@@dpgwalter i mean it has the correct rear tires and just looks better than the other two. since this set isnt going to be played with, integrity isnt really important. also the pricebeing half of the others simply makes it a better product
@aidan6029 Yes if they would want a better looking and more accurate product then the should get the Lego one but if they don’t have the money or it’s just out of there price range then should go for the cada on. Both are good for different reasons. Also have a good day.🙂
I really appreciate you handled the possibility of controversy in the comments section. This is what leading rather than controlling looks like. Well done. You have my respect
It is challenging to observe the rear tyres ... Aaaah... And good to know that CaDA knows how to do it right. I think it is the new era of Technic bricks... And that is good for us, consumers, because healthy competition always implicates better products after all. And I ❤ Technic, so lucky me :)
Lego really needs to up their game. The Cada looks great. Both models are likely display at home only but they both collapse to the ground due to the low chassis.
Since these cars are mostly for display purposes, the CaDA one wins with considerable margin. Although from my experience with a previous big CaDA set, the build process is interesting, but challenging and frustrating at times.
I feel like if one of the world's biggest toy brands is going to make a collector's item, they should go all out to make everything look as accurate as they can. It's not like they can't afford to print the sidewalls or make a new mould for wider tyres, since even a knockoff Chinese company is capable of that. I get that the structural stability and the ease of building are the number one priority but authenticity shouldn't be just an afterthought.
Exactly. Also, if LEGO doesn't improve, Chinese and other( european) companies will surpass them, in quality, cost and everything. Other companies are not there yet what comes in quality (as in piece and build quality), but not far off, improving fast.
@@LegoGBlok I was your opinion regarding the quality however if you compare new LEGO with Pantasy, Funwhole or COBY, LEGO looks and feels cheap in comparison. I really recommend to give those a try (much cheaper as well) as it really makes me think about buying new LEGO.
my thoughts exactly, WHY ??? Why can Cada do it but not lego .I really hope lego watch some of these videos and take note ,you need to lift your game lego and stop making excuses because if a Chinese company can do it whats stopping them from doing others that you won't do .I for one will be getting the cada kit as well as the merc and see if I can do something about those tyres with some of my rc stuff I've got seeming lego was to half arsed to do it properly
I love that you also bring other brandos to compare similar sets! personally I bought only one CaDa set (C61006W): it is an unofficial "jeep" wrangler; 1941 pieces, a set of headlights, rechargeable battery box with cable, remotely controlled, and 3 motors. bought for €129 on Amazon. the problems are similar to yours and concern the not very specific instructions, plus I made a mistake putting a 12L axle on and I had to use metal pliers to remove it. but all things considered, it's spectacular, radio-controlled that goes anywhere and you can even put 4-wheel drive on it. and for €129 it's a great deal! obviously I continue to buy Lego but if I see certain well-made sets I will certainly consider purchasing them. (besides CaDA there is also Bluebrixx as an interesting company).
The Alfa was such a fun build too. I was extremely impressed by the quality of the pieces and stickers. Well worth the price compared to the other two.
Because it ships from China, certain resellers will omit the box and just ship you the pieces and manual for like $99, and I'm extremely tempted to grab it at that price.
@@carspn1 I do like the design of the box, but like you said have no place to store it, and the store I used (YWOBB) was selling the CaDA Alfa for $99 and CaDA Initial D kits for like $65 each, and also charged no sales tax plus free shipping to the US. Just too good of a deal to pass up. Ordered the Alfa plus all 3 Initial D cars plus a motorized kit for the Initial D cars for a total of just $301. Very excited to eventually receive all of them!
Was completely wrong about the scaling. The Technic pullback in much larger than the Speed Champions model. As a Lego enthusiast I think it's fine to explore 3rd party building options as long as they're not Direct KOs of existing Lego sets. Having built a couple 3rd party Technic set in the last year with similar Lego quality for a fraction of the price it really puts into perspective how overprice some of these sets are given a large part of the piece count is just pins and axles. Still this was a great comparison video and really shows how much better the Technic design for F1 cars has gotten in the past few years.
my thoughts exactly. As long as it's not a design rip off, I see no problem with KOs when they provide better value. Some people prefer the most quality (which ironically even with LEGO isn't guaranteed, for example colour mismatches) but some would settle for less but for muuuuch cheaper
@@bozhidardimitrov3573 same thoughts here. For my building collection, I’m very picky about only official LEGO, part quality is (generally) just better. (Looking at you, mismatched dark red pieces and brittle dark brown pieces.) But for display? I’ve been absolutely loving some of the botanical sets from other brands, since there’s dozens of completely unique options that look lovely on my shelf, and some of the building challenges are easy to excuse when I have zero intention of building them more than once. Lots of “knockoffs” that seem way more willing to release parts in whatever colors are needed to make the finished product work, that sort of thing. Mini-blocks are also a ton of fun and very unique, even when 99% of the parts are scaled-down copies of LEGO bricks.
I recently got the McLaren set from someone who no longer had room for it. After rebuilding it myself, I noticed it's not actually the shocks that wear out over time but the parts that make up the suspension. All the pieces on the right are slightly bent in one direction and the left are bent in the opposite direction. Switching them actually makes the car sit at a higher level again.
The way you compare all these sets is just the best way! You don’t directly give your opinion and are careful to mention that these are your tasted and people can have different opinions! That’s how a good reviewer should be!
Same. Initially it was a combination of nostalgia-fuelled brand loyalty to Lego and always hearing things about subpar piece quality and weird building techniques in other brands, but as you say Lego has gotten so eye-wateringly expensive in the last few years and the quality of CaDa and other brands seems to have improved a lot. I would be curious to see a comparison of their supply chains, environmental issues, and other "ethical" stuff like that. Perhaps, if Lego came out ahead in those respects, it could justify some of the price difference. Probably quite difficult to get that information though.
9:46 the other looks like an actual real F1 car and the other looks like something made, designed by someone who doesn't follow F1 Cada wins this round.
FANTASTIC REVIEW!!! You came at it with so many different perspectives and laid out all of the facts for us to understand. Its very interesting the different approaches CADA and LEGO have. I find that CADA works in partnership with a lot of MOC creators so that may also explain the complexity/design choices.
that's because LEGO tries to save as much money as possible when creating new sets. Having 4 tyres and rims in the same size is cheaper than having 4 tyres and rims in two different sizes.
It was a provocation :) so for you the required amount is too much.. it explains the complexity. As a Redbull fan I am considering converting McLaren that I own by replacing orange parts and the main challenge is stickers
Great overview of the 3! I came here because I'm new to technic builds and wanted to start a new hobby. I ultimately decided to get all 3 of these and they should be here in a couple days. Im debating if i want to stick with the formula 1 cars or add some others in later. They will all be wall mounted on frames from Mark's Magic. I plan to motorize them later on but i just want to start small first by building them. Its also so dang expensive!!!
HI Balazs, it seems that great minds think alike! I was pleased to see and hear (in the final minute) your agreement with my remark on the preference for the teal-coloured flex tube over stickers as decoration. Your detailed review (great and informative as always) of these big €150 and €220 sets has made me more and more convinced that the one for me will be the €27 pullback set. I've seen enough fake V6 and V8 engines (most of them hidden under panel fairings) not to need another one to satisfy my building enjoyment. And I definitely don't need a million difficult to align stickers. That €27 version will satisfy perfectly my thirst for a quick and fun build that I can share with less experienced builders...
I know the Mercedes didn’t do very well but a red bull car would need even more stickers or a very complicated design and the cada Alfa Romeo looks really good for a non Lego set (except the fact that it almost pulls it self apart) and it has printed tyres in stead of lego
Still waiting on my CaDA Alfa Romeo. I really like that Lego is focusing more on F1, was glad to see all the new models. But the CaDa seems more realistic, crucially it has the right tyres, and I'm an Alfa fan. Let's see how it goes.
Great set of videos! I really appreciate your perspective on the builds and I agree with all your logical points. That still leaves room for others to have different opinions but in the end, each of us has to decide if a lego set is worth the cost. Thanks for the overview and the discussion about value, accuracy, ease of build, design quality and flaws, etc. You cover everything really well!!
I think my least favorite thing about the Cada are the stickers across multiple elements. They just don't look great (especially with the transparent backing making every bubble and imperfection very obvious, just look at that rear wing at 6:45), they're even more painful to apply properly than a regular sticker, and they're pretty much a non-starter if you ever plan to take apart the set. There's a reason LEGO stopped allowing designers to do that years ago. Also not a fan of how dull the print is on those stickers, but at least they figured out the tires.
i had the 2005 lego ferrari f1 i just got the merc and its really cool how similar they are build wise and its cool how the merc lets you see more of the functionality brought back memories it was awesome build
Szia Balazs, sorry for the long comment, I know you'll never read it, but the video was great and I wanted to share my opinion on the matter. (of course every statement implies that it is only my opinion): - The McLaren F1 is one of the worst sets LEGO released in their technic lineup. The last F1ish technic set was the 42000 model, which was great. It included different geometries and building techniques compared to previous F1 models (not always for the best, like for the front suspension) and included functions. The McLaren F1 was a reskin of that model, copying 1:1 the front and rear suspension, but giving it less ground clearance, so that the suspension function wasn't functioning at all. Like you said, it does indeed not work after some years, but the problem is that it didn't work to begin with. The McLaren also tried to be both a display model and a playset, hence why the exposed engine, but in the end it is good at neither of those two aspects. It also doesn't include any feature (a working DRS would've been possible and a welcomed feature) and no custom tires (thing that can be excused, but at least they could've released back then an exclusive wheel cap so that it would've been less noticeable that tires were recycled. Finally it had a very weird timing and/or was designed with bad design choices. They wanted to make a set based on 2022 regulations, but released it (and hence designed it) before McLaren had revealed anything, so it is based off of the 2022 concept car (which is far different from the actual cars of 2022) with a 2021 livery (which is different from the actual livery). In my opinion LEGO should've either: 1- released a set based off of the 2021 car, I feel like maybe the set would've been less interesting, but it would have received less critiques; 2-release the set as is, but with more custom/new pieces or functions, like slick tires and/or working DRS (like with a lever or something), the set would've been excused by being based off of the 2022 CONCEPT, but it would've included stuff that alone was to be a huge selling point; 3-wait for McLaren to reveal the actual car and only then start designing (or perfecting) the model, i.e. colors etc. - The Mercedes F1 is a much better set. As you stated LEGO seems to have learned the lesson and released a set based on the 2023 car, and not the 2024, so no matter what mercedes was gonna do with their new car and livery, the lego set would still be accurate. They finally included slick tires, they accurately portray the real car suspension geometry, a thing that they did also in last year Peugeot 9X8, and they also did a sort of removable "engine cover" (like in the Peugeot) that make so that people can still see the engine running, without sacrificing displayability. It is clear that lego designers tried to forcefully included some new pieces (like in the front part of the car) only to include these new molds. I would've liked if they didn't, but it's fine in my opinion. However, for 220€ I feel like they could've done something more, to justify the increased price, I can come up with some ideas: 1-manage to print the tires, so that slick tires would've been in their portfolio for future set, but in this specific they would've included exclusive printed tires. I know, it is difficult, but I feel like they could've done something with a better quality than cada; 2-go the extra mile and make a second type of slick tire that fits the wider rim that the already have in their portfolio (although they haven't used it in a bit), the dimensions maybe would've been a bit off either way, but it would've been a valid reason for people to buy this set, or even two for having two complete sets of regular and wide tires. - The CaDa one is a difficult topic. Personally I didn't encounter the many problems you had. The rear suspension indeed has the weird thing that the two supports don't fully go into the 5-long axle, but the suspension is still very stiff and on the rear it has a very good ground clearance and still works as the first day I built it. I also feel like I didn't encounter many problems because I took a lot of attention and time to ensure everything was ok. I'm sure you also did, but as an F1 hardcore fan I took a "maniacal" approach. Either way, the set is not perfect. I don't really like the engine (which I modified a bit), the way some connections are not so natural (like in the rear suspension or the front nose) and sticker quality still can be improved. But the set for me is a big improvement over older CaDa sets like the Blue supercar (terrible set with lot of flimsy parts) and the Viva Hypercar (too flimsy parts and barely working features) just to name a few. With the last sets CaDa made a huge leap forward, both in terms of how the model is designed (the Alfa Romeo, the Mercedes One and the Cada Fantasma are three of the sturdiest sets I've built recently) but also in terms of pieces they included. in terms of price, on the official website as far as I know it is priced at 150$, but a coupon is applied by default, so that the price is diminished by 10% by default, so an even lower price, but correct me if I'm wrong. The set also includes a fully printed plate, with embossed details. Personally I don't care about that, BUT it is something more that the set features. They got the tyre proportions right and all four rims are exclusive with prints. Also as far as I can tell it seems as the prints on the tires are of a higher quality compared to the ones in the mercedes amg one, maybe is the material used, or maybe the print being larger was made in a different (or better) way/quality. Again, it's not a "CaDa vs LEGO" comment, on the contrary I feel like CaDa in their master series only have 2/3 really great models, with the majority having too many flaws (I'd choose always the LEGO Peugeot 9X8 What you say about the portfolio is true, most pieces of cada and other knockoff brands are copied off of legos'. They had to modify something and come up with their original blueprints, but for sure they didn't go through years and years of experiments as lego did. At the same time, however, we need to remember that most pieces in lego's portfolio have been around for decades, so yes, they still make you pay that, but for 20+ y.o. pieces they lost that kind of "excuse". There are a lot of new pieces, but again also CaDa in recent years made many original pieces not only to address possible patent infringements (which they did) but also to create new pieces that LEGO hasn't made yet. Like many flip flop beams, that lego only in recent sets started to create and implement, CaDa has been using them extensively for more years, or tiles with studs on both sides, or new panels for which again there's no lego counterpart. Yes, they had an easier way into that development, but I feel like it's one of the few, if not the only brand, that is actually trying to come up with ways to distinguish itself. It is not trying to copy lego, but to be an alternative. So for these many reasons I feel like LEGO created a good set with the Mercedes F1, BUT I still think that for the price they ask for they should've gone the extra mile and include something that would've shut down any possible critique. I gave possible ideas that I believe are feasible for LEGO, and It's a pity because in many sets it's clear that they still try to innovate (like in the recent Yamaha 1:5 with the new gearbox pieces, or in the new Kawasaki Ninja with the new engine pieces that could open up great possibilities). I feel like LEGO is doing a good job, that could be a GREAT job with very very few tweaks
None of these sets are for me... I own the 8674 Ferrari F1 from way back when and the combination of detail and functionality still cannot be beaten in my opinion! That said, kudos for a balanced, detailed, objective and informative review. I love the comparisons and the many different angles you look at these sets. One of the many reasons I love watching your channel! Keep up the great work mate :)
I personally have the smaller Alfa Romeo, it looks fantastic but two issues I've had were the stickers on the tires didn't want to stick on the rubber they're made of, and the other problem is that one of the pieces broke whilst fitting it, so I had to replace it with a Lego part and of course they're compatible which is a plus. Overall, CaDa definitely have stepped up their game compared to Lego's other competitors
Hello RacingBrick, I'm hoping you might be able to answer my question if you could. At 3:53 minute, there's a model of McLaren of the 1980s - whats the name of the model, the company that makes it, and where could I buy this online? It gave me so much nostalgia.
Seeing that Coda with proper sized wheels, printed wheels and a much more realistic overall look, does make me frown to say the least. Looks like Lego is becoming complacent.
Thanks for a very detailed and honest comparison of these two brands of "Racing Bricks" ... based on your review, it is clear Lego is far better than Cada regarding build quality, accuracy, and stability! As a serious collector, price is not my only consideration but also the ethics of any brand I choose to support. Honestly, I am not a fan of plagiarism, copies, or patent infringement ... respect goes to the brands which do the original R&D and not others!
I think this is a very informative video. This is helped by (as other comments have said) the fact that the Cada version is not a direct copy of either the Lego McLaren or the Lego Mercedes. The biggest difference is obviously between the McLaren and the other two as there is such a design difference. A set of different sizes of front/rear tyres on the Merc F1 would be nice but I suppose you have to look at production costs and usage in other sets, although how much the cost would be to make a wider tyre to possibly fit on the same rim is unknown. I think from a display look the Cada Alfa wins with the Lego Merc 2nd and the Lego McLaren trailing in 3rd but some of this due to F1 car design changes rather than "poor" Lego design. Many thanks for the video.
@ousa2100 Drag Reduction System that streamlines the rear wing when on a straightaway for passing during F1 races. Its basically a movable flap that makes up the upper portion of the rear wing.
@@simaosousa2100Drag Reduction System. It is the element of the rear wing that can move giving less drag meaning higher forward speed to try to bring in easier overtaking. The system is triggered by the driver (I think) and used to only be able to operate when the car behind was within a certain time behind the one in front (maybe a second - guess - but the car behind is close).
@simaosousa2100 it has a flap but it is more of a imitation. By saying ,,working DRS" I meant some mechanism that would open it, similar to the active rear wing on the 42083 Bugatti Chiron.
Thank you for another in a long list of outstanding reviews! I'm a BIG fan! While I am a Lego builder, I am not JUST a Lego builder. I have been very please with the building experiences I have had with non-lego offerings! CaDa and others provide very good kits at very competitive prices! Plus, in most cases, once they're build it's very difficult if at all to tell them apart! Thanks Again
1:04 but it is a 2022 f1 car, just with the 2021 livery. It's not an exact replica of McLarens 2022 car but considering it's lego technic i don't see any difference it would make. Broadly it is the 2022 car when looking at the rear and front wing as well as sidepods
Mi spiace dirlo visto che costruisco LEGO dal 1978 ma CADA sta veramente facendo dei splendidi modelli io ho già preso la MERCEDES AMG ONE, L'ALFA ROMEO F1 e anche il modello del HAMMER e atri e mi sono divertito veramente.
Very good review and comparison, thank you. I have the McLaren and the Alfa (which I bought in a pop-up store for €100) and the Mercedes is on the way. The CaDa build experience was pretty good but had some odd solutions for the suspension, and it is very difficult to pick up, especially the floor and sidepods feel very flimsy. The McLaren was better and mine is not suffering from suspension droop. I’m looking forward to the Mercedes, but when will I build it? There are a lot of new very desirable sets coming on March the first!
Cool that 3rd party producers are mentioned, as some have really cool ideas, even if the instructions and building techniques are...less developed. Tried out a fair few massive builds, where one was impossible to finish, but four was impressive in comparison to the OG versions. And a handful of new concepts that should've been OG. Healthy competition for now.
I'm glad to have a nice balanced look at CaDA like this. Leave it to the internet, but I feel like most people I see talk about CaDA either call them a cheap Lego bootleg or a complete replacement for Lego. I don't own the Alfa Romeo, but your analysis here lines up with the other CaDA sets I have; Less polish, more illegal building techniques, but also more likely to take risks. I think I am slightly more likely to buy new Lego sets compared to CaDA, but I still quite enjoy their products.
Thanks for the objective comparison. Many complain about either Lego or Cada, but the truth is that neither is perfect. By the way, Cada also offers an Alfa Romeo C42 in 1:24, which costs about $20, but is slightly smaller than the Mercedes from Lego in around 1:20.
Are the 42171 and 42141 the same scale? A little hard to tell. I'm curious if the slick tires from the 42171 are direct bolt-ons for the 42141 or if they're a different scale.
I had my McLaren Steering wheel not aligned as well, but if you reassemble the steering mechanism and rotate the wheel by one tooth during assembly, the wheel can be centered perfectly, so this is definitely possible and has nothing to do with play within the gears. As the steering mechanism looks similar on the Mercedes, I guess it should there be possible as well...
It really depends on how you define "perfectly". You can rotate the 12 tooth gear by one tooth, but it doesn't mean the 8 tooth gear will rotate exactly by the same degree on the other end ;) It get's closer, but not perfectly aligned.
I've built the CADA and it looks stunning. But the building process was an absolute pain and tested my patience. The steps are not as well thought out for the builder's convenience as we are used to with Lego. If CADA can get this part right next time, they will be a real contender.
In my core I'm a true Lego fan that could not combine Lego with other bricks for example. However, Cada is one of the few "Lego copy" brands that I can respect mainly because they make their own designs and not copy the intellectual property of Lego and their designers. It is obvious they still copy the designs of most of the individual pieces but that's fine I guess.
Good comparisons, it was very informative and useful. I do like the stuff that CaDA puts out as while I haven't got any of their sets before, I appreciate that the sets they put out are their own designs. The only problem with CaDA sets for me is that while they are less at costly than the equivelent Lego set by retail, they're not that widely available in the UK, so there is no discounts on those CaDA sets, while almost all Lego sets always have discounts. For example, the CaDA Mercedes AMG Project 1 set you showed briefly is £250 in the UK, which is certainly a lot less than the Lego Technic Ferrari Daytona SP3 set which costs £390. But, that Lego set has been discounted to the same amount as the CaDA set numerous times, sometimes even more so; the lowest I've seen the Ferrari Daytona set is £200, which is a substantial discount. It's instances like that, which are very very frequent, are really the main reason I haven't gone for any of the CaDA sets, it's hard to ignore the discount.
Great video! I hate that the 2022 mclaren car has a 2021 livery, however I think the reason for it is the following and it makes sense: The new aero regulations, changed the looks of the car drastically. As you mention in the video, LEGO had to base their design on the show car instead of the actual car because the actual car didn't exist yet when LEGO started development. However, why does the livery not match the actual car? I think the reason behind it is that the new aero regulations were originally scheduled for 2021. Which means the commercial agreements and sponsorships for this season were prepared and signed in 2020, probarbly early in the year. It seems likely McLaren included the distribution of a LEGO set in it's commercial agreements. That means McLaren agreed to their 2021 sponsors that they were included in a LEGO set well in advance of the start of the season. When Formula 1 got hit by Covid restrictions and their financial impact, the 2021 regulations were pushed back to reduce costs. It's very likely that by then the commercial agreements with Mclaren, Lego and their sponsors were already in place. Instead of a new car in 2021, all formula 1 teams drove with an upgraded 2020 spec car for the season. However this meant that the lego model which was likely already designed did not match. Because of that Lego had to push back the introduction to 2022. From a lego point of view it would make sense to revise the livery to make it as realistic as possible. However this never happened. Reasons for this could be any of the following: Lego did not want to invest in changes late in the process The commercial agreements did not allow them to The stickers were already produced and in stock A small disclaimer, this is all based on my own observations and makes a lot of sense in my opinion. I havn't read or heard any reliable sources which confirm or deny all of the above.
Honestly I would love to see some reviews of caDa Master sets, quite a few of them seem very interesting and id like to see what their build quality is like!
the biggest win for brick fans is that Lego is not in a monopoly position any more. They will have to work in the future to make great sets since now there is plenty of other and many very good companies out there you can compare a Lego set to. Also: the war between fans of different companies has to stop. It's so stupid and not even neccessary.
I think the Chinese knockoffs undeservedly tarnished the name of every other alternative brand, even with genuinely own designs and licenses. I really believe the amount of fights between brick builders would be greatly reduced if companies making 1:1 copies didn't exist. I think hardcore fans see everything too black and white, either genuine Lego or design thieves, they see nothing in between, but there are tons of companies with own designs, licenses and even brick shapes and not only in China.
The seat is so high in the Mercedes, that really bothers me, I know they had to fit the HoG axle underneath but it could have been done in a much better way
Glad to see you're peeking over the LEGO horizon and looking at other manufacturers. CaDa seems to be one of the best. I find it interesting that you say you're challenged by building with all-black pins and axles. LEGO models are criticized by some for having too many colorful parts and blue pins everywhere, and it could be argued that an "18+" set should be buildable by the target audience without colorful pieces everywhere. Or, to put like a granddad: "In my time, we built LEGO models with all-black parts for breakfast!" (I'm a 90s kid who grew up with the old Technic and never had trouble with black pins and axles)
Back those days LEGO didn't have this variety of parts. Yes we had black axels and pins, but fewer different types, and the builds were less dense (especially in the studded era), so it was fairly easy to find the proper elements. Check out the part list of 8880, it only had 2L and 3L pins in black, and the cross axles. Most of these had different sizes so it wasn't that challenging to differentiate. To make it clear, this was not my first CaDA set, I published a few builds on my other channel. These builds have very similarly sized pins, all in black, and 4-5 types, all in the same build stage. I find it annoying to spend my time locating the next piece, instead of focusing on the details of the build and the interesting building techniques.
@@RacingBrick Fair criticism, and you are right about the reduced part variant of earlier Technic sets. LEGO just goes overboard sometimes with the color palette for inside or underside parts.
Glad you bring other brand in the equation. I feel like Cada might look good from a certain distance but for a Lego colector eye it won't be good enough. But it's nice to see alternatives showing up that are rising quality and making their own path, not just cloning Lego sets. If the price wore lower I could consider buy Cada. But at that price I rather take Lego on a Black friday deal 😅.
Thank you for the unbiased comparison! I have to disagree only with the R&D prices. Lego had the patent for years to refinance the costs, that's what a patent is for. Since then, other brands developed new moulds themselfes which Lego now copies (1x5 plate, 1x2 "not-cheese" slope,...). Some new Lego parts are protected, but some of them I feel arguable. I see no invention in making a plate or Technic beam one stud longer/wider/higher. But that's up to all the well paid legal consultants
TLG has developed a system for Technic, and keeps addig parts to the family for decades. It's not a single time cost that you add to the first few generation of sets and you are done. Copy / pasting that system and then starting to add a few new elements is a huge cost saving for other companies.
I have got a Lego Technic McLaren one months ago and just purchased also the CaDa one. This CaDa set looks way better on YT comparisons than Lego ones so I wanna compare them myself 😊
Very nice comparative review. I just wonder if the Cada tires, especially the rear ones, don’t look too “plasticky”, or is it just the lighting? Also, the unstable build of the rear suspension is a hard pass for me. I must admit that recent Cada models look better than the past, and in some models (including this one) the use of all-black pins seems favorable compared to lego
I am a LEGO person but I do like the CaDA sets. They clearly try to improve their sets what is a big pro for them, I do also like that they (finally) go the legale way and get Licenses instead of copying a car almost 1:1 and just call it "red super car". Lego definitely needs to step up their game, the only thing that worked out great in the last few years have been the raising prices... I also miss a clear line, some cars are in micro scale, lego scale, small technic, big technic models (McLaren) other don't. it makes it much harder to decide what line you want to collect because you never know what they're producing and if it fits (scale wise) to the other sets.
So, in essence it seems fair to say that the big technic Formula 1 cars really haven’t changed/improved much since the 2000 Silver Champion. Which has a badass alternative model to boot!
Really apreciate your honest respectful opinion on both sets, i do agree with the tires. Wonder if its possible to 3D print a new compatible rim/part to make the Cada tire fit on the mercedes? just a curious tought. Love your reviews.
It is certainly possible to 3D print custom wheels. Just look at RacingBrick's recent video where he made custom wider rims and tires for the McLaren MP4 that also just released and it looks SOOOO much better with the custom wider rear tires.
I enjoy seeing other brands being compared to lego, particularly of the chinese market. There's a lot of hesitation to buy into those sets out of fear of getting something low quality that doesn't assemble well or worse has missing parts. So I'd enjoy seeing more reviews of other brands and direct comparisons to a known standard like Lego.
Great comparison as usual! How do the big cars roll, especially the Mercedes? I ask because my 42126 Ford Raptor hardly rolls more than one car length when pushed. At the time I tried to reduce friction wherever possibly without luck.
Good review. When you mentioned about medium Mercedes F1 you could show coda alfa F1 champion size model and also old Mercedes champion ship fom 2pack (F1and AMG)
so for around 200$ I get 4 front tires in the Lego Set? they dont even bother to give you bigger back tires even if the way cheaper model has the right tires, so its impossible for Lego to make bigger back tires in this expensive set?
The CaDA is better for only one ,so visible and obvious reason : correct size of the rear tires i.e. much wider the the front pair . Which is so obviously feature of any F 1 car ! I dont know why is it so hard for LEGO to make the same ? They ruined all their F 1 models because of this issue with tires ,IMHO.
Check out the local prices and availability in the LEGO Online Shop - racingbrick.com/product/42171-2/
Not gonna lie the caDa is the best one in detail and accuracy.
Eh, from a glance it looks good but it feels like the inferior product as a whole.
And it’s 130€ cheaper.
@@dpgwalter i mean it has the correct rear tires and just looks better than the other two. since this set isnt going to be played with, integrity isnt really important. also the pricebeing half of the others simply makes it a better product
@@dpgwalter if you consider the price as one of criteria, lego is inferior product in its own niche
@aidan6029 Yes if they would want a better looking and more accurate product then the should get the Lego one but if they don’t have the money or it’s just out of there price range then should go for the cada on. Both are good for different reasons. Also have a good day.🙂
I really appreciate you handled the possibility of controversy in the comments section. This is what leading rather than controlling looks like. Well done. You have my respect
agree!
It is challenging to observe the rear tyres ... Aaaah... And good to know that CaDA knows how to do it right. I think it is the new era of Technic bricks... And that is good for us, consumers, because healthy competition always implicates better products after all. And I ❤ Technic, so lucky me :)
Lucky me and lucky us too 😃
if cada gets they quality up lego technic is done for. now we get better innovations, since they dont have a monopoly anymore
Lego really needs to up their game. The Cada looks great. Both models are likely display at home only but they both collapse to the ground due to the low chassis.
cada amg one tho - I WANT IT
@@maverickf1426I know really if only it wasn’t 300 dollars
Well maybe they will in 2025 with an official F1 partnership.
Since these cars are mostly for display purposes, the CaDA one wins with considerable margin.
Although from my experience with a previous big CaDA set, the build process is interesting, but challenging and frustrating at times.
Cada actually made a banger bro the slicks and the smooth curves make it look so real
The suspension killed me - lowriding the F1 :D
they say suspension and shock settles after a few months and it rides better😋
It still blows my mind that the engine and gearbox section is still pretty much identical to those you'd see in those old 20 year old Ferrari sets.
I feel like if one of the world's biggest toy brands is going to make a collector's item, they should go all out to make everything look as accurate as they can. It's not like they can't afford to print the sidewalls or make a new mould for wider tyres, since even a knockoff Chinese company is capable of that. I get that the structural stability and the ease of building are the number one priority but authenticity shouldn't be just an afterthought.
Exactly. Also, if LEGO doesn't improve, Chinese and other( european) companies will surpass them, in quality, cost and everything. Other companies are not there yet what comes in quality (as in piece and build quality), but not far off, improving fast.
@@LegoGBlok I was your opinion regarding the quality however if you compare new LEGO with Pantasy, Funwhole or COBY, LEGO looks and feels cheap in comparison. I really recommend to give those a try (much cheaper as well) as it really makes me think about buying new LEGO.
my thoughts exactly, WHY ??? Why can Cada do it but not lego .I really hope lego watch some of these videos and take note ,you need to lift your game lego and stop making excuses because if a Chinese company can do it whats stopping them from doing others that you won't do .I for one will be getting the cada kit as well as the merc and see if I can do something about those tyres with some of my rc stuff I've got seeming lego was to half arsed to do it properly
Not really a knockoff, if it's better than Lego right?
Especially when Lego is already charging so much for these sets.
I love that you also bring other brandos to compare similar sets! personally I bought only one CaDa set (C61006W): it is an unofficial "jeep" wrangler; 1941 pieces, a set of headlights, rechargeable battery box with cable, remotely controlled, and 3 motors. bought for €129 on Amazon.
the problems are similar to yours and concern the not very specific instructions, plus I made a mistake putting a 12L axle on and I had to use metal pliers to remove it. but all things considered, it's spectacular, radio-controlled that goes anywhere and you can even put 4-wheel drive on it. and for €129 it's a great deal! obviously I continue to buy Lego but if I see certain well-made sets I will certainly consider purchasing them. (besides CaDA there is also Bluebrixx as an interesting company).
the cada is by far the best one and is 70€ cheaper than the new lego merc ... lego really needs to step up
Cada takes the W
The Alfa was such a fun build too. I was extremely impressed by the quality of the pieces and stickers. Well worth the price compared to the other two.
Because it ships from China, certain resellers will omit the box and just ship you the pieces and manual for like $99, and I'm extremely tempted to grab it at that price.
@@tren133 I gotta say the box was a highlight of the set too, felt super premium and has an amazing design, though it's now in the trash hah
@@carspn1 I do like the design of the box, but like you said have no place to store it, and the store I used (YWOBB) was selling the CaDA Alfa for $99 and CaDA Initial D kits for like $65 each, and also charged no sales tax plus free shipping to the US. Just too good of a deal to pass up. Ordered the Alfa plus all 3 Initial D cars plus a motorized kit for the Initial D cars for a total of just $301. Very excited to eventually receive all of them!
Was completely wrong about the scaling. The Technic pullback in much larger than the Speed Champions model. As a Lego enthusiast I think it's fine to explore 3rd party building options as long as they're not Direct KOs of existing Lego sets. Having built a couple 3rd party Technic set in the last year with similar Lego quality for a fraction of the price it really puts into perspective how overprice some of these sets are given a large part of the piece count is just pins and axles. Still this was a great comparison video and really shows how much better the Technic design for F1 cars has gotten in the past few years.
my thoughts exactly. As long as it's not a design rip off, I see no problem with KOs when they provide better value. Some people prefer the most quality (which ironically even with LEGO isn't guaranteed, for example colour mismatches) but some would settle for less but for muuuuch cheaper
@@bozhidardimitrov3573 same thoughts here. For my building collection, I’m very picky about only official LEGO, part quality is (generally) just better. (Looking at you, mismatched dark red pieces and brittle dark brown pieces.) But for display? I’ve been absolutely loving some of the botanical sets from other brands, since there’s dozens of completely unique options that look lovely on my shelf, and some of the building challenges are easy to excuse when I have zero intention of building them more than once. Lots of “knockoffs” that seem way more willing to release parts in whatever colors are needed to make the finished product work, that sort of thing. Mini-blocks are also a ton of fun and very unique, even when 99% of the parts are scaled-down copies of LEGO bricks.
I recently got the McLaren set from someone who no longer had room for it. After rebuilding it myself, I noticed it's not actually the shocks that wear out over time but the parts that make up the suspension. All the pieces on the right are slightly bent in one direction and the left are bent in the opposite direction. Switching them actually makes the car sit at a higher level again.
The way you compare all these sets is just the best way! You don’t directly give your opinion and are careful to mention that these are your tasted and people can have different opinions! That’s how a good reviewer should be!
I used to completely dismiss the "fake" Lego makers but the CaDA sets do seem really interesting, especially when Lego keeps just hiking the prices.
Oh, there is so much to discover on the dark side ;)
Same. Initially it was a combination of nostalgia-fuelled brand loyalty to Lego and always hearing things about subpar piece quality and weird building techniques in other brands, but as you say Lego has gotten so eye-wateringly expensive in the last few years and the quality of CaDa and other brands seems to have improved a lot.
I would be curious to see a comparison of their supply chains, environmental issues, and other "ethical" stuff like that. Perhaps, if Lego came out ahead in those respects, it could justify some of the price difference. Probably quite difficult to get that information though.
9:46 the other looks like an actual real F1 car and the other looks like something made, designed by someone who doesn't follow F1
Cada wins this round.
FANTASTIC REVIEW!!! You came at it with so many different perspectives and laid out all of the facts for us to understand. Its very interesting the different approaches CADA and LEGO have. I find that CADA works in partnership with a lot of MOC creators so that may also explain the complexity/design choices.
How does Cada have differently sized rear tires but both the McLaren and Mercedes Benz’s don’t?!
that's because LEGO tries to save as much money as possible when creating new sets. Having 4 tyres and rims in the same size is cheaper than having 4 tyres and rims in two different sizes.
Because one is trying to make you happy and the other is trying to make their shareholders happy..
The red part on the top of the Mercedes seems to stick out awkwardly
yeah, its like giant mouth
@@fyo_music Baboon's ass!
The Cada set looks great, of course. I'd be curious to see what the Mercedes looks like with the Alfa C42 wheels though. That's what we all want:)
As the rims are not compatible with the hubs and the tires have a different size it's not a direct swap
@@RacingBrickis it eventually feasible?;)
Everything is feasible, it's LEGO after all, it only depends the amount of modification you are willing to do.
It was a provocation :) so for you the required amount is too much.. it explains the complexity.
As a Redbull fan I am considering converting McLaren that I own by replacing orange parts and the main challenge is stickers
Great overview of the 3! I came here because I'm new to technic builds and wanted to start a new hobby. I ultimately decided to get all 3 of these and they should be here in a couple days. Im debating if i want to stick with the formula 1 cars or add some others in later. They will all be wall mounted on frames from Mark's Magic. I plan to motorize them later on but i just want to start small first by building them. Its also so dang expensive!!!
HI Balazs, it seems that great minds think alike!
I was pleased to see and hear (in the final minute) your agreement with my remark on the preference for the teal-coloured flex tube over stickers as decoration.
Your detailed review (great and informative as always) of these big €150 and €220 sets has made me more and more convinced that the one for me will be the €27 pullback set.
I've seen enough fake V6 and V8 engines (most of them hidden under panel fairings) not to need another one to satisfy my building enjoyment.
And I definitely don't need a million difficult to align stickers.
That €27 version will satisfy perfectly my thirst for a quick and fun build that I can share with less experienced builders...
I know the Mercedes didn’t do very well but a red bull car would need even more stickers or a very complicated design and the cada Alfa Romeo looks really good for a non Lego set (except the fact that it almost pulls it self apart) and it has printed tyres in stead of lego
Still waiting on my CaDA Alfa Romeo.
I really like that Lego is focusing more on F1, was glad to see all the new models. But the CaDa seems more realistic, crucially it has the right tyres, and I'm an Alfa fan. Let's see how it goes.
Was all set to pick up the Mercedes tomorrow but those rear tyres totally kills it,looking at the cada now
Great video! Thanks for the comparisons to other builds available. Keep the videos coming
Excellent and fair comparison and analysis between Lego and CaDa. I hope to see more like this in the future!
i agree, the peugeout was very fun to build, albeit frustrating at times, and my fingers were in shreds when I was done, but otherwise a very good set
Was REALLY hoping Cada featured in this. Their design is insane!!
Great set of videos! I really appreciate your perspective on the builds and I agree with all your logical points. That still leaves room for others to have different opinions but in the end, each of us has to decide if a lego set is worth the cost. Thanks for the overview and the discussion about value, accuracy, ease of build, design quality and flaws, etc. You cover everything really well!!
I think my least favorite thing about the Cada are the stickers across multiple elements. They just don't look great (especially with the transparent backing making every bubble and imperfection very obvious, just look at that rear wing at 6:45), they're even more painful to apply properly than a regular sticker, and they're pretty much a non-starter if you ever plan to take apart the set. There's a reason LEGO stopped allowing designers to do that years ago. Also not a fan of how dull the print is on those stickers, but at least they figured out the tires.
In my opinion Cada one looks best, but I don't have enough room for it, so I prefer speed champions McLaren :)
i had the 2005 lego ferrari f1 i just got the merc and its really cool how similar they are build wise and its cool how the merc lets you see more of the functionality brought back memories it was awesome build
Szia Balazs, sorry for the long comment, I know you'll never read it, but the video was great and I wanted to share my opinion on the matter. (of course every statement implies that it is only my opinion):
- The McLaren F1 is one of the worst sets LEGO released in their technic lineup. The last F1ish technic set was the 42000 model, which was great. It included different geometries and building techniques compared to previous F1 models (not always for the best, like for the front suspension) and included functions. The McLaren F1 was a reskin of that model, copying 1:1 the front and rear suspension, but giving it less ground clearance, so that the suspension function wasn't functioning at all. Like you said, it does indeed not work after some years, but the problem is that it didn't work to begin with. The McLaren also tried to be both a display model and a playset, hence why the exposed engine, but in the end it is good at neither of those two aspects. It also doesn't include any feature (a working DRS would've been possible and a welcomed feature) and no custom tires (thing that can be excused, but at least they could've released back then an exclusive wheel cap so that it would've been less noticeable that tires were recycled. Finally it had a very weird timing and/or was designed with bad design choices. They wanted to make a set based on 2022 regulations, but released it (and hence designed it) before McLaren had revealed anything, so it is based off of the 2022 concept car (which is far different from the actual cars of 2022) with a 2021 livery (which is different from the actual livery). In my opinion LEGO should've either: 1- released a set based off of the 2021 car, I feel like maybe the set would've been less interesting, but it would have received less critiques; 2-release the set as is, but with more custom/new pieces or functions, like slick tires and/or working DRS (like with a lever or something), the set would've been excused by being based off of the 2022 CONCEPT, but it would've included stuff that alone was to be a huge selling point; 3-wait for McLaren to reveal the actual car and only then start designing (or perfecting) the model, i.e. colors etc.
- The Mercedes F1 is a much better set. As you stated LEGO seems to have learned the lesson and released a set based on the 2023 car, and not the 2024, so no matter what mercedes was gonna do with their new car and livery, the lego set would still be accurate. They finally included slick tires, they accurately portray the real car suspension geometry, a thing that they did also in last year Peugeot 9X8, and they also did a sort of removable "engine cover" (like in the Peugeot) that make so that people can still see the engine running, without sacrificing displayability.
It is clear that lego designers tried to forcefully included some new pieces (like in the front part of the car) only to include these new molds. I would've liked if they didn't, but it's fine in my opinion. However, for 220€ I feel like they could've done something more, to justify the increased price, I can come up with some ideas: 1-manage to print the tires, so that slick tires would've been in their portfolio for future set, but in this specific they would've included exclusive printed tires. I know, it is difficult, but I feel like they could've done something with a better quality than cada; 2-go the extra mile and make a second type of slick tire that fits the wider rim that the already have in their portfolio (although they haven't used it in a bit), the dimensions maybe would've been a bit off either way, but it would've been a valid reason for people to buy this set, or even two for having two complete sets of regular and wide tires.
- The CaDa one is a difficult topic. Personally I didn't encounter the many problems you had. The rear suspension indeed has the weird thing that the two supports don't fully go into the 5-long axle, but the suspension is still very stiff and on the rear it has a very good ground clearance and still works as the first day I built it. I also feel like I didn't encounter many problems because I took a lot of attention and time to ensure everything was ok. I'm sure you also did, but as an F1 hardcore fan I took a "maniacal" approach.
Either way, the set is not perfect. I don't really like the engine (which I modified a bit), the way some connections are not so natural (like in the rear suspension or the front nose) and sticker quality still can be improved. But the set for me is a big improvement over older CaDa sets like the Blue supercar (terrible set with lot of flimsy parts) and the Viva Hypercar (too flimsy parts and barely working features) just to name a few. With the last sets CaDa made a huge leap forward, both in terms of how the model is designed (the Alfa Romeo, the Mercedes One and the Cada Fantasma are three of the sturdiest sets I've built recently) but also in terms of pieces they included. in terms of price, on the official website as far as I know it is priced at 150$, but a coupon is applied by default, so that the price is diminished by 10% by default, so an even lower price, but correct me if I'm wrong. The set also includes a fully printed plate, with embossed details. Personally I don't care about that, BUT it is something more that the set features. They got the tyre proportions right and all four rims are exclusive with prints. Also as far as I can tell it seems as the prints on the tires are of a higher quality compared to the ones in the mercedes amg one, maybe is the material used, or maybe the print being larger was made in a different (or better) way/quality. Again, it's not a "CaDa vs LEGO" comment, on the contrary I feel like CaDa in their master series only have 2/3 really great models, with the majority having too many flaws (I'd choose always the LEGO Peugeot 9X8
What you say about the portfolio is true, most pieces of cada and other knockoff brands are copied off of legos'. They had to modify something and come up with their original blueprints, but for sure they didn't go through years and years of experiments as lego did. At the same time, however, we need to remember that most pieces in lego's portfolio have been around for decades, so yes, they still make you pay that, but for 20+ y.o. pieces they lost that kind of "excuse".
There are a lot of new pieces, but again also CaDa in recent years made many original pieces not only to address possible patent infringements (which they did) but also to create new pieces that LEGO hasn't made yet. Like many flip flop beams, that lego only in recent sets started to create and implement, CaDa has been using them extensively for more years, or tiles with studs on both sides, or new panels for which again there's no lego counterpart.
Yes, they had an easier way into that development, but I feel like it's one of the few, if not the only brand, that is actually trying to come up with ways to distinguish itself. It is not trying to copy lego, but to be an alternative.
So for these many reasons I feel like LEGO created a good set with the Mercedes F1, BUT I still think that for the price they ask for they should've gone the extra mile and include something that would've shut down any possible critique. I gave possible ideas that I believe are feasible for LEGO, and It's a pity because in many sets it's clear that they still try to innovate (like in the recent Yamaha 1:5 with the new gearbox pieces, or in the new Kawasaki Ninja with the new engine pieces that could open up great possibilities). I feel like LEGO is doing a good job, that could be a GREAT job with very very few tweaks
None of these sets are for me... I own the 8674 Ferrari F1 from way back when and the combination of detail and functionality still cannot be beaten in my opinion!
That said, kudos for a balanced, detailed, objective and informative review. I love the comparisons and the many different angles you look at these sets. One of the many reasons I love watching your channel! Keep up the great work mate :)
Hi any suggestion on how to support the weight of the car so that the suspension won't let go in the future?
I personally have the smaller Alfa Romeo, it looks fantastic but two issues I've had were the stickers on the tires didn't want to stick on the rubber they're made of, and the other problem is that one of the pieces broke whilst fitting it, so I had to replace it with a Lego part and of course they're compatible which is a plus. Overall, CaDa definitely have stepped up their game compared to Lego's other competitors
Hello RacingBrick, I'm hoping you might be able to answer my question if you could. At 3:53 minute, there's a model of McLaren of the 1980s - whats the name of the model, the company that makes it, and where could I buy this online? It gave me so much nostalgia.
That's the actual F1 car on display
Seeing that Coda with proper sized wheels, printed wheels and a much more realistic overall look, does make me frown to say the least.
Looks like Lego is becoming complacent.
Thanks for a very detailed and honest comparison of these two brands of "Racing Bricks" ... based on your review, it is clear Lego is far better than Cada regarding build quality, accuracy, and stability! As a serious collector, price is not my only consideration but also the ethics of any brand I choose to support. Honestly, I am not a fan of plagiarism, copies, or patent infringement ... respect goes to the brands which do the original R&D and not others!
I think this is a very informative video. This is helped by (as other comments have said) the fact that the Cada version is not a direct copy of either the Lego McLaren or the Lego Mercedes. The biggest difference is obviously between the McLaren and the other two as there is such a design difference. A set of different sizes of front/rear tyres on the Merc F1 would be nice but I suppose you have to look at production costs and usage in other sets, although how much the cost would be to make a wider tyre to possibly fit on the same rim is unknown. I think from a display look the Cada Alfa wins with the Lego Merc 2nd and the Lego McLaren trailing in 3rd but some of this due to F1 car design changes rather than "poor" Lego design. Many thanks for the video.
Why is a knock off lego brand actually better than the real lego set ( in this case only )
Quality content right here. Thanks man!
Cada manage the details well. But I hate the small engine.
That's a very objective and nicely done review. Keep up the good work!
8:50 THIS!!! They could've made a working DRS at least...
What's a DRS I'm sorry?
@ousa2100 Drag Reduction System that streamlines the rear wing when on a straightaway for passing during F1 races. Its basically a movable flap that makes up the upper portion of the rear wing.
@@simaosousa2100Drag Reduction System. It is the element of the rear wing that can move giving less drag meaning higher forward speed to try to bring in easier overtaking. The system is triggered by the driver (I think) and used to only be able to operate when the car behind was within a certain time behind the one in front (maybe a second - guess - but the car behind is close).
@@adrianlynch9435 I'm actually pretty sure it has that. I think he showed it in the building review. Thank for the explanation.
@simaosousa2100 it has a flap but it is more of a imitation. By saying ,,working DRS" I meant some mechanism that would open it, similar to the active rear wing on the 42083 Bugatti Chiron.
Thank you for another in a long list of outstanding reviews! I'm a BIG fan!
While I am a Lego builder, I am not JUST a Lego builder. I have been very please with the building experiences I have had with non-lego offerings!
CaDa and others provide very good kits at very competitive prices! Plus, in most cases, once they're build it's very difficult if at all to tell them apart!
Thanks Again
1:04 but it is a 2022 f1 car, just with the 2021 livery. It's not an exact replica of McLarens 2022 car but considering it's lego technic i don't see any difference it would make. Broadly it is the 2022 car when looking at the rear and front wing as well as sidepods
There were big differences, I explained this in my review about the set - ua-cam.com/video/T2Y_N3W5bco/v-deo.html
Mi spiace dirlo visto che costruisco LEGO dal 1978 ma CADA sta veramente facendo dei splendidi modelli io ho già preso la MERCEDES AMG ONE, L'ALFA ROMEO F1 e anche il modello del HAMMER e atri e mi sono divertito veramente.
Very impressive is this version of CaDa, one of the best 😱
Very good review and comparison, thank you. I have the McLaren and the Alfa (which I bought in a pop-up store for €100) and the Mercedes is on the way. The CaDa build experience was pretty good but had some odd solutions for the suspension, and it is very difficult to pick up, especially the floor and sidepods feel very flimsy. The McLaren was better and mine is not suffering from suspension droop. I’m looking forward to the Mercedes, but when will I build it? There are a lot of new very desirable sets coming on March the first!
Cool that 3rd party producers are mentioned, as some have really cool ideas, even if the instructions and building techniques are...less developed.
Tried out a fair few massive builds, where one was impossible to finish, but four was impressive in comparison to the OG versions. And a handful of new concepts that should've been OG.
Healthy competition for now.
I'm glad to have a nice balanced look at CaDA like this. Leave it to the internet, but I feel like most people I see talk about CaDA either call them a cheap Lego bootleg or a complete replacement for Lego. I don't own the Alfa Romeo, but your analysis here lines up with the other CaDA sets I have; Less polish, more illegal building techniques, but also more likely to take risks. I think I am slightly more likely to buy new Lego sets compared to CaDA, but I still quite enjoy their products.
Thanks for the objective comparison. Many complain about either Lego or Cada, but the truth is that neither is perfect.
By the way, Cada also offers an Alfa Romeo C42 in 1:24, which costs about $20, but is slightly smaller than the Mercedes from Lego in around 1:20.
My guess is that they were trying to match the usual die cast model scales ?
Are the 42171 and 42141 the same scale? A little hard to tell. I'm curious if the slick tires from the 42171 are direct bolt-ons for the 42141 or if they're a different scale.
I still cannot get over with the Mercedes's curved nose, it does not blend smoothly back to the cockpit area at all
I had my McLaren Steering wheel not aligned as well, but if you reassemble the steering mechanism and rotate the wheel by one tooth during assembly, the wheel can be centered perfectly, so this is definitely possible and has nothing to do with play within the gears. As the steering mechanism looks similar on the Mercedes, I guess it should there be possible as well...
It really depends on how you define "perfectly". You can rotate the 12 tooth gear by one tooth, but it doesn't mean the 8 tooth gear will rotate exactly by the same degree on the other end ;) It get's closer, but not perfectly aligned.
Alfa looks great!!!
As soon as I have some time to build it I'll try to make a video!
I've built the CADA and it looks stunning. But the building process was an absolute pain and tested my patience. The steps are not as well thought out for the builder's convenience as we are used to with Lego. If CADA can get this part right next time, they will be a real contender.
In my core I'm a true Lego fan that could not combine Lego with other bricks for example. However, Cada is one of the few "Lego copy" brands that I can respect mainly because they make their own designs and not copy the intellectual property of Lego and their designers. It is obvious they still copy the designs of most of the individual pieces but that's fine I guess.
Good comparisons, it was very informative and useful. I do like the stuff that CaDA puts out as while I haven't got any of their sets before, I appreciate that the sets they put out are their own designs.
The only problem with CaDA sets for me is that while they are less at costly than the equivelent Lego set by retail, they're not that widely available in the UK, so there is no discounts on those CaDA sets, while almost all Lego sets always have discounts.
For example, the CaDA Mercedes AMG Project 1 set you showed briefly is £250 in the UK, which is certainly a lot less than the Lego Technic Ferrari Daytona SP3 set which costs £390. But, that Lego set has been discounted to the same amount as the CaDA set numerous times, sometimes even more so; the lowest I've seen the Ferrari Daytona set is £200, which is a substantial discount. It's instances like that, which are very very frequent, are really the main reason I haven't gone for any of the CaDA sets, it's hard to ignore the discount.
Instead of making new shock absorber pieces, perhaps LEGO should introduce an easier way to swap them out or remove them after the set is built.
Great video!
I hate that the 2022 mclaren car has a 2021 livery, however I think the reason for it is the following and it makes sense:
The new aero regulations, changed the looks of the car drastically. As you mention in the video, LEGO had to base their design on the show car instead of the actual car because the actual car didn't exist yet when LEGO started development.
However, why does the livery not match the actual car?
I think the reason behind it is that the new aero regulations were originally scheduled for 2021. Which means the commercial agreements and sponsorships for this season were prepared and signed in 2020, probarbly early in the year. It seems likely McLaren included the distribution of a LEGO set in it's commercial agreements. That means McLaren agreed to their 2021 sponsors that they were included in a LEGO set well in advance of the start of the season.
When Formula 1 got hit by Covid restrictions and their financial impact, the 2021 regulations were pushed back to reduce costs. It's very likely that by then the commercial agreements with Mclaren, Lego and their sponsors were already in place.
Instead of a new car in 2021, all formula 1 teams drove with an upgraded 2020 spec car for the season. However this meant that the lego model which was likely already designed did not match. Because of that Lego had to push back the introduction to 2022.
From a lego point of view it would make sense to revise the livery to make it as realistic as possible. However this never happened.
Reasons for this could be any of the following:
Lego did not want to invest in changes late in the process
The commercial agreements did not allow them to
The stickers were already produced and in stock
A small disclaimer, this is all based on my own observations and makes a lot of sense in my opinion. I havn't read or heard any reliable sources which confirm or deny all of the above.
Honestly I would love to see some reviews of caDa Master sets, quite a few of them seem very interesting and id like to see what their build quality is like!
Just got my CaDa La Ferrari set. Love it
the biggest win for brick fans is that Lego is not in a monopoly position any more. They will have to work in the future to make great sets since now there is plenty of other and many very good companies out there you can compare a Lego set to. Also: the war between fans of different companies has to stop. It's so stupid and not even neccessary.
I think the Chinese knockoffs undeservedly tarnished the name of every other alternative brand, even with genuinely own designs and licenses. I really believe the amount of fights between brick builders would be greatly reduced if companies making 1:1 copies didn't exist. I think hardcore fans see everything too black and white, either genuine Lego or design thieves, they see nothing in between, but there are tons of companies with own designs, licenses and even brick shapes and not only in China.
The seat is so high in the Mercedes, that really bothers me, I know they had to fit the HoG axle underneath but it could have been done in a much better way
That curve on the nose of the W14 still gets me to this day. Not even an amateur designer should have come up with this.
I wonder if I can change the tyre from cada to the lego mercedes one
Glad to see you're peeking over the LEGO horizon and looking at other manufacturers. CaDa seems to be one of the best.
I find it interesting that you say you're challenged by building with all-black pins and axles. LEGO models are criticized by some for having too many colorful parts and blue pins everywhere, and it could be argued that an "18+" set should be buildable by the target audience without colorful pieces everywhere.
Or, to put like a granddad: "In my time, we built LEGO models with all-black parts for breakfast!" (I'm a 90s kid who grew up with the old Technic and never had trouble with black pins and axles)
Back those days LEGO didn't have this variety of parts. Yes we had black axels and pins, but fewer different types, and the builds were less dense (especially in the studded era), so it was fairly easy to find the proper elements. Check out the part list of 8880, it only had 2L and 3L pins in black, and the cross axles. Most of these had different sizes so it wasn't that challenging to differentiate.
To make it clear, this was not my first CaDA set, I published a few builds on my other channel. These builds have very similarly sized pins, all in black, and 4-5 types, all in the same build stage. I find it annoying to spend my time locating the next piece, instead of focusing on the details of the build and the interesting building techniques.
@@RacingBrick Fair criticism, and you are right about the reduced part variant of earlier Technic sets. LEGO just goes overboard sometimes with the color palette for inside or underside parts.
Glad you bring other brand in the equation. I feel like Cada might look good from a certain distance but for a Lego colector eye it won't be good enough. But it's nice to see alternatives showing up that are rising quality and making their own path, not just cloning Lego sets. If the price wore lower I could consider buy Cada. But at that price I rather take Lego on a Black friday deal 😅.
Would be interesting to see a comparison between these and earlier Lego Technic Formula 1 cars
Thank you for the unbiased comparison!
I have to disagree only with the R&D prices. Lego had the patent for years to refinance the costs, that's what a patent is for. Since then, other brands developed new moulds themselfes which Lego now copies (1x5 plate, 1x2 "not-cheese" slope,...).
Some new Lego parts are protected, but some of them I feel arguable. I see no invention in making a plate or Technic beam one stud longer/wider/higher. But that's up to all the well paid legal consultants
TLG has developed a system for Technic, and keeps addig parts to the family for decades. It's not a single time cost that you add to the first few generation of sets and you are done. Copy / pasting that system and then starting to add a few new elements is a huge cost saving for other companies.
I have got a Lego Technic McLaren one months ago and just purchased also the CaDa one. This CaDa set looks way better on YT comparisons than Lego ones so I wanna compare them myself 😊
Great video! More Cada content please!
Very nice comparative review. I just wonder if the Cada tires, especially the rear ones, don’t look too “plasticky”, or is it just the lighting? Also, the unstable build of the rear suspension is a hard pass for me.
I must admit that recent Cada models look better than the past, and in some models (including this one) the use of all-black pins seems favorable compared to lego
I am a LEGO person but I do like the CaDA sets. They clearly try to improve their sets what is a big pro for them, I do also like that they (finally) go the legale way and get Licenses instead of copying a car almost 1:1 and just call it "red super car". Lego definitely needs to step up their game, the only thing that worked out great in the last few years have been the raising prices...
I also miss a clear line, some cars are in micro scale, lego scale, small technic, big technic models (McLaren) other don't. it makes it much harder to decide what line you want to collect because you never know what they're producing and if it fits (scale wise) to the other sets.
So, in essence it seems fair to say that the big technic Formula 1 cars really haven’t changed/improved much since the 2000 Silver Champion.
Which has a badass alternative model to boot!
Yep, that's it
Really apreciate your honest respectful opinion on both sets, i do agree with the tires. Wonder if its possible to 3D print a new compatible rim/part to make the Cada tire fit on the mercedes? just a curious tought. Love your reviews.
It is certainly possible to 3D print custom wheels. Just look at RacingBrick's recent video where he made custom wider rims and tires for the McLaren MP4 that also just released and it looks SOOOO much better with the custom wider rear tires.
The cada looks the best actually. the suspension of my mclaren has also completely loose to the ground.
Thanks for a great very balanced review!!
I enjoy seeing other brands being compared to lego, particularly of the chinese market. There's a lot of hesitation to buy into those sets out of fear of getting something low quality that doesn't assemble well or worse has missing parts. So I'd enjoy seeing more reviews of other brands and direct comparisons to a known standard like Lego.
1:44 With all due respect, the 2023 Mercedes was a lot more successful than the 2022 McLaren. 2nd vs 5th. Thanks for the product review.
Have you tried the red bull technic f1 from rastar?
Great comparison as usual! How do the big cars roll, especially the Mercedes? I ask because my 42126 Ford Raptor hardly rolls more than one car length when pushed. At the time I tried to reduce friction wherever possibly without luck.
It's a massive car so you really need some space to roll it, but it has no particular issues
Good review. When you mentioned about medium Mercedes F1 you could show coda alfa F1 champion size model and also old Mercedes champion ship fom 2pack (F1and AMG)
I could, but I don't have every set released at hand
SICK *intro* dammn. I thought that F1 Car on the ‘left’ was a Large Electric RC Car 😮
so for around 200$ I get 4 front tires in the Lego Set? they dont even bother to give you bigger back tires even if the way cheaper model has the right tires, so its impossible for Lego to make bigger back tires in this expensive set?
Thank you for showing that speed champion for scale.
The CaDA is better for only one ,so visible and obvious reason : correct size of the rear tires i.e. much wider the the front pair . Which is so obviously feature of any F 1 car ! I dont know why is it so hard for LEGO to make the same ? They ruined all their F 1 models because of this issue with tires ,IMHO.
Man these slick tires look so good!
I have the 2013 formula technic white car and it has a motorised engine cover and actual functional DRS
Based review! I'd go for the CaDA, because of the Tires, but at a first glance, that Mercedes looks very good.
Great review!!! You get what you pay for… buy cheap… you get cheap… keep up the good work.
Do you think the slick tires will be sold as a pick a brick item. I want them for my mclaren f1 car
I'm sure they'll be available just like other parts, although we might have to wait up to 3 months to appear
I was wondering if you also had any experience with technic set from the blockzone?
Nope, that company has a tendency to steal designs