THE AWFUL TRUTH ABOUT HOTWHEELS COLLECTORS
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- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- #hotwheels #diecast
THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS AFTER BECOMING A HOTWHEELS COLLECTOR AFTER SOMETIME.
IT HIT ME WHEN A MAN IN WALMART TOLD ME THE AWFUL TRUTH.....
THE TRUTH THAT WITHOUT NOTICING I WAS BECOMING PART OF THE PROBLEM TOO!!
I will never resell. I go once a week. If I find something cool. If not oh well. I buy to customize.
Same bro
Same here. I customize for my own pleasure or to send it in for mail in tournaments.
There's tournaments?!!
Not all Hero's wear capes , Maybe just not smart ones if you statement is the truth .
Same actually
Personally I REFUSE to buy from any reseller. I buy these little cars for my enjoyment, and to customize as I see fit.
I have seen other collectors fall into this trap though. Thet go from "Its just a hobby. I only collect what I like." to "I dont care for this casting, but it is worth alot online" and then they go into the resellers game.
It's a real shame that this hobby has went to hell like this in the past years, but Im glad to hear someone calling out the ridiculousness.
Bro but in some countries like India only way to diversify our collection is to buy imports from resellers 😢 we mostly get imports from Malaysia Thailand
Still only collect Nissans Mazdas & Hondas only 😂
Same dude I collect Johnny lighting and I have massive collection of them I usually buy cars that look cool and nice
The real people to blame are people like Ynon Kreiz, Steve Totzke, Roberto Stanichi, and Katharine Buford at Mattel who refuse to improve product availability via platforms like Mattel Creations.
People like Chris Down and Ted Wu get taken advantage of by these types of people in charge.
I usually just buy off mattel creations, but even if I don't like or care for a casting I'll still buy it just to complete the set, but I will never resell
If everyone in the hobby hates scalpers... who is buying from the scalpers?
Sadly there are some for whom money is no object and scalpers are just another supplier, then there are those who don't like scalpers but will buy from them when they can't find what they're looking for, seeing them almost like a necessary evil for when they can't get what they want. Everyone in all hobbies should hate scalpers, but sadly as long as things like FOMO sales tactics exist, they will unfortunately always have a market.
It was a rhetorical question, but I like your answer.
Rich people i suppose, diecast junkies...(My prrrrrrrecious)
FOMO people and "normies" from my experience
happen on every single case (pun intended) of silver line hotwheels in my country except vintage line.
Everyone “hates” scalpers but will look the other way as long as they give them a hookup
I worked at Target from 2003-2007. There was a gentleman who’d come in and ask to see if there were any unopened boxes of hot wheels in the back. He was a collector, who shared his hobby with his kid. I also was apparently the only one willing to help him that he would actually look for me (toys was never my department) and even request to see me by name.
Anyway, he told me not to bother with opened boxes because that meant that a scalper had already gotten to it. So even back then, he was dealing with this problem. He would request a box, dig to see what he wanted, then offer to put up the rest of the stock for me on the peg hooks.
Yeah, I worked Target fm 2003-08, went to TRU, then back to Target 2018-present. Some of the good ones (the true collectors) would neatly stock the product once they were done with the cases. The scalpers on the other hand.... Fuckin vultures is what they are.
I worked there in 2019 & 2020. There were NEVER any good hot wheels on the pegs. My buddy worked in toys and he said that they hoard everything. I was totally unaware as I only picked up a few cars of interest every now and then. Fully into the hobby now Thanks to Covid and the toy dept mafia is real. I have heard stories about Wal-Mart too and I only find gold at the one that has mostly elderly toy dept staff 👍
@@boot_leg_ramen_noodle I knew a guy who was a collector and a Target manager and let collectors look over the unopened cases first. That's a level of collecting that I can't get into. Those extra hoops and back room shenanigans. Forget it.
@@scockery same here bro, no shade to ANYONE but I can’t be at the store outside waiting for it to open and stalking the toy dept employees. If that’s anyone’s thing, do you.
Man this sounds like my Dad, we would hit all the retail stores around So cal walmart target toys r us etc and he would always do that
I agree, my friend. Buy them because you enjoy them. It’s a silly investment vehicle!
I recently sold my entire Hot Wheel collection, it was close to 9,000 cars, including about 30 super treasure hunts and 200 premiums, over the last 6 years of the hobby I spent more than $10,000. I was in a bad financial situation, and it ended up selling for $6,000, not even close to what I paid, considering the gas and time spent collecting. I don't think there really is any profit for resellers, I live in a major city, and if you go to Marketplace and look at ads for Hot Wheels, they don't sell, they just sit there for months at a time. the real problem is adult collectors like myself that horde all the cars, it's the Desolation of Smaug syndrome, a big bad dragon sitting on its golden treasure.
Smaug thats a nice "ring" to it 😆
there is profit, but for the upcoming content, not for the old trash. old trash only appeases the true collectors who fall in live with old trash. the new shit , the new already considered RARE MODELS even before leaving the factory, are the ones on the hype and selling fast. what suckers dont understand is that to make profit you have to live this reseller´s life 24/7.
@@EugenioHertz They will have seen an antiques' show where an unopened vintage toy from the 70's or earlier is worth a load of money because the box and contents is pristine and then think if they collect new toys that one day it will happen to that. The problem is a load of people will have the same idea, buy new toys, keep them in the box and then in twenty years time think that it will be worth money - it won't because it's not rare. They should just buy for their kids and let them play with it. Their unopened toys will most likely end up in landfill when their home gets cleared out because they've died, or have become a hoarder.
Sounds like you’re mad you sold your cars. Hate the game not the player.
I have been, am and always will be a collector and will never turn to the darkside like so many others. If I buy extras there for myself, trading or for friends and won't buy more than 3, if someone I run into at a store I will always help them out that is what this HOBBY is all about.
Agreed with you.
I only collect McLarens
Everytime I see a McLaren hot wheels in a Walmart I snatch it if I don’t have that model or variant of that model already
Weeell i guess is okay to give to your friends, but pls pls leave for others tq for watching 👍
I only take What I need for myself or if I know somebody's looking for that casting Otherwise I just leave them be I have actually left Chase peices I have no interest in or none of my friends
@@BreadGood_21 It's a cool looking car.
I've been collecting for like 7 years, and idgaf about "treasure hunts", and have never sold anything. I just buy what I like. And exhibit it.
This is the way.
I stopped collecting because of scalpers. I still have my whole collection of 15k plus. From reds to mains. My son will one day get them. I do it for the cars and the memories.
If your kid not into cars / diecast himself, first thing he'll do - it to put inherited collection to attic or basement. The second thing - he will sell them in garage sale, when will be cleaning attic / basement.
Thats great you have all that collection, but also sad that scalpers are ruining the hobby for us 😞
@Lar.Real.Diecast scalpers and resellers are not the same. I hate scalpers too. But I'm a collector who will resell cause ot is part of any hobby. When I'm ready to move out my house, I resell it. When I buy a new car, I will resell my old one. Reselling is a part of life. Scalping isn't. Scalping is mostly about greed, reselling is getting value out of your collection because it does have a market value whether you like it or not. My two cents.
@@joyh_nt_r8538 Fully agree on it.
Why would you leave your son that burden? What makes you think he wants them? He’s gonna grow up hit puberty find a girlfriend and is going to care less about your measly collection. Sell it now while you can put that money towards a college fund, a lot of you collectors act like your collection is going to be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in the future and you’re somehow going to leave your kids with a treasure trove 🤣
I'm not a Hot Wheels collector. I'm a Godzilla collector, and my friend is a Gundam collector, and I know people who are Lego collectors. All of us have this issue. Issue where hype and rarity, obsession with market value and FOMO, reseller and scalpers, all this became the main drive for most collectors. Everyone is mad when their beloved item got reissued or no longer as rare The price tag and exclusivity became main value to the collectors, not the personal value. It's honestly tiring and annoying, as it pushed everyone in the hobby sphere to scalp and price everything crazily. I personally don't like to use the term "collector" nowadays due to all this characteristic that I dislike attached to it. I prefer calling myself as a "hobbyist", people who truly enjoy the hobby in and of itself. My main driving factor to collect is what I like. I don't care about the rarity and exclusivity, I hate those labels. Heck, even when I do like exclusives and own them, I wish they were regular release so that more people could enjoy it. I also resell stuff, but more often than not it was at a slight loss. Due to me knowing my buyers are fellow hobbyist and I know they'll enjoy those items more than I am now. So I'm willing to let it go at a bargain. I enjoy my hobby, and I hope more people would enjoy it again. Let's forget the numbers and the investment for once, and re-embrace your inner manchild. Play with the damn thing, enjoy it. Walk away from the community, isolate yourself and develop your own strict taste, that is for you and you only. Not the ones that'll please the people at the community, nor the ones that'll please the market. But one that pleases you and your personal enjoyment. It's a hobby, not a job. It's an child-like escapism, not a calculated investment
Why would a person be mad if your favourite piece is reissued? Surely it's a good thing because more people can enjoy this cool thing? Only reason would be if the value was the most important aspect of the piece...in which case the objective was always to sell, and that means they aren't a collector, they're a trader. Collectors don't sell, except to restructure a collection.
At least with plastic model kits majority of people demand for new kits that will sell out instantly, and the brands go 'nah, lets just make another spitfire instead'
At 51, I've only ever collected. I've never had interest in reselling, not even my duplicates.
(Nearly) every time I had any duplicates of toys I've been collecting (that weren't primed to be an army builder) I usually gifted them away to kids of my friends.
Same with many hobbies like Gunpla, people would buy limited edition and then selling it at a higher price after a few years later
My only beef with gunpla is that some of the new mold was slapped with P-Bandai, especially on the MG kits that I wanted like Gundam MK-V and GM Space Command. I think it’s mostly Bandai’s part of gouging prices on p-bandai kit and then scalpers double or triple it even more.
Yes, but not really.
That mainly happens to the kits that Bandai just straight up refuses to reissue after a long while.
Other than that, the main issue we are facing today is too many kits now locked up behind P-Bandai pay wall.
Great to be in Japan or North America, but everywhere else are pretty much screwed
With scale modeling, it’s slowly becoming an expensive hobby. Kits now costs a lot. It used to be cheap. I’m sad.
@@nimay13 I'd say it depends on how you wish to enjoy the hobby.
If you are just a regular builder (which most people are), while it does get more expensive by a margin compared to the past, the additional expense can be explained by accounting a lot of factors. And it's completely understandable in terms of financial & technological advancements.
However, if you are down for more advanced stuff, especially customizing, then there is no doubt that the expenses just go up rapidly. But it's always an option, not a must.
I don't have a problem with selling older products, the problem is the needlessly 'limited edition' nature of the product - they went to all the trouble and expense of making a special mould and then voluntarily stop using it...why? limited edition anything really piss me off, but especially things that take lots of time and effort to create.
I think the surfacing of other brands like Mini GT, Tarmac Works, Pop Race, Inno 64, and many other brands coming from Asia. Collecting Hot Wheels doesn't feel worth it. Why go through all this effort over a diecast that loses on quality compared to mentioned brands and also goes higher in price in terms of resell prices. In my country, there are collectors going to lengths of getting supermarket or store employee or manager contacts to get their supply. It's a disgrace.
Especially since you can pre-order nearly all the cars you want from them and they show up at your door. No wasting gas and time.
@@90heroes Yeah that's the thing also. I have to go through a lot of effort to get Hot Wheels at retail price and most of the time I don't see them at stores and the resell price especially new castings and release are stupidly overpriced.
no need to tell me where ur from, bc I can tell by that last sentence hahahahaha
Menyala kolekdol. 😂😂
I agree with this comment lol. “Hot wheels collector” are literally blinded by the brand and not by the quality/details of the car.
Seriously a sorry state of the Hobby, I personally swear to myself that I'll never resell, I only buy the cars I love and will keep them forever
Yes!
Believe me hot wheels are only scratching the surface. Collectibles just get worse and worse by the year
I am collector. I understand the pain. I had bought a skyline super silhouette for 16$ loose. Car collecting is a pain as certain cars are never there as they only want the price and not the craftsmanship of making the castings.
Its sad really
I know of several scalpers, I can't stand them. When I am at the hot wheels section and I find a bunch of cars that I know the scalpers will take them all. I collect most of them put them in my cart and go hide them in the store and every day after work I will grab a few and put them in the front on the pegs. It has turned into a game of cat and mouse for me with these scalpers. When I run into actual collectors I will ask them what they are looking for. If it is one of the cars I have hidden, I will tell them come back tomorrow and look at so and so place and you will find one there. Good times. !!!
and was everyone there clapping too? and this never happened. lol
@@kinggambino3698 Source "Trust me bro!11!!"
His story is more believable than your short-bus version. Get back in the basement, mutt.
You have a lot of time to waste
@@maksimborodajenko9930 It is never a waste of time to help non scalpers find the Hot Wheels they are looking for. You must be one of the scalpers I ruin their day by wasting their gas and taking their profits away just by not being greedy.
I work at a Walmart, we have collectors/resellers/scaplers who will open the boxes themselves to get at the cars if the stockers aren't fast enough. I'm only a causal collector(mostly Matchbox) myself, I always unpack them because space for me is limited.
I am a collectors and scalpers have made the hobby into collecting undesirable now. Like yesterday, there were 9 boxes of the Hot Wheels boulevard with the 22' Civic Type R sitting on the pallet at Walmart. This was about 8:20pm I asked a manager if I can get any assistance and he told me that the stockers would be there around 9pm to start putting the cars up. I went out to get something to eat and then to return in hope to catch them stocking it up. I come back around 9:10pm and every single boxes were went through. All the Civics Type R were gone. I asked the stock woman, and she said someone already open them up before she got there. Sad world we live in. I feel like I just hang it up. They be selling them at the flea market for $25 a piece and I refuse to buy them.
That civic is on my wish list too, i would never buy from them. At least i got one civic type r tomica already. Thanks for watching 🥰
I collect since 2009, long before the hype and never became a scalper; I resell some of my old cars when their value become high in order to buy new ones or other toys that are expensive.
I mainly collect since 1991 japanese toys so I started collecting Hotwheels for American Muscle&Pony Cars to add some variety to my whole toy collection so even if I have a JDM collection, it is not my main interest.
I refuse to fear of missing certain models so I buy some online some cars when they are release and are around the same price as in shops or have contact of reseller who are not scalpers for Premium sets.
But it is more than 5 years that I really find back the pleasure of collecting and "hunting" with no stress and only good vibes with Barbie, I only collect a certain "style" and I only buy what I can display (I buy stands in order to give them the posing they deserve to get),
As for the Skyline Pace Car from Gran Turismo, I also refused to buy it only as the prices were minimum 3 times the shop price and I found it 2 or 3 months ago, but I must admit it would have pissed me off to never come across that particular model.
I’m a Godzilla figure collector. The most I’ll buy at one time is two of the same item;
One to remove from the packaging and handle, another to keep in the packaging for the bookshelf. Even then, this is pretty rare for me. Godzilla collectibles aren’t exactly cheap most of the time, and scalpers are a big problem for them too.
I have a Skyline named “Guaczilla”
I went to the Hot Wheels Legends tour a few months ago, since it came to my area. They were having a promotion at the Walmart where if you bought $25 worth of Hot Wheels, and brought the receipt out to one of the booths, they gave you a bag of goodies which included an exclusive casting. While I was in line to buy my Hot Wheels (I just picked ones that I liked, no scalping), I watched as one of the Legends Tour guys came out from the back of the store with some cases of the more premium castings to stock on the shelves. This poor guy nearly got mobbed by these rabid, fully grown adults for these cases. It got to the point where the local police had to surround this guy as he stocked the shelves. As soon as he was done, the first few people just grabbed everything and left nothing for anyone else. It was mind boggling and surreal to watch adults fight over childrens toys. I kid you not, I really thought one of them was gonna get walked away in handcuffs. I was just there to meet up with friends, look at some cool cars, and have a good time. Definitely was not expecting that. You are 100% correct. The collectors (scalpers) scene is unbelievable.
It's getting waaaay out of hand
I used to work in a value retail chain as a manager not long ago, and the guys who came in looking for hot wheels were relentless. Had one guy who asked every employee on the floor if we got hot wheels on our delivery, because he didn’t believe me when I said I stocked them already. He also came around back of the store while our delivery was being unloaded, and asked if we got hot wheels off the delivery truck yet, and stood there to watch for a few minutes before he left after I told him to leave. It’s insane, and that was a couple years ago when the reselling was really bad.
I still find the joy of finding and appreciating this little pieces of artwork. In my years of collecting Hot wheels and endless hunts, I did manage to have some luck with Treasure hunts, chases when I find them. I really don't look at its market value but its value in my eyes
Yes these castings are art on themselves sadly many ppl are only interested on money 😞
Been collecting off and on since the mid-90s. 3K cars and never sold a single one. Trades only. I will never be a scalper
Hot tip, if you get there before the scalpers, hide/scatter the cars you don’t want around the store. They will slowly be found and returned to the shelves at random times ensuring everyone gets a chance to buy. 😅
Better yet buy them & put them in the kids toys donation bins.
I've been collecting diecast for decades, only for me. I have never found a STH. It's frustrating but I stopped caring. Scalpers are irritating. Finding Boulevards? Pretty much gave up on that too
I hear you about STH version's. I have one chase and 2 TH vehicle's! Been collecting since 1999.
I found 1 and I opened it, I only collect Batmobile's and they are all opened and on display, my son can touch and look at them when he wants to. They are for me and me alone. Won't pay more than few £ for them.
Last time I got a boulevard was 2021, never seen one ever since because the shelves are always empty. They should just start selling all their premiums online.
@users4007 Might as well & sorry you have as hard of time as me lol I guess try to stay positive & good luck on future hunts my friend
buy-go home-unpack the wheels-customize them (optional), this will lower your chance to be a scalper
Open them straight after i leave the store. I collect to takw cool pictures
I got into Hot Wheels only recently primarily to modify and race them online. I then slowly became attracted to all the details and variety of vehicles. So I’m a collector of sorts and my collection includes both cars I like and modified customized ones that have been raced somewhere. It’s a gas, gas, gas.
That’s the way to do it 👍
What a great way to enjoy the hobby and steer clear of all this resell mayhem!
This video is so underrated. I collect mostly Tomica and there is a line of Nissan cars that I want so much (cars inside boxes of the posters of the old Godzilla movies) and resellers are just reselling them at such a high price, I don't even want them anymore.
EXACTLY! Id give you 2 hearts if i could. I could have the skyline i want but I won't feel the same if i have to pay more. I feel regret to buy from resellers
Tomica, in general, is also more expensive than hot wheels. I thought that was odd. I assumed, with the yen being so weak, everything that was by a Japanese company within Japan itself would be much more affordable. I think that was the only example I found of products that weren’t cheap.
Free market. Personally, I find it more exciting this way.
As someone who just started collecting again 2 years ago, the diecast community in my city was chill. There wasn't a feeling of competition since there were only a few of us; eventually more and more started collecting to the point where they'd start to hoard and eventually resell. This made collecting a hassle and it took away the joy of hunting.
Because of this I sold all my HW collection and used the money to buy more premium brands such as MINI GT, Kaido House and Inno64 which did not have any competition. I must say life has been easier knowing that I don't have to be the first to line up when the store restocks and just let them compete with themselves.
awesome!!
I always try to find Porsche hotwheels and I never find them as well as skylines I hate scalpers
It does make me sad to see greedy individuals who ruin the hobby for the rest of us. I’ve got 2 supers to my name, 1 M2 coke chase, and 4-5 errors. I run on a rule to take only what I need (maximum of 2 for ‘high value’ castings). The only way I’d sell anything from my collection is if I was strapped for cash.
i got 1 super and really i lost the hype over looking for one after my first. i learned to just buy wheels from Temu and make my own STH. but yeah people who horde all the cars to resell gets on my nerves. been looking for the current Bumblebee car and the Duck super rig for months and nothing.
Yes is infuriating
I buy brands, manufacturers and car variations that I like, some are bought with customization already in mind or already customized, but most are cracked and displayed. 95% of my collection is jdm, mostly Nissan, with a hint of OG muscle here and there. I buy from many different sellers/vendors/websites, and if I'm gonna customize I get two, one original and one to customize. My collection is put together with alot of love and money, but I have never looked at it as an investment. I figured this was the easiest and most realistic way to own all my dream cars.
Used to be $1 a car, then Hot Wheel made a it $6 with same old cast with different packaging. Limited edition for $30. Having a hobby getting so expensive now.
They're still a $1 a car. Calm down dude.
@@samueld5418 My point was Hot Wheel is selling the same $1 car you find 5-8 years ago to $6. You still can buy a pack of 10 or 12 cars for $10, but you might just want 3 cars in there. I just buy when I see some cool ones and don't even know how people know when they release a good car.
@@samueld5418 Not in the world beyond the USA. Cheapest place that sells mainlines costs $1.94 equivalent here, more often $2.30-$3. Premiums cost the equivalent of $11.83 where I am, Team Transports $24.98. Shit's mad. Lots of places are even worse.
@@samueld5418 in europe their at 6€ and 19€ for premium
@@samueld5418 It's no longer a $1 car if you can't find it selling anywhere for less than $15.
I'd tell you to use your brain, but clearly you don't have one that works.
I went full circle, from collector to reseller back to collector. These days it's way more effort than it's worth to resell
@@spiders_8792 exactly! If anyone wants to scalp, sell concert tickets. Its a way bigger and faster turn around than toy cars. I get that they make 7 bucks here and there, but its just not worth the time and overhead to keep at it.
Yeah I feel you there. Here Skyline got scalped to DEATH. I have to go to another brand to get my R34 (MiniGT). I did obtain the R34 pace car but it was selling as a 5 cars Pop culture set. Fortunately I also like the GT R35 and the MTV van so I did bit the bullet. But for others its a struggle really. Hope those scalpers got what they deserve with price fell out to the window. Hot wheels also began playing with the number of cars in a box, especially in silver labels. For example in FF Dom set, there are 3 RX-7s instead of 2. And in the speed graphic set, Civic EK9 will be 3 cars. Hope this strat works for long terms.
Yes its a bloodbath
but the skyline R33 is only one per case while de tomaso has three units per case in F&F
hotwheels is weird
Lowkey the only reason I’d buy from resellers is to get like premiums from like 3-5 years ago since they’re not on shelves anymore but other then that, I collect em because I freaking love hot wheels, the mainlines, I’d never resell my cars just to make some money.
I'm a Ghostbusters collector
Last year a local store got in a shipment of action figures , a scalper went in and bought every one in stock (including the unopened cases still in the back) then he bragged about wiping out the stock at another store .🤬
Some action figure sites "How are scalpers still a thing? Stores don't stock anymore enough to matter." The idea now is that collectors order everything online and don't bother with physical retail, yet, the scalpers operate online, too. It's not just collectors getting the sell-out-in-10-minutes online exclusives.
And the rats won't leave the ship until its sinking, so scalpers will be around until no adults collect anymore.
And toy companies largely don't care. Mattel can have items that sell out in 15 minutes or less and will NEVER OFFER THEM AGAIN. (Or offer a paltry amount at some random time of day unannounced.)
@@scockery
Its frustrating
Because a lot of scalper/resellers have software that can place multiple orders in a matter of seconds .
Ive been hunting for a Gucci Cadillac seville RLC car for ages, because like you, I wanted to collect it and it wouldve been a great thing to show off. I had it in my cart and sold out within in 2 minutes waiting in line to purchase online. It grew on me and made it a goal to cop one some day. Since then, Ive been buying RLC cars that were of "value" just so I can possibly find enough good hyped RLC cars to sell em to get the gucci cadillac seville, I still dont have it and my collection grows in boxes. That transition from collecting to hoarding, its insane how it can get started at any point.
Good luck on that cadi...👍👍
@@Lar.Real.Diecast thanks my dude!! its kinda a wild ride just for toy cars. Forgot to mention great video too!
I recently started collecting hot wheels and matchbox as I was never able to have them growing up. I feel embarrassed looking in stores because you can see the boxes/pegs are a mess. Variant boxes are open. Adults are doing this. I just want some nice cars.
I bought and sold nerf for a few months. It's gross. I would buy collections, keep what I wanted, and sell the rest at sometimes a quarter of what others do. I just wanted them going to the right people. Most of them probably went to resellers. I did have a couple that sold for high price, but they were true collector's pieces.
Brother, trust me, your situation isn't that bad XD. I live in Poland in a fairly large city (400,000 people) and I have come across 2 or 3 How Wheels deliveries this year. I've visited about 30 different stores and it's really hard to find anything, and when you do, don't think that they are premium or some rarer models. I have never come across premium or trucks from any existing brand. Of course, I don't need to mention that when something arrives, the employees take what's better for themselves and even on a fresh delivery there's nothing.
i dont really care for supers and ths. i collect what i want to, but if i find a super i will take it.
Great that's the spirit....but realistically speaking STH are impossible to find
@@Lar.Real.Diecast yeah i have found 1 in my 1 1/3 years of hunting
@@Lar.Real.Diecast it was a car i really liked though, so i picked it up. i really love mercedes from the 80s so i was really happy to find a ‘89 mercedes benz 560 sec amg. it hangs proudly on my wall
As a NASCAR diecast collector, we get way less releases in store so our scalping problem is even worse because every single release gets taken by scalpers. Not a single one gets left on the pegs and they get sold for $30+ online when they’re $5 in stores. On top of this most of the releases from the late 2000’s are over $60 now. There’s a specific diecast I want because of the nostalgia of using it in one of the games, but it goes for over $400 now. I own multiple that cost over $100 now and the fact that a lot cost that much actually almost pushed me out of the hobby.
Whoa, $400 that's crazy
I don't ever want to start reselling. I've bought a few from resellers and now they are in my collection.
And there are 2 sides to each coin. Supers have a positive, before Hot Wheels were as mainstream as they were now, there purpose was purely for collectors to have a chance to find something rare and keep pursuing the hunt. It’s a good marketing tactic on Hot Wheels sides while rewarding those who were loyal to finding all the new models and releases. Now as Hot Wheels have gotten more and more popular it’s attracted some more unsavory characters for sure, it’s a poor side affect. To say Supers are a complete negative though I feel is unfair. Supers are about Hot Wheels designers getting to put some of the most premium treatments on their designs, rewarding loyal collectors (hunting is a part of the hobby like it or hate it, and if you truly hate it I say go to a brand that’s more DTC based), and marketing and moving product. If it weren’t for Super Treasure Hunts and the frenzy they can create, I don’t think Hot Wheels would feature the massive lineup and collector based lines they can invest in today. You said it yourself, supers keep you coming back to the pegs. That’s the whole point, to find a rare car that makes your hunt unique. Is mini GT better? Yes! But there’s something inherently more exciting when you walk to the pegs not knowing what Hot Wheels are there, than going to your local hobby shop or ebay retailer to buy the model you know is going to be available.
Great video and storytell. New sub. And here’s my small story. I also started as a collector and now am reselling. I don’t like to consider myself a scalper because I believe there is a difference between the 2. Reason being because there were plenty of cars that I used to leave behind and only took for myself. Other friend collectors would tell me what they would be looking for. So I started trading eventually reselling for small margin. That way I help them out but of course to do those favors a lot well gas isn’t cheap so I can’t really be doing it for free. But where I draw the line is abusing of that profit margin. For example I recently found the zamac EG of this year. And yes I left 3. Went yesterday to the local Diecast reunion and someone was selling them for 10 each. Curiously enough they were three, the same exact number I left behind. I was reselling them for 5. Although starting price was 3. I stick to prices I’d pay myself or depending how much I like the cars. But yea I’d say there is a thin line between a reseller and a scalper
Thin line indeed, thats okay to give to friends, but pls pls pls leave for others
Yup. I leave extras behind because if someone else is to be looking out for the same piece. At least there’s more chance for someone else in my area.
There is one other outcome, that is to become a customizer. I found myself falling down the same reseller route. I was buying castings I didn’t even like for the hope of making some cash to buy the higher end stuff I actually wanted. Customizing is the only way I find this hobby becoming rewarding.
this is 99% true. There is a small exit out of that path. You learn how to customize and create your own version. Too many people are lazy and rather become a reseller just to cover the cost of the cars they want.
I worked at ShopKo back in the late 90s. Hot wheels collectors were the WORST.
It was one of the few toys the kids werent the ones pulling everything off the rack.
Regularly, we'd find open hot wheels shipping boxes on the floor that had been pulled from the back room or snuck off a pile while we were stocking. Once after i told a collector that i wouldnt pull fresh boxes from the back for him, he sent his tween daughter to ask again. It was super creepy and gross.
There is a group that calls themselves the Diecast mafia. If you want it, they have it. They have truckers and Mattel reps in their pockets. It's weird but it's a hustle worth quite a lot of money.
To combat that, my friends and I buy up popular models and then return them whenever we see the price has finally dropped back down. You come to my city and there is a real chance of running into last year's cool cars because we do that all the time. It's fun to hear guys brag about finding something they had really wanted and being amazed it was there a full year or so after it should be. We do also pick up multiple to trade amongst ourselves.
Unfortunately that’s becomes true about nearly everything that becomes collected. Comics, sports card, collectible game cars, legos, video games, coins, sports memorabilia etc…. I hope you stay as a collector and enjoy being a collector.
It's so frustrating knowing that the shelves will be picked clean of any interesting models, before i even get to see them on pegs. Also Treasure hunts etc are nice but buying them from resellers defeats the purpose of a treasure HUNT 🙄
That also defeats the purpose of collecting pleasure and admiring aesthetics from the castings themselves. If you want the "good ones" (th and sth, looks to me like this is what ppl want, due to the hype from other ytbers) you will need to go to many stores during restock and fight with other scalpers..hence after sometime on doing this you will end up being scalper yourself. It's a cycle where I just realized that i was starting to become part of the problem
I rarely buy hot wheels these days. One of the reason is that there aren't any JDM cards at the supermarket these days due to scalpers and it has been that way for years. In recent years there are hot wheels vending machines popped up at shopping malls and it does help alleviate the issue somewhat as buyers cannot buy the same card over and over again. Then again, I've being collecting Tomicas now since they are mostly JDMs.
Honestly speaking in my country malaysia you'll probally never gonna find any premium or sometimes mainline (mostly jdm and euro cars doesnt exist) in a regular store. You can find premium but only store like toyRus sell them (not sure if there is any other store tho that sell premium), but they dont have that much in stock. If you want more you gotta go to the resellers store but expect some crazy prices. My advice for the new collectors JUST COLLECT WHAT YOU LIKE. Dont follow any trend and do not care about the future value of the car. If you want to kraken it (crack it open) just do it and learn to customize it the way you want it. Its way more fun.
Nasib baik tak collect jdm😅
For me.. I stop collecting HW sebab Proton Saga.. :P
I used to be a collector. I had over 4,000 pieces between HotWheels, Matchbox, and the more high-end brands. One Saturday, I saw two guys yelling at each other in a Walmart because one of them had opened a box and pulled out a super treasure. Within a week I'd donated almost all of the pieces I had. Now I collect (read) books and physical media. It's less stressful.
You are wise my friend
especially THE BOULEVARD LINE HOLY FK
I always buy 2 when it comes to the premiums. 1 to open and 1 to keep sealed. It is usually 1 casting from each round. With mainlines I buy 2 of each casting I like. 1 to open and get swaps done by a customizer and 1 to keep sealed or get swaps done and resealed. I wish you luck in your future hunts.
honestly hot wheels should be used for having fun with race tracks instead of collecting
I’ve been collecting Hot Wheels since I was around 8 years old, and my very first car was the Brick Cutter - and it still there on my shelf. I still remember sitting in front of the store shelf, carefully picking out the funkiest car I could find. Now, in my 30s, I’m still collecting and every single car I own is loose. I play with them, race them, and enjoy them for what they are.
If you ask a scalper what their first car was and they say something like a JDM or Skyline, you know they’re just in it for profit. For me, it’s never been about that. I don’t keep my cars on their cards because I’ve never cared about their "value"-I’m not in this to sell. I refuse to buy at any resellers or resell anything from my collection. Somehow I think I traded once with fellow collectors without adding any money because luckily he has what I want and I have what he wants, it's just a taxi car.
Yes, I’ve been lucky enough to find some Skylines on shelves before the storm of scalpers hit, but I only grab one for myself and leave the rest for other collectors. I don’t chase after colour variants, bullshit STHs, or error cards either-I just want one for my collection.
This is what collecting is about for me, pure enjoyment, no hoarding, no flipping. Proud to say I’m a true collector!
It’s so annoying how people just buy for value now I miss when I could just go to the shops and find a random skyline and buy it cuz I love the thing and along with that I’m scared to open any Hotwheels that I don’t have a duplicate of anymore because I feel like I’m losing too much I feel but I still appreciate them and love them but I’m just scared
I was lucky enough to find the pop culture gran Turismo GTR Nismo concept in the wild and 2 R30 skylines but I was so over the moon but I never opened them this video has made me remember who I am and now I have decided I will too leave some for everyone else but if I find another one of the same car that I like in another day I will buy it
I buy two of every car. 1to keep for my collection and one to customize. I don’t support whatnot. I seen one person selling a set of axels of 100 for $40. They go online for $4 for 25 sets. Don’t let scalpers over charge you. If they weren’t supported they would stop. I work at a retail store and I can’t wait for our cases to get put on the hot wheels. Sick of these inconsiderate people coming in the stores throwing stuff around and messing up packages just because it’s not the ones they are trying to make a living off of. Let’s ban together to stop these scalpers. I can say working in retail has its benefits when it comes to first choice. I always leave treasure hunts. I’ve even left supers. I’ve got one and as a collector I leave ones I have for other collectors. That’s the true collector code. Take what you don’t have and leave for the next. Stop the selfishness
I don't really count myself as a Hotwheels collector as I just buy and look for very specific cars that I like, but as a Skyline fan myself I absolutely find it absured that a kids toy that should only be worth a few bucks has skyrocketed.
In relation to that, I have a friend who was a race car mechanic looking for a Toyota AE86 Trueno. He told me that when he was in highschool, he could've found one cheap. But, no thanks to popularity from Initial D (his favorite anime) that car is now absurdly priced. He told me he found one for sale in relatively good condition priced at $57000 USD.
Yeah, I think it's frustrating being a car enthusiast or even collector in general. I have some really rare Anime figures that go for the $1000 now, that I'd never ever fathom selling.
i have been collecting for nearly 20 years. that scalper in the store in coping hard when he says everyone eventually becomes a reseller. which is why i quit hotwheels and moved on towards more premium brands where the scalper ratio is less.
I recently started collecting Johnny Lightning for this reason. If there is a cool base set hotwheel or premium I’ll buy it at the store if I see it.
Otherwise right now Johnny Lightning and Autoworld are more appealing. Especially with the cool limited production numbers. Only problem is it’s hard to find them.
@@ICECAPPEDSKY try greenlight too
As a model kit collector and builder, it's all about the balance and enjoying the hobby at your own pace. Rather than chasing the newest or the shiniest stuffs, one should ask themselves what they truly like, ask the question "do I really like this because everyone wants it ? Or do I really like it because I truly like it ?". I have also experienced multiple burnouts throughout the years but have always managed to re-discover the joy and excitement of the hobby, it's all about understanding what we truly want.
I don’t collect them anymore because scalpers ruined the experience one too many times for me, I just could never find what I wanted. I do still look whenever I’m at the shops though,if I see anything good I put a small rip in the box/cardboard so hopefully they leave it for a kid to buy and play with instead of getting to rip people off.
So another words, you damaged store property because you don’t want to buy it ? that makes no sense You’re a complete fool. 🤡
3:00 pure BS. Been collecting for 7 years and Ive never thought about being a scalper or an illigitimate reseller. That guy is trying to push his guilty conscious onto others in the form of guilt by association. The level of patheticness never ceases to amaze me with these people.
The Super Treasure Hunts section was great. I used to be a bonafide Super hunter but gave it up after I started focusing on premium brand diecast. So happy I did, thos hobby is actually more enjoyable than it ever has been.
Great video!
Yes he had that look
Imagine being a grown man and scalping toy cars so kids can't play with them and nobody else can either. They must live such sad and lonely lives.
If you are listing it online you are helping kids play with them. If they were sold out and no one were to sell it, keeping them in their box for their collection, then nobody can play with them. Resellers make it so that consumers can easily get what they want.
@@gyroninjamodderwhat are you smoking lmao, all they do is take them off the shelves so nobody else can have them
I had plenty of HW and Matchbox cars when I was a kid. They definitely weren't collector quality. They got played with. In fact they were practically the only toys I did play with. Most of them ended up with chipped paint, bent axles, broken spoilers, etc. in pretty short order.
The very idea of a "premium" Hot Wheels goes against everything I stand for. A Hot Wheels is supposed to cost pocket change, get the snot beat out of it, and become imbued with a lifetime of memories.
3:19 Nope, not for me. I'VE BEEN TEN YEARS AS A COLLECTOR AND I'VE NEVER RESOLD!
GREAT!
If you are a collector for fun, buying from a reseller shouldn’t hurt your satisfaction. When it is temporary enjoyment, that is when you begin to hate scalpers because they turn temporary into a never again.
Collecting Diecasts is like a business now rather than a hobby. Here the JDM cars are scalped to DEATH. Especially the r34. And I can’t really stand scalpers unfortunately. It makes me sometimes to quit this hobby and do something better. Hell I never properly ever found a chase or a STH in the wild, mainly because nowadays collecting in the wild is a waste of time here
this is because you only look for the dirtiest brand called HOTWHEELS. those who made cheap crappy cars filled with hype and overpriced tags. you could have better and even cheaper than hotbulshiet, but you dont want it.
what wild? all the stores are closed anyway, used to be 10 stores i could go to look for games,they all out of business now, might as well shop online, looking for used shit on ebay can be fun, you gotta check every day to get good stuff
Somehow a week in i found 2 chase cards the 2 black jeep thingies
I just started collecting it, and it was really disappointing that it's always out of stock I went to different stores around the city and found nothing. Good thing a kind employee hides some for the new faces. Thanks to him, I got one of my favorite cars a premium fairlady z.🥰
I need to protect that man at all cost!
He deserves the nobel peace prize
Here in Mexico it is so hard to collect Hot Wheels these days
Resellers everywhere.
Must be brutal
Personally i have bought from a (re) online seller because there are no stores around where i live and he sells most cars for the same or like a little bit more, which is even cheaper to pick up than driving to any good store. Sure i go to stores sometimes but he made it possible for me to “find” cars i otherwise never wouldve unless im really lucky because scalpers are also a massive problem here. So to have someone in my city selling for a normal price is just so nice.
The hobby would be a hobby again if Mattel removed TH and $TH from the mainline sets.
A lot of the degeneracy would disappear instantly.
Yeeees coming soon
I agree with this. I my opinion the introduction of TH and STH is the culprit of this toxic aspect of the hobby
I was a casual collector of HW diecasts. My focus was on Batmobiles and DeLoreans. It became crazy as I too started to adopt the resellers/scalpers mindset. I quit because I could accumulate anymore. I had to learn to appreciate what I already had.
Sadly this stretchs further then die cast further then collectables this goes all the way to one time purchases like video games and machine spare parts
I've been collecting hot wheels since I was a kid. I still have no desire to resell. I get the ones I love to collect, and that's it.
Well you have to understand my friend. I don't collect hot wheels but I do collect Yu-Gi-Oh cards. And I can tell you that collecting is a hobby that across the board functions pretty much the same. Some people are knowledgeable and try to make money off it. Others just want a collection. Some people just lose interest in there collection and sell theres to invest in something else. At the end of the day the hunt for the rare item is what collecting is all about. But to say people don't appreciate the models is silly. Obviously if people felt that way, they wouldn't spend ridiculous amounts of money to complete there collections.
Correct
It's an adrenaline rush when you find one in the store. Go online and see offers for double what you paid. Then you remember that if you do resell, it will be 20 or more years from now when they are even more valuable.
I also only collect ones that I like as well.
I have nearly 11,000 cars if a car makes it into my collection it stays there. I get annoyed by ebay sellers. I buy 1 of each models that I like.
I buy them to put in my display case...No packaging, I toss it...I collect mainly American muscle cars and historic racing and drag cars...I also modify, build frames, add 3d printed engines, wide-body mods etc...I have no interest in "duplicates" or "investment collecting"...I like having them because they are like fine jewelry, and they look bad-ass in my lighted display cabinet...
If yall knew the production numbers, yall would realize how priceless all this junk really is.
priceless or worthless
I never understood collecting things just to leave them in a box. Being able to physically hold and play with things is more fun for me personally.
Yes indeed 👍
In my country hws are very much still for kids so i like collecting the specific packs like for example i got all 5 of the 2024 roadsters collection and just seeing them displayed in my room,brings me joy in high school,i dont like drinking or smoking so i dont have any actual friends.I liked watching this video and it is thought provoking but doesn't discourage me from enjoying the hobby my way 👍
Hello. I want to completely agree with this video. The reason I am leaving this comment is because it is completely sad how the HotWheels market is currently standing in Ecuador. From the peg, resellers are selling these cars at 4x the price, and these individuals completely silence the people who stand up to those outrageous prices (in their whatsapps & other channels) where you can see innocent kids purchasing an r32 basic godzilla at USD$30. People dont know how to check prices, and the ones who know, they purposefully create an illusion of rarity by hoarding as much as their wallet can take to jack up the prices to outrageous values. The ego of some of these people is so fragile that you need to abide by the ideologies of the big collectors of the country, they tell you which ones are "worth" collecting when they are not and you inmedeately see the consequences on the pegs 10 minutes after. Last thing is the gatekeeping, nobody tells you where you get cool models and it is a complete mess where you can only get them through the guy that is offering the cars on sites or auctions where it is obvious the owner is pumping the bids through another account.
Exactly whats worth collecting had overaken what so you like 😡. Thanks for watching 🥰🥰
I have an extra gran turismo gtr I’ll let you have for free. My biggest problem with the hobby is mostly everyone is very greedy and wants to make the most money/trade value
They all turn reseller cuz at some point you need space more than the cars :P Also everyone starts off collecting everything, then getting specific later.
Open everything, greatly takes away the urges to flip things, people don’t like paying nearly as much for uncarded stuff so takes the intrusive thought out of the equation
I have never sold a hotwheel of mine in my 36 years of living on this earth. They all reside in my room.
You are a true collector 🫡
This is why I don't collect things. I'd rather collect cash
Dont we all
@@Lar.Real.Diecast have you found any luck at Meijer? I've never seen a scalper there.
No luck there either 😞
@@Lar.Real.Diecast Your luck there is like mine when I try to find some car I'm REMOTELY interesting to me, like a Honda Accord or Nissan Maxima, or a Toyota Corolla. Even when I find Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR diecasts, my luck is terrible.
I started scalping cool cars just so I had something to trade resellers for the castings they scalped 😂😭😭
Please dont scalp
I always wanted to find a HotWheels Delorean from Back to the Future,and I only found it at a small little shop in a small town because of my father,two exemplars,but at the big stores,nothing,and I think it's rarer to find because I'm in Brasil and because of that situation
Glad you found it!
“Everyone” is a very broad generalization. I’ve been a collector for 20 years and over the years just as my taste has changed, my collection has changed. I sell cars and use the money from those sales just to buy new cars that fit my current collection. I’ll never be a “reseller” or scalper but I do sell cars.
Nothing wrong with that
I'll resell my hotwheels if money comes tight one day.
Duh
I've only sold diecast one time and that is because my collection had grown to large and I needed to get a focus instead of buy bulk. So, I went through all of my stuff and pulled out what I wasn't crazy about and sold as a lot locally for a really cheap price. Then my scrap cars were placed in a large bag to take to the nail shop where my wife works so she can let her customers kids play with them and keep some if they want to. I have only one treasure hunt car and I wasn't looking for it. It was just right there in front of me. I only have one RLC car and I bought it at a show because I'm a huge fan of the car. No scalping. Collect what you want and don't be stupid with your money.
I don't think this is such a problem here in germany.
hotweels and matchbox don't go so well and you find them piled up in stores..
I'm looking for a Ford Escord RS [number], if it even exists...
I don't really collect, but saw a cool honda civic a month ago and now I bought a ford GT40 and a Fiat 500, because I drove them in video games 😛
I bought a Mercedes SL whatever for my brother in law and he was so happy about it, that it made me happy, too... didn't even know he liked that car. it was just a joke gift hehe
A big chunk of the culture thats missing is trading. Your supposed to gather and trade others for your favorites. But adults are looked at as weird if you want to partake in toy trading, especially with kids, and there is the stigma of "your an adult, why not just buy the ones you want?" This creates no "fan favorite" castings and leave only those arbitrary castings valued only because of their rarity.
i just got the exact nissan pace car a week ago, and yes i had to pay a ridiculous amount for it😅
Id say not to do that, but hell, everyone has the freedom to do what they want. By doing that we help Scalpers 😞 thanks for watching
@@Lar.Real.Diecast the mf'er had several with him just a few hours with him after restocking at the store I had no other choice, atleast I got for a relatively lower price than other scalpers I know of, besides I sell some cars too, but at the retail price, no markups I understand how annoying it is to overpay for a car, so ig I'm doing smth nice
I'm a collector, but i also resell here and there. Since I can't find what I'm looking for in the stores, I pony up the money and buy cases from wholesalers. The scalping has become a problem since 2020. It's gotten worse. My co worker is a collector and has never sold one thing in his collection, and he's been collecting since the late 90s.
However, I have seen the scalpers that go first thing in the money, and they never go to the swap meets, or are even in the diecast groups in my area. Diecasting is really popular here in New Hampshire, and all over New England. I look for some of my friends, and they do the same. The over hype with JDMS is a generational thing. I'd hate to be a new collector nowadays. They almost have something to prove. At least 3 guys that collect civics actually have civics, and one of them is a fully built drag car. I don't really care about supers all that much. I've never found one, and that's OK. I buy older supers because I'd rather have the earlier ones pre 2020 anyways. Just cooler cars, in my opinion.
That all being said, I'm always having fun, my wife collects too, and we just do our own thing. The skyline I have in my collection, stay in my collection. I have a tote for American muscle, JDMS, exotics, premiums, etc etc. Cool video, and you got a sub from me! Hope all is well boss. Happy hunting! 😊
Thanks so much dude!