TF MOSAIC: "Rock and a Hard Place"

Binaltech figures are mostly metal, as you said it is mostly the car frame. Certain other pieces include a figure's torso. Things like the arms and head are plastic. Legs are usually half and half.
Now for the quality of the paint apps: Binaltech is much more sensitive while transforming. You have to be careful while having pieces edge against one another for they may scratch the paint or even the metal itself. I'm quite careful when I transform my BT's but then again I only transform them twice maybe, and do not play with them what so ever.
If play is what you want, i'd stick with Alts but when collecting and displaying and a budget isn't in the picture, then go with the BTs.
Lastly make sure you do not get mixed up with the KISS series, they are fully plastic.
Hope I answered all of your questions, feel free to ask more, I have every single Alternator (other than Camshaft =[) and have BT yellow Tracks, Smokescreen 8, Zoom Zoom, and KISS Rodimus, and Convoy.

holy crap, thanks!

You stopped me from doing a stupid thing: I was about to purchase a KISS autorooper (thought it was metal hehe).

Last few Q's bud (If ya dont mind)

So which series has better paint applications? Is one sloppier than the other? From what I gather Binaltechs are supposed to have "sloppy" paint jobs or something.

Also, what's the difference between binaltechs and Binaltech Asterisks? I know the asterisks come with figs and all, but how about the overall quality of the TF?

Technically, the Binaltechs are mostly plastic ... there's just certain car panels that are die cast. The robot figure itself is all plastic, exactly like their Alternators counterpart.

Also, the line isn't/wasn't overpriced ... you're just too late in starting your collection.

Paint jobs aren't sloppy on the BT's either. They are just prone to chipping. The Kiss Player Convoy and Rodimus have GREAT paint jobs, for plastic figs.

Mustang GT die cast parts:

- hood
- fenders
- doors
- entire rear of car (except windows of course)

I guess it would just be easier to say that the roof is the only plastic car panel.

Ford GT - there is no die cast version

Ram SRT-10 - Prime/KP Convoy/ Nemesis Prime are all plastic, but wonderfest black convoy is mostly die cast from what I've heard. Somebody once told me that he is unbelievably heavy, so there must be a lot of metal on that figure.

Viper die cast parts-

- hood
- fenders
- doors

Jeep die cast parts -

- entire front end of jeep
- doors

RX-8 die cast parts -

- entire front end (except trap door for head)
- doors
- rear of car (minus the trunk)

Subaru- (already covered by Frostic_Prime)

Scion xB die cast parts -

- entire front end
- doors
- small section of the rear end

S2000 die cast parts -

- entire front of car (hood/fenders)
- doors
- can't remember if any of the rear is metal. I'm away from home, so I can't check.

Jaguar XK and Honda Civic Si - there is no die cast version

Vette die cast parts -

- entire front end
- doors

Acura die cast parts -

- entire front end
- doors
- entire rear end

I'm pretty sure that covers it. Note that when I say "entire front end" ... I don't include the bumper of the jeep, grille of the RX-8/Acura/Mustang ... etc.

This should be pretty accurate, but feel free to make corrections on any mistakes I've made. I would've pulled each BT out if I could, but I'm not home.

AlienQuicksilver is correct in everything he said but some of the BTs have random metal pieces like Tracks has a metal waste and "skirt", but all figures vary.



My recomendations:
BTA Broadblast (Blaster: looks G1, great articulation)
ALT Prime (gotta have a leader, his KISS version looks like Ginrai from Headmasters)
BT Smokescreen version III with the shoulder rocket (amazing detail and 1/2 of his rockets)
ALT Rumble (fun transformation and cool hammer gimmick)
ALT Ricochet (he looks like a BT b/c he's all shiny)

Here's my observation of the paint difference.

Binaltechs always had the whole car exterior painted glossy. Which is in line with the main goal of Binaltech/Alternator line: realistic looking 1:24 scale model. Besides that, the paint is always thick, so as to hide the ugly mold finish of die cast metal. Die cast metals are always more difficult to mould than plastics. And the finish are always coarse, not as fine as plastics.

Alternators almost always sport bare plastic colors. No paint on major car panels. With a few exceptions. (1) Small details, such as decals, symbols, small parts are painted. (2) If the car color is silver, then the whole exterior is also painted, just like Binaltech. But this silver paint of Alternator skin is much thinner than that found on Binaltech. The reason is, as explained earlier, plastics finish are finer and smoother. So thin layer of paint will be sufficient. The downside of thin paint is, makes it looks lighter and cheaper.

For the interiors, and robot specific parts, both Binaltech and Alternator are the same in avoiding as much paint as possible. Both use bare colored plastics for this. Except for small details that need to be painted. Or if a certain color is not available in bare plastics.

There's also a difference in colour scheme between a few of the alts and BT's. I think skids and sunstreaker are the most noticably different. And if I'm not mistaken, the blue/grey plastic on alt prowl is molded in a different colour on the BT version.

They also left alt camshaft bare swirly plastic (like movie jazz) instead of painting him like the previous silver alts. Unless he's actually supposed to be grey?

Wow many great info/reviews here on BTs & Alts, I'm so glad to see there's much love for these awesome lines among the fans. Like many others, I am relatively a new collector after launch of the movie, during the process of hunting for the full movie line, I got figures from other lines as well, and soon I fell in love with the Alternators & Binaltech lines.

After 4 months of hunting (mostly online), I finally completed the following sets:

Alternators MISB 27pc set
Alternators Loose/Play 27pc set (few figures still MISB waiting to be opened)
Binaltech MISB 21pc set (BT-01 to BT-16 with 5 variants)
Binaltech BT-18 Rijie Clear Mirage (just came in yesterday)
Binaltech Asterisks 3pc set (BTA-01, BTA-02 & BTA-03)
Binaltech Kiss Player 5pc set (Convoy x Melissa, Hot Rodimus x SyaoSyao, Autorooper x Atari, PVC Atari x WST Autorooper & Kiss Player Position Cassette Set)

*Note* I know there's BT-17 Wonderfest Black Convoy, but I'm just gonna pretend it never existed in my world. (ears plugged, la-la-la-la-la!)

I like both Alt & BT lines equally as they have their own pros & cons, and that's why I'm getting both lines anyway. Many collectors complained about BTs being too expensive when compared to Alternators, but personally I don't look at it that way. Alternators were released in the US market (not limited to) mostly at retail price of $20 & a couple at $25, now most of these figures are going from $20 to $110 in the secondary market. On the other hand, BT/BTA/KP were released in Japanese market only at 4980/5500/6500YEN ($43.36/$49.00/$57.90) respectively, and now most of these figures are going from $35 to $130 (KPs are around $65, $110 & $140). The price increase of BT in proportion is actually smaller than Alternators, not only that but with BTs you get die cast material which enhances the handling "feel" & display realism. Personally I just feel fortunate to be able to buy higher quality, Japanese market only Binaltechs at the current price range (some lower than release retail, some around that, and some at 2-3 times), I can't imagine myself trying to collect these lines 5-10 years from now.

Below are a couple pics of my Alt/BT/BTA/KP collections I took few days ago, please enjoy!

Alternators MISB & Loose/Play sets:


BT/BTA/KP sets:


Cheers,
Coolpop

Some new collector you are. You've completed it right away in one shot!

yeah, coolpop's collection is ridiculously awesome. I'm complete in both lines, but with loose figs only.

I have at least 2 of quite a few like Prowl, Meister, Tracks, Sideswipe, Smokescreen, Mirage, Hound, Skids.

My BT/BTA count is at 16. The rest are alts and KP ... and doubles.

Camshaft is getting tough to find, but patience and ebay will turn him up eventually. He's been going for $50 lately, he could've gone up since I stopped looking for him though.

Note that there is a Blue Version of BT Prowl as well.

BTA Sunstreaker doesn't have racing stripes like his alts version, but there are some sweet plastic upgrades on his arms.

Decepticharge is pretty rare as well, he was the last alt that I found.

You want Wheeljack??? You'll have the best luck finding a loose alts version. That Binaltech has been going for stupid money lately. $150/$200 on ebay. Pfft!! A loose complete alts version can be had for under $50. Just watch out for those KO's. (They are everywhere)

When you get the Mustang mold, be careful transforming it. There are 2 screws underneath the roof that will scratch the paint off WJ's leg stripes EVERY time ... if you're not careful.

There is a lot you could learn, that could potentially save you some money ... so just resurrect the thread every once in a while with updates on who you are looking for. We'll be glad to point you in the right direction.

Frostic_Prime wrote:Wait so you just started? Wow congrats man...I hate you a lot because you have the one Alt I need!!! Camshaft!

Help me out with that please!

Well, I started hunting for the Alts as well after the movie and completed it this week (Battle Ravage finally came in)

Especially "easy" ones like Camshaft are still going for a non-inflated price over at ebay ($50 buy it now, but bidding mostly ends about $35/$40)
http://cgi.ebay.nl/TRANSFORMERS-ALTERNA?mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5336631220&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1 ... dZViewItem

I hope everyone still gets their lineup complete.. the only one i'm actually missing MISB is Swerve, but for €15 at that time I couldn't let him go.