinks I should save any dough I get towards a car (I don't even have my damn license yet) or something else "worth buying", instead of buying "****** ****" (aka Transformers figures). I really want Takara Masterpiece Optimus Prime (OR Ultra Magnus, my other hero), and maybe the trailer and accessories. At the same time, I still want to collect many other figures, past and present, and maybe start my "Takara collection". What should I do?

Listen to your dad.

Sizzle wrote:

Burn wrote:I'll be blunt.

It's your money. Do whatever you want with it, and then live with any consequences.

Freedom is the right of all sentient beings!

I was actually going to say to get the Prime, but everyone else is right. I wish someone had told me to get a car at that age. You can get Prime later.

GET THE DAMN CAR! MP Prime is nothing to me. Hes Optimus Prime, hes the leader of the Autobots and thats basically it. He has no play factor, but if you only want him for display, just to prove that you know who the origional Optimus is, just to be a part of the "cool people", I say get him one day...ONE DAY. Notice I said ONE DAY. One day when the price drops to $10. Yeah, I said it! I dont even consider him a TF hes more like a small robot statue. Hes big, bulkey, the articulation sux my ass and takes up way too much space. If he was smaller, I'd like him more. If you still want the MP Prime, I will GIVE mine to you (granted he won't have his axe, gun, and he doesnt transform properly and the leg falls off constantly.) But if you're planning on buying a car, get THE CAR!

Erm, okay... I'll just pretend I didn't read that.

Just do whatever makes you happy. If you really want him, and you can afford him, then just get him!

At the end of the day, a couple of hundred dollars isn't really going to make that much of a difference to your car fund, especially if going to spend over a couple of thousand dollars on the car anyway. Why not just buy a slightly cheaper car and get MP Prime as well? Surely that's a win/win situation?

Whatever you decide to do, just make sure you do it for the right reasons. If you don't, then at some point you may well live to regret your decision.

Thanks for your input guys! I am considering all your responses, but the sides being taken are 50/50 pretty much.
I should also add that my dad isn't innocent either. He bought a weight training system and a weight bench about ten years ago and has maybe used it...three times total? Plus, he bought a 2002 Pontiac Trans-Am WS6 that was definitely not in the family budget at the time, and he almost never drove the thing at all.
So, I think we both have our flaws in spending here. And actually, he more recently seems content with my Tranformers. I think it's really the myriad of Lego sets that erks him. And since Lego is running on a crap-quality policy and axing the good brands (like Bionicle) he won't have to worry about that too much.
This is why I have converted back to Transformers permanently as of recent, after rediscovering Seibertron and deciding to register. And now I don't really care what my peers think about my hobby. Hell, even my social studies teacher likes Transformers. His motto is: "Be an Optimist Prime, not a Negatron".

Buy MP Optimus Prime.... You will see the last of him soon....

As for car, i am not sure whether u really need it now... But u need to consider the maintenance cost as well. Gas, periodic maintenance, spare parts, car parks, insurance etc... Well, if your monthly budget can cover all that, then is fine...
If not, stick with a toy.... But then on buying toy, u will never stop at one.

I guess the main question I have to ask is this; do you have a job and make your own money? If so, then you should be allowed to use those funds for what you want. If you rely on the parents for money, then I would spend it how they say to.

As far as your Dad is concerned, I assume that he has a job. If that is the case, then he has the right to make his own decisions about how he spends his money.