Best sets for parts?

Si_UKNZ

Wondering if anyone wants to share their tips for sets which can be picked up cheap which are good for parts/ minifigs

For technics I recommend
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=8146-1

For castle I recommend
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=DKCastle-1

Anyone got any others?

RedBrickMarket

I donno a lot, but the Grand Emporium seems good according to the LBG brick quantity. (If building a castle)
I really like the pricing of the new Blacksmith set considering all the new parts in it.
Like I said though, I don't know much for this. I just think about castle parts. :)

Si_UKNZ

^ Yes, on paper it seems like a good idea, but I'd like to see you buy the GE and be able to split it up. I bought another MMV for this purpose - so many great bricks in there - but just can't bring myself to do it!

Yellowcastle

I think this is an interesting topic as there are always great piece builder sets each season. For me, a piece builder set has to at the very least be around the ten cent per piece mark at MSRP. And I then still won't think about buying it until it's on some type of sale to improve on that ratio.

I find the creator sets usually have the best price/piece ratio out there, though the pieces tend to be a bit more standard. Lighthouse Island and the modulars have incredible ratios and would have been great additions this past BOGO sale. For more rare pieces, I'd look at the city of Atlantis right now.

Lastly and most importantly for me is that ANY set on clearance is almost a must buy. A Good recent example would be the Troll Wheel which I can't say I liked but was awesome on clearance. A couple of other nice piece builder sets IMO were Ambush in Cairo, Target Practice, and all of the PoP sets.

doriansdad

MMV with 1600 pieces for $99 is the best deal I have seen in a long time (even cheaper on sale). Snap them up while you can.

princedraven

I hear the new UCS SSD will be a great set to get for the parts.
Oh wait, all the parts will be grey.
Oh and wait, it will set you back an arm and a leg (and a kidney!).
Perhaps not then...
Sorry, still bitter about the cost of this monster.

prof1515

The answer to this question is relative to what parts you want. If you want parts A, B and C then a set that contains dozens of parts D, E, and F and only a couple of part A isn't better than a set that contains three or four of each A, B and C.

Si_UKNZ

^ Very true, but MMV for example has such a great range of rare colours, such a wide range of bricks and at such a good price it seems v strong for a wide range of uses.

Another thread has reminded me of another criteria; how good the minifigs are ... e.g. the larger Potter sets can work out very cost effective because people buy them, strip the minifigs, and sell the pieces on at a price which makes them extremely attractive as 'piece builders', much cheaper than anything from [email protected]

Istokg

In ancient LEGO history (well OK the 1980s)..... I had the rare good fortune to find 35 London Bus Sets at $7 each (the USA 760 numbered version, not the "rest of world" 384 numbered version) on clearance in USA toy stores in the Detroit area. I've always been a fan of classic LEGO windows (1956-86), and each of those sets contained 11 1x3x2 red windows, 10 1x4x2 red windows, 1 1x2x2 red window, and 2 1x1x1 white windows... for a total of 24 windows per set... or a total of 840 windows. Never found a better set for windows... which for me is a sore topic... because I think that since 1986 TLG has been rather slipshod in the "windows department".... :(

veritas313

I personally think that any sets retailing at half price make a great buy. For example i've just bought 4 sets of 7596 (toy story Trash compactor escape) from Argos in the uk. Im going to use the cranes as part of a scene for my railroad dock bringing together trains and city harbour theme and the conveyer belts are going to be used for my factory/lego disrtibution facility.

StuBoy

^ Agreed. Anything on sale is a step in the right direction. We don't get many half-price sales in New Zealand, but I got a tiny Atlantis set for half price a few weeks back that had quite a good selection of useful parts.

bluemoose

I thought this ...
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=6747-1
... was a great & affordable 'Classic Space' parts pack.

Si_UKNZ

I personally think that any sets retailing at half price make a great buy.

Given the amount of Lego in the sales at the moment, can anyone recommend any good part-builder sets based on current sale prices?

madforLEGO

^ Yes, on paper it seems like a good idea, but I'd like to see you buy the GE and be able to split it up. I bought another MMV for this purpose - so many great bricks in there - but just can't bring myself to do it!

I originally said the same about Potter Lego Shrieking Shack and Dumbledore's Office sets .. I had bought 6 of them when there were various sales on them.. but after seeing the prices they were going for I passed...lol

madforLEGO

Given the amount of Lego in the sales at the moment, can anyone recommend any good part-builder sets based on current sale prices?

Whenever TRU has a BOGO50 (Or buy three get one free/90% off) sale with Free shipping, go for the 'Modular' sets.. I mean I guess it all depends on how devoted you are to parting out sets...
Diagon Alley would be a good set for pieces too, but definitely not cheap by any means but a few of those would help you make some nice older looking buildings...

like @doriansdad said, the Medieval Market Village is a good parts set still, and with BOGO sales and other sales it is a good pickup... (Heck sell the figs out of it after a BOGO and you will probably get a good chunk of your money back as well)

Erinlyn80

I just scored Hagrids Hut for $20 (50% off) at a target by my house.... was merchandising and only 1 store of 6 had it on clearance... but I love all the parts! Owls, wooden doors, rat, mushrooms, pumpkins....and building it gave me an 'ah-ha' how to build other structures I hadn't thought of!

I would looooove to get my paws on the MMV just haven't had the money yet. July is such a great month for lego clearance I wish I had more money!

aplbomr79

I have just finished looking at the new 2012 Ninjago Sets, and even though I shrugged off most of the 2011 Ninjago sets (purchased 3 for parts alone) - there are a handful of 2012 sets that are VERY appealing due to parts.

The two in particular are 'Spinner Battle Arena' (9456) and Fangpyre Wrecking Ball (9457). The parts in these sets are great due to the color scheme - but it is portions of each build that I find very attractive.

Both sets lend to MOC's in the Lime Green coloring. The Spinner set allows for not one, but two different colors for possible crane MOC's; the Wrecking Ball - well, a new crane in Lime Green is almost within reach just with this set. I am sure one of these sets will offer up a solid answer to my 2011 Harbor (4645) crane instability debacle.

I am not going to lie, the Ninjago is becoming more appealing to me. I know it is a hit with my nephews... it was the only LEGO sets on their Christmas Wishlist this year (ages 7-12).

What are some other sets that you have your eye on for parts/MOC's?

bluemoose

Not sure yet, but I have enjoyed building the 'Heavy Duty Helicopter' (4439) and the 'green'/serpent-headed Ninjago vehicles I've built so far - interesting builds, nice models & plenty of useful parts (especially if you like lime green!).

The 'black' Ninjago car ("Cole’s Tread Assault", 9444) was an interesting build, with some great techniques, but I thought the final model was a bit lack-luster & the parts selection wasn't as good as I had expected. Similar story for the red ninjago bike ("Kai’s Blade Cycle", 9441). I enjoyed building the blue ninjago plane ("Jay's Storm Fighter", 9442), and the parts selection in that set are pretty good IMO.

I keep picking up the 'Dino' sets in-store & then putting them back down again; the dino's themselves are nice, but I'm just getting a 'meh' vibe from the parts selection in the sets. I bought the helo-crane model last week, but I haven't been able to work up the enthusiasm to build it yet ...

brickupdate

I agree with @aplbomr79 - the Ninjago sets seem to be filled with interesting new parts/colors that I would love to use for MOCs!

Vindic8ed

Thought I'd bring up this topic again.  Any particular sets people are going after a lot with the current line up?

CCC

Good moc part out sets for me recently have been The Hobbit sets. 50% off means you can sell the minifigs for the price paid, and lots of tans, browns, greys and sand green.

natro220

Another for me has been the Mos Eisley Cantina set.  Sell off the extra minifigs, keep the dewback and musicians (if you want) and you are left with loads of good tan bricks, plates and arches.

Vindic8ed

Where are you getting them at 50%?

hleonffu

The LEGO Fusion sets at $4.99 from [email protected] where very good deals and parts packs. 

dougts

Lotr and hobbit were great.  I'm really worried that the pickings are going to become extremely thin going forward. 

CCC

Vindic8ed said:

Where are you getting them at 50%?

Asda, tesco, John Lewis, Amazon.

novicebuilder101

hleonffu said:

The LEGO Fusion sets at $4.99 from [email protected] where very good deals and parts packs. 

Heck yeah. I got 5 of each! I'm still not sure what I'm going to use all of the purple bricks from the Friends Resort Designer. 

Cosworth3d

How about the Ewok Village ?!? You get the best deal off mini figs wich you can sell.
and end up with a pile of bricks :)