Which kit should I get - 8258, 8043 or 8053?

[allanp]

So, today it's Lego shopping day, for the first time in 19 years! I worked a very long (25 hours) day-and-night shift this weekend and at 5 a.m. sunday I decided that "OK, now I'm getting tired. The money I'm making the next few hours will be dedicated to toys for me". I guess you all know how too much work and no play makes Jack a dull boy...

I'll go to the local toy store and have a look. Hopefully they've got a nice kit for me, otherwise I'll get it over the internet tonight. 8258, 8043 or 8069. Still can't decide. Wonderful! Thanks for all the comments, wish me good luck!

Good luck

(psst, 8258!)

[Phantom59]

If You get 8258 Crane truck look here

http://technicbricks.blogspot.com/2009/11/8258-modification-instructions-by-han.html

well worth it

[samshaw44]

The last Technic set I purchased was the 8421 Mobile Crane in 2005 and I remember at the time thinking that it was a fantastic set to build and play with. I've been trying to collect together the pieces for it, somewhat unsuccessfully, and so for the moment I'm putting that on hold and have decided to just buy something brand new.

After reading through this topic I had pretty much decided I was going to buy 8258, but I've just noticed that Amazon have got 8043 quite heavily discounted today, so I have instead gone ahead and purchased that.

I just hope that 8258 is available for a little while longer so I can get my hands on it before its too late.

Edited May 31, 2011 by samshaw44

[antsiranean]

So, I'm done shopping. In the end I bought none of the kits discussed here (unthankful, I know... ), but the 8265 front loader. It was suggested somewhere in the thread, so I looked it up and it seemed like the perfect compromise between price, parts and complexity.

8258 and 8043 ended up being to expensive, while I thought 8069 was a bit to small at just over 600 pieces. I found a new 8265 in a Swedish online store, seemingly the last off the shelf one in Sweden, so I got it.

As pointed out, 8043 will be around for a while, so I might get it later. And if I miss out on 8258, I will probably be convinced to buy the Unimog by then. Thanks again, you've helped me out of my dark ages.

Now I just have to wait for it to arrive, it'll be a long, long wait.

Edited May 31, 2011 by antsiranean

[Phantom59]

So, I'm done shopping. In the end I bought none of the kits discussed here (unthankful, I know... ), but the 8265 front loader. It was suggested somewhere in the thread, so I looked it up and it seemed like the perfect compromise between price, parts and complexity.

8258 and 8043 ended up being to expensive, while I thought 8069 was a bit to small at just over 600 pieces. I found a new 8265 in a Swedish online store, seemingly the last off the shelf one in Sweden, so I got it.

As pointed out, 8043 will be around for a while, so I might get it later. And if I miss out on 8258, I will probably be convinced to buy the Unimog by then. Thanks again, you've helped me out of my dark ages.

Now I just have to wait for it to arrive, it'll be a long, long wait.

If you have the parts have a look at this

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=409679

[grepin]

So, I'm done shopping. In the end I bought none of the kits discussed here (unthankful, I know... ), but the 8265 front loader. It was suggested somewhere in the thread, so I looked it up and it seemed like the perfect compromise between price, parts and complexity.

8258 and 8043 ended up being to expensive, while I thought 8069 was a bit to small at just over 600 pieces. I found a new 8265 in a Swedish online store, seemingly the last off the shelf one in Sweden, so I got it.

As pointed out, 8043 will be around for a while, so I might get it later. And if I miss out on 8258, I will probably be convinced to buy the Unimog by then. Thanks again, you've helped me out of my dark ages.

Now I just have to wait for it to arrive, it'll be a long, long wait.

I'd say you made a sensible choice. 8265 is a great set with lots of room for improvement, and it's no longer sold by LEGO, so it'll be increasingly harder to get one new.

Do get the 8043 while you can, though!

[antsiranean]

If you have the parts have a look at this

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=409679

The mod looks really nice, but I don't have the parts and buying them separately will cost as much as the set itself. It's not gonna happen

Seing how much those things cost, makes me realise that 8043 is quite much bang for the buck, so I think that'll be next in line. If I really do get into Lego building again, that is.

[chaosof99]

So, I'm done shopping. In the end I bought none of the kits discussed here (unthankful, I know... ), but the 8265 front loader. It was suggested somewhere in the thread, so I looked it up and it seemed like the perfect compromise between price, parts and complexity.

8258 and 8043 ended up being to expensive, while I thought 8069 was a bit to small at just over 600 pieces. I found a new 8265 in a Swedish online store, seemingly the last off the shelf one in Sweden, so I got it.

As pointed out, 8043 will be around for a while, so I might get it later. And if I miss out on 8258, I will probably be convinced to buy the Unimog by then. Thanks again, you've helped me out of my dark ages.

Now I just have to wait for it to arrive, it'll be a long, long wait.

As coincidence has it, I actually got the same model in the mail the same day. It was one of the first I wanted when I started to get back into Lego, but it was too expensive for my taste at the time. Now that I have it, I'm very happy with it. A great model, with an interesting steering mechanism and some great parts including three linear actuators and two differentials. It's a good choice for someone starting out.

Edited June 1, 2011 by chaosof99

[antsiranean]

Finally out of my Dark Ages!

After some delays, my front loader arrived this Friday, and building is on the way. It's just as fun, if not more, than I remembered. The going is rather slow, though, since I am building together with my 4-year old daugther. 11 steps in three hours, another 110 steps to go... She enjoys it as much as I do, and is surprisingly good at it. (Proud father... )

I had looked forward to a couple of nights building on my own, but that's not gonna happen. Now that she has started, she won't let me continue without her.

Maybe I should get another kit, for just myself? Maybe 8258? Maybe a Unimog?

I've seen the light, and I intend to stay there for a long time. Happy building!

[censtar]

Maybe I should get another kit, for just myself? Maybe 8258? Maybe a Unimog?

As I already pointed out, get the 8258 as long as it's not sold out - it offers more "bang for the buck" than the 8043 and you'll have another year 'til it leaves the shelves. The Unimog on the other hand is a must-buy for me, but it will be around for two years. So if you got the money now, get the 8258 while you can ;-)

[dbostream]

As I already pointed out, get the 8258 as long as it's not sold out - it offers more "bang for the buck" than the 8043 and you'll have another year 'til it leaves the shelves. The Unimog on the other hand is a must-buy for me, but it will be around for two years. So if you got the money now, get the 8258 while you can ;-)

When exactly do you expect the 8258 to be discontinued? I am most likely gonna buy it but I am not planning on doing it for another month or two; but if I have to I will do it earlier.

[JunkstyleGio]

8258 is about to discontinue the moment the 8110 will hit the stores.

You might want to wait for the set to go the clearance-bins, but then again you might miss it...

And once the 8258 is out of the store i guess the prices will go up!

[antsiranean]

YEEEEEES!!! I got 8043 from my parents for my birthday! Big present with wonderfull, insantly recognizable sound when shaked - it hasn't been so fun to open a present in untold years!

So now I've got the wheel loader 8265, I've got an excavator and I have 30 pounds of mixed lego lots coming in within the next few days. Out of the dark ages with a bang! MOAHAHAHA!!!

[Alasdair Ryan]

Now what you need is a moterized dumptruck then you could go dig up the garden

[RockeTeK]

Now what you need is a moterized dumptruck then you could go dig up the garden

So get the 8258 and modify it with a basket of some sort...

[chaosof99]

Sorry that this is late for the OP personally, but I guess this is the best spot to put it. I was at my local Toys R Us and saw that they are having a sale with 20% off all Lego products (excluding Star Wars and books) on a purchase of 30 € or more. Probably in anticipation of the new models coming in in order to clear shelf space. I dunno how many stores are actually in on that, because two days before I was in another TRU in a different town, and there was no such sale announced (though they already had the new models in store, which is where my bought my Unimog).

So perhaps, if you're lucky, you can get an 8043 for about 135 € at the moment. The set is already worth every penny at full price, but not even casual Technic builders should be able to resist such a deal.

[antsiranean]

Sorry that this is late for the OP personally, but I guess this is the best spot to put it. I was at my local Toys R Us and saw that they are having a sale with 20% off all Lego products (excluding Star Wars and books) on a purchase of 30 € or more. Probably in anticipation of the new models coming in in order to clear shelf space. I dunno how many stores are actually in on that, because two days before I was in another TRU in a different town, and there was no such sale announced (though they already had the new models in store, which is where my bought my Unimog).

So perhaps, if you're lucky, you can get an 8043 for about 135 € at the moment. The set is already worth every penny at full price, but not even casual Technic builders should be able to resist such a deal.

Thanks, but too late. And wrong country as well... I got a 8043 for birthday present a month ago. But there's sure someone who'll get a 8043 cheaper than I did, so thanks again.