Review: 6989 Mega Core Magnetizer

[dj2005]

Title of Set: 6989 Mega Core Magnetizer

Theme: Space/M-Trons

Year Released: 1990

Pieces Count: 486

Minifigures: 3

Original Price: $60 (USD), Unknown (EUR), Unknown (GBP)

Current Prices: BrickLink Price Guide

Further Information: Brickset, Lugnet, Peeron, Photobucket Album

Ah, the M-Trons, a sub-theme that was terminated too soon. The Mega Core Magnetizer is the largest of the nine M-Tron sets (ten including set 9401), and since the M-Trons did not have an actual base set released, some may call this their home. Some trivia found on peeron: TLC decided to change the name of this set from Mega Core Magnetizer to Multi Core Magnetizer in the year 1991. After the year 1991, no more M-Tron sets were produced that were sold publicly. There was 9401 M:Tron Team in 1993, but I have yet to read any actual information on that set.

Box:

Front:

Main box sitting on top of the inner tray.

Opened:

The underside of the flap displays the functions of the set. The back of the box shows off four alternative models, none of which are anything great.

Instructions:

Cover:

Page:

A total of 23 main steps with many sub-steps creating a decently long build. The instructions are the best I've used. Each step is clear and various angles are used throughout. TLC even included a measurement tool for the technic axles.

Minifigures:

M-Tron triplets. If you've seen one, you've seen them all. Still, their colors and print are both simplistic and beautiful. Each comes packed with a black air tank.

Accessories:

Not a great amount of accessories but enough to keep the included three M-Tron minifigs occupied.

Printed Part Bonanza:

Lots of printed pieces. It is nice not to deal with stickers.

Translucent Pieces:

Ten cones, five 1x1 round plates, three visors, one dish, one booster, one long antenna, and one very big windscreen.

The Misfit Pieces:

Some lovely parts that fully flesh out this set.

Wheels:

Small:

Eight small wheels for the buggies and one larger rubber wheel for the crane's knob.

Large:

Here are the six large wheels. They roll very well.

Magnets:

The glorious magnets constructed into a benevolent Magnet Tower. Total of seven magnets are included with the set.

Gearbox:

Here is the main piece of the crane - the gearbox. The long crane beam is slipped into the groove of the gearbox. The crane has a bunch of teeth along one of its sides that interact with the teeth from the gearbox's gear when turned.

Small Storage Container:

Front Closed:

A nicely printed lid. The rectangular slot allows 1x2 SNOT pieces to be slipped in. This set includes a couple 1x1 translucent round plates as treasure.

Large Storage Container #1:

Front:

A button panel can be seen to the right. The back is the same.

Left Closed:

Shot of the print. Flows with the theme of M-Trons.

Left Open:

Only two handle pieces. Some accessories would've been nice to clip on, such as a flashlight.

Right Open:

Some printed buttons but not much else. The small container fits into this space but the owner will have to remove the top plate to place it in.

Top of Large Storage Container:

Each of the larger containers, and even the smaller container, have a single magnet on top. The larger containers have some added detail.

Underside of Large Storage Container:

Not a simple flat plate as the way it is currently constructed fits perfectly into the storage compartment holder located on the main vehicle. Both of the large containers have the same technique used.

Large Storage Container #2:

Front:

Filled with gadgets. Here are the two sprayers. The nozzles are held with a clip each.

Left Side:

A sprayer and two wrenches. A thing to note, the wrenches have a flathead bottom, much like the screwdriver.

Right Side:

A sprayer and a single black hammer.

Back:

A reel of string with a nozzle attached and a button panel.

Sprayer Fitment:

Sprayer On:

A close up of one of the sprayers. Uses a harness piece connected to two red barrels. A string with a hose nozzle is knotted to keep it from flying out of the harness.

Sprayer Half Off:

View of how the sprayer slides off its compartment space.

Sprayer Off:

Here is one side of the storage container without the sprayer utility. This provides another view of the holding compartment where it slides in. A black minifig air tank can also be held in this space, much like the sprayer.

Vehicles:

All three of the mini-vehicles together - two buggies and one jet. Each seats one minifig.

Jet:

Front:

No molded seat but it uses a handle piece for a backrest. Control panel is turned upside-down to create variety between the vehicles, which is used on all three of the small vehicles.

Side:

Two translucent cones create the boosters.

Back:

Back of jet.

Buggies:

Front:

Like the jet, there is no molded seat but there is a 1x2 black plate and 1x2 red grill.

Side:

In this view, it is easy to see the seat for the driver.

Back:

Two small boosters and the lovely magnet.

Completed without Minifigures:

Overview:

The vehicle is quite large and intimidating. For instance, this thing can smash down the Dwarves' Mine set with ease as it is actually larger than that set.

Front:

Front when windscreen is closed.

Windscreen fully opened.

Side with Front Closed:

No vehicles or containers loaded. Both sides of the vehicle are identical.

Side with Front Open:

The use of SNOT pieces under the locking dish allow it to be easily hinged up or down.

Side View with Hinges Opened:

Hinges in action. For the main hinges, there is one under the locking dish, two connecting the main portion of the vehicle to the ending one-third, two (that create one) under the crane's base, and one in the back for the rear hatch.

Back Angled View & Unloaded:

This picture provides a good view of how the large containers do not connect to any studs, but instead, are secured by the way their undersides are built and how the loading zone are shaped, which interlock with each other. The hold will keep the container there indefinitely, unless tipped upside-down.

Back Angled View & Loaded:

Both of the large storage containers loaded.

Rear Hatch Locked:

Rear hatched closed and "locked" with the rear boosters. The boosters swing to the side to "unlock" the rear hatch.

Rear Hatch Opened:

Rear hatch open. It uses a hinge located at the bottom and swings down. It is stiff enough not to fly open unexpectedly.

Drivers' Seats:

Two molded seats and one seat with a handle backrest. The two black levers move up and down. The back seat has a radio clipped to each side.

Crane:

Here is the main area of the crane. The radar sits on top and can be swiveled and tilted.

To lengthen or shorten the crane, one simply has to turn this knob to the left or right.

Demonstration of Hinge System:

Straight:

Here the whole vehicle is straight.

Right:

Here the ending one-third of the vehicle is bent towards the right.

Left:

And finally, bent to the left.

Vehicular Compartments:

Side Empty:

Compartment space empty. The jet does not fit well in this space and it is made to fit into the rear hatch compartment. There is a compartment located at each side to hold the two buggies.

Side Filled:

One of the buggies in its compartment.

Rear Filled - Jet:

Rear hatch open with the flown jet inside. Great fit. The buggy can also be safely driven in for those that are curious.

Closeups:

Front Locking Mechanism

View of the locking mechanism for the windscreen. The large black dish can also be used to steer, much like a top-down steering wheel for a car.

Under the Vehicle Front Opened:

Displaying the amount of space between floor and windscreen when opened.

Under the Vehicle Back:

Displaying the amount of space between floor and the vehicle's base.

Sprayer Equipped Front:

Here is Ugly Bob equipped with the sprayer. The lengthy hose allows plenty of movement and it is lightweight so it doesn't tend to pull the minifig backwards. The M-Tron print on the minifig's torso does not peek out when the harness is equipped... a good thing.

Sprayer Equipped Back:

Much like a larger version of an air tank. Ignore the loose left barrel.

Completed with Minifigures:

When one is a M-Tron, there is always scientific work to be done... with the use of magnets, of course!

Hey, someone has to do it...

When not out exploring, the M-Trons are busy washing the wheels of the Mega Core Magnetizer. Plenty to go, buddy!

Reviewer's Score:

Playability: 10/10 - There is a lot going on with set. There are vehicles, containers, a large crane, and let's not forget the magnets.

Design: 10/10 - Rolls great, and space for all the vehicles and containers. All fits together seamlessly. Even all the seats, including the ones on the mini-vehicles, allow the M-Trons to keep their air tanks on.

Price: 9.6/10 - Piece count is quite low but many of the pieces are large and many prints. Another minifig or two would've been a very welcomed addition, along with a couple more accessories.

Total: 29.6/30 - Many hours of enjoyment can be had out of this set and it is one of my personal favorites.

[Spacefan]

How so good old LEGO Space was, those kids had no clue how good they had it being stickerless and jelly free. Though the Magnetizer and M:Tron technically weren't Classic Space, the set's build quality is as good as it gets. Easily the Galaxy Explorer of Space ground vehicles.

Those were the days.

[Brickmaster]

One of the best sets ever to be produced, or atleast, one of my favorites.

Very depth review, good pictures, overall, very very good. We need more reviewers like you.

Thanks for reviewing this truly classic set.

[Guss]

I always dreamt to have this set^^ but never get it, it's a marvellous set and you did a great review

[baby]

Oh boy, this set looks awesome and being well kept, it looks so new. This set sure have high playability and a lot of movable compartment. Looks like TLG reuse the old mold in the past, I thought most of the pieces nowadays are new, guess I'm wrong.

Thanks for the review, is really an awesome vintage set.

[dj2005]

Thanks for the comments. Yes, this set is oodles of fun with all its contraptions and compartments. While the price per piece is quite high, especially for the year it was released, a lot of the pieces are large (though not junorized) and special, much like the giant windscreen. If I had to choose one LEGO set to have while on a deserted island, I would highly likely choose this one. Everything is designed so well and the color scheme is perfect.

For those that don't have the set but are in the market for it, keep watching eBay and try to make use of the current Cashback program (this may only be U.S.A. only, though). I managed to snag this one for <$48 shipped, and while that isn't the greatest deal to some, it was one of my best purchases mainly due to the fact that I fell in love with the set once built.

[mania3]

Excellent review. This is a set I always wanted as a child, and my want as an adult has not expired. I can't wait to get my hands on one of these. Your review only makes me want it more!

[CP5670]

This is actually the second review here on this set, but it's always good to see another perspective. Yours appears to be perfect condition too.

I got one of these MISB off ebay some years ago, but the box was damaged and the big windshield unfortunately had two big scratches/pits in it.

Some trivia found on peeron: TLC decided to change the name of this set from Mega Core Magnetizer to Multi Core Magnetizer in the year 1991.

Cool, I didn't know this. I have seen the set called Multi in some US catalogs from that time period and the box also says Multi on it, but Brickset and all the other sites call it Mega.

try to make use of the current Cashback program

Yes, you can get some insane deals from this if you catch it at the right time, especially when it's giving 30% or more. It's limited to buy it now items though.