42131 - CAT D11 Bulldozer

[Maaboo the Witch]

9 minutes ago, Bartybum said:

Well yes, but if that's true then surely you realise how fake the licensing costs are, no? It doesn't cost a dime for Mercedes or Volvo to sign a contract allowing TLC to release a licensed set.

Which has been borne out by the fact that Volvo sets have been extremely reasonably priced (one possible exception being 42114).

I don't get the 18+ thing. These sets are no more complex than the usual, and TLG risks cutting out a fair chunk of its customer base by restricting said sets to an older demographic. Let's face it - all the 18+ rating means is higher prices.

Oh look, I do get it!

Edited August 22, 2021 by Maaboo35

[Ngoc Nguyen]

1 minute ago, Maaboo35 said:

Let's face it - all the 18+ rating means is higher prices.

Given 42100 is labeled 12+ that makes perfect sense

Edited August 22, 2021 by Ngoc Nguyen

[1gor]

7 hours ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

Comparison between this set and 42100

- 42131 has 6 motorized functions while 42100 has 7
- 42131 has 1 hub while 42100 has 2
- 42131 has 4 motors while 42100 has 7
- 42131 has 3854 pieces while 42100 has 4108 pieces
- 42131 and 42100 have the same price (450 USD and 450 EUR)

It doesn't make sense to me.

Perhaps there is indeed 7th function; retractable ladder (there is at least tan 12tooth bevel gear visible)

[Ngoc Nguyen]

3 minutes ago, 1gor said:

Perhaps there is indeed 7th function; retractable ladder (there is at least tan 12tooth bevel gear visible)

The ladder is one of the 6 functions. They are independent track drive (which count as 2), blade pitch, blade lift, ladder lift, and ripper lift.

[1gor]

10 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

The ladder is one of the 6 functions. They are independent track drive (which count as 2), blade pitch, blade lift, ladder lift, and ripper lift.

I see. Thank you

[nerdsforprez]

7 hours ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

Comparison between this set and 42100

- 42131 has 6 motorized functions while 42100 has 7
- 42131 has 1 hub while 42100 has 2
- 42131 has 4 motors while 42100 has 7
- 42131 has 3854 pieces while 42100 has 4108 pieces
- 42131 and 42100 have the same price (450 USD and 450 EUR)

It doesn't make sense to me.

All due respect @Ngoc Nguyen and ultimately I agree with your overall premise (cost of 42131 does not make sense in comparison with 42100) but we really should be phasing out piece count out of the equation when comparing costs of sets.  I have harped on this alot, but so have others. Box weight has a stronger relationship to price than does piece count. Sure, piece count is heavily related to box weight, but often time there are other influential factors as well.  Even though, with 42100 having nearly twice the number of motors as 42131 I am sure its weight is right up there if not exceeding 42131's weight.  The other factor to heavily consider is unique pieces.  And if the tracks are indeed new, I am sure this has a lot to do with the price.  Each new element Lego creates means new molds, which can be leveled out over time with many sets using these molds, but for the first set using new molds I am sure there is a premium here. 

Ultimately I am curious to see how overall box weight of 42131 compares to 42100.  They may be fairly similar and if so, although folks may not like what is IN that box it will at least bring some (hopefully!) rational to the price.  It will be an interesting theory to test.    

[Ngoc Nguyen]

9 minutes ago, nerdsforprez said:

The other factor to heavily consider is unique pieces.

In terms of this factor 42100 has its fair share of new molds. It has the bucket, the linear clutch female part, the linear clutch male part, the 7x11 frame, and the XL LAs. Based on the available information at the moment the 42131 has one new mold which is the track, although it has many more parts of this new mold. So it's about 5 new molds but in lesser quantity vs 1 new mold in higher quantity.

Edited August 22, 2021 by Ngoc Nguyen

[1gor]

Higher quantity makes less price per piece but as @nerdsforprez said we have to wait a bit to make more realistic comparison

[howitzer]

I'd be surprised if there were no new molds in here other than the track piece. I'm expecting at least the new alternating pinhole beam in different lengths and/or in yellow or lbg.

Recolours matter too, as they require a different production line from the earlier versions, and I understand the same molds can't be reused for different colours (as the plastic behaves slightly differently), or at least the old colour would have to be discontinued in order to replace it with new one. Beside the linear actuators, I'm expecting other recolours too, perhaps a frame piece or 63869 in yellow, or 14720 in black.

Still overpriced set though, no matter what.

[Rebel_Lego]

2 hours ago, Bartybum said:

Well yes, but if that's true then surely you realise how fake licensing costs are, no? It doesn't cost a dime for Mercedes or Volvo to sign a contract allowing TLC to release a licensed set, so there shouldn't be any extra cost passed on to the consumer.

TLG needs to pay Mercedes, not the other way around. So it's free advertising for Mercedes/Volvo but costs (some) money for TLG, although I don't know how much.

Overall speaking, this set is highly overpriced, although I think it looks very good. Hopefully some nice discount pops up.

[Polarlicht]

1 hour ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

The ladder is one of the 6 functions. They are independent track drive (which count as 2), blade pitch, blade lift, ladder lift, and ripper lift.

According to Promobricks, the ripper can also be moved from side to side

But i doubt that looking at the pics...

[nerdsforprez]

1 hour ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

In terms of this factor 42100 has its fair share of new molds. It has the bucket, the linear clutch female part, the linear clutch male part, the 7x11 frame, and the XL LAs. Based on the available information at the moment the 42131 has one new mold which is the track, although it has many more parts of this new mold. So it's about 5 new molds but in lesser quantity vs 1 new mold in higher quantity.

 

1 hour ago, 1gor said:

Higher quantity makes less price per piece but as @nerdsforprez said we have to wait a bit to make more realistic comparison

Another analysis that I would be interested in, but have not done is the relative amount of pins in a set to other pieces.  In these large sets there can be large variation in pin-to-other-pieces ratio.  Or a lot of redundancy.  Like 42155.  Many thought this set was a great value for the money.  Not saying it wasn't, but there was tons and tons of redundancy in that set.  Beams, frames, pins, etc. 

Sets like this should (I say with some hint of sarcasm) be relatively cheap for TLG to produce.  Still my all-time favorite example of this was Lego 8288.  If I remember correctly, it had one of the all-time lowest PPP value (even considering inflation).  Also one of the least unique sets of all time (defined as total pieces/unique lots).  Tons of thin liftarms, tons of regular liftarms, throw in some pins and tracks and poof! you have 8288.   

[TeamThrifty]

What's everyone's best deals on 42100.. thats the price thats likely to be paid by most people.

I think i paid £235 ish but can't remember for sure.

Just found the email. Its was £260.. I'd pay 260 GBP for 42131.

Edited August 22, 2021 by TeamThrifty

[Ngoc Nguyen]

8 minutes ago, TeamThrifty said:

What's everyone's best deals on 42100

450 USD for a new set to build the A model and roughly 197 USD for a set with no electronics to build @eric trax 's dozer.

 

10 minutes ago, TeamThrifty said:

thats the price thats likely to be paid by most people.

I don think I'll buy this set at all, with or without electronics. As some people advocate, I vote with my wallet.

[TeamThrifty]

I get what you're saying.. the full RRP is shocking, especially with a single hub. Only paying 260gbp ish will be measured at TLG. They will know what the average retail price achieved was, and no doubt fully realise they will not get the RRP. So paying 260 does send a 'vote' to TLG in some respects.

But equally, if the purchase decision is to be viewed as vote, voting for TLG rather than a counterfeit brand feels a good thing. But i'd rather my 'vote' cost less.. I tend to only buy one flagship set a year, i'm fortunate to have a decent sized collection so parts aren't the issue. I buy sets for new parts (recently the diffs and planetary's), and because i love the building process. So my entire lego spend in 2020 was £260 for 42100 and about another 30 or 40 on diffs etc. £300 for an entire year is ok for me. Less than some people spend on cigarettes in a month!! 

But everyones circumstances are different, and fully understand that. Just rationalising from my perspective.

[jorgeopesi]

6 hours ago, eric trax said:

See the 42128 Tow-Truck. There is no license, so it's a perfect Technic set for a very good price.

I konw and I said it but one set decent per year it is not what I wanted... but I understand it in the end, you can do standar vehicles, dozers, trucks, bikes, etc but if you want to sell them every year it will be more easy with license, you just will have to copy and you will get collectors or brand fans.

[1gor]

57 minutes ago, nerdsforprez said:

 

Another analysis that I would be interested in, but have not done is the relative amount of pins in a set to other pieces.  In these large sets there can be large variation in pin-to-other-pieces ratio.  Or a lot of redundancy.  Like 42155.  Many thought this set was a great value for the money.  Not saying it wasn't, but there was tons and tons of redundancy in that set.  Beams, frames, pins, etc. 

Sets like this should (I say with some hint of sarcasm) be relatively cheap for TLG to produce.  Still my all-time favorite example of this was Lego 8288.  If I remember correctly, it had one of the all-time lowest PPP value (even considering inflation).  Also one of the least unique sets of all time (defined as total pieces/unique lots).  Tons of thin liftarms, tons of regular liftarms, throw in some pins and tracks and poof! you have 8288.   

That makes sense

[Johnny1360]

As the prime shopper for my household, I have noticed inflated prices across-the-board on absolutely everything, since covid hit us. Why should it be different for LEGO, not saying it's a valid reason but it is happening, like it or not.

I have never bought a flagship set, just can't justify spending that kind of money on a toy and this one is no different. I have bought a few larger sets but rarely spend over $150USD although I am considering the Mercedes set only because I have $100 saved on my VIP account. Still I doubt I get it in the end. Fortunately it doesn't bother me to not have certain sets, anymore, lol.

My advice is if you don't like the price, show TLG your opinion by not purchasing the set, hopefully they get the point. However I doubt any amount of complaining or justification will change things and to be honest it is getting to be a tiresome debate that seems to be talked about more than anything else here lately. No sense in beating a dead horse.

[M_longer]

4 hours ago, howitzer said:

I'd be surprised if there were no new molds in here other than the track piece.

You will be surprised then :P
Few recolurs appear, like

11478

LegoTechnic, Liftarm Thin 1 x 5 - Axle Holes

In Yellow

Edited August 22, 2021 by M_longer

[JaBaCaDaBra]

49 minutes ago, Johnny1360 said:

noticed inflated prices

Prices of raw materials have raised skyhigh.
Besides that some electronic components are hard to get.
Prices of containers raised from $1300 to $13000

No wonder that things are getting more and more expensive.

[howitzer]

43 minutes ago, M_longer said:

You will be surprised then :P
Few recolurs appear, like

11478

LegoTechnic, Liftarm Thin 1 x 5 - Axle Holes

In Yellow

So you have seen the parts list?

[1gor]

10 minutes ago, howitzer said:

So you have seen the parts list?

You can see this part here (just in front of small turntable below drive sprocket and outside of triangle where black linear actuator is)

[howitzer]

18 minutes ago, 1gor said:

You can see this part here (just in front of small turntable below drive sprocket and outside of triangle where black linear actuator is)

I was referring to the first part of @M_longer's comment, about the new molds.

[1gor]

15 minutes ago, howitzer said:

I was referring to the first part of @M_longer's comment, about the new molds.

I thought you were referring to recolors... misunderstanding could happen.

[jorgeopesi]

The more I watch the side pic from the phone the less looks like a D11, the tracks are badly scaled.