Rapi:t Reservations on Hobby Search

[KenS]

Hobby Search just posted everyone's favorite Jules Verne train, the Rapi:t, for reservations (apparently due in November from Micro Ace).

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10037236

 

It's not a Tokyo train, so it falls outside my collecting focus, but I'm tempted anyway...

[to2leo]

I am tempted too but I will wait for HWJ since it is cheaper.  Thanks for letting us know!

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Hurrah! 

 

An ideal way to use my stash of this years HS points!

[disturbman]

That's weird. Only the Rapi:t is on pre-order and MA didn't update its homepage with its upcoming release...

[Bernard]

Thanks Ken! And its' about time. I'm also going to see if HW will have it too before ordering.

[cteno4]

Thanks Ken! And its' about time. I'm also going to see if HW will have it too before ordering.

 

HW has it, but unfortunately not 26% off! its under pre-order again

 

http://www.hwjapan.com/sh/seeke.aspx?seek_code=ACE0750

 

cheers

 

jeff

[to2leo]

Funny thing is they are now at the same price.  So is HS's point system a better deal or HWJ?

[cteno4]

HW is generally 20-26% off on pre-orders, but usually their pre-order window is a lot smaller than HS. they give fewer points to highly discounted items like pre-orders, was generally to be 5% like HS on normal items usually priced at 6% off list. on their pre-orders its only 3% it appears.

 

since HS started their 20% off special they have been giving the full 5% bonus points on the 20% off price. HW has generally matched the 20% off like HS has done on non pre-order items and gives the full 5% bonus points.

 

so for a pre-order if HW has it at 26% off you get 29% total with the bonus points and HS at 20% you get 25% total with bonus points. so better deal with HW here.

 

for a pre-order if HW has it at 20% off you get 23% total with the bonus points and HS at 20% you get 25% total with bonus points. so better deal with HS here.

 

for non pre-orders its the same at a total of 25% off for each with bonus points.

 

one bonus with HW's bonus points is you can use any amount of them you have built up on any order. with HS you have to dump them all on one order. HW also tells you at each order checkout how many points you currently have, at HS you need to go into your account to find out how many you currently have.

 

before HS started the 20% off deal HW's 26% off pre-orders were the bomb, now they are not quite as sexy...

 

it is nice to have some competition going on now!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[clem24]

^^ Jebus your post is making my head spin!!!

 

Anyway, I got this in my inbox this morning too from HS. Couldn't resist so I put on pre-order as well. Funny thing is, first time I was in Japan (2005?), they had these new (and at Akihabara Depato, which was the only train shop I knew of back then) and I passed. But the more I see it, the more I like it. Oh well. At least the order won't be filled till November, so that should allow me to get away with it from the wifey.

[cteno4]

Clem,

 

sorry, its a twisty thing, especially now with the new 20% off at HS thats forced HW into doing the same thing.

 

basically it works out like this most of the time

 

Pre Orders

 

if HW has a 26% off then its the best deal, if its only 20% off the preorder at HW then HS is the better deal

 

 

Non Pre-orders

HW and HS basically the same. HW more convenient as they lets you choose how many if any points you have built up are use on an order.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[to2leo]

I will be jumping up and down when TamTam decides to join in the competition!

[Mudkip Orange]

Definitely on the "considering" list.

[cteno4]

Do it, its about the coolest train out there! you wont be sorry! i am sorely tempted to get a second its so cool! certainly is the most unique looking train out there!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Guest ___]

too rich for my blood right now.

[cteno4]

the 19,000Y price does seem a tad high. it is a very nicely detailed model, but nothing on it seems that extra detailed to warrant the higher price. perhaps what the market will bare as its popular!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[to2leo]

How much was the previous version?  I remembered about 20 000 yen with the wooden box in Yodobashi Osaka back in 2005.

 

Sorry one too many decimal spaces hahaha.

 

 

Well since it is re-released again, I think you might have another chance at it...but waiting for how long?  Nobody knows.

[cteno4]

Well it might have been close to that after all. i had remembered i paid like $140-150, but i bet that was when the dollar was a lot stronger!

 

HS has relisted the old listing with the reserve. they have the wooden box version at 22,000Y so 19,000Y for the plastic box version may be right. other 6 car trains from the time were at 17.500Y level so 19000Y not far off for the special trains!

 

one of my largest regrets on ebay was not snapping up the wooden boxed version a few years back for $160! i thought about it for like an hour feeling greedy to grab it, but knew it was a good deal. by the time i talked myself into it it was snapped up! same thing on a doraemon, painful...

 

cheers

 

jeff

[clem24]

one of my largest regrets on ebay was not snapping up the wooden boxed version a few years back for $160! i thought about it for like an hour feeling greedy to grab it, but knew it was a good deal. by the time i talked myself into it it was snapped up! same thing on a doraemon, painful...

 

Meh. The wooden boxes aren't anything special. First, the non-standard size makes it difficult for them to fit on my shelf upright. Second, their weight adds to shipping. Third, the wood is some really stupidly cheap Chinese wood that warps like crazy. If the set in a wooden box is actually a commemorative edition, like the 12 car 0 series 1965 Shinkansen debut, then OK, sure, probably worthy. But something like this and say the 255 "bosso" set that also came in a wood box, then it's definitely NOT worth it. Save yourself the few $$ and just get the non-wooden boxed ones.

[cteno4]

Have to disagree with you on the effect of the wooden box. it really is a lovely display. my MA dr yellow (one of my first japanese trains) is a wooden case version and it really is a lovely display. while yes im not usually that into it to spend an extra $30-40 for it, if i can get it cheap its a very nice addition.

 

I dont find the size difference a problem and fits on the shelf fine. Mine is almost 8 years old and no warping at all and its been here in dc with big changes in humidity and taken to a lot of shows. maybe the newer ones are cheaper. have any of yours warped?

 

while the plastic cases are sturdy and convenient, there is a nice touch opening the wooden box! especially if its a train like the rapit, doremon, or dr yellow.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[clem24]

I've got the aforementioned Shinkansen debut set, as well as the Ocean Arrow set. For the Ocean Arrow set, aside from the bonus of allowing all 9 cars to squeeze into the box, I don't see much of an advantage, especially since the model itself isn't really any different than the regular model. The Shinkansen set is appealing because it's actually a commemorative set. The lid on the Ocean Arrow set isn't bad, but the lid on the Shinkansen definitely does not sit flush with the base at all. Though they're not warped enough that they don't not fit inside the cardboard sleeve. And the other thing I hate is so it just feels so .. I dunno, cheap? The wood just feels really low quality. Anyways.. To each his own I guess.

[bill937ca]

That's probably why they call the cases caskets in Japan.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10054963p/10/1

[rankodd]

That's probably why they call the cases caskets in Japan.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10054963p/10/1

 

Heh. That really looks like someone did a search for "wooden box" and came up with casket as a synonym...

[quinntopia]

I have to say, both the uniqueness of the train and the wooden case make this one of my most prized possessions!   I'm with Jeff that I'm almost considering a second for no other reason than that its just so cool!