UPDATE
Price reduced to $272.90.
Pretty good price, even better with cash back. Been on the fence due to the sheer size and somewhat ‘limited’ playability and whooshing
CamelCamelCamel.
Title edited
I keep thinking about this set. It's good value in terms of price per brick ratio and technically impressive. I dont know if this make a good display piece alongside my Mini cooper, FW, Mack Anthem and soon Mustang and DB5.
Don't look at price per part too much with Technic, there are millions of tiny pins and bushes.
I sold mine. Too big to display, and the functions are agonisingly slow. I think Technic has just gotten too big for it's own good without metal parts/ new techniques. Too much slop in the long plastic drivetrains, and the weight puts stress on parts.
This set is surely underpowered. Ppl might argue the speed is lifelike though
Lego do argue exactly that, as per the CSR replies to reviews on the S@H website:
Still, the thing is dog slow and it's not a 1:1 replica in many other aspects, so it's not like faithfulness to the original design was the only constraint. The problem is integrating more than one motor into the drive-train for added power would have required a lot more complexity and pieces, thus throwing Lego's profit margins and marketability out of whack.
What do you think is the best bang for buck technic set? Most motors or parts? Or multiple models in one box?
I'd be interested in this too - looking to acquire some technics bits just to muck around with.
Any particular sets that are good value in terms of parts? Or better to just pick up some secondhand bulk technics?
The Rough Terrain Crane for the sale prices seen late last year, was absolutely the most value-for-money Technic set, quite possibly ever (given it is one of the largest Technic sets in terms of piece count and physical dimensions, though soon-to-be dethroned by the Liebherr R 9800). And it launched only in August last year as well, so it being discounted so quickly was incredibly rare as well.
If it drops back down to somewhere around that price again, I would highly recommend it. The current price at the moment seems to be around $350 or more.
You guys might want to ask these questions on WP's Lego Thread as well; you'll get better a response there.
@Miami Mall Alien: The rough terrain crane definitely has good value for pieces, however, it should be pointed out that a good portion of the extra pieces over the bucket wheel excavator are pins. If you look at the review on brothers brick it compares
However, you might also argue that the treads on the bucket wheel are quite a few parts, and that the crane has a lot more panels. Really comes down to what pieces are more useful to you because pins are generally in over abundance.
I would copy the table but I would butcher the formatting.
@Miami Mall Alien: Missed out on the crane at the time, but there were so many deals on at the time something had to give.
All the flagship sets are excellent value when on special. There are a lot of great pieces in this set and it's at a reasonable price. I recommend it.
Not the cheapest it's ever been, but it is the best price since the post-Christmas period.
Mine is still in the box since December last year.
I finished the Rough Terrain Crane, after many painful mistakes during that build, and then gave up on complex Technic sets for a bit. It's a great set, but the instructions for the RTC at least, leave a lot to be desired in terms of clarity.
$246 with Shopback is a great price for nearly 6 kg of lego . Got my tick .
Get two as the B Model is just as great
Reduced to $272.90 now
Could of have had it wrong maybe price OP had was after rebate . I though prior . If that's the case its not in my price range .Very tempted with Taj Mahal though $316 after rebate .
$240 after rebate
Right :)
Ordered from their eBay store for $252.90 with PFLASH20
Can also re-purpose as a GBC with the GBC 15 Mining Plant instructions available online.
12% at shopback