2019 Modular Rumours

Aanchir

youtube_blockhead said:

Aanchir 

firstly a genuine error is misspelling your name, i apologise no offense meant, my phone is cracked from dropping so its very difficult to quote and i have just been misspelling it, regarding capitals, the button to alternate between caps is at the bottom left and under cracked screen, so no cant but also wouldn't if i could

the door piece is in dispute because you keep misquoting me on it

so did you find the door used on the front of a modular since pet shop?

i know you didnt, because it hasnt been

but have you seen it on the front of a creator building 3in1 set since pet shop in 2011?

of course you have, because they use it all the time.

i refer you to my original point about the areas i highlighted as being more creator 3in1 rather than creator expert

First of all, it's not fair to say the part is "more Creator 3-in-1 than Creator Expert" if you're ignoring all other Creator Expert sets EXCEPT the modular buildings in that comparison. What about the Winter Village, where that door has been in 50% of sets?

Also, it's not as though a part not being used as a front door in Creator Expert in a long time means that set is no longer "expert" enough, particularly when it's been used on the back or inside of many of those same buildings, which has just as much impact on the model's actual complexity as it would have if used on the front.

Also, by this argument, how do you ever expect to see variety in the pieces used in Modular Buildings? Hardly any parts are ever introduced for Creator Expert sets specifically — usually, they don't have a big enough budget to justify the cost. If a part is used for years in a theme like Friends or City or Ninjago, does that mean it's off-limits for future Modular Buildings because it's "more Friends/City/Ninjago than Creator Expert"?

youtube_blockhead said:

Lyichir said:

i agree theres is better, but it lacks creativity, they surely can do better, the point i was making was that they dont have to use a standard plastic disc. 
for me modulars should be innovative, not tried and tested, each to there own

Part of what makes the modular buildings and the Creator Expert theme in general so popular in the first place is that they primarily use stick to conventional LEGO building, and usually don't use highly specialized parts for stuff that can be done just as effectively or more with traditional ones. They certainly don't introduce entirely new part shapes for such purposes, least of all for such trivial little accessories like an ice cream cart or umbrella that are incidental to the main focus of the build.

If a set like this or the Ferris Wheel even had the budget to introduce a new part design, there would be lots of more useful things they could use it on than replacing a part as versatile as the 4x4 radar dish with a more specialized umbrella piece that fans of all ages have done just fine without.

oldtodd33 said:

^ The guy is allowed to have his opinion you know. It isn't just your fanboi opinion that counts on this site, contrary to your belief. 

I don't believe that and this isn't about opinions. Like I said, I don't care in the slightest whether he likes or dislikes the set, but it's kind of insulting to imply a set is less expert/advanced because it uses parts you don't like the appearance of instead of ones you do.

Anyway, youtube_blockhead's posts and mine at least include actual perspectives on this set and the building techniques it uses. What value exactly is your weak trolling and name-calling bringing to the discussion?

oldtodd33

^LOL  

youtube_blockhead

aanchir you need to chill out, and like i said you can pm message me if you want to continue because no one else is interested in this

but if you dont want to just dont reply to this. 

you continually distort my opinions to justify your own narrative, because you want to argue 

furthermore i am allowed to say it looks more 3in1 rather than expert because thats my opinion and im not stating it as fact,

and you really dont need your brother chirping in for support, 
stop misquoting me, stop misinterpreting me. it a plastic toy model garage for fucks sake!!! 

seeing as you have made over 2500 posts i assume you cant let it go, 

heres some 3in1 sets for you which defo have no resemblance to the new modular

klatu003

@Pitfall69 - nah, I'm neutral on the great Market Street controversy. It wasn’t available when I started collecting and I had to cobble the CC and PS – my versions are non-standard parts and colors.  MS just didn’t appeal to me enough to bother.

@vwong19 - I DO think that  Flower Cart 40140 is essential to the whole cookie smuggling operation.  The Fountain is on trial, my old setup had the statue from #60026 in the curved road in from of the TH.  Not enough depth on shelf for road. sigh.

@shikadi – yes, that would be harmonious in color, but I have a “thing” about TH being alone in splendid isolation.  The mayor would use zoning laws to prevent the garage next to his office.

@SumoLego – I don’t have Hot Dog Cart #40078, but if you send it to me I promise to add – where do you recommend?  As you said Balloon Cart #40108 is in the Fairground section, which is on the shelf to the left around the corner (not pictured.)

For those that liked the shelving, it is IKEA.  Spendy, but very nice.  Only the top rail is attached to the wall.  Good if screws go into studs, but they also use and stand by their drywall anchors.  It is easy to move the shelves around for different needs.

TheBigLegoski

#10264 CG Corner Garage is nice, yet I am not overwhelmed like I was with most of the past modulars such as PR, BB, AS, and DD, as well as DO from previous years.

It is just, well, every positive thing I notice about it, brings about an immediate mental side note: 'this leaves something to be desired, it looks not quite right, when I buy this set I need to change this, and that, and that, and so on, and so forth'.

Sure with the previous modulars I also immediately started thinking about possibilities for modding them, but not because they are flawed by design. With this new modular CG, I feel like it needs more than just some tweaks but a complete overhaul to make it look, as I think an expert modular should.

On a constructive note, my initial thought on how/what to modify to make this modular look the way like I feel it should, and what I do like:

I would extend it with a 16x32 baseplate on the side of the veterinarian/apartment entrance. Increase the small foot print of the interior of the upper-floors, with room for a proper enclosed staircase/hall. At ground floor extend the white/green colour scheme a bit more, when adding a baseplate. Tile up the interior of the garage, and add more tools and stuff typical of a garage. Fix the imperfections on the front door to the vet/apartment. I like the inclusion of the dark grey 1x2 tiles with the round corners on the facade of the front-door, but the way it is hooked up to the white/green part of the facade of the garage annoy me. Also wouldn't this have been the perfect opportunity to introduce a new door element design for the front-door with space to insert two small transparent (glass) panels above each other?!

I hate that bed, sorry, but I just hate it. When I buy this set I will MOC another bed. I love the toilet, but the apartment needs a proper bathroom with at least a shower. Also proper front-doors to the vet and apartment themselves, that is why the stairway needs to be fixed.

The overall facade of the building is nice, though this orange / caramel/toffee colour is not my favourite, I would have preferred dark red. Yet the details of the facades of PR, BB are less repetitive and overall superior. Somehow DD is also more pleasing to the eye. Though maybe this will change when I see it in person!?!

The gaspump and tiny tree are really cool, as is the Streamline Moderne style canopy!

The single seat tow-truck is a bit meh, would have like to see a vehicle design as nice a the pink cadilac from DD (with room for 2 minifigs seated next to each other). Minifig mechanics have no backprinting on their torso, that I think is a big mis! Also the female minifigs have no hourglass female distinctive printing on their torso's either, which I would have preferred, even though when it comes to expert modular buildings these are not my primary focus/concerns. 

I have a lot more notes on what i like, dislike, and would change, but I will leave at this for now. Maybe the set will grow on me a bit, and make me a bit more appreciative of it, only time will tell.

One more critical note on the price of this set. I am not happy about the price hike on this set either, when it is does not have that many more bricks than e.g. DD, yet has interiors that compared to DD are very bare. It is €30 (German RRP) more expansive than DD, BB, DO, and PR, which were/are all priced at €149,99. If they price it up to €30 higher in the Netherlands (compared to Germany), as they did with several past modulars, well then that is just one more aspect about it that seriously does not amuse me.

Sorry if this turned out to be a bit of a rant. It looks nice next to DD yet compared to other expert modulars this one is not my favourite of the bunch.

Pitfall69

@klatu003 ; darn it!! I guess there's only room for one futile argument in this thread ;)

SumoLego

MrJackson said:

...once I complete cataloguing my sets, I'll post pictures of my completed city...

I look forward to seeing that photo the day after the rabbit zombie apocalypse.  

(Wait, that's when I will post pictures of my completed city.)

youtube_blockhead

Pitfall69 said:

@klatu003 ; darn it!! I guess there's only room for one futile argument in this thread ;)

i am sorry, i kept trying to take it private, sorry for those of you who had to scroll through that nonsense before you could read anything the thread was supposed to be about

SumoLego

Pitfall69 said:

@klatu003 ; darn it!! I guess there's only room for one futile argument in this thread ;)

Quite right.  I can't follow two arguments, and references, and the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch!

madforLEGO

Oooo dissertation time!

TheBigLegoski

klatu003 said:

Thinking about where Jo's Garage will fit in here.  Move GG(mod) next to CC(mod) and put Jo's Garage next to the FB?  I'm pretty happy with DD next to PC. The negative comments here are making me shake my head and chuckle.  I remember all the hate for the TH, and then the remorse when it was gone.  I no longer have space to set up the city with trains and roads - miss that....

I really love the backlighting behind all your modulars. That is quite ingenious, plus I see no wires anywhere. Nicely done, it really makes all your Lego stand out!

Also how awesome that you have all of the modulars (well except MS, but who cares right!?), and even bricklinked the ones which were no longer available.

monstblitz

My profound thoughts:  it’s a modular.  And I’m gonna buy it!

Glacierfalls265

The only modular building I purchased was the Town Hall, back in 2011-2012. Back then I was still in school so $200 USD was the most I'd ever paid for anything in the history of ever. Then I haven't bought any modulars since. I was really really REALLY tempted by Parisian Restaurant and Brick Bank. This year though I figured that if the new modular was better than those two I would buy it. So this one is a little bit meh.

The Garage is okay, I like the overall design, but it's not something I could afford to spend so much money on. Although it would be interesting to see if someone mods the ground floor gas pump into a cute little corner store with food and everything! 

tl;dr: I'll pass on this one this year, and watch a speed build video of it instead when it comes out ;) 

brianoblivion

I guess this announcement also officially kills the rumors of a green grocer revival...

Baby_Yoda

I guess you could say this set has fueled a fiery debate...

Astrobricks

brianoblivion said:

I guess this announcement also officially kills the rumors of a green grocer revival...

Until someone starts the 2020 Modular Rumors thread.

CurvedRoadPlate

2 modulars retired, we could still get a Green Grocer rerelease in 2019

Brickchap

So its finally here the 2019 modular; Corner Garage.

Well firstly I'll just say that I always knew the next modular after DD would be a 50s garage because that's the only thing that would go with DD or the 50s style and I'm pretty confident 2020 will see a return to normal or somewhat normal modulars.

As for this set, I agree with basically everyone. Its not bad as such (it will be the first modular in two years I wont have to mod, AS because I didn't want a dance studio which isn't really a fault of the set and DD because of those disgusting colours WHY COULDN'T THEY JUST HAVE USED RED?!) but theres just something about it which makes it lack the "WOW I want that!" that arguably pretty much all previous modulars have had.

The colour is OK but it does look too monochromatic next to AS (we wont count DD).  It looked fine on TH but it does stand out a tad too much here especially with the sand blue (what were they thinking with the upper floor colour scheme, the ground floor colours are great!)

The ground floor is nice, I hate that there's only one pump though and we've seen such better designs from Lego for 50s petrol pumps. Same goes with the 1950s TV. A great idea and about time but a lacking build (as was the case with the jukebox in DD)

The minifigs are all plain.I really wish they would stop creating minifigs that feel like Fun at the Park redone over and over. Plus, theres no 'interesting' characters like Jim the cook or 'unnamed musician' from DD (not to mention everyone in BB and DO)

I will also bring up the sign with Jo's. Firstly, Jim's and then Jo's (regular less of its Jo or Joe) seems a little wrong. I have nothing again names beginning with J (it would be rather ironic if I did) but it would have been better I think to have a different name or not have a name at all. But Jo's? Now a female mechanic in a regular City or Creator set, OK that's fine if women want to be car mechanics good on them but in a 1950s setting there were no female mechanics or more to the point did any own their own garage just no.  Yes, one can just say that the male mechanic is Jo and spells it unusually but they could have either used a more unisex name with spelling such as Chris or as I said before have no name at all. The other thing is how lazy they have been in regards to mechanic torso prints. WHY can't we have proper overalls like the Mechanic CMF?!  (obviously they would change the print a bit to avoid making that CMF lose value) But the worst part is that the male mechanic or Joe (speaking of which Joe and Jo's Garage would have worked well) HAS THE SAME PRINT as Jim from the diner NEXT DOOR. Come on Lego, if that face had been in say the 2020 or 2021 modular I might have not been too concerned about it but since the 'major' character in both consecutive modulars is the same person??? (and no one please say there identical twins or Jim works in both places)

Another thing is the little slogans for each business. "By accident we meet" and "no snakes" both feel kind of tacky and personally ruin those signs for me. The tyre and Jo's look great on their own. Now the AS Dentist "Prevents yellowing" has to be one of the best puns in literary history and then we get these... And with Jo and Dr Jones, wheres the Lego in those? Why not Tom Brick and Harry Garage or Dr Studley?

The truck: While I always love when old cars are included we definitely need at least one more. Whats the point of a tow truck if there's no cars to tow? Or cars to fill up or repair? Yes, one can just use the Cadillac from DD but each set is its own product so it does really need another vehicle and its not as if the pieces that could have been used for a car are taken up by interesting architectural details.

I will also just say that including a vehicle in a Creator Expert set DOES NOT make it a City set nor does it make the vehicle or its build 'childish'.

I think the winch hook mechanism is really cool and the overall build looks decent in regards to the build experience. That being said, it needed to be as interesting as the Cadillac from 2018. I would have liked to have seen a tow truck like this https://www.flickr.com/photos/kenmojr/15144123790 (1940s Chevy with 'rounded nose'.) I think that would have provided more of a challenge which would have been really interesting to see how Lego pulled that one off.

The vet is a strange inclusion, same as last years gym but looks OK. I don't know why we still haven't got a doctor surgery or why in general lego seems to think there's no such thing as a GP and that doctors are only to be found in hospitals. Surely minifigure health is more important then the health of their pet Nemo and wascally wabbit?

Finally while I wouldn't be one to stand up and argue how Corner Garage is too much of a 3 in1 'mini' modular style I would definitely agree that it just doesn't feel up to the modular standard. I cant exactly say as to what is not quite right with it. It almost feels like a MOC as the overall aesthetic, level of detail and general ideas all seem lacking.

I will however say that it does look great next to DD and that thankfully 2020 or 2021 modular will be able to return to a normal proper modular by which I mean that while Corner Garage captures a 'retro' feel as opposed to the classic pre war European ones, thanks to the upper levels and the architecture/colours of the garage not being too 'out there' (as opposed to DD) it will fit quite fine next to a normal modular and allow something like a Ritz-ish hotel or European/British post office to be released next and neither buildings look too out of place next to each other.

Bumblepants

Serious (kinda) question: Does #10743 Smokey's Garage have a more robust tool inventory than the new modular?

CCC

Bumblepants said:

Serious (kinda) question: Does #10743 Smokey's Garage have a more robust tool inventory than the new modular?

I think Homer Simpson has a better collection of tools than this garage. OK, they are stolen from Ned, but he still has them.

CCC

oldtodd33 said:

It isn't WOW for me but, it's not terrible either. I'll buy it just like the others though. I think the only modular I was disappointed in was PC. Just not a fan of the architectural style on that one, but I have it.  

I think this hits it on the head. It's not a great set. But it is not a bad set. LEGO aren't going to create a new best ever modular with each release some will be just average and people will buy them. Some will be below average and people will buy them. Occassionally one will (in the eye of the beholder) be terrible and the collector can choose to get it and not like it, or just skip it. LEGO can get away with that. So long as they don't do too many that people perceive as bad, the line will continue to be successful. It is only when they start doing too much repetition or a really bad one and people do skip it that the rot will set in. I skipped that one, so I don't need this one just to be complete. That is what happened to the CMF line with me. As soon as I no longer had a complete collection due to not wanting multiple repeats, not only did I stop buying new ones just to be complete, but I sold off past ones that I didn't really care for at the time but had them just to be complete. OK, it is a different price and time scale, but the idea is the same. If you break the completion chain, future ones that are just average or worse no longer seem so necessary to have.

pharmjod

SumoLego said:

I look forward to seeing that photo the day after the rabbit zombie apocalypse. 

Do zombie rabbits still breed...  like rabbits?

Patrik78

This game is over, let's start the GG re-release next autumn speculation.

andhe

Not going to read through 400 unread (not undead) comments so apologies if it's been said, but the lack of leaks on this one somehow made me less excited with the sudden reveal :D The anticipation for Christmas day is always more exciting than the day itself.

Would have perhaps liked a different dog (a recoloured cmf scottie perhaps) but that's a fairly minor gripe.

On a corner modular related note, has anyone, or have you ever seen a modular that's been built 'mirrored' to fit someones layout better? Just wondering if it is possible with any of the modulars though most interested in the Diner.

BOBJACK_JACKBOB

Agree with @CCC and @oldtodd33. This isn't the best modular and is maybe a little disapointing. I felt the same way about the Cinema and the Diner but still bought both. I will buy this. I still really like it. IMO it's better than the Cinema, not as good as the Diner. I love the Modular line and honestly don't think it's possible for Lego to make one so underwherming to me that I would skip it. Perhaps the silver lining is that it will be easy to surpass this one with next years offering?

rubikon

SumoLego said:

vwong19 said:

A step further, it looks like @klatu003 is implying that the Fountain #40221 and Flower Cart #40140 are essential as Modular accessories. ;-)

I'm demanding the Hot Dog Cart #40078 and Balloon Cart #40108 be restored to the display!

(Although the Balloon Cart may be tied to the Mixer, but you get my point.)

Was the hotdog cart in part of the Palace Cinema promotion as they are both from 2013? I have the others, but off course want to complete it too if mandatory demand Sumego ;)

Pitfall69

Brickchap said:

So its finally here the 2019 modular; Corner Garage.

The vet is a strange inclusion, same as last years gym but looks OK. I don't know why we still haven't got a doctor surgery or why in general lego seems to think there's no such thing as a GP and that doctors are only to be found in hospitals. Surely minifigure health is more important then the health of their pet Nemo and wascally wabbit?

What? You don't like the Vet/Garage combo? Maybe the next Modular should include:

https://youtu.be/P01U3WmV5-I

mr_benn

The biggest problem that the modular line has is in meeting the ever increasing expectation year after year.  We've had a sterling set of releases the last few years - and even though I wasn't much sold on the Diner when I saw it, in person it was a great build and looks excellent.

I'm not completely convinced about this one yet - I will buy it, as I have all the others - it has an interesting shape and premise, but particularly the ground floor feels a little unfinished to me.  In many of the other modulars the entire ground floor has been tiled, inside and out (except for out the back sometimes) so the floor of the garage looks a little bare in comparison (the sandy baseplate perhaps wasn't the best choice?).  I like the wheel feature for the rolling door though!  This slight plainness seems to carry on through the interior all the way to the roof - a little roof garden or something might have been nice to round it off?

Luckily it's Lego, and little things can be rectified.  And it's certainly quite attractive, and a bit different, which ideally is what you want from a modular.

Kind of wish it wasn't so orange though!

Pitfall69

^I assume you didn't like TH then? 

CCC

andhe said:

On a corner modular related note, has anyone, or have you ever seen a modular that's been built 'mirrored' to fit someones layout better? Just wondering if it is possible with any of the modulars though most interested in the Diner.

Yes, just search for (NAME) mirrored or doubled up and you will see examples. This one of the diner is nice, althoguh I have seen it with the central archway raised by one of the curved slope units and it looks even better (cannot find it right now). I think this one is just photoshopped.

The FB also looks good doubled up, although I think this one went too far and lose the symmetry:

I have seen it done in a similar way without the right most part, again it looks great that way.

Then of course there are the MODs going up for CC, up and sideways for GE, and so on.

MrJackson

I would be curious to see how the interior surface area of the new one compares to the others.  A lot of the complaints (including mine) are of the seemingly small footprint of the actual building.  If I had the time I would count the number of actual free studs in the interior of each of them, average them out, and compare the new Corner Garage.  Lets see if the "The modulars are getting smaller!" rhetoric has any truth to it. 

jnscoelho

I saw this one on Facebook, by a guy named Hassan Aker

andhe

@CCC thanks that's pretty neat. But sorry I meant the whole design being 'flipped' rather than doubled up.

RogerKirk

MrJackson said:

I would be curious to see how the interior surface area of the new one compares to the others.  A lot of the complaints (including mine) are of the seemingly small footprint of the actual building.  If I had the time I would count the number of actual free studs in the interior of each of them, average them out, and compare the new Corner Garage.  Lets see if the "The modulars are getting smaller!" rhetoric has any truth to it. 

I think you should consider the volume too. This building seems slightly higher than some recent ones. BB and half of DO were only two floors, while all of CG is 3.

prettybigguy

I've seen this done a few times as well.

oldtodd33

^ I did that to Pet Shop also, built them both at the same time. The build was a lot of fun that way. 

Boardshorts85

CCC said:

Bumblepants said:

Serious (kinda) question: Does #10743 Smokey's Garage have a more robust tool inventory than the new modular?

I think Homer Simpson has a better collection of tools than this garage. OK, they are stolen from Ned, but he still has them.

I don't know why they went with the squinty eyes on the Simpsons figs.  The whole family looks high...

Bitsyww2

I like the exterior and the first floor of this a lot.  I don't care for the vets office and will probably just mod it into a 2 story living space.  I think it looks fantastic next to DD and great in the modular line up.  

Lyichir

youtube_blockhead said:

aanchir you need to chill out, and like i said you can pm message me if you want to continue because no one else is interested in this

but if you dont want to just dont reply to this. 

you continually distort my opinions to justify your own narrative, because you want to argue 

furthermore i am allowed to say it looks more 3in1 rather than expert because thats my opinion and im not stating it as fact,

and you really dont need your brother chirping in for support, 
stop misquoting me, stop misinterpreting me. it a plastic toy model garage for fucks sake!!! 

seeing as you have made over 2500 posts i assume you cant let it go, 

heres some 3in1 sets for you which defo have no resemblance to the new modular

They do have some resemblance, insofar as one of them features a garage with a yellow sign and the other one uses Dark Orange in its color scheme. Beyond that? Nada. Complaints that this set looks too much like a Creator 3-in-1 set are still as stupid as the criticisms that the Downtown Diner looked too much like a Friends set because it featured pink parts and curved shapes.

Astrobricks

@mr_benn hit the nail on the head about ever increasing expectations. On top of that, add everyone putting their own ideal spin on those expectations and you have a set up for (initial) disappointment. 

Complaints about the façade being too simple bother me. Can they really just keep getting more complex and baroque? Some buildings look simpler than others. A town has both kinds. I like the brown/orange brick color. It reminds me of brick buildings I’ve seen. Remember, brick color is usually a reflection of what materials are available locally, so no one color is “correct”. I also like the combination of the traditional brick building with the moderne garage façade. Again, that’s how many buildings end up looking as (typically) their ground levels get repurposed and redesigned over time. 

I do have a couple quibbles. I don’t like the recessed corner at the back (necessary for the lift mechanism?), and the stairway opening straight into the vet and apartment. And the windows in the bathroom door. Weird. Filling in the back corner (perhaps only on the upper floors) would give room to fix the bathroom and maybe add doors by the stairs. Again, quibbles. I’ll almost certainly get it eventually.

Aanchir

Astrobricks said:

@mr_benn hit the nail on the head about ever increasing expectations. On top of that, add everyone putting their own ideal spin on those expectations and you have a set up for (initial) disappointment. 

Complaints about the façade being too simple bother me. Can they really just keep getting more complex and baroque? Some buildings look simpler than others. A town has both kinds. I like the brown/orange brick color. It reminds me of brick buildings I’ve seen. Remember, brick color is usually a reflection of what materials are available locally, so no one color is “correct”. I also like the combination of the traditional brick building with the moderne garage façade. Again, that’s how many buildings end up looking as (typically) their ground levels get repurposed and redesigned over time. 

I do have a couple quibbles. I don’t like the recessed corner at the back (necessary for the lift mechanism?), and the stairway opening straight into the vet and apartment. And the windows in the bathroom door. Weird. Filling in the back corner (perhaps only on the upper floors) would give room to fix the bathroom and maybe add doors by the stairs. Again, quibbles. I’ll almost certainly get it eventually.

Windows in the bathroom door were something that bothered me in the Pet Shop as well. Now that LEGO has the plainer glass door design in some solid colors (as well as the slightly more detailed three-pane door in solid colors, thanks to the Ghostbusters Firehouse), perhaps one of those parts might have been more suitable there.

Boardshorts85

Haven't really weighed in on the design yet, so here we go.

Theme: I like the 50s Americana nod as it will help to harmonize with the Downtown Diner and this structure still having enough in common with the designs from earlier modulars to help bridge the generational gap.

Form: Based on some video reviews I've seen, I think the angled form will show a bit better in real life than it does in the photos.  For me, the big question will be whether the garage wants to go on the front or the side when it incorporates into my city.  The gaps in the front aren't ideal, but I look forward to exploring strategies to tighten this area up.  The notch in the back will have to go - doesn't seem to be an obvious reason the upper levels can't square out to the extents of the plate, similar to the upper levels of Grand Emporium.  I may also eventually build out the upper levels over the roll up door to reduce the "step out" at the first level.

Interior: My biggest complaint is the lack of separation around the stairs.  I'll certainly add walls/doors for some element of privacy between levels.  Yes the garage could have a few more accessories, though with a vehicle parked in the repair bay, there's not a ton of room left over.  Second floor, to me, is the standout level with all the detail in the vet.

Minifigures: A little disappointing.  Personally, I'd like to see these buildings always have at least one new fig, though I suppose the Rock Star from DD is really only a very slighting modified TLBM Robin.

Price: Even with the price increase, the Creator Expert Modular Buildings remain one of the best values in the LEGO world.  Looking at this set vs DD or BB, it feels like the price is not inappropriate.  I don't pretend to know how LEGO's pricing works, but to me, this feels like its not exorbitantly priced.  There's something to be said about mentally associating $169.99 with $150, despite actually being $20 higher, or at least that's how my mind works.

Overall: Its not a homerun and it won't top any "Best of" lists but this may be the modular I'm most excited about making my own.  The AFOL community is always going to having higher expectations as we get to enjoy each others amazing MOCs - but the reality is that many of those MOCs can't be BL'd for the ~$200 price point and maybe it's spoiled our expectations for what a modular building should be.

Boardshorts85

Also for historical reference, there was a building in my hometown that once upon a time housed a Shell station on the ground floor, not terribly different from this design, so there's historical precedent, particularly in the 1950s time period.

youtube_blockhead

Lyichir said

They do have some resemblance, insofar as one of them features a garage with a yellow sign and the other one uses Dark Orange in its color scheme. Beyond that? Nada. 

nada? well except for the use of the light blue door piece which was the original bone of contention,

is it fair to call someones opinion "stupid" when they have given several examples of evidence to support their opinion? only donald trump is allowed to do that when disputing the scientific evidence for climate change 

Matt89190

Just want to preface this by saying it's just my opinion; if you like this set, I'm happy for you - I'm not judging either way.

I'm underwhelmed. I never got the Diner as the 50s US style never appealed to me the way the European style kicked off with the PR did. That said, I could see myself getting the Diner if it went on sale or whatever as it's a cool enough building in its own right.

I can't say that about the Garage. 
Part of it is just that feeling of not quite being able to put your finger on why you don't like something - it's just not for you - but I'll try and do my best to articulate my issues with the design.

It's small. Relative to most other modulars, the CG really lacks interior space. To my mind, one of the main things that makes modulars stand out is their detailed interiors, so the sparseness and crampedness of this one doesn't give it that same feeling of standing out in an endless world of open-backed police stations with a chair and a computer. It doesn't help that the bottom floor isn't tiled, breaking a previously-established modular trend.
Perhaps building the upper floors out over the gas station would have helped. 

The concept of complexity has been a hot topic on here, and I don't think I'd dispute that the CG is not lacking elements of complexity - the train window windows are certainly elaborate. However, it lacks a certain finesse (in my view of the very subjective topic of design) that previous modulars have had. The Diner was fairly smooth and simple, but that was by virtue of the subject matter. If we look at the PR, the facade was intricately adorned with croissants, clams, feathers and so on. The subsequent three made similar ingenius parts usages to achieve their intricate detailing - Hero Factory fists, zip line handles, and even a chicken all being used to great effect. And while an argument of subject matter could be made concerning the CG, TLG have clearly gone for the detailed facade option with their use of the new 1x1 Toblerone pieces, but it just falls flat. The building looks blunt and bland.
The issue is not general complexity but complexity in relation to the aesthetic aspects of the build. Creative and original parts usage makes for an interesting and visually appealing building, and the CG is lacking. 

I also think there is something to be said about the level of "polish" on the smaller aspects of the build in general. Yes, parts like the bollards and the cans are totally fine, but nowadays Lego have gotten us used to a bit more than "fine". Some silver round 1x1 tiles on top of the cans, for example, would help make the build feel a lot more "finished".

Including a car over a tow truck makes no real sense when a garage can still function without its own truck to tow customers in, but would cease doing business if it has nothing to repair or pump with petrol. 

And last (and probably least), the choice of an apartment again is a little bit boring. This now means three of the last six modulars have had apartments (PR, As and GC). I have no objection to minifigures having somewhere to live, but using a floor for an apartment has been done to death. I wouldn't mind a modular devoted entirely to having something like 3 or 6 small flats in it, but at this point I'd rather the floor went to something more original and new.

Just my 2p.

Paperballpark

I remember people complaining that the minifigs had nowhere to live.

SumoLego

(Everybody complains about something.  And others complain about other things.)

youtube_blockhead

forumers one of you must be able to help.. 

has there ever been a definitive (or as close to definitive) poll amongst fans or builders to decide what was the best or most popular modular? 

DeMontes

youtube_blockhead said:

forumers one of you must be able to help.. 

has there ever been a definitive (or as close to definitive) poll amongst fans or builders to decide what was the best or most popular modular? 

I believe a website called Brickset did a poll ;-)

https://brickset.com/article/26202/modular-building-poll-results

youtube_blockhead

thank you, not what i would have expected