My 13 year old son wants to start collecting JL Xtraction slot cars. I collected Afx when I was a kid, but this seems like a whole new ballgame. My questions are :

1. - What's up with the pricing on the White Thunders? I have seen them for $80.00 each and I have seen the same car for $20.00. How many Xtraction White Thunders are there?

2. - How many JL Collector cars are Xtractions & what's the best deal on these.

3. - What's a good price for the general cars.

4. - Does a list exist of these cars. How many were made of each.

5. - I read the RC2 2005 report on their site - It says the Fast and Furious line was run at a loss - I can find no mention of slots in their report. Will this production run go beyond this year?

6. Thunderjet pullbacks list?

thanks for your help,

I was at the Ohio show on Sunday and saw that I have a small mint in the 75 Afx cars I bought 35 years ago, but was troubled in how much pricing was almost table to table.

I don't have all the answers but here are a few links you might find useful:

http://www.playingmantis.com/er/products_index.php

and

http://www.jlcollector.com/

e bay is where I buy most of my JL. Can buy a case of 12 ea fast furious XT's for $39.00 plus shipping. Most cars cost about $8, your pricing may very.

My 13 year old son wants to start collecting JL Xtraction slot cars. I collected Afx when I was a kid, but this seems like a whole new ballgame. My questions are :

1. - How many Xtraction White Thunders are there? Answer - as of today 6

2. - How many JL Collector cars are Xtractions & what's the best deal on these. Answer - 2 club cars and a 2004 lightning fest?

3. - What's a good price for the general cars. Answer - seems like $10.

4. - Does a list exist of these cars. How many were made of each.

Answer - Yes @ hoslotcars.com - 48 Xtractions, 6 white Lightnings, 2 club cars and a 2004 lightning fest?

5. - Interesting observation by my 13 year old - look at xtractions, then look at the pullback cars. One could asume that they are re-using the same molds with the exception of the Fast and Furious line and four new Mopar bodies.
( Daytona Charger, Challenger convertible, Charger R/T, Challenger coupe) With that stated - we are yet to see the following: Javelin Pro Stock, Corvette Pro Stock, Corvette Pro Stock convertible, Baja Bug.

6. Thunderjet pullbacks list? Yes @ hoslotcars.com

O.k - I know I'm stretching on some of this, but I'm trying to figure how much cash this going to cost me. I realize the enjoyment of father / son time it really what it's about, but I'm still footing the bill.

Actually there are 4 club cars, they are;
Gold Chrome Cuda TJet
Red Chrome Charger XTraction
Black Mustang Tjet
Silver Chrome Skyline Xtraction

There are 3 Fest cars are 2002 Pink Chrome Challenger, 2003 Blue Chrome Mustang and 2004 Green Chrome Camaro.

Getting all these will not come cheap.
Thanks,
Keith

there are alot more then 6 white thunders. slots_n_stuff has cases of fast-n-furious cars on fleabay for about 40.00. if you want some pull backs I have alot of the them for sale. email me.

These lil cars are a blast to play with too! Tune, customize, run, race! Don't forget to have fun with them! I see you talk about "footing the bill". Do you have to get them all at once FOR him? Does this boy of 13 have chores and an allowance? Does he do neighborhood odd-jobs?
My son is 11. He has about 30 cars now and is working at odd-jobs to buy his first Inner case. He mows lawns, rakes leaves, weeds gardens and stacks cord-wood for cash. He checks with neighbors almost daily when he is not at school. My son has learned the value of a dollar. He has learned that sometimes he has to wait an extra week or two to get that special car. What is this weeks special car? He wants a silver-chrome Batmobile! We will go and get it fri. after school.
Good luck with your hunts!:thumbsup:

Footing the bill is so worth it, as a start. My son and I split the cars coming into the house. I order 6 - 10, he gets half. He's just turning 7 next month and he has taken it upon himself to do extra lil jobs around the house and extra good behavior. LOL. The time I spend with him racing and looking at new cars, is simply the best time in my eyes. Seeing him enjoying something as much as I do, is priceless.

If you space it out, the bill doesn't seem that big. Maybe grab a few White Lightnings and stick em away for Xmas or birthdays. Take a peek at Jag Hobbies and Slot Car world. Some good prices there and there's always some nice folks here offering up good deals.

I was at the Ohio show on Sunday and saw that I have a small mint in the 75 Afx cars I bought 35 years ago, but was troubled in how much pricing was almost table to table.
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From the above comment and your screen name, are you in Columbus Ohio area?

Either way, we can hook you up, with both most if not all of your needs for both new and old slots. We've been doing this for a few years now, and have a few (thousand) cars to select from....we were even set up at the show......4 tables, orange banner stright across from where you came in.

Give us a call and ask for me specific......Slot Car Johnnie!


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www.SlotCarJohnnies.com (http://www.SlotCarJohnnies.com)

Thanks for your help everyone. I am talking just about the Xtraction line, my son likes the realness of that line or so he says, he's not as fond of the t-jet line. Of course this came about because we were at the local hobby shop when my 6 and 4 year olds saw the T-jet Batman cars in gold and chrome ( I picked them up at for $10.00 bucks each.) this was put into their Easter basket. My older son got a Xtraction Cuda and a small AFX track for Easter instead of candy.
I am not as concerned about footing the bill as I am about starting a collection that can run into thousands of dollars. My background is Afx and when I saw the money that some of those people were asking for a common played with car, it sorta got me thinking that maybe this hobby was'nt for him. I don't mind spending money as we have a collection of G scale trains, but the pricing is pretty consistant. With these cars it seems the pricing is all over the place and I'll use the 2004 lightning Fest car as an example. ( At the show it was for sale at $80.00 and $75.00, Mac's little cars has it for $24.00 and on <a href=http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-1606754-2202639 target=_blank>eBay</a><img src=http://www.awltovhc.com/image-1606754-2202639 width=1 height=1 border=0> it's selling for $20.00 ) I guess it's buyer beware and do as much homework as you can to ensure your getting a good price.

John Clark - you did a very nice job with your 1995 book on Afx cars. I have often wondered if you have put out a updated version? I'll check out your website. We are in Pickerington, Ohio.

What's up with the pricing on the White Thunders? I have seen them for $80.00 each and I have seen the same car for $20.00.
The white thunder thing is a marketing gimmick that Playing Mantis brought over from their diecast product lines. The program seems to have garnered some good support among people who collect JL slot cars. For the most part they all end up on a shelf or on E-Bay in search of someone else's shelf. In theory they are supposed to get people out to the stores searching for the elusive "white thunders," buying other JL products, and building interest in the product line for collectors. When I get one I run it just like any other color variation. The lack of chrome on the wheels has no impact on performance.

Instead of (or in addition to) the white thunders I'd like to see JL do "SS" or performance enhanced versions of their slot cars. Hotter motor, better wheels and tires, blueprinted assembly (or at least cull the rejects), and a custom performance oriented paint scheme. I would pay a premium for such a product. White thunders, ho hum.

John Clark - you did a very nice job with your 1995 book on Afx cars. I have often wondered if you have put out a updated version? I'll check out your website. We are in Pickerington, Ohio.

Thanks...working on a new book, but no longer see eye-to-eye with the publisher, so I'm looking for another one.

We are just up the road from you in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.........you should give us a call and we can hook up.....or we are about to start our VRN-HO (Vintage Race Night - HO) season in July.

Give me a call.

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www.SlotCarJohnnies.com (http://www.SlotCarJohnnies.com)

. With these cars it seems the pricing is all over the place and I'll use the 2004 lightning Fest car as an example. ( At the show it was for sale at $80.00 and $75.00, Mac's little cars has it for $50.00 and on "ebay" it's selling for $20.00 ) I guess it's buyer beware and do as much homework as you can to ensure your getting a good price.


I think you have us confused with someone else. We have been sold out of the Fest slot car for several months and when we did have it we were selling it for $24 not $50 - which is a very big difference. We try to have things at a reasonable price

Thanks

Sherry & Rob

But my real question had to do with the pricing which seems to be all over the place and if there was a consistant pricing model. By the way I picked a case of cars from you about a week or so ago. Thanks for the smooth transaction.

Bob

Bob

The pricing is very volatile. When they first come out, it is crazy to even think about buying them, regular or White Thunder. Give it a few weeks and the White Thunders settle down to a normally even keel and the regulars get to where if you do shop around, you can get a good deal. Sometimes shows are a good place and sometimes a bad place to get them. I know a couple of diecast dealers that jack the prices up for shows because people want to bargain and they can come down, yet still get their price. I don't care for that attitude. Pick your price and stay with it. The 2004 Fest slot cars were $20 if you bought them at Fest and from what I have seen, still go for over $30 on "Ebay" I guess if you want to know fair market value "ebay" is it, ususally, but you have to watch for anomolies of 2 people who don't know better fighting for one car. I would say better to talk to friends here and at home and find out where they buy and for how much, etc. But for the Limiteds and White Thunders, you just have to bite the bullet and know they will not be cheap. Slot cars have gone the way of diecast and thus the prices are all over. The popular stuff is expensive and the dogs can be picked up for next to nothing.

I think there's an answer in there somewhere.... I think it isto trust your friends to help you out

Thanks...working on a new book, but no longer see eye-to-eye with the publisher, so I'm looking for another one.

We are just up the road from you in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.........you should give us a call and we can hook up.....or we are about to start our VRN-HO (Vintage Race Night - HO) season in July.

Give me a call.

---------------------------
www.SlotCarJohnnies.com (http://www.SlotCarJohnnies.com)

I race with SCJ and we do have a good time! We are competitive, but we try to help each other with out.

Marty

If you can avoid the "I have to have it now syndrome" you can pick up some great deals four to five moths down the road or maybe a little bit longer. Twelve pack inners of some of the earlier releases sold for a $100 + on day one and later on were down to the $40-50 range. :freak: rr