REVIEW: 70805 Trash Chomper

[Clone OPatra]

Trash truck, or trash CHOMPER? You'll have to answer that one if you get…

Set Title: Trash Chomper

Set #: 70805

Theme: The LEGO Movie

Pieces: 389

Minifigures: 3

Year of Release: 2014

Price at Release: USD 30

Just browse the pictures? Flickr set

INTRODUCTION

This was probably the best-looking zany flying machine from the packaging. The mouth gave it a very fun, distinctive look that had more character than the flying machines in the other 2-in-1s. Plus, the "normal" model is something we already get in City, so not all that interesting to me. So is the flying machine actually the model to want in this set? Well, let's see…

BOX

The Trash Chomper actually looks great on the box. That's something funky I'd want to buy.

The back shows more of the truck mode, this time from the back, and highlights the things that move. Yay for things that actually move on models!

Like all the minifigures in this line, these need names! Gordon Zola is a nice funny play on gorgonzola, and somehow the names they gave to the garbage men seem very appropriate to me. They look like a Dan and a Grant.

CONTENTS

I'm vegetarian, so I guess I'm a sucker for vegetable color schemes. When I opened up the box I thought 'Mmmmm carrots!' Although the green to orange ratio isn't quite right to make carrots.

Like all of these 2-in-1 sets, there are three booklets: micromanager, flying machine, and alternate model.

Here's a step where you add gears just for decoration. There's something about adding gears that don't do anything that always disappoints me, and it happens in a few of these sets.

Plenty of stickers, but I think you'd expect that for a garbage truck anyway.

MINIFIGURES

These aren't exactly the most exciting minifigures ever, but they are very well done. The garbage men have excellent get-ups that I can see being useful for a variety of things. Dan's head isn't new, but it's a newer one and I like it. He's got the new cap with a hole for attachments. Only Gordon's head is new, and not too exciting to me either.

The garbage men have some nice dirty printing on their backs as well.

Included are some accessories you'd expect for trash collectors, like a broom, shovel, trash cans, and of course trash! Gordon seems to have run out of his kitchen with a frying pan.

SET - MICROMANAGER

This time we've got another micromanager that's supposed to fly. Again not quite as cute as have stubbly legs, but trans-red dishes are always great, so I won't complain.

Turn it around back and you'll see it's got some folding mechanism! And flick-fires…

Ta-da! Wings pop out with the weapons arsenal. I like the use of that piece in the middle, but there's a little green visible that looks weird.

It looks appropriately menacing from the front.

SET - TRASH CHOMPER

The flying mode uses all the pieces besides two plates.

The trash chomper looks pretty silly and fun from the front, what with the big mouth. Vehicles with mouths are always whimsical.

It looks scary too. I wouldn't want to mess with those teeth.

But there's something about this model that feels a little off, and I think it's how tall and stubbly it is. It doesn't really seem like a flying machine at all - it's way too bulky for that. The mouth is nice, but the rest of it is really just a brick.

The garbage cans are some sort of engines in the back, and Dan actually has a chair so he hopefully won't fly backwards when he takes off.

So I'm not sure what to think. I love the mouth and trash-chomping idea, but the model as a whole feels to stubby.

Speaking of the mouth, the chomping function works well and is great fun to play with.

SET - GARBAGE TRUCK

The truck uses everything up besides for a couple of technic parts.

I may not care much for garbage trucks, but this is a very nice one. The color scheme is lovely, and the SNOT detailing on the side looks excellent.

There's room for just one figure in the cab, and for some reason LEGO put the steering wheel high up in this one. That kind of makes sense for a big vehicle like this, which would have a big wheel. (My sticker-applying skills were clearly wearing out when I put on that license plate.)

The side profile is nice indeed. The truck is pleasantly long, and feels well-proportioned all around.

The back has its quite large cover, that can open up to reveal the place for the trash. Good stickers for detail back here.

A little knob lets you control the back, which doesn't just go up and down but kind of slides up and then slides back down due to how the technic construction inside is made.

But it actually doesn't go up all that high. I'm not sure how minifigures would really even be able to unload trash cans into there, but oh well. The gears are perhaps supposed to represent trash grinders.

COMPLETE SET and CONCLUSION

What I thought was going to be the best flying machine let me down some, though the mouth is still great. I guess as the flying machines go, the Ice Cream Machine wins out.

However, this is a very nice trash truck. I'm not personally excited by trash trucks, since LEGO City has seen its fair share of those, but this one is still great. If you like good trash trucks, I'd think about picking this up. Parts-wise, green is a always a good color, and this set has plenty of it. Not too many new parts, but lots of nice green. The minifigures are basic, but useful nonetheless. The garbage-men torsos are pretty non-specific, making them useful for a lot of things. And their legs are great.

That completes the 2-in-1s. Up next… everything else in some order!

Edited January 1, 2014 by Rufus
Indexed

[Im a brickmaster.]

I'd have to say this is the best looking garbage truck they have made so far, even if it converts into a evil, garbage eating monster! Wontaful review!

[Sir Brickalot]

Exellent review as always! Not a bad set, but it's not a paticularly good one either. Thanks again!

[jonwil]

Not a bad set, I just wish LEGO would find a reason to produce that wheel arch piece in green or light grey instead of the same boring dark grey that seems to come in every single truck they make (and that I am sure most vehicle collectors already have a pile of)

[TheOrcKing]

Finally some real dirty looking garbage collectors! This was the first "2-in-1" that grabbed me with both designs. Big, bulky, clunky, and nasty looking!

[BCanilho]

That completes the 2-in-1s. Up next… everything else in some order!

Another excelent review of the Lego Movie Sets

For me as a Lego City fan, yesterday i was thrilled when i realized that this sets had an alternate build. So the 70804 IceCream Machine; 70805 Trash Chomper (although i already have the 4432 Garbage Truck, but i believe they can get along in the same city layout!) and 70811 The Flying Flusher whent to the top of my to buy list in 2014 along with most of the City Great Vehicles Collection.

You said in your review that there are no more 2 in 1 sets... What about the 70807 The MetalBeards Duel and the 70813 Rescue Reinforcements? They could be excelent alternate builds of Pirates and Fire them respectively! Aren´t they also 2 in 1 sets?

Edited December 31, 2013 by BCanilho

[Csacsa234]

Hmm I expected the 70813 to be a 2in1 set too, where you can build a fire truck, whatever. Thanks for this review, I really like the idea of these alternative vehicles, I have to say that this is one of the best, The design of the garbage truck is very awesome, it has a great old school look, The chomper vehicle is a funny build, but doesn't look that good to me. Thanks for the reviews, they are very detailed and useful!

[BCanilho]

After a bit more of investigation looks like the 70813 wont be a 2 in 1 set. Althought in the back of the box there is some kind of code associated to the videogame... Some kind of online intructions maybe? Its a too good set not to have an alternate build of a great firetruck!!!

Obviously, one can always MOC one... After all thats the main message of the movie i guess!

[Godtshep]

Good review again. Also happy New Year!

[Orange Leader]

Thanks for your The LEGO Movie reviews so far, Clone O' Patra!

Interesting parts and colour from what I can tell, the big smooth slopes are very nice. I think this set has the best of both models.

[Hey Joe]

Hey, thanks again for the great review. This is a very cool set IMO, and if I could only buy one from the movie line it would be this one. I'm thinking of leaving on the layout in the chomping version.

Joe

[xray]

This may be my favorite of the series, along with the plumber and ice cream vender. I feel like I'm going to be buying a double City series this year with these sets. They add a lot of character and detail, plus great mini-figs.

[Csacsa234]

Obviously, one can always MOC one... After all thats the main message of the movie i guess!

You have a point there I also thought about that TLG might release an online BI for a truck build..

[ikba]

Nice review! Ironically enough, most people will buy this set for the flyer, but the garbage truck is probably one of the best by Lego so far!

[DarthYannick]

Do you know any other set with this Gordon Zola?

[Jared]

Nice review! Definitely considering buying this set now!

[Aanchir]

Do you know any other set with this Gordon Zola?

His torso is not new, and his hat and legs are not printed so obviously not new. But his face is a new expression, so if you ever want a scared fig with a curly mustache this set might be your ticket.

On a side note, this might be one of the first figs I've ever seen whose "scared" expression is his ONLY expression.

[Cult_Of_Skaro]

His torso is not new, and his hat and legs are not printed so obviously not new. But his face is a new expression, so if you ever want a scared fig with a curly mustache this set might be your ticket.

On a side note, this might be one of the first figs I've ever seen whose "scared" expression is his ONLY expression.

The CMF ringmaster is also like this. Funnily enough, he's also got a curly mustache...

Edited January 5, 2014 by Cult_Of_Skaro

[Aanchir]

The CMF ringmaster is also like this. Funnily enough, he's also got a curly mustache...

I always interpreted the Ringmaster's face as a ridiculously wide-open grin, myself. Kind of like Flex, except maybe not QUITE so ridiculous.

[ResIpsaLoquitur]

...unfortunately, Garbage Man Grant had an unfortunate accident and lost his arm in the Trash Chomper. He gave himself a bionic replacement and changed his name to "Jack McHammer," then spent his days pursuing the zombified Gordon Zola.

[VintageLegoEra]

True, This is the best looking Garbage Truck Lego ever made...and glad that i got mine!

[bayutheoz]

This set... Is great, absolutely gorgeous, it complement my city layout, and the alternate built is amazing, no regret buying this set

[VintageLegoEra]

Built the Truck instead of the original build, Love the Truck and it will add a great Value to City Project!