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Is the UCS Imperial Shuttle 10212 overpriced?

littleguylittleguy Member Posts: 2
edited February 2012 in Collecting
I'm really interested in getting the UCS Imperial Shuttle for my collection, but at $260 retail, it seems a little overpriced. I noticed that Amazon is selling it for just $218. Do you think this because Lego overpriced it, or is $218 actually a good deal?

For those of you who own this set, is it worth the $260? I'm interested in getting into the UCS sets but am not sure if this is the one to start with on a limited budget.
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Comments

  • yys4uyys4u Member Posts: 1,093
    I don't own it and I think it's overpriced. But I've never actually bought a UCS set. Still to me the only one that seems like a good price is the Death Star. Lot of play features, lot of minifigures, looks nice, and has a lot going on. I realize UCS isn't really meant to be played with so this one kind of stands out. Still can't believe the Super Star Destroyer is the same price as the Death Star. That doesn't make any sense.


    back to your point, I think 218 is actually a good price, a pretty big discount from 260. Still though personally I would never buy it at that price, but that's cause the UCS aren't really my thing.
  • madforLEGOmadforLEGO Member Posts: 10,755
    All LEGO SW sets are overpriced.
  • rocaorocao Administrator Posts: 4,290
    This won't answer your question of whether MSRP is overpriced for the model, but Amazon reduces prices for a number of reasons. This particular instance could be in response to the Toys R Us sale, although it's lower than the price being offered there, and usually they just match it.

    FYI, the lowest I saw this on Amazon was in a lightning deals this past holiday season for $171.99.
  • atkinsaratkinsar Member Posts: 4,258
    It's a great UCS set, I don't own them all, but of the ones I do own, it's probably my favourite (despite Lego's classification, I don't view the Death Star as a true UCS set as it's more of a play set). Is it overpriced, yes but no more so than any other UCS set. I'd say if you can get it for anything under $200, you won't be disappointed.
  • doodlebirddoodlebird Member Posts: 88
    i was lucky enough to get mine with a store volunteer discount for just over 180. but if i didn't have that, i'd snap it up at 218. it's a pretty impressive piece if you're looking to have stuff on display. is it swooshable? not really. high play value? noooo... but it looks really nice and gets a good WOW factor from fans and non-fans alike.

    heck, after taxes that i pay at the lego store vs. no tax on amazon, you're looking at about $20 difference (sure, VIP points count for something here too.. but shhh)
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    I don't own it and I think it's overpriced. But I've never actually bought a UCS set.
    At 10 cents a brick, with all the Technic in it, UCS Imperial Shuttle is actually pretty reasonable, all things considered... $219 is even more reasonable...

    If you have not built a UCS set, you may simply not understand, but this set is easily worth 2 or 3 "normal" sets... You have to see it in person, experience an extended build, to really understand it...

    Most $100 sets you can build in an afternoon, Imperial Shuttle will take you a few days, unless you really hammer it out all day on Saturday (and then your fingers would be TIRED!)

    It has 4 instruction books, 2,500 parts, and more Technic than you can shake a stick at. Plus the wings really work, you have the option of two display stands (the wings can be deployed on the tall black stand), and an impressive display piece that "pops" from across the room.

    What it ISN'T is swooshable, very fragile, for display only. :)
  • yys4uyys4u Member Posts: 1,093
    edited February 2012

    If you have not built a UCS set, you may simply not understand, but this set is easily worth 2 or 3 "normal" sets... You have to see it in person, experience an extended build, to really understand it...
    Very true. Thats why I said I don't have any so people know I may not understand :)
    I don't doubt UCS are in a different league. When I first built the Fire Brigade (Closest thing I have to a UCS) I was so amazed by its complexity and length of build and its wow factor that I thought I'd never appreciate a "regular" LEGO set again haha
  • DuchessaDuchessa Member Posts: 287
    The Imperial Shuttle looks amazing! I don't collect SW sets anymore, I just pick up a few that appeals to me. The retail price here in Sweden is $500. If it was anything close to $260, I would buy it tomorrow. So for those of you who can find it for a decent price - go for it.
  • Agent_DebrisAgent_Debris Member Posts: 55
    I got this set as soon as it was released, its very very nice and looks amazing when on the stand, its quite big so make sure have room to display it, it can be a tricky build in places but thats the point of a UCS, no numbered bags etc. Yes its pricey but its worth every penny....I say go for it.
  • SupersympaSupersympa Member Posts: 534
    It is a beauty! just got it 2 days ago for 200 Eur delivered to Sweden, and I tell you something: IT IS AMAZING!
    I like the episode 4-6 in Star wars, which are for me the REAL Star wars ( yes, i know i am nostalgic) but 10212 and 10188 are must have!
  • Si_UKNZSi_UKNZ Member Posts: 4,179
    If it was anything close to $260, I would buy it tomorrow
    Buy it tomorrow from amazon.it then :)
  • richoricho Member Posts: 3,830
    Ovepriced as a term is always contextual!
  • DuchessaDuchessa Member Posts: 287
    If it was anything close to $260, I would buy it tomorrow
    Buy it tomorrow from amazon.it then :)
    I know, I know... I've got my eyes on it, but I'm also in the process of moving to (and buying) a bigger apartment, so until I know what's happening there I'm trying to cut down on my Lego purchases. But the Imperial Shuttle is a must have set for me....

  • Great_small76Great_small76 Member Posts: 23
    The lowest I have seen this was 189 euro - managed a haul of 6 - should have filled my boots and got more, as I cant see them going down to this price for a while.
  • bellybutton290bellybutton290 Member Posts: 453
    I think when compared to the death star this is not great value as that has many more parts and figs for about another 30quid. The shuttle works out to be 10pence per piece or so which you could argue is the going rate for SW. Having said that I own this and absolutly love the completed model. Against it is that it is not the most enjoyable build in the world when you get to the wings but well worth it as the finished article really is (for me) one of the best UCS sets to date especially on it's stand with wings deployed. The other thing I'll say is that I believe that at the moment it hasn't sold as well as other ucs sets likely due to the death star still being around and people opting for that instead, if that is the case and continues then the resale value could possbily be quite good.
  • cloaked7cloaked7 Member Posts: 1,448
    I got mine on amazon for $188 just after Thanksgiving last year. It may be overpriced at retail, but it seems to be fairly easy to get it at a discounted price. To the point @LegoFanTexas made. > It is extremely impressive when built. I didn't think much of it until I saw it on display at a LEGO store. After seeing it I decided I would get it when I found it at a good price. $188 with no tax and free shipping was a great deal to me, so I didn't hesitate. I haven't built the set. I don't have a place to display it. But, I am glad I bought it. I don't think it will be found that cheap after it retires. I think it may very well go the way of the Emerald Night when it retires. Meaning shoot up. That is, if there aren't a boat load in inventory when it EOL's.

    Also, it is selling on eBay for $180 - $250, so if you get it at a good deal I don't see a person losing money on the purchase. I don't see it dropping in price when it EOL's. It is a UCS and a unique set. I am not an expert, but I don't see it ever being issued again as a UCS set.
  • Great_small76Great_small76 Member Posts: 23
    Just as a matter of interest has anyone from the UK bought the Imperial Shuttle from Amazon.com for $188? - thats an absolute steal. Just wondered what the import taxes etc would have been - and was it easy to purchase as I have only ever bought from Amazon.it/fr/uk/es
  • drdavewatforddrdavewatford Administrator Posts: 6,753
    ^ I'm pretty sure amazon.com won't ship LEGO to the UK.
  • atkinsaratkinsar Member Posts: 4,258
    Yeah correct DrD, Amazon.com won't ship to the UK.
  • Great_small76Great_small76 Member Posts: 23
    edited February 2012
    Ok cheers just bought 2 from Amazon.it for 209 euro - works out equivalent to around £189 each with postage and exchange rate included - so not too bad. There is only 1 left now.
  • pantenkindpantenkind Member Posts: 258
    yep, It is an amazing display set. It will overwhelm you in all the good ways you can imagine. And I think it is a completely underrated set that has flown under the radar. When it retires I would look for it to go through the roof.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    ^ Not to mention that it will never be done again, at least not this big... :)
  • mathewmathew Member Posts: 2,099
    The Imperial Shuttle does look very cool, but for something so big and authentic looking I don't see why they did not incorporate the boarding ramp. I mean come on, the boarding ramp is the shuttle's most iconic aspect from Return of the Jedi. Not only does it supply the big reveal of the Emperor but it's also where Luke drags Vader to his death scene.
  • DeadareusDeadareus Member Posts: 264
    I've been contemplating this set since I began my this new hobby about 3 months ago. So far the most I've spent on a set is $129 CDN (8129 AT AT).

    I've been waiting for this to drop below the $200 mark before I pull the trigger, but reading these reviews is making it hard to hold back.

    I'm currently building my first ever UCS set (Obi Wans Jedi Star Fighter) and it does have a very different feel to it. I didn't particularly care for the ship itself but wanted to check out a UCS set and the sale price sold me on it.

    I have to say being half way through the build I think it's the coolest thing i've built so far. I can only imagine how awesome it would be to build a ship I love to begin with.

    I'm pretty sure I'll be pulling the trigger on one of these in the next month or so. And the super star destroyer somewhere down the line as well.

    Question:
    How do we know when a set is EOL'd or is no longer being produced? Does it just disappear from the lego shop or are we told? Thanks in advance. Glad to have found this site. It helps with the obsessing.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    @Deadareus - welcome to the addiction!

    The UCS sets are different from everything else in my opinion... It is one reason why I'm collecting the back catalog of them...

    Take the UCS X-Wing for example... forgive the terrible picture, but this is where it sits right now. Compare it to the size of the modular buildings, then to the size of the "kids x-wing sets".

    There are flaws in it due to it being a 12 year old Lego set, the design isn't perfect, but it is by far the best X-Wing. The newest one just released comes close, but this one is in another league.

    The second picture is 10030 - UCS Imperial Star Destroyer, that my wife lovingly allows me to display in the alcove in our front hallway to our home... This is what everyone sees when they come over to visit. That thing is over a meter long, believe it or not, and while it is hard to see the size in a picture, I just put the MIDI Scale ISD next to it along with 3 minifigs to better show the size...

    I have no idea where I'm going to display the SSD... :)
  • bellybutton290bellybutton290 Member Posts: 453
    @mathew I would have loved the ramp aswell. I think the argument some put forward when it was first announced/released was that due to it being a display model rather than a playset it wasn't needed. I agree with you though the ramp should by there just like the wing folding mechanism. I'm going to modify mine for a moc I'm doing with vader arriving on the surface of Hoth.
  • DeadareusDeadareus Member Posts: 264
    @LegoFanTexas Thanks man, UCS Imperial Star Destroyer looks fantastic. I've accepted that it will never be part of my collection though. I figure I'll be better off financially just starting my collection with what was available when I got into the hobby. There are only a handful of SW sets I am interested in this year (and some Superhero sets as well ) so it'll be a good opportunity to drop some coin on the existing UCS sets and then see what comes further down the line.

    That's fantastic that your wife is ok with a display of that masterpiece in an open area of the house. I hope this will eventually be the case with the SSD when I acquire it. I have already have the spot picked out. I also have a movie/concert poster collection I have to get by her as well. She's a patient lady though....thankfully.
  • LegoboyLegoboy Member Posts: 8,825
    @LegoFanTexas - Good display. I hope you made those modifications to the ISD though. :o)
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    @Deadareus - You're welcome... :)

    Don't count either of those out... I picked up that UCS ISD for $600 delivered, it was used, but in mint condition (I've seen "new" sets in worse condition). If you're not as picky about it being super mint, I've seen them from $400-500 used complete without box.

    The UCS X-Wing? Picked that up for $250 including box, manual, sticker sheet, everything... Yea, that was a deal! :) It was missing exactly 4 parts, all common and easy to replace.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    @LegoFanTexas - Good display. I hope you made those modifications to the ISD though. :o)
    Thanks! Yes, I put lots of internal reinforcement on the ISD... Will it hold? Who knows... if it starts to sag, maybe I'll replace that display with the DS II and pack up the ISD for awhile...
  • littletokilittletoki Member Posts: 519
    @legofantexas - we had to modify the heck of it to prevent it from falling apart. Love where you have yours! You should paint that alcove black with little glowing stars. I'm sure the wife will LOVE that idea. *grin*

    As for the Imperial shuttle - like people have said, it's a beautiful display set. The wings were surprisingly shaky. But it looks gooood.

    UCS Imperial Shuttle
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    @littletoki - yeaaaaa.... like THAT is going to happen! (the painting black thing)

    Sheesh, you'd think my wife was a saint or something! (someone suggested that one, wonder who that was...)

    I like how you have the Imperial Shuttle displayed... needs the wings down in my personal opinion, but I see how you're doing it, like it is coming in for landing or just taking off, that works too...

    I need to move the modulars off the top of the bookshelf and do a proper UCS display... You say you don't like clutter? You wouldn't like our house then, we are the clutter kings... need to work on that...
  • richoricho Member Posts: 3,830
    Good idea on the ramp, or how about a sound brick with slightly high pitched 'we'll double our efforts'.

    Brilliant display piece. I am always droning on to my girlfriend that I don't know why more people don't consider UCS Lego sets or well done MOCs instead of traditional ornaments!
  • littletokilittletoki Member Posts: 519
    edited February 2012
    ^^ A little midnight blue paint would really make that alcove pop! If I had one in my entry way, I would totally do it!

    The Imperial Shuttle does look better with the wings down but then it takes up too much space on the console table. I will have to relocate it soon though. I don't like putting any LEGO in front of windows for too long. Especially white sets!
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    ^ You are hereby invited to come down and paint it... You only need discuss it with my wonderful wife first, I'll let you two work it out... :)

    While you're at it, we have clutter, you don't like clutter, I might trade some Lego for some decluttering services... ;P
  • atkinsaratkinsar Member Posts: 4,258
    ^ surely your Lego IS the clutter, at least in your wife's eyes ;-)
  • DeadareusDeadareus Member Posts: 264
    Amazon price went back up to $259 USD from $218 over the past couple of days.

    I'll continue to wait for the right time/price.
  • CaptAPJTCaptAPJT Member Posts: 223
    I've got it earmarked for my collection but looks like I'll have to wait until July before I can get that or the SSD, assuming we dont see any ridiculous special offers in the interim that make it financially worthwhile to buy earlier. Finished my 10215 today, got it for €78 from Amazon clearly some retails bought a load of the reduced sets from Lego and are selling at a nominal mark up, still less than rrp though. It looks good but I'd have liked to have seen a few design improvements like the addition of landing gear and opening cargo bay.
  • DeadareusDeadareus Member Posts: 264
    Yeah, I may have to hold out until early June as well. But like you said if a discount appears on 10221 or 10212 Before the. I'll have to bite.

    We finished our 10215 last week ($59 USD from Lego.com). The only improvement I would have liked would be the option to be able to bank or angle the ship on it's stand. That and the docking (?) ring.

    We created a few stands for some of our smaller ships and the banking looks pretty awesome IMO. I'll post a pic when I'm at a computer instead of my phone.
  • samiam391samiam391 Member Posts: 4,484
    All LEGO SW sets are overpriced.
    He's right. You pay for the theme of the set, and a little of the set itself. Where LEGO attempts to get people is with the minifigures. Collectors can't help themselves (oops, that's me), have to have all the minis. I have the set, and it is a really nice addition to my UCS sets. Has a nice clean finish, and for all those "play with lego" fans, you can "fly" it around. Still, the way I use it, and the way it is supposed to be used, is for display. Piece is a great display LEGO, and the ways you can set the wings are pretty nice. It will always be overpriced, that's the LEGO Star Wars brand, I would recommend the set though. One option is to wait for May the 4th, or some other LEGO clearance day, and hope for a sale on it! But after it's sold out, the only way prices will go is up, as with all LEGO Star Wars sets. The investment potential is superb, what you pay now may be only a fraction of what it's worth in the future.
  • bellybutton290bellybutton290 Member Posts: 453
    ^hoping to make some money on this in the future and in the meantime I am getting the enjoyment of displaying this wonderfully designed set based on a great ship and IMO one of the best ships in the SW universe. I really do love it (in case you were wondering).
  • canuhandle23canuhandle23 Member Posts: 104
    buy it bogo toysrus sale right now
  • cloaked7cloaked7 Member Posts: 1,448
    ^ BOGO does NOT apply on SW sets, which is typical. Also, BOGO is 25% off if you get a 2nd item for the same price, which isn't possible with the IS. Also, 25% off just brings it to $195. I got mine on amazon for $188, w/ free ship and no tax. Just saying, good deals can be had if you wait and look for them. Deals better than TRU.
  • samiam391samiam391 Member Posts: 4,484
    Deals better than TRU.
    Amen to that. TRU never really has a true sale, they just mark their items down to normal MRSP.

  • cloaked7cloaked7 Member Posts: 1,448
    ^ Yup, you have to work the numbers to make sure you're getting a good deal. Often you can't get 2 of the same item, so you have to match it with something as close in price as the 1st item as possible. And, TRU marks up most LEGOS now. But, if you can get 2 items at retail and get the full 25% you may have a good deal. Of course, depending on what the item is. You rarely find modulars, and such, much below retail anywhere. So, sometimes TRU will have better deals than you can find anywhere. Also, their rebate card (forget the name) and their CC give about 5% off if you use both, so they help a bit.
  • DougoutDougout Member Posts: 888
    If you can get this set for around $210 than I think that is a good deal. I got mine from amazon for around $188, but I doubt it will drop that low again.
  • samiam391samiam391 Member Posts: 4,484
    May the 4th sale... be watching, usually drop to 50% or so, could get down to $150 or less.
  • cloaked7cloaked7 Member Posts: 1,448
    What is the May 4th sale? Is it the 'Black Friday' people mention? Is it an annual event? Is there a thread on what people think will be on sale then? (sorry for all the questions)
  • samiam391samiam391 Member Posts: 4,484
    Every year Lego throws a "May the 4th (force) be with you" sale. Any models that they are most likely going to discontinue, they put up for sale. For example, few years ago the Millennium Falcon UCS was put on for $375 or so, on May 4th. It was discontinued the next day. Yes, it's an annual event. If you google it, you can usually find what is on sale. Usually any set that's been out for around 2 years. I would be willing to bet that the Death Star is discontinued and put on sale then, not so sure the Imperial Shuttle will be though. Cheers!
  • cloaked7cloaked7 Member Posts: 1,448
    ^ Thanks. Didn't know it was an annual event. Which is a bit ironic, because I got 2 of the UCS when they were discounted. Time to scrape together some money. Look under cushions, raid the piggy bank. Errr... gonna need a BIG piggy bank! :-)

    So, does the sale start at midnight?
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