Do you collect diecast cars and or other model cars? This thread is for you! Discuss how your hunt went or what you're looking forward to the most coming out from brands like Mattel and Tomica! Show off pictures of your collection!
Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Tomica, Kyosho, AUTOart, Johnny Lighting, M2 Machines, Auto World, Majorette, it doesn't matter; all are welcome here!
Some information about the major brands:
AUTOart: Known for their 1:18 scale models, they're some of the best in the business. They're impeccable when it comes to quality and detail. While they are expensive, many will tell you that they are well worth their price. They tend to focus on JDM and exotic cars.
http://us.autoartmodels.com/en/
Auto World: An American based company that produces well-made 1:64 scale American muscle cars. They typically focus on older American muscle cars, but do occasionally produce modern muscle cars as well. When they say 1:64, they mean 1:64 and it's something they take pride in. If you're looking for well-built American muscle diecast cars, look no further.
https://www.autoworldstore.com/
Hot Wheels: Perhaps the most infamous of all diecast cars, Hot Wheels have been around since 1968. Many of you probably had Hot Wheels as a kid as did your parents. While they are more focused on the toy aspect of the business, they also produce lines such as Car Culture and the Retro Entertainment (now Replica Entertainment) series which are more aimed at adult collectors.
http://hotwheels.mattel.com/shop
Johnny Lighting: This brand has died and come back from the dead a few times now. Currently under the Round 2 company (Same parent company that produces Auto World) they're back again. Similar to Auto World, they're 1:64 scale models of mostly American cars. They don't focus on muscle cars, but rather a more diverse set including some non-American cars.
http://johnnylightning.com/
Kyosho: While mostly known for their radio controlled cars, they also produce very well-made scale model cars. They do many different scales and even have blind boxes. Their 1:18 scale model cars rival that of AUTOart in terms of quality and detail. Much like AUTOart, they tend to focus on JDM and exotic cars from different eras.
http://www.kyosho.com/
M2 Machines: M2 diecat cars another company that focuses on 1:64 scale models of American cars. They typically come on a display stand ready to be shown off. They're well-made and well-detailed. One of their main selling points is that they have opening hoods and doors. While others listed here have those features as well, they really like to show it off.
http://www.m2machines.com/home.html
Majorette: A European based company, they're not well-known in the American market, but are making a resurgence. At the time of writing, they can be found in Marshalls across America and are currently teasing something on their Australian Instagram page. People are speculating that they are looking to expand into America more aggressively. Similar to Hot Wheels, they tend to focus on the toy aspect of the business, but also have lines for collectors.
Edit: Majorette has confirmed that they are returning to the US market:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTeAYSyFVFO/
http://www.majorette.com/en/home/
Matchbox: Once Hot Wheel's fiercest competitor, they're now friends as they are under the same parent company Mattel. While some will have one strong preference over the other, they both are similar. One distinction between the two is that Matchbox mainlines tends to focus more on licensed or more realistic looking models while Hot Wheels mainlines focus more on the out-of-the-world fantasy cars. However, keep in mind that Matchbox still focuses more on the toy aspect as is evident by their current homepage.
http://play.matchbox.com/en_US/
Tomica: I was going to write about Tomica, but they already did a great job on their own on their website.
http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/english/products/tomica/
Please feel free to PM me to change/update information on this post!
Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Tomica, Kyosho, AUTOart, Johnny Lighting, M2 Machines, Auto World, Majorette, it doesn't matter; all are welcome here!
Some information about the major brands:
AUTOart: Known for their 1:18 scale models, they're some of the best in the business. They're impeccable when it comes to quality and detail. While they are expensive, many will tell you that they are well worth their price. They tend to focus on JDM and exotic cars.
http://us.autoartmodels.com/en/
Auto World: An American based company that produces well-made 1:64 scale American muscle cars. They typically focus on older American muscle cars, but do occasionally produce modern muscle cars as well. When they say 1:64, they mean 1:64 and it's something they take pride in. If you're looking for well-built American muscle diecast cars, look no further.
https://www.autoworldstore.com/
Hot Wheels: Perhaps the most infamous of all diecast cars, Hot Wheels have been around since 1968. Many of you probably had Hot Wheels as a kid as did your parents. While they are more focused on the toy aspect of the business, they also produce lines such as Car Culture and the Retro Entertainment (now Replica Entertainment) series which are more aimed at adult collectors.
http://hotwheels.mattel.com/shop
Johnny Lighting: This brand has died and come back from the dead a few times now. Currently under the Round 2 company (Same parent company that produces Auto World) they're back again. Similar to Auto World, they're 1:64 scale models of mostly American cars. They don't focus on muscle cars, but rather a more diverse set including some non-American cars.
http://johnnylightning.com/
Kyosho: While mostly known for their radio controlled cars, they also produce very well-made scale model cars. They do many different scales and even have blind boxes. Their 1:18 scale model cars rival that of AUTOart in terms of quality and detail. Much like AUTOart, they tend to focus on JDM and exotic cars from different eras.
http://www.kyosho.com/
M2 Machines: M2 diecat cars another company that focuses on 1:64 scale models of American cars. They typically come on a display stand ready to be shown off. They're well-made and well-detailed. One of their main selling points is that they have opening hoods and doors. While others listed here have those features as well, they really like to show it off.
http://www.m2machines.com/home.html
Majorette: A European based company, they're not well-known in the American market, but are making a resurgence. At the time of writing, they can be found in Marshalls across America and are currently teasing something on their Australian Instagram page. People are speculating that they are looking to expand into America more aggressively. Similar to Hot Wheels, they tend to focus on the toy aspect of the business, but also have lines for collectors.
Edit: Majorette has confirmed that they are returning to the US market:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTeAYSyFVFO/
http://www.majorette.com/en/home/
Matchbox: Once Hot Wheel's fiercest competitor, they're now friends as they are under the same parent company Mattel. While some will have one strong preference over the other, they both are similar. One distinction between the two is that Matchbox mainlines tends to focus more on licensed or more realistic looking models while Hot Wheels mainlines focus more on the out-of-the-world fantasy cars. However, keep in mind that Matchbox still focuses more on the toy aspect as is evident by their current homepage.
http://play.matchbox.com/en_US/
Tomica: I was going to write about Tomica, but they already did a great job on their own on their website.
http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/english/products/tomica/
Please feel free to PM me to change/update information on this post!
I'm stuck buying hot wheels for now. Lol.
