[REVIEW] 42000 Grand Prix Racer

[jantjeuh]

Nice review Sariel, I agree 100% with your remarks.

[Sariel]

Electrics - we have it a lot in previous sets.

Well, the Servo and L motors, for example, are only in one.

So adding stupid motorizing function like raising body or setting spoiler - is not that we want pay for extra money.

That's the problem - I don't know what we pay for £80 when buying 42000. It's seems much more expensive than it should be for what it offers. What's so special in there, stickers?

[Jim]

That's the problem - I don't know what we pay for £80 when buying 42000. It's seems much more expensive than it should be for what it offers. What's so special in there, stickers?

How's that?

80 Pounds is around 95 euros. The set contains 1129 parts. On average that means around 8,4 eurocents per part.

42006 contains 720 parts which retails around 60 euros = 8,33 eurocents per part.

The price seems justified. Or am I missing something?!

[rm8]

Well, the Servo and L motors, for example, are only in one.

That's the problem - I don't know what we pay for £80 when buying 42000. It's seems much more expensive than it should be for what it offers. What's so special in there, stickers?

I mean electrics and motorizing non-propulsion functions: there are many such sets and electrics (m motor and AA bb)

I have too much M motors an big BAttery blocks, so I am glad that 42000 is free of that... (Remebering "supercar" 8070, and its "gearbox")

I believe that 2nd half 2013 sets give us L motors

But price seems high, agree with all.

How's that?

80 Pounds is around 95 euros. The set contains 1129 parts. On average that means around 8,4 eurocents per part.

42006 contains 720 parts which retails around 60 euros = 8,33 eurocents per part.

The price seems justified. Or am I missing something?!

Larger set - cheaper price per part.

Edited January 22, 2013 by rm8

[Jim]

Larger set - cheaper price per part.

Are you sure?

The 8070 (Super Car) had a retail price of 99 pounds with 1260 parts = 7,806 per part

The 8265 (Front Loader) had a retail price of 75 pounds with 1061 = 7,068 per part

The 9397 (Logging Truck) has a retail price of 100 pounds with 1308 = 7,644 per part

The 42000 (F1) has a retail price of 80 pounds with 1129 = 7,085 per part

To me it still seems like a normal price for this set.

Maybe some of you just don't like the set that much, but the price seems justified.

[rm8]

Are you sure?

The 8070 (Super Car) had a retail price of 99 pounds with 1260 parts = 7,806 per part

The 8265 (Front Loader) had a retail price of 75 pounds with 1061 = 7,068 per part

The 9397 (Logging Truck) has a retail price of 100 pounds with 1308 = 7,644 per part

The 42000 (F1) has a retail price of 80 pounds with 1129 = 7,085 per part

To me it still seems like a normal price for this set.

Maybe some of you just don't like the set that much, but the price seems justified.

Thats not statisics - i have no comparison, but thats a rule of trading. May be you can count PPP for smaller set, just for info. Use the same source of prices.

Your comparison is not correct. 8070 and 9397 contain electrics, that raise the PPP.

Edited January 22, 2013 by rm8

[Jim]

Thats not statisics - i have no comparison, but thats a rule of trading. May be you can count PPP for smaller set, just for info. Use the same source of prices.

Your comparison is not correct. 8070 and 9397 contain electrics, that raise the PPP. And dont forget about different years of release and money inflation.

True, you're right!

I thought they where optional, but I was mistaken.

[shadowhearth]

Its 89eu for me in Ireland. I personally think its a fair deal. It was in argos for 120eu, now that was stupid unfair price tag.

In my opinion some people are way to critical on this set. It is still a very high part count for price. Good selection of parts, Good colours. I agree with rm8. Just because it has one stupid M motor and a battery box, does not make it a good set. Remember, that it is 89eu on launch, in a few months you will be able to pick this up on amazon with some sale for even less.

Its just my opinion, but it is a bit delusional to offer other F1 cars instead of 42000. Silver champion is around 150eu second hand. Good second hand one or sealed one is A LOT more. for 150eu i can buy 2 of 42000. I prefer looks of 42000 too.

[Jim]

Its 89eu for me in Ireland. I personally think its a fair deal. It was in argos for 120eu, now that was stupid unfair price tag.

In my opinion some people are way to critical on this set. It is still a very high part count for price. Good selection of parts, Good colours.

For me, it's a fair deal as well.

And looking at the target audience, it's will be a very appealing set.

Furthermore, reintroducing wheels of this scale is great! Probably most of us will have the old ones, but being able to get these new ones is very nice for new young builders or AFOLs alike.

[drdesignz]

Great review, thanks. I'm really looking forward to being able to get this model in the US.

[Erik Leppen]

I really do not understand the negativity surrounding this set in this topic. With suspension, driving and steering, and an openable hood, this model already has all the functionality of 8458 and 8461, but in addition to those sets it has a function switch box thgat switches between raising the hood and adjusting the rear wing. This means 42000 has more functionality than all previous Technic F1 cars except 8880B.

And it's white (largely). What studless Technic set has had so much white?

Optional PF can only be a good thing, because it's optional.

You cannot hate a set because of the stickers, because you can always opt to not use them.

Also, the wheels are fine. What's wrong with them?

So the mediocre execution of the hub parts is the only argument the haters are having.

[Blakbird]

I really do not understand the negativity surrounding this set in this topic. With suspension, driving and steering, and an openable hood, this model already has all the functionality of 8458 and 8461, but in addition to those sets it has a function switch box thgat switches between raising the hood and adjusting the rear wing. This means 42000 has more functionality than all previous Technic F1 cars except 8880B.

I hope my original review was not perceived as negative. I like this model very much. I did point out a couple of things that bother me about the model, but that's part of the reviewing process. Overall, it is a great model with a really useful parts selection. I've been waiting for more white availability, I like the new hubs, and the reissue of the 81.6x36ZR tires will make a lot of MOCing a lot easier. Comparisons with the older F1 cars like the Silver Champion are inevitable, and everyone will have their favorites. While I personally prefer the old dampers to open the body rather than the mini linear actuators, both are valid approaches and I'm happy to have some more mLAs. I also think it is inevitable to have lots of stickers on an F1 car because real F1 cars are so "decorated". Since this is not a licensed model they couldn't use any actual sponsors' logos, so what they did instead makes sense. And of course, you can just leave the stickers off.

As for the price, I'll stay out of that discussion. LEGO has always been expensive. This is a big model.

[Meatman]

I love the looks of this set and cannot wait to get it.

[Erik Leppen]

I hope my original review was not perceived as negative.

No, not at all. Just some of the replies on page 2 and 3.

I actually haven't bought many Technic sets in a while (8043 was the last) but I might go for this one if it's on a nice offer.

[Anio]

I really do not understand the negativity surrounding this set in this topic. With suspension, driving and steering, and an openable hood, this model already has all the functionality of 8458 and 8461, but in addition to those sets it has a function switch box thgat switches between raising the hood and adjusting the rear wing. This means 42000 has more functionality than all previous Technic F1 cars except 8880B.

Agreed.

And given that 8880B has just a small gearbox and no special feature, I would say that this 42000 is even better than 888 B.

[allanp]

I would say a transmission is a more important function to an F1 car so, but the suspention of 8880B is not authentic like 46000, so I guess they are even. And I also prefere the way the hood opens on the silver champion, however, I too do not get the negativity towards this set. Silver chapion was a flagship and more expensive but on the whole I prefere 46000 due to the new hub parts, which I think are excellent. Yes, they are a bit of a loose fit, but that's the price you pay for low friction which to me is more important and the looseness isn't noticeable when "driving" it around. And £80 for well over 1000 parts (lots of white parts no less) is not that bad I guess, I didn't hesitate to pay it anyway! And the reason why I prefere stickers to printed parts is because you can leave them off if you want to.

[Paul Boratko]

but on the whole I prefere 46000 due to the new hub parts, which I think are excellent. Yes, they are a bit of a loose fit, but that's the price you pay for low friction which to me is more important and the looseness isn't noticeable when "driving" it around.

I like the new hub parts too, but there are a reasons why you are not seeing the problem with them... The 42000 doesn't have cv joints connected to the steering hubs which is from what I found a real problem because when the wheels are steered in just a normal range, the CV joint begins to bind with the hub much too quickly and then that in combination with the loose fitting pins to the wheel and Hubs to the hub housing cause an extremely noticable effect...

There is a very fine line between how far the wheels can be steered before this binding occurs with the CV joints and unfortunately that point right before the binding occurs doesn't seem to steer the wheels quite enough...

[Paul Boratko]

The problem is just as much the loose fitting as it is the fact that the 3 snaps on the hub don't secure the wheel as tightly as they do as the old black hub and the older black hubs are just as friction free as these new ones with much less play in them... I just think these things could have been designed better...

[Lipko]

The interesting thing is that people complain about the motorized hood, that it's not real. Well, many (rightfully) praised MOC cars have opening doors (regular opening) and hoods that are operated by knobs or motors. That's not realistic. 8070 has motorized hood opening and so on. Why are people picking on this set then?

[Blakbird]

The interesting thing is that people complain about the motorized hood, that it's not real. Well, many (rightfully) praised MOC cars have opening doors (regular opening) and hoods that are operated by knobs or motors. That's not realistic. 8070 has motorized hood opening and so on. Why are people picking on this set then?

Actually, my review of 8070 picks on those things you mentioned! In my view, it is not that I thought the powered hood was a bad feature per se, it is just that I like the old dampers better.

[Jim]

Actually, my review of 8070 picks on those things you mentioned! In my view, it is not that I thought the powered hood was a bad feature per se, it is just that I like the old dampers better.

Old damper style doors, hoods, etc, are so much better. They provide for an authentic feeling when opening something.

[rener]

Old damper style doors, hoods, etc, are so much better. They provide for an authentic feeling when opening something.

That is true, but the operation of the dampers is never very realistic and mostly not very technical either.

[allanp]

I like the new hub parts too, but there are a reasons why you are not seeing the problem with them... The 42000 doesn't have cv joints connected to the steering hubs which is from what I found a real problem because when the wheels are steered in just a normal range, the CV joint begins to bind with the hub much too quickly and then that in combination with the loose fitting pins to the wheel and Hubs to the hub housing cause an extremely noticable effect...

There is a very fine line between how far the wheels can be steered before this binding occurs with the CV joints and unfortunately that point right before the binding occurs doesn't seem to steer the wheels quite enough...

Ah, I did not know that. I know that the angle is pretty limited for the cv part tho, which is a shame. I'll have to play around with them being driven by a cv joint at an angle. At worse i'll have to limit the steering to very acute angles.

The problem is just as much the loose fitting as it is the fact that the 3 snaps on the hub don't secure the wheel as tightly as they do as the old black hub and the older black hubs are just as friction free as these new ones with much less play in them... I just think these things could have been designed better...

Oh yes, things can always be designed better, which is why your comments are important to TLG. As for the three pins, the part is the same as the unimog, did you notice this effect of the loose pins on the unimog or is it only now you have tried driving them with the CV joint? And yes, the old black bubs had little friction in their housings, I was talking about the CV joint itself having alot of friction in the old hub, but I see your point, the hub part itself didn't have much friction and also not much play. So yeah, the new hub parts could have been better but I still say they are a big improvement on the old. I guess it all depends on what you prefere, stability or low running friction, even tho we could have had both.

The interesting thing is that people complain about the motorized hood, that it's not real. Well, many (rightfully) praised MOC cars have opening doors (regular opening) and hoods that are operated by knobs or motors. That's not realistic. 8070 has motorized hood opening and so on. Why are people picking on this set then?

I did complain about the motorised hood!

That is true, but the operation of the dampers is never very realistic and mostly not very technical either.

Dampers are very realistic in fact, way more so than mLAs, if you have a hatch back car you will see dampers used to take most of the weight when you open the back. What is unrealistic is that in real life they are delibrately not strong enough to lift whatever they are attached to, they are tuned to the weight so it feels light as a feather.

[TechnicMati]

I am looking forward to buying this set very much. I like the new parts and rare parts that come with this set like new hubs, links, tires, white panels, black rectangular panels, model's functions and the whole look. And B model seems to be interesting despite it might need few appearance mods of it's hood. I have to say that I like this new F1 car much more than old F1 cars technic sets. I didn't really like old panels of the silver champion and the other blue and white f1 car. So all in all I appreciate the new F1 car very much.

[rener]

Dampers are very realistic in fact, way more so than mLAs, if you have a hatch back car you will see dampers used to take most of the weight when you open the back. What is unrealistic is that in real life they are delibrately not strong enough to lift whatever they are attached to, they are tuned to the weight so it feels light as a feather.

I did not question the "realness" of dampers as such, more the operation which is often located at a point very hard to reach for the driver who would like to open the door (i.e. on the roof in sets 8466 and 8297)...