Modular Building Sets - Rumours and Discussion

[Lion King]

Just a silly quesiton - was the vintage taxi (GWP set) the first Modular vehicle for this modular building line?

[imvanya]

On 3/18/2023 at 2:45 AM, Lion King said:

Just a silly quesiton - was the vintage taxi (GWP set) the first Modular vehicle for this modular building line?

I think that would be https://brickset.com/sets/40448-1/Vintage-Car, which was the winning entry in the Ideas competition Build a Vintage Car. I would argue that the taxi and the truck sets we’ve got as GWPs so far are also inspired by that competition - there have been quite a few taxi and truck entries.

[lifeinplastic]

Not sure what you mean but the Fire Brigade modular was the first to include a vehicle if that is what you are asking.

[Lion King]

2 hours ago, lifeinplastic said:

Not sure what you mean but the Fire Brigade modular was the first to include a vehicle if that is what you are asking.

Sorry i should have written better… I meant to ask if Vintage Taxi was the first GWP Modular Vehicle. I know there are taxi and moving truck so far. But I don’t think I have seen any vehcile prior to the taxi’s release. 

I know there are vehicles are included in Modular sets, such as Downtown Diner and Corner Garage.

[Silverhurst]

As Imvanya posted above, the Vintage Car that was released in conjunction with the Diner was the first companion vehicle for the modulars that wasn't included in the actual set.

 

If you are looking for a 30's style vehicle look to go with the taxi and moving van, I recommend the bus from the Winter Village Train Station. I often have it parked in front of my Boutique Hotel (with regular luggage instead of presents).

[BrickFit26]

Was the vintage car meant to go with the Downtown Diner or was it a stand alone GWP set?

[Kallego]

21 hours ago, BrickFit26 said:

Was the vintage car meant to go with the Downtown Diner or was it a stand alone GWP set?

It was released January 1st 2021. Same release date as police station. 

But it was available with any purchase above 100€. 

 

Edited March 26, 2023 by Kallego

[Lion King]

So vintage car is not exaclty the first modular vehcile GWP set?

[BrickFit26]

7 hours ago, Kallego said:

It was released January 1st 2021. Same release date as police station. 

But it was available with any purchase above 100€. 

 

I completely forgot. It doesn't really tie in the the Police Station though. The taxi and the moving van tie in perfectly with the BH and the JC.

[franzal]

On 3/27/2023 at 2:28 AM, Lion King said:

So vintage car is not exaclty the first modular vehcile GWP set?

As Silverhust and Imvanya already said:

"As Imvanya posted above, the Vintage Car that was released in conjunction with the Diner (sorry it was released with the Police Station, of course) was the first companion vehicle (means GWP) for the modulars that wasn't included in the actual set."

There we're other GWPs oriented towards Modular Buildings before, like the flower cart, but I wouldn't count that as "vehicle/car". 

Edited March 29, 2023 by franzal

[Silverhurst]

I just realized that the car I was thinking of coming out alongside the Downtown Diner was the pink Cadillac that came in the actual set, not separately. The Vintage car as stated above was timed with the Police Station, and while it fits that era I guess, it best fits in with the Diner but wasn't released for it. Too many sets to keep track of, lol.

Edited March 28, 2023 by Silverhurst

[Lion King]

On 4/7/2023 at 1:58 PM, Memo5378 said:

Does anyone know if the Assembly Square is retiring? It's been sold out in Canada for about a month. I wanted to buy a second set, but now I wonder if I'll get the chance to...

 

[BrickFit26]

Brick_Clicker on his YouTube channel has a video of all sets that are retiring in 2023 and AS is on there.

[Lion King]

57 minutes ago, BrickFit26 said:

Brick_Clicker on his YouTube channel has a video of all sets that are retiring in 2023 and AS is on there.

@Memo5378

[steveholt]

So whereabouts are we discussing the Bricklink Designer modular sets?

[Lion King]

Okay somehting comes to my mind so i would like to ask you a quesiton, folks. 

My quesiton is, do you think Lego would remake the long-retired Modular sets? For example, Cafe Corner was released in 2007 and it is retired so long. So…Lego would remake and re-release Cafe Corner? I mean, I never own that one.

take another example - Winter Village theme did have the Winter Cottage set in 2011 (?) and that set is very expsnive in the secondary market. So Lego decided to re-do that set as “Santa’s Visit” set in 2021.

[RichardGoring]

They won't rerelease old sets for many very sensible reasons, but a new set as an homage to an old one is very possible.

[Murdoch17]

47 minutes ago, Lion King said:

Okay somehting comes to my mind so i would like to ask you a quesiton, folks. 

My quesiton is, do you think Lego would remake the long-retired Modular sets? For example, Cafe Corner was released in 2007 and it is retired so long. So…Lego would remake and re-release Cafe Corner? I mean, I never own that one.

take another example - Winter Village theme did have the Winter Cottage set in 2011 (?) and that set is very expsnive in the secondary market. So Lego decided to re-do that set as “Santa’s Visit” set in 2021.

Santa Visit and Winter Cottage look nothing alike and have completely different design styles: It's not a re-release or even a re-do. They are just both houses with blue walls and white snow on the roof.

But to your question about modular buildings: No they won't release them again. Café Corner and other early modular series models have prints that have been replaced, parts that are retired, and design techniques no longer considered 'legal' by Lego. They've even said it isn't going to happen, and they go into great detail about the modular series in a whole chapter of the book "The Secret Life of LEGO Bricks". Besides, would you want a re-release or a new modular? Either you make the fans who missed out real happy by re-releasing an outdated model like CC, or you grow the brand instead of retreading old ground by making something nobody has seen before, and sell tons more units.

Sorry, but it just isn't going to happen.

Edited April 30, 2023 by Murdoch17

[Lion King]

2 hours ago, RichardGoring said:

They won't rerelease old sets for many very sensible reasons, but a new set as an homage to an old one is very possible.

Sorry, I think I made a wrong choice of words on “re-releasing”. Homage to to the old one is what I was trying to say.  

1 hour ago, Murdoch17 said:

Santa Visit and Winter Cottage look nothing alike and have completely different design styles: It's not a re-release or even a re-do. They are just both houses with blue walls and white snow on the roof.

But to your question about modular buildings: No they won't release them again. Café Corner and other early modular series models have prints that have been replaced, parts that are retired, and design techniques no longer considered 'legal' by Lego. They've even said it isn't going to happen, and they go into great detail about the modular series in a whole chapter of the book "The Secret Life of LEGO Bricks". Besides, would you want a re-release or a new modular? Either you make the fans who missed out real happy by re-releasing an outdated model like CC, or you grow the brand instead of retreading old ground by making something nobody has seen before, and sell tons more units.

Sorry, but it just isn't going to happen.

You sure worked up too much…it’s a wrong choice of word on “re-releasing”. Probably “re-make” will do better.

Edited April 30, 2023 by Lion King

[Lion King]

(Deleted ppost).

Edited April 30, 2023 by Lion King

[RichardGoring]

There are a number of Rebrickable models where people have reengineered the older modulars using modern/less expensive parts, so it looks very similar to the original, but is somewhat affordable.

It may be controversial, but I don't really like the old modulars, so I'm pleased there's no chance of them being rereleased. Of the first seven, I only have two - Fire Brigade and Pet Shop. I bought the fire brigade recently, breaking a 'rule' I try to have about not paying over MRSP for older sets, as I do like the look of the facade, but compared to modern sets, it's clearly much more basic. Pet Shop I got cheap with a few other sets a while ago. Palace Cinema also isn't great, being honest. But the facade is cool and my children love playing with it. Parisian Restaurant onwards just feel very different (and better) to me. Obviously, all my own personal preference, but sharing FWIW (not a lot ).

[FrkW]

So, what do we think about the new Friends line? Adding the 41748 Heartlake City Community Center to the modular city might be pushing it, thought wow am I tempted, but I think the 41757 Botanical Garden might actually be a cool addition? With H/W/D at 22/25/28 (eta: cm, obviously) it sounds like it would be reasonably in scale, and the colours are possitively muted for a Friends set.

Edited May 2, 2023 by FrkW
Forgot the whole world doesn't use metrics.

[Elysiumfountain]

Having seen the Botanical Garden photos, I am in love! So many cool little details, and it looks so pretty. I definitely want to add it to my city, I think it could fit with a little bit of tinkering.

[Maple]

2 hours ago, FrkW said:

So, what do we think about the new Friends line? Adding the 41748 Heartlake City Community Center to the modular city might be pushing it, thought wow am I tempted, but I think the 41757 Botanical Garden might actually be a cool addition? With H/W/D at 22/25/28 (eta: cm, obviously) it sounds like it would be reasonably in scale, and the colours are possitively muted for a Friends set.

Does 41748 have a third wall? Some of the secondary pictures make it look like it's only two walls. Buying two of them to make a true modular would be $300+. Yikes. I currently have 41704, Friends Main Street, next to the Marvel modulars and it looks really nice.

[RichardGoring]

55 minutes ago, Maple said:

Does 41748 have a third wall? Some of the secondary pictures make it look like it's only two walls. Buying two of them to make a true modular would be $300+. Yikes. I currently have 41704, Friends Main Street, next to the Marvel modulars and it looks really nice.

No, I don't think it does. Or it's one or two studs long, but not the full way around. You can see through things pretty clearly on this image:

And then note that what makes this really stand out is The Kitchen set on the ground floor, which then means you're getting two of two sets to complete it, so it's closer to $450 to complete it all!

Personally I'd keep it open. I don't feel the need to complete it all the way around.

The botanical garden however I'd be very tempted to get two of and complete that. It's such a beautiful set. Even though I've already made the Berthil botanical garden. It's no problem having two, is it?