thinking about starting a collection!

You will want to think about a few things first.

1. What scale do you want to start with? (the bigger the car the less room you will have)
2. Your diecast budget. (Do you want to spend $50.00-100 per car or more)
3. What kind of Ferrari cars do you like the most?
4. You want to make sure you find mint cars with a mint box if possible.

Scale is big factor though. I love 1:18 but the size is a killer when it comes to trying to store them.
Normally they (1:18's) are less then some of the smaller 1:43 scale cars but the 1:43 cost more in most cases. You also want to learn what brands to avoid and what brands are really good.

1:43 (little bigger then a Hot Wheels)
I like BBR the best, but there are some cheaper brans then BBR.
Minichamps, Kyosho, Redline, IXO all make pretty nice 1:43's in my opinion and are not as expensive as the BBR's.

1:64 (Hot Wheels Scale)
Hot Wheels, Lesney, Matchbox are all great scales to collect. The Lesney (Lesney is pre Matchbox) Ferrari's are starting to really sky rocket in price. Plus they are some of the first Ferrari diecast ever made. The trick is finding them with the original boxes.
Hot Wheels are always good to pick up just do to the fact some are very rare. They make errors on some of the cars and that alone can launch a 1:64 scale cars price through the roof.

1:24 (bigger then a Hot Wheels)
I don't have many in this scale, most I have found are not that great.

1:18. (about 9 inches)
CMC, BBR, Kyosho, Hot Wheels Elite and Super Elite, Minichamps, are all very nice. There are others but you will see them I'm sure as you start doing more research. I would say CMC and BBR are the 2 best that I have mentioned, but Kyosho is about half the cost or less. The Hot Wheels and Minichamps (depending on what minichamps car it is) stuff is even cheaper most of the time.

So really the first thing you should look at is the space you have for this stuff, then look around on ebay at some of the scales and brands just to find out what you think will be best for the room you have and most of all what you think your going to like the most.

I'm sure I left out some other brands but for the most part I really think if you stick to one scale (at start) you will really like how your collection looks over time. A big mix of different scales is cool and all but I did that when I started and it looked very cluttered.

 

I guess the first question you shall ask yourself is how much you want to spend on each model, and how many roughly you want to collect. If you would like to spend less than 100USD per model, Kyosho is one of your options, or maybe Hotwheels. It also depends on the scale you prefer, 1/43, 1/24, 1/18.... etc.

 

No one but you can answer that question.

You have to have some sort of budget. And then there's the choice of scale. Most people on here collect diecast models in 1:18. Other collect 1:43 handbuilts. Then you can get into kits and the building of kits. And then there's the subject. Obviously Ferrari, but Ferrari roadcars? Competitioncars? F1? Or all of the above?

Most important thing is that you buy what you like.

 

Well. not to mention the works of for instance Fred Suber, Stephen Barnett, Feeling43 for at least $1.500,- Or Le Phoenix and Piranha for $450 and up

 

I think these are all great advice. I just wanted to add 1/12 scale as another option. Comparing to other scales, the selection is much smaller. But the one that are made will contain a lot of details. Also, it is possible to "collect them all" and they tend to retain their value if you buy them at a good price, as oppose to say many of the 1/18 HotWheel where their resale value will drop like 50% once you buy them from the model shop. It goes without saying each model will cost more money (~400 USD per car).

 

You didn't state what maker you are going to collect - If you choose to collect other brands along with Ferrari cars try AutoArt--They do not make Ferrari's but have excellent details. They make Porsche, Aston, Lambo, etc...I have a ton of Autoart cars and in my opinion are better detail than HW Elite, Kyosho...

 

I offer a word of caution… this is what happens when you buy one car, and then another, and another and at some point down the road your collecting perspective is “I got to have it” gets you in hot water with the wife and drains your bank account…. Well you get my point!
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I agree--the addiction is worse than crack...

 

lol..

My advice would be to stop here while you are ahead. I raise my hand here as having had one of the most intense addictions for collecting Ferrari models than anyone else Ive met.

- At the peak I owned 3000+ individual Ferrari models.
- I opened not 1..but 2 different retail/wholesale/showroom/internet Ferrari model stores over the years to support my habit.
- I worked, breathed and lived Ferrari models for the better part of 14 years.

I've since then gone cold turkey and stopped. I quit the addiction back in 2004 when I sold my model company and am all the happier for it. Of course what most people will say is to do anything in moderation, but i went overboard and not only burnt out but kinda ended up hating it at the end.

sooo..some real advice.. (trust me...I had customers for years ask me this very question hundreds of times)...(btw I owned ScaleCars.com)

- what scale? 1/43? 1/18? 1/87?
- what color? all yellow?
- what model? just F40s?
- what brand? just BBR?
- what $$$? $30 each? $200 each??
- whats the end goal? investment? passing on to a kid? playing? shows?

Its late..so more later...

Once you answer these questions..I can point you in a better direction

 

This is an important consideration. Helps to keep things in perspective.

 

how about fun!

anything else is a bonus.

I have been collecting ferrari-models since 1988. Never owned more than 150 pieces, if I get to much, its time to say goodbye for one or more! Keeps the budget in hand, and its fun to make someone else happy by selling it to proper home.

The content of my collection has grown from bbrurago to exclusive handbuilts.
Not only new models, older supermodels are also very special.

Its all about passion, choices and (some.....more or less)money and enjoyment!

 

I had customers all the time ask me "Is this model going to go up in value?"

just like the big cars, I would always answer "You cant buy models for investment, but you have to buy them for enjoyment. If they go up in value, it's a bonus."

The reality of collecting is that some do go up in value, most dont...and as far as fun, some models dont really lend themselves to being "fun" either. You cant really take handmade models off their bases, their wheels dont turn. often their doors dont open, there isnt an engine..ect

 

I think it would be good if some of you guys give him some advices in brands he should AVOID in the various scales...

 

I love this thread, at last I can justify having over 100 unbuilt kits and taking up one entire closet in the house. Of course that doesn't include the 25+ Schumacher 43rd kits and the display case full of built kits.... But I am no where near as bad as some of you guys!!!

Now if the work day would only end so I could get back to the workbench, got an FXX I'm working on.

 

Scale is a big deal.

Here is the rundown to the main scales:

1/100 Kyosho is doing some really nice models in this scale. The Alfa T33 Stradale is
great and tiny.Your will think this scale is cute and amazing.

1/87 HO mainly a train scale. Redline is doing alot of very well made 1/87 Lemans racers
in this scale. Based on old Lemans Miniatures kits. The quality will suprise you. Tiny detail!!

1/64

Kyosho has chosen this scale to make a huge line of models. They are making almost every F1 Ferrari and streetcar. They have to make them as semi kits( already finished, just put the
wheels on and your done. They do this due to Hotwheels license problems).

1/43rd is the best scale overall, but does not have as much detail as larger models.
No matter what, you should collect some 1/43.

1/32 is slot cars only. Some nice stuff available.

1/24 is higher quality plastic and resin kits mainly. Very few diecasts. Redline is doing some
very nice 1/24 built resin Ferrari's(1961 and 1962 Lemans TR's) in the $195.00 range. Hiro makes the best kits in any scale, both in 1/24 and 1/20. Soon also in 1/12. $$$$ expensive!!

1/20 F1 kits only. Large selection.

1/18 Built mostly diecast. Very few kits,mostly diecast conversions.
Some nice stuff, but not many good handbuilts(more coming from CMC and BBR/MR ect).

1/12 High detail in both built and kit. Tamiya makes some great F1 kits and newer built super cars in this scale. Protar also made several nice 1/12 F1 kits. These are all complicated kits not for beginners. Kyosho makes some very nice 1/12 built models. Hiro will be making a 1/12 Ferrari
kit soon.

1/8 very expensive kits. Pocher is the big maker. The F40 has several super kits available
for it. To be honest, the 1/12 Kyosho F40 is more detailed than the 1/8 Pocher F40.
The old Alfa 2.3 is a nice kit. The wire wheels are very nice. This is a kit that came out in the
late 1960's.

Hope this helps. If you dont build I would collect 1/18 and 1/43 with some of those really
cool 1/100-1/87-1/64 models to fill in the spaces. They are amazing.
If you build kits then 1/43 again and 1/24 are the main scales.

Tom/SD

 

a great advice in my opinion, you should buy what you like, the scale that makes you feel proud of your models, not what other people like, at the end, it´s YOUR collection, and you´ll spend hours cleaning and admiring it.

another wisdom words! you must stay focused on what you want, what you can pay, and where are you going to display your collection. It´s better to have a small but really nice model collection, than having tons of models that have no sense to be there. I´m telling you about my experience, I had over 550 models, and now I´m loosing lot of money trying to sell the ones that I should not have bought in the first place.

 

My experience has been -
Buy what you like
Realise 1/18 is too big to display
Buy what you like in 1/43
Aim to buy an example of every Ferrari
Realise there are too many
Decide to concentrate on Le Mans and F1 examples
And of course keep all of the above as you can't bear to sell them
I tend to think collecting is about personal preference

A friend of my wife once asked if I collected "red" models

 

I agree, you have to be carefull...

 

Just for the record here guys... yes; my collection is rather large but I only buy 1:18 cars that "I like in my collection" and I'm NOT doing it for an “investment” to hope someday to get rich re-selling them. If you’re looking for a “return” for your money, then this hobby is not for you and if you noticed in my past photos, all my 200+ cars are only just Ferrari and my passion is for Ferrari and I’m a total loyalist down to the bone in regards to Ferrari. I’ve been in this hobby for the last five years now I’m still having fun! This is my advice to the new comers and happy collecting!

 

I will sell you my collection. What are you looking for?

 

I've actually had a recent purging of my collection, it was a requirement and a need to focus. Actually, I'm a builder and not real into diecast stuff. The exception being BBR, some of their build-ups are absolutely awesome. But the workbench is my happy place. I will get photos to you guys soon. I started a Tamiya Enzo that I am going to use the Hiro Detail set for the Enzo with 2-3 other PE sets to make Schumacher's car. We don't talk about how much I spent on this kit, to much and not enough is the answer. I'm planning on doing updates here. Right now I have a F-117A that is on homestretch for completion and taking all my time.

 

you have any 1/24 models in your collection?
i would be interested in them.

Friendly greetings,

Alex