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Vestas Wind Turbine

drdavewatforddrdavewatford Administrator Posts: 6,754
edited March 2011 in Collecting
Was this ever available from LEGO stores like the Maersk promo sets have been over the years ? And if not, why not ? I'd quite fancy getting hold of one, but not sure I'm willing to pay £200-£300 for the privilege....

Comments

  • MatthewMatthew Administrator Posts: 3,714
    I contacted LEGO about that only a few days ago and got this response.
    -----

    Dear Matthew,

    Thanks for getting in touch with us about set 4999.

    The Vestas Wind Turbine set was a special model. It was not put into production for retail sale. The set was created as an items which Vestas employees were given as a gift. As this is the case, we don't have a price for the set and can't provide any information about where to purchase the set.

    Please get in touch if you need anything else. It's free to call our experts on 00800 5346 5555 (Monday to Friday, 8am - 5pm) or you could go to www.LEGOshop.com.

    Happy building!

    Steve
    LEGO Direct Consumer Services
    -----
    I would (obviously) really love to get my grubby paws on one too!
  • HuwHuw Administrator Posts: 7,087
    edited March 2011
    I never got one either, but I did hold the box of one when in LEGO's vault, and thanks to a bulk buying opportunity I managed to put the set togehter from the instructions at LEGO.com.

    It's an excellent set and the actual turbine is huge!
  • YellowcastleYellowcastle Administrator, Moderator Posts: 5,234
    I assume there are several examples of sets like this, such as the board game given to TLG employees at Christmas. This is the one, though, that I think we all really wanted.
  • drdavewatforddrdavewatford Administrator Posts: 6,754
    Thanks all for the info; I'm resigned to eventually coughing up a small fortune for one of these. Lots for sale in China, incidentally. Presumably Vestas have a facility there.

    These forums are already turning into a mine of useful info and there's only about 20 of us registered so far !
  • Cam_n_StuCam_n_Stu Member Posts: 368
    I'm only recently returned from my dark ages and this was one of the first sets I looked up in Brickset and clicked 'I want' on!

    The idea of building up sets, like the Vestas turbine, from the required parts certainly appeals more than paying eBay prices. Especially as I am not (yet) a collector of boxes.
  • MatthewMatthew Administrator Posts: 3,714
    I'm only recently returned from my dark ages and this was one of the first sets I looked up in Brickset and clicked 'I want' on!

    The idea of building up sets, like the Vestas turbine, from the required parts certainly appeals more than paying eBay prices. Especially as I am not (yet) a collector of boxes.
    I'd like to do that but it's just such a pain to look up all the parts on BL. (I'm obsessed with keeping sets and MOCing bricks separate)
  • HuwHuw Administrator Posts: 7,087
    The idea of building up sets, like the Vestas turbine, from the required parts certainly appeals more than paying eBay prices. Especially as I am not (yet) a collector of boxes.
    Unfortuantely in the case of the Vestas turbine there are a lot of rare parts in it, like the green BURPs and white half-cylinder things.

  • brickmaticbrickmatic Member Posts: 1,071

    Unfortuantely in the case of the Vestas turbine there are a lot of rare parts in it, like the green BURPs and white half-cylinder things.
    Did you get access to those rare parts via the bulk purchase opportunity?
  • HuwHuw Administrator Posts: 7,087
    Yes
  • MatthewMatthew Administrator Posts: 3,714
    Are the half cylinder things in the new rocket set?
  • rocaorocao Administrator Posts: 4,290

    Did you get access to those rare parts via the bulk purchase opportunity?
    Sorry, what was the bulk purchase opportunity?
  • HuwHuw Administrator Posts: 7,087
    It was probably one of those organised by Jan Beyer -- LUGBulk
  • atkinsaratkinsar Member Posts: 4,258
    It was probably one of those organised by Jan Beyer -- LUGBulk
    If you ever get the time, I'd love to know more detail about how this bulk buying process works. I've heard you and a few others mention it a few times now but I don't really understand a) what it is or b) how I get myself some of that action ;o)

  • bluemoosebluemoose Member Posts: 1,716
    edited March 2011
    'LUGBulk' is a project that has been set up by LEGO's 'CEC' (Community Engagment & Communication) team, the same team that runs the Ambassador project (as well as other stuff). The idea behind LUGbulk is to make bricks available in larger quantities to those LEGO User Groups (LUGs) that are actively involved in public displays. The basis for CEC's internal business case for LUGBulk was that the project would allow LUGs to put on bigger, more impressive displays ... so providing another source of marketing for LEGO (don't get fooled into thinking they are doing this out of the kindness of their hearts!).

    There are loads of rules - not all LUGs qualify; there are maximum & minimum order sizes; LUGs don't know how much things will cost until the order has gone in; bizarrely, some things are cheaper through Pick-A-Brick; it (currently) runs twice a year; etc.

    How LUGs divide up the orders internally is entirely up to the LUG. If a LUG orders the right sorts of things, things that aren't readily available through other routes, then there are great opportunities to be had through LUGBulk.

    So, if you want "some of that action" you need to get active in your local LUG :-)
  • drdavewatforddrdavewatford Administrator Posts: 6,754
    @atkinsar, as a Brickish member since STEAM you've already missed out on the opportunity to snag yourself parts at much lower prices then you'd ever pay on Bricklink or PaB. Notwithstanding your negative impressions of Brickish so far, I'd urge you to regularly check the members' discussion forum on the Brickish website as it's there that you'll find out when bulk buying opportunities arise.
  • atkinsaratkinsar Member Posts: 4,258
    ...Notwithstanding your negative impressions of Brickish so far...
    Please don't misundertsand me, the problem is most certainly mine, not Brickish. I guess I just found the forum there a little unpenetrable. I most certainly will check out the forum more often from now on.
  • atkinsaratkinsar Member Posts: 4,258
    I guess since I'm not much of a builder currently, then I don't have a huge need for large quantities of parts (nice though it would be). It's definitely an area that I want my hobby to evolve into, but for now it's almost exclusively about collecting and building sets. Thanks for the info though @drdavewatford and @bluemoose. I'll add MOCing to the growing list of ambitions (along with photography and becoming more active in Brickish).
  • MatthewMatthew Administrator Posts: 3,714
    'LUGBulk' is a project that has been set up by LEGO's 'CEC' (Community Engagment & Communication) team, the same team that runs the Ambassador project (as well as other stuff). The idea behind LUGbulk is to make bricks available in larger quantities to those LEGO User Groups (LUGs) that are actively involved in public displays. The basis for CEC's internal business case for LUGBulk was that the project would allow LUGs to put on bigger, more impressive displays ... so providing another source of marketing for LEGO (don't get fooled into thinking they are doing this out of the kindness of their hearts!).

    There are loads of rules - not all LUGs qualify; there are maximum & minimum order sizes; LUGs don't know how much things will cost until the order has gone in; bizarrely, some things are cheaper through Pick-A-Brick; it (currently) runs twice a year; etc.

    How LUGs divide up the orders internally is entirely up to the LUG. If a LUG orders the right sorts of things, things that aren't readily available through other routes, then there are great opportunities to be had through LUGBulk.

    So, if you want "some of that action" you need to get active in your local LUG :-)
    Can't we form a Brickset LUG and have a display? :-)
  • slingerslinger Member Posts: 10
    I was very lucky to find one on ebay by a spanish seller, probably an employee of the vestas plant in Galicia, who just put lego windmill in its description instead of mentioning vestas or 4999, so there were not many bidders. I got 2, one MISB and another one build but complete for 250 euros. I thought about selling the MISB one but I still haven't decided. It really is an awesome set!
  • MatthewMatthew Administrator Posts: 3,714
    I was very lucky to find one on ebay by a spanish seller, probably an employee of the vestas plant in Galicia, who just put lego windmill in its description instead of mentioning vestas or 4999, so there were not many bidders. I got 2, one MISB and another one build but complete for 250 euros. I thought about selling the MISB one but I still haven't decided. It really is an awesome set!
    Please can I have it?
  • drdavewatforddrdavewatford Administrator Posts: 6,754
    Since starting this thread a few weeks back I managed to find one of these sets MISB on eBay for less than £200 and snapped it up. It arrived this morning ! I plan to include it in a large LEGO layout I'm designing, and can't wait to build it as it looks great !
  • bluemoosebluemoose Member Posts: 1,716
    Can't we form a Brickset LUG and have a display? :-)
    Although we qualify as a LUG for the Ambassador programme, we don't meet the requirements for LUGBulk. Sorry.

  • brickmaticbrickmatic Member Posts: 1,071
    ^ We just need to start making public displays, right? Then we would qualify?
  • mirandirmirandir Member Posts: 31
    ^Nope. Here are the requiremens and rules of this years LUGBULK copy-pasted from my LUG:

    • The LUG need min. 10 members (please tell us the member figure of your LUG)
    • The LUG need to feature at least 2 public displays a year (always the events from the previous year count so please send dates and links to pictures of your 2 biggest public events from 2010)
    • The LUG need to exist for at least 1 year (please tell us the founding date)
    • The LUG need to have an official website (please send us the link)
    • The LUG need to have at least a 1 page description of the LUG and the goals on the website (please send us the link to that page)
    • The complete filled in LEGO LUGBULK Master Data Sheet.


    - Only active elements (no Q elements and no licensed elements) can be purchased (usually elements that has been in production in the last 12 – 18 months)
    - The minimum order per LUG is 12000 DKK
    - The average amount per member to purchase is max. 1200 DKK (limited due to warehouse capacity and LUG sizes)
    - There will be only 1 round in 2011 and our goal is to finish this round by approx. mid year
    - The minimum order qty. per element is 50 pcs. and increase in 50 pcs. steps (except baseplates and elements that cost more than 10DKK/piece – there are no other exceptions!)
    - The maximum amount of different elements per order is 80 (limited due to complexity of packing the order)
    - The orders will be taken in between 15th of January and 31st of March 2011 – the order dates and other submission dates will be agreed with Jan Beyer in the order of the arrival of the applications.
    - Payment terms are 15 days after Invoice Date by international bank transfer and in DKK/EUR/USD without any costs for the LEGO Group
    - The lead time per order is set to up to 3 month
    - It is not allowed to resell the through LEGO LUGBULK bought elements – there will be a penalty for the LUG member if reselling the elements.
    - The shipping costs and possible taxes/custom clearings are not included – shipping will always happen through DHL and the goods cannot be picked up in Billund.
    - Costs for shipping are 5% of the order amount
    - Only one defined member of each LUG can place the order and will get the order shipped
    - AFOLs can only order in one LUG and not order in several LUGs even if they are member of more than one LUG.

    Process:
    1. The LUG submits the email with the info regarding the requirements and the complete filled in LEGO LUGBULK Master Data Sheet to Jan Beyer ([email protected]) before the 31st of January.
    2. After that the for ordering defined contact persons of the registered LUGs (LUGs that fulfill the requirements) will receive an email from Jan Beyer with the LEGO LUGBULK Order Form and the LEGO LUGBULK Member Data Form so they can submit the needed Member information and the wish list according to the in that mail set date. The contact person is responsible for the order and payment in the timeframe for this specific LUG
    3. After Jan Beyer has received the wish list (max. 100 elements) in time it will be looked through and send back to the LUG contact person with prices and information (if elements cannot be delivered and so on) and a set date (usually 10 days) when the final order list need to be back.
    4. The contact person must then get the final order list down to the allowed max. 80 elements and adjust the order amount so it fits to the max order amount of the LUG (member figure multiplied by registered members – min. 12.000 DKK) and send it back to Jan Beyer in time.
    5. Jan Beyer submits the order to the warehouse and gets a final status of the order. First after final status from the warehouse the order is done and agreed and the 3 month lead time start.
    6. When the order is ready it gets shipped with DHL to the shipping address according to the LEGO LUGBULK Master Data Sheet and the receiver gets a message about the status of the order.
    7. Jan Beyer is sending the invoice separate to the billing address according to the LEGO LUGBULK Master Data Sheet.

    Please notice that if you not are in time with your order or any other needed information according to the dates agreed by email with you, your order cannot be fulfilled and will be canceled.
  • brickmaticbrickmatic Member Posts: 1,071
    ^ Right. But the only qualification that Brickset is lacking to qualify as a LUG for LUGBulk is the lack of public displays, correct? If so, then I believe the only thing Brickset would need to do to qualify for LUGBulk is start making public displays.
  • YellowcastleYellowcastle Administrator, Moderator Posts: 5,234
    edited April 2011
    @Mirandir - Your post above would seem to be a great first post under a new topic entitled
    "What is a LUG and / or a Lugbulk?" or such. Do you want to do the honors?
  • rocaorocao Administrator Posts: 4,290
    This photo is from a current eBay auction. Looks like the seller found a gold mine!

    image
  • drdavewatforddrdavewatford Administrator Posts: 6,754
    ^ That is impressive ! I still think LEGO missed a trick in not making the set available at retail, given the obvious demand in the marketplace.
  • mirandirmirandir Member Posts: 31
    Brickmatic: No they also needs a list with names and adresses to at least 10 members. Also there needs to be someone who is responsible for paying and/or recieving the order. It is a nice way to get cheap bricks but it's also quite a lot of work, politics and responsibilities involved in getting there.

    I'd say that it's better to contact your local LUG as they'll most likely already have a LUGBULK ordering procedure in place to make it as painless as possible.
  • Si_UKNZSi_UKNZ Member Posts: 4,179
    Sorry late to the thread....
    @drdavewatford "I managed to find one of these sets MISB on eBay for less than £200 and snapped it up"
    If you're talking about the auction I think you're talking about (didnt mention the model no. in the title, went for £140 or something) then you just pipped me to it and Ive been kicking myself every since!
  • drdavewatforddrdavewatford Administrator Posts: 6,754
    ^ Not guilty, sir- I paid £180 on a buy-it-now.
  • madforLEGOmadforLEGO Member Posts: 10,787
    edited April 2011
    @rocao: Some people are just lucky.. That guy also tried to avoid eBay fees by charging .01 cents Buy it now for his items but like 600 dollars for shipping (which is ,incidentally, a BIG VIOLATION of eBay policies)
  • madforLEGOmadforLEGO Member Posts: 10,787
    Yeah, when I found out it was only available to those who worked at Vestas I immediately thought 'What a joke" Because a bunch of people who work at Vestas immediately bought a ton of these and sold them on eBay for 150-200 dollar profit.
  • drdavewatforddrdavewatford Administrator Posts: 6,754
    ^ I always believed that these were never available at retail. A recent discussion with LEGO customer services cast doubt on this, however. The woman on the phone said that the set HAD been available direct from LEGO for a short run, but only in the U.S.. There was even a price on the system - $79.99 I think it was. Can anyone confirm this ?
  • jujunicolajujunicola Member Posts: 2
    I have one for sale, if anyone still wants one.
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