[Dadvball]

I hit a WM yesterday that I hadn't been to in several months. Cars were neatly hanging on the pegs, but it was total kaos in the "Bin of Death". I couldn't believe how many ripped off blisters and missing cars there were. Everyone of the dozen or so Mystery cars had been opened enough to see what was inside (still a bunch of the black Cuda's by the way), or the car was missing.

My opinion. I have rarely seen a kid that was not being pushed in a shopping cart or stroller looking at HW's. Most kids today are brainwashed by video games, mine included. The BOD's are usually tall enough most kids can't reach over the top. A scalper knows he'll get more money if it's still on the card, so there's no financial gain in stealing just the car. The average guy doesn't even notice these when he walks down the aisle. This kind of crap is done by the pond scum collector. They are also the ones that will replace a decent casting in the blister with something they found under the couch cushion. You are not a collector sir (or madam), you are a thief. You give collectors a bad reputation, which is why we get the evil eye from the store employees. If you can't afford a $.99 toy car, why are you wasting your gas, at $2 plus per gallon, running all over town, from one store to the next?

Sorry for the rant. I know this gets discussed all the time, but it still aggravates the he!! out of me.

 

[Analog]

sad, but true.

 

[JLWFAN]

YEAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I agree 100%

 

[eyecandy]

very well said. THis is why collectors are looked at to be lower than scalpers by emloyees

 

[kadman]

yesterday at target in des moines i showed two ultra classics to a store employee that had been replaced with nissan trucks.if i see someone doing this im KICKIN A FIELD GOAL if ya know what i mean ttfn johnny

 

[sschevyman1]

Sad Sad Sad.

 

[crayonbreaking]

thats a downer!

 

[lolaz28]

that hapens all the time at my WM and it think that it is reall just to bad
lolaz28

 

[Redline_Fever]

We have all seen it. Mystery cars hanging on da top shelf with small windows cut in ther end to see what it there. Totally discusting.

 

[Herbie Love Bug]

Yes the mystery cars are the ones i have seen. I remember one of the things that really pissed me off was last year when i was at a walmart and was so happy to find another jl herbie 5 pack. Well when i started to walk away with it the regular white herbie was replaced with some crappy car that looked like you could get it at the dollar store and so was the crome herbie but that was replaced with another crappy car

People suck. I wish they would have cameras on the hotwheels stuff especially so they could watch to see who the people are who are ripping these things open.

I also remember once when i was looking for the hudson hornet i found him but wait it was only the package. Someone ripped him out.

 

[tex]

i see more mystery cars open than not. it is sad

 

[Bjgrammy]

Hello Daddy..
I have to agree with ya and that is the reason I don't collect from the stores any longer. I still collect but I only collect drag bus's, customs and a few redlines. I only collect reds that are customized or trashed because of the folks that try to pass the fakes off as originals. (heck I can't tell) I'll tell ya what I collect the most of.... "Diecast friends"...

 

[NYSWLHUNTER]

Well maybe next year Mattel wont do this..

 

[Dadvball]

Hello Daddy..
I have to agree with ya and that is the reason I don't collect from the stores any longer. I still collect but I only collect drag bus's, customs and a few redlines. I only collect reds that are customized or trashed because of the folks that try to pass the fakes off as originals. (heck I can't tell) I'll tell ya what I collect the most of.... "Diecast friends"...

Hi Barb! Boy it's nice to see you post here. We've really missed you. I do stop by Joe's now & then, but mostly to visit the custom and model boards.
Don't be a stranger. :wave:

 

[terry9911]

I can't fathom what Mattel must endure with all the belly aching that the hot wheels collectors/fanatics do about these cars. They moan about the treasure hunts, rewards cars, Classics, and now the Batmobiles. They steal from the stores, or replace cars with an unknown toy, or fight in the toy aisles. Employees hoarding and selling stuff out the back door, or they pass off fake redlines as real ones, and the list just goes on and on and on. So much negativity over this hobby of who has how many of what and who can get it first. The sad part is, I don't think it will ever end. It's no wonder I see so many collections for sale due to people getting out of the hobby. It's not a relaxing fun hobby anymore. The hunt for me use to be as much fun as finding a special issue, but the hunt is slowly becoming a battle of wits, conflict, and competition. I don't mean for this to be a complaint, it's just my 2 cents worth.