Biante models are cheaper than you think

[loste_treasures]

Hello all,

Just a point of interest:

Biante Models (new):

1:18 scale range in price from around $120.00 - $170.00
1:43 scale range in price from around $45.00-$55.00
1:64 scale range in price from around $10.00-$12.00
1:24 non existant

Trax Models (new):

1:24 scale around $200.00-$300.00
1:18 non existant
1:43 scale are around $40.00

Dinkum Models (new):

1:43 scale range in price from around $150.00-$200.00
1:24 scale range in price from around $320.00-$400.00

Rating in quality of workmanship and value for money:

1. Biante
2. Trax
3. Dinkum


You make your own mind up. Thats my opinion. I welcome yours !!

PS: I dont work for Biante nor do i have any association with them.

[Andrew]

Biante models are expensive, but in relation to their competition, and the quality of the workmanship, they are good value. Everyone knows this. That's why we debate the merits of Biante cars and not Classic Carlectables.

[loste_treasures]

Expensive is a interpretation of what you consider is an expensive item.

What you consider expensive might not be expensive to others. As a general rule you should compare simiar products offered by other companies to guage how 'expensive' simiar products are.

If you think Biante is expensive, then what do you consider Dinkum models to be?

[perry]

Yep, Biante a cheaper than the other Aussies, but i bet they have four times the production too.

All good i say!

[loste_treasures]

actually no.....

if you compare the trax models to biante, they produce around the same numbers.....

the same applies to the classic carlectables

dinkums on the other hand are a different kettle of fish altogether. they will produce 99 of the same model. problem with this is that they will do the same series 1,000,000,000 times over.

[perry]

What about the 1:18 biante compared to 1:24 trax?? Sorry if i wasnt clear, but thats what i was referring to. I was under the impression they (trax) only made roughly 3000 of each model in 1:24.

Looking at the latest catalogue (trax), they are still trying to flog those pathetic examples of HT Monaros...

[loste_treasures]

yes thats right, trax make around 3000. i think they call it their super scale models.

price wise biante is still cheaper (half price). in regards to quality, i reckon some of biante latest offerings simply kill any competion off. they are the best example of australian diecast available on the market.

trax havent got the exposure that biante has. you can only buy trax direct from them either off their website, by calling them direct or off their catalogue. again there is no reason why you would by trax if biante were offering the same model at a reduced price unless you were a loyal trax collector.

however in saying that, some of trax models do fetch a very high price indeed. some models sell like hotcakes whilst others take awhile. i suppose its the same with anything else.....

[perry]

Get this, i had a guy come around to buy some car parts the other day, and he saw two trax models on my TV. I use the trax models as toys for our friends children, but thats another story...

Anyway, he started telling me how he is a huge diecast fan, and collects heaps of cars. I procceeded to tell him Biante are my choice of model, and his reply was "who?!?!?"

This clown had never seen or heard of Biante, Autoart, etc etc.

He isnt the only one either, ive come across this type before...

What planet are these guys on??
Is there seriously anyone in this forum that thinks Trax are great value/quality??

[timbo333]

Sheeeeeeeeeeeet no!:eek:

[berkut76]

You would probably laugh out loud, but more people here in the states buy TRAX (1:24) models than Biante (1:18). Although, the ratio is probably like 21:20. However, I'm quite pleased with TRAX's 1:43 scale models because Biante simply doesn't get around to produce 1:43 scale ATCC/Bathurst models of less-known drivers. Furthermore, TRAX models are very cheap (compared to Biante) if shipping is factored in. I pay like $4US for shipping of two 1:43 scale models to the US.
Furthermore, when the Valiant Chargers in racing decor will finally roll out from Biante assembly line?

Regards,
Sergey

[Glen Alexander]

I can't understand how TRAX can ask for such i high price for their models, which are 1:24 scale, when Biante/Autoart's are a larger scale for starters and look S#%T loads better for half the price!!

And for the people who think they collect diecast and haven't heard of Biante/Autoart, I don't think they come from a different planet, they have had their heads somewhere the sun doesn't shine for far too long!!:D

Perry, I hope the kids play smash up derby with the TRAX cars!!!

[FJMAN]

No problem with your quality comparisions, but just be a little more objective. Biante 1/18 scale are not half the price of Trax 1/24, all new Trax at this size are priced between $175 to $195, not $200-$300 as loste treasures states. My FJ with with real leather seats just arrived @ $185 it's great value and quality.

[loste_treasures]

Originally posted by FJMAN
No problem with your quality comparisions, but just be a little more objective. Biante 1/18 scale are not half the price of Trax 1/24, all new Trax at this size are priced between $175 to $195, not $200-$300 as loste treasures states. My FJ with with real leather seats just arrived @ $185 it's great value and quality.

i stand corrected. if i have the price wrong on the 1:24 trax models then i apologise. last time i checked on the prices of these models they were at this price range.

im not here to state that Biante is the best model maker around. Quite the opposite. I collect all sorts of australian diecast. A previous poster to this post stated "who collects Trax?", well lets just say that i do and i quite like some of their offerings.

In fact all 4 major diecast model manufacturers are quite good (in their day of course). I generally dont stick to one product. It really depends on what they have to offer

[Mark Wicks]

berkut76 wrote:
However, I'm quite pleased with TRAX's 1:43 scale models because Biante simply doesn't get around to produce 1:43 scale ATCC/Bathurst models of less-known drivers

Wouldn't say I was totally pleased with Trax 1:43 ATCC/Bathurst, but if Biante ain't producing it, Trax get my money. At least it's something extra that's available.

[Renz Man]

I hear you Mark. I have a large collection of (what I consider good to fair quality) 1/43 Trax models & only 2 of their 'super scale' models (both FJ's - I think the quality of these larger scale Trax is quite good).

On the Biante side of things I have a considerable number of excellent quality 1/18 scale models, with a sprinkling of equally good 1/43 items. I am amazed at the detail & quality of these 1/43 models when compared to Trax, & I just wish there were more of them produced (both street & track versions).

If the day arrives & Biante start choofing out more high quality 1/43 scale models, I won't be needing my Trax catalogue anymore :D

[fordfan5]

well if it wasnt for trax i wouldnt be collecting to day
i started by buying a white gtho phase 111 from trax when i was
15 and thought life couldnt get any better. then a few yaers later
i came across a wild voilet falcon from biante and have bought no other brand since.
altho before that bought any brand .the only other model apart from my biante/autoart is a XM two door falcon from the franklin mint .

[chups]

i bought a trax green slr5000 before biante were around (my first real collectable model) and i thought the detail in it was excellent. it even had a detailed and painted chassis. so then i saved up all my pennies and bought a red VL gpA SS. that was the last trax model i bought. anyone that bought this will know why. there was just no detail in it. even the chassis was FLAT and painted body colour! it only had the trax logo on it. now i have heaps of biante models which cost the same but are far superior. i was going to buy the 1:24 monaro, as i have seen one of these in the flesh and was rather impressed but with biante doing one, i think ill wait and get detail that i know is there instead of getting a trax model in the post only to find out theres no detail.

[loste_treasures]

Originally posted by chups
i bought a trax green slr5000 before biante were around (my first real collectable model) and i thought the detail in it was excellent. it even had a detailed and painted chassis. so then i saved up all my pennies and bought a red VL gpA SS. that was the last trax model i bought. anyone that bought this will know why. there was just no detail in it. even the chassis was FLAT and painted body colour! it only had the trax logo on it. now i have heaps of biante models which cost the same but are far superior. i was going to buy the 1:24 monaro, as i have seen one of these in the flesh and was rather impressed but with biante doing one, i think ill wait and get detail that i know is there instead of getting a trax model in the post only to find out theres no detail.

Just to give you some further info on the Red VL Group A you purchased.

This model is not actually a Trax model. It was first manufactured by an Australian company called XENITA. I think from memory it was the very first Holdem Commodore to be mass produced in 1:43 scale and had no other competion in the industry. It originally came out with the same body shell but with no interior. It had blacked out windows. There were 5 colours available in total. It was a very advanced model for its time and holds a very high resale value with the BRIGHT RED version the most desirable.

Trax bought out this company and then started to market the SAME model only with the TRAX brand underneath. There is actually 6 different versions of this model (1 with the Xenita name - 5 with the Trax name) with the latest being the Group A HSV raced by Perkins.

1. 5 Colours - No interior - Blacked out windows - Xenita name
2. Same model - Executive (2 colours) - No interior - Trax name
3. 2 colours - Executive - Red interior - Trax name
4. 2 colours - Executive - Grey interior - Trax name
5. 2 colours - Group A - Trax name
6. HSV Perkins Group A - Trax name

See, making a model from scratch is very costly. Trax took the easy way out and instead of re-designing the model to their own standards they simply slapped their name on it and sold it as one of their own!!

Naughty, naughty Trax........:mad:

[chups]

well that was a huge mistake for trax. because of the low quality in that car i havent bought another trax model since.

[Nick Short]

I'm just glad I didn't even know you could get Aussie models until my mate told me about Biante producing the XC Cobra! Since then I've stuck with Biante, and after seeing the offerings from rival companies I don't think I'm likely to be tempted to throw cash their way. In Europe companies like AUTOart and Minichamps wiped the floor with older brands who just weren't trying to produce quality models, and now they're gone. Any other brands have had to up their game or go under, and the same may apply in Oz. Some of the models I've seen, like early GTHOs, look like the sort of pressed tin toys you got around 1930!

[the_goldie]

Some of the BIANTE models may be cheap now. But I notcied that the Skaife/Lowndes 2000 Helmets are selling for 3 times their original release price.

Not sure why these are fetching such a high price all of a sudden??? I certainly would not pay $100 for a little helmet like this (lucky i have them both and the figurines).

I would love to see some other helmets and figures from the 70s or even more from this year.