Modular Buildings

Kavster

Firstly, apologies if this has been talked about before. 
Secondly, this is NOT one of those annoying "should I buy this, or this?" questions.

I'm in the process of trying to build the modulars.
So far I have the Grand Emporium, Palace Cinema, Parisian Restaurant and Detectives Office.
I've been trying to find the older modulars, Cafe Corner, Green Grocer, Fire Brigade, and Town Hall, but I have come to realise that these are just out of my price range at the moment.
So, with that in mind, the only other building is the Pet Shop. I can still buy this at retail price in stores, but I don't really like the look of it. It's just personal opinion. I understand why some people will disagree. I don't really want to buy it unless I have to (if that makes sense).

My question though, is would it be worth buying it now while it's still affordable, just because?
Or, can I afford to ignore it because I haven't got any of the older and more expensive buildings?
If I did buy it, I'd more than likely leave it sealed in the box for a while, and build it when I had nothing else to build, or while I was saving for another set I really want.

I'm still new to the world of collecting Lego, so would be grateful for some insight from the community.

AllBrick

Personally, I would buy it before it gets discontinued. Then I'd start saving for discontinued sets. Pet shop doesn't look that terrible. BTW, your question is a little "should I buy this, or this?".

Kavster

AllBrick said:

Personally, I would buy it before it gets discontinued. Then I'd start saving for discontinued sets. Pet shop doesn't look that terrible. BTW, your question is a little "should I buy this, or this?".

I guess it is a little bit that type of question.
But I'd like to think I have a reason for asking it, and not just should I buy A or B.

I fear your right about buying it now though. I have some VIP points to spend, so I suppose I could always use those to get it cheaper and just keep it boxed for a while.

vwong19

Buy it. Build it. Love it. Then wonder what you were contemplating.

ecmo47

You will regret not buying it later. It is a very nice addition to my Lego street.
Merits:
 - It's the only sets that is actually two 16x32 individual buildings. You can split them up and place them in different locations on your street for a new look. 
 - The Pet shop half is the only blue building so far.
 - The town house is the only true residence building.
 - The town house is a great starter for row houses. I've got one that has an extra level next to one that I built mirror image and place them with the stairs next to each other. Looks great! If I can re-remember how to post pictures, I post a shot this evening.
 

Briking

Buy, buy, buy.  If you're even considering the older ones (btw, you'll probbaly be better off BL'ing than buying complete sets), then at some point you will kick yourself for having missed the PS at RRP.

Kavster

@ecmo47 - Yeah, it'd be great if you could post a photo later. You also raise some good points about it. Thanks!

@Briking - BL'ing. Forgive me for being a noob, but i've not heard that before? And I also think you're right, probably will pick it up at RRP while I can.

ecmo47

ecmo47

Not a good picture, but you get the idea. Also, I forgot about the Market Street is blue but the Pet shop is a heck of alot cheaper!

ecmo47

kiki180703

Kavster said:

@ecmo47 - Yeah, it'd be great if you could post a photo later. You also raise some good points about it. Thanks!

@Briking - BL'ing. Forgive me for being a noob, but i've not heard that before? And I also think you're right, probably will pick it up at RRP while I can.

BL'ing is bricklinking. So basically you buy pieces on bricklink and make some sets for a lesser price than buying old retired sets like the modulars

Briking

^this

Kavster

Ahhh I see! Thanks for the insight! I will defiantly be having a look at that!

and @ecmo47 - Thanks for the pic's, I see what you mean! That does look pretty awesome!

BuriedinBricks

Just fair warning that sourcing the parts for the retired modulars can be quite expensive and time consuming. You can shave costs by making a few substitutions, which may even be necessary. There are a few parts that are barely even available in the needed quantity sometimes. Hunting down the parts is a massive undertaking and almost becomes a hobby on its own.

LegoTT

^^ this. 

I started bricklinking a Town Hall back in the Spring. After three or four orders and still needing several hundred parts, I just bought a used one off of eBay with the box and instructions (got it for around $380 + shipping!  Good deal, at the time- not sure what they're going for now). 

If you watch eBay and bricklink closely good deals are doable, but hard. 

ARo2891

LegoTT said:

If you watch eBay and bricklink closely good deals are doable, but hard. 

Completely Agree.  But you have to be a hawk about it cause there are plenty of other people who will watch listings closely for people who are just out to move product and not make as much as possible.  

LusiferSam

ecmo47 said:

 - The Pet shop half is the only blue building so far.
 

Market Street is blue and the barber shop in Detective Office is blue.

TigerMoth

What's this "collecting" thing? Seriously, it's something you have to ask yourself, because the answer is totally personal. LEGO sets are made to be built, each on it's own merits. If you're going to do something altogether more complicated, collecting, you need to know why. That will tell you whether you'll buy it eventually - and if so, you might as well get it at a good price.

There is also an unwritten law. If you ever seriously question whether to get a set, but don't find overwhelming reasons why you shouldn't, you will regret it if you don't.

TheLoneTensor

Who's convoluted law is that?

I'll agree with the fact that if you really desire a set, and really think you want it, then yes, you'll probably always want it, and will likely regret not getting it after it EOLs.  If you have the means, then yeah, you probably should get it.

That being said, it's not likely smart to drop hundreds (thousands) on sets if you really can't afford them, can't store them, won't ever have time to build them or won't have the space to display or take care of them.  If your gut is keeping you from buying it, I'd listen to your gut and walk away.

Yodalicious

^ & ^^ I'm actually the exact opposite of that law. If I "seriously question whether to get a set" then I don't regret it later if I didn't because it means I didn't truly want it. That's Haunted House for me. It's the "one" I missed. I have plenty of opportunity to buy it but never did. I always questioned myself. In the end it went away and while it might have been nice to have, I don't miss it all that much. I figured if I didn't want it at first look and had to question myself then I didn't really want it all that much.

I've saved myself plenty of money (and my wife plenty of room in the house) by NOT buying the sets that I've questioned.

happyskunky

So basically this is the same type of post as when everyone bitched at mine " should I buy " but this is perfectly acceptable.  Must need to be in a clique or something on here.  

bsiu922

I would just get it first!  you will regret it when it go into the retired set

oldtodd33

@happyskunky  No, this isn't quite the same as your own personal thread. You wanted to know what you should buy specifically between two sets. Only you can decide that. This thread is more about the thought process in making a decision, which does help others in general make a decision on a wide variety of sets. So, this is group thread, feel free to come here and see how others decide what to do.  

Also, There are people here that post more than others, but there is no "click" to belong to. 

Kavster

Thank you all for your input.
I've gone back and forth between buying this and not buying it.
I'm leaning more towards not buying it at the moment, but we'll see!

And @happyskunky - I can assure you that if there was a clique, I am not part of it. I am a brand new member. Sure, I ask a lot of questions, but i'm new to all this and want to learn from the experience of others.

klatu003

Starting threads can be like the old tale about jokes at prison mess hall.  New guy is confused when someone calls out a number and everyone laughs.  He is told everyone has heard them all, so they just refer to them by number.  Few days later he calls out a number of a joke - crickets chirp.  He is told "Some people know how to tell a joke, and some people don't."

yys4u

happyskunky said:

So basically this is the same type of post as when everyone bitched at mine " should I buy " but this is perfectly acceptable.  Must need to be in a clique or something on here.  

For the record I kind of agree with you. Not about the whole click thing, but this set is very similar to "should I buy this or this" kind of posts. Even though its not between 2 sets, the same argument against "should I buy this or this" can be used here, if these threads are acceptable, theoretically people could always be posting new threads about whether or not they should buy a a particular set. As far as this thread providing input into the thought process of buying a modular, it has actually been discussed multiple times on other modular building threads. 

That being said, definitely buy it. If you regret down the line, sell it. I'd rather have a set I later regret and can sell, than regret not having a set and have to fork over a lot of cash to get it.

Pitfall69

@happyskunky , I am positive that calling everyone in this forum "A-Holes" , already put you in your own "click" ;)

SumoLego

(As long as I'm not 100% a dick, then we can be friends.)

oldtodd33

^ Don't you mean dickish?

SumoLego

Although I would put this question on the edge of the familiar 'what should I buy', it is hedged in terms of whether pursuing closer-to-retirement sets of a collection that are less desirable than newer sets of the same collection.

More importantly, you should post a photo of a Dancing Groot, and you can be part of the smart-ass doofus clique (and thank you for using the correct spelling of the word).

We have meetings on the fourth fornight after the gibbons moon.  Bring you Galidor figures and mid-'90's Technic figures.

Bumblepants

^I hear Click-its Bracelet making will be the centerpiece of Arts & Crafts at Pitfallcon 2015

Pitfall69

TheUltimateTFOL

Should I flag this?

yys4u

Pitfall69 said:

@happyskunky , I am positive that calling everyone in this forum "A-Holes" , already put you in your own "click" ;)

To be fair, our community was being pretty mean to him. I wasn't aware of the "a-hole" name calling so I looked up the comments. I can acknowledge he has made a couple unnecessary threads but some members were needlessly insulting him. He's new and doesn't know the rules and etiquette, encourage him to read the rules and lurk a little more, and maybe learn how to use the search function. If he doesn't learn after a period of time, then that's a different story. 

Pitfall69

TheUltimateTFOL said:

Should I flag this?

You can if you want. GofG is PG-13 and Star is PG-13. Jar-Jar should be Rated R because he was too offensive for Star Wars ;)

Pitfall69

As far as the Pet Shop is concerned; I would just buy it and it might grow on you. It would be a shame to miss out on a Modular at retail; so many of us has had regrets missing out on certain sets. Nobody said you had to build it using the instructions; Lego is all about creativity. If you don't like the colors, change the colors to your liking. Turn the Pet Shop into a Butcher Shop? 

Pitfall69

Bumblepants said:

^I hear Click-its Bracelet making will be the centerpiece of Arts & Crafts at Pitfallcon 2015

Unfortunately, PitfallCon 2015 has already happened. I will bring up "Click-Its" at the next meeting. There was a "My Little Pony" sniffing contest though. 

Jern92

I never liked the Pet Shop (always thought it looked incredibly dull), but I bought it anyway because I'm a completionist. It is pretty useful because you can split it in 2 and slot them in anywhere. Better buy it now than wish you had later.

ryjay

Do not buy it!

brownbricks720

Buy the pet shop now for 150$. Unless you are willing to pay an arm and a leg for it later on. You dont have to build it. Let it sit in a closet and collect dust for many years. Then you'll slowly forget that you had it. One day when you decide to be ambitious and clean out that closet you will blow a pile of dust off it. You will uncover a hidden treasure. Then you do some research online and discover that is worth a lot of money. Or you're bored out of your mind and you build the set.

Just my opinion on the situation. 

ecmo47

Do buy it! If you decided that you do not like it later, it can be easily be resold at near cost. Really, with modulars, it cost nothing to "test drive" them.  

Bumblepants

Pitfall69 said:

Bumblepants said:

^I hear Click-its Bracelet making will be the centerpiece of Arts & Crafts at Pitfallcon 2015

Unfortunately, PitfallCon 2015 has already happened. I will bring up "Click-Its" at the next meeting. There was a "My Little Pony" sniffing contest though. 

Dang it! Didn't get a Bat-Pod, Didn't go to Billund, and I missed Pitfallcon. Worst year of my life.

chuxtoybox

SumoLego said:

More importantly, you should post a photo of a Dancing Groot, and you can be part of the smart-ass doofus clique (and thank you for using the correct spelling of the word).

Cool! I've never been in a clique before!

Thanos75

 Is there an application process to join the clique?

mr.piggles

Whoa! I came to see if there were rumors about a new modular (come ooooon police headquarters), and walked away knowing that if I post a picture of my dancing Groot somewhere... I don't know what happens. But I hope it involves unicorns!

SumoLego

Let's not take ourselves so seriously.  We're talking Lego in a pseudo-anonymous forum.

If you're new to the forum and take some criticism, be a little less sensitive.  Also, have a little persective.  If you have more posts than likes, and more discussions than posts, you're probably being a little aggresive with your activity in the forum.  It's easy to be defensive and lash out, but the point here is to contribute to a greater community.

Calling someone an a-hole if you feel like you're being treated poorly doesn't solve the problem or address the underlying concerns.

Nearly every major set and theme has a thread to discuss thoughts, merits and value.  However, fundamentally, nobody cares about whether you buy a set or not.

If money is going to be spent, buy the older available sets first, then get a home equity line of credit on your house or a substantial loan against your 401(k), and get the first four modulars and then buy some Lego trains.  NISB Santa Fe add-on cars are routinely sold at 'reasonable' prices if they were actually made of copper or silver...

One simply cannot posses enough Lego trains.

Kavster

I have absolutely loved some of the comments on here!
From the advice given, I decided to take the plunge and just buy the set at retail value today!
I've also been looking at BL'ing the older sets as suggested, but it's quite a confusing concept to get to grips with as a noob though! 

Also, the next meeting for the clique is on the full moon. Usual place. Don't forget your cloaks, torches and pitch forks! Light refreshments will be provided of course.

koshka

Buy it. Since our household got back into Lego two years ago the only model we both agreed we didn't like was the Town Hall. Now we've built some of the other modulars we're both regretting it. Even models that people claim they don't like seem to shoot up in price as soon as they go out of production.

Having spent the last couple of years slowly Bricklinking Market Street, Cafe Corner and Green Grocer it's also been noticeable just how much prices have gone up for original sets. In the case of Green Grocer I will probably end up spending nearly as much as I could have bought the set for from eBay UK two years ago.

dougts

yys4u said: He's new and doesn't know the rules and etiquette, encourage him to read the rules and lurk a little more, and maybe learn how to use the search function. If he doesn't learn after a period of time, then that's a different story. 

but this is kind of the whole starting point of forum etiquette.  Watch awhile, lurk, learn the ropes, post comments on existing threads, get a feel for the community, then go in full force.

I've been on here since the start, and I have over 3200 comments.  In all that time, I've started 49 threads.  That's 65 comments for every thread I've started.

I'd say that in general on internet communities like this one that you shouldn't start a thread until you've been a part of the community at least a week or so, and that overall your comments should be at a minimum 20 times higher than your thread count.

None of this is directed at happyskunky by the way, just my general opinion on how to properly join a forum.

SumoLego

^  Hear hear!

(I just got 1k in likes!)

dougts

^ actually, I've only started 17 threads.  apparently the 49 on the user profile page must be a reference to something else