Author Topic: Revenge of the Sith 1:24 Scale Diecast Car reviews (The circle is now complete!)  (Read 7584 times)

Offline Matt_Fury

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I'll make one thread for this and post my review of each car as I get them.  Today I received the Episode 3 Program car, 1:24 Scale.

Packaging:  Very Nice, although there's no window to view the vehicle, the packaging has the Revenge of the Sith look similar to the Carded figures with Vader's head over the boiling Lava.  The car is packed in a form fitting styrofoam inlay to the box itself and also inside a soft bag...similar to cheese-cloth to keep it from being scratched.

Paint: The paint scheme on this thing is awesome!  The primary color scheme is black, with red along the bottom as well as the sides of the roof.  The hood has the Star Wars Logo in color and a greyscale picture of Darth Vader's Helmet with flames behind it.  On either side there is a side shot of Vader's head with flames coming out of it right by the car's number 05, although they look metallic and bolted onto the car, just paint but a nice effect nonetheless.  There is also a Star Wars Racing logo over the rear tire and a Vader Logo on the back.  The hood has the 05 number and the release date of the film.  The Trunk has the Star Wars Logo, and the hind end has another Darth Vader head, with the metallic flame design coming out of each side.

Detail:  There is plenty of detail on this car.  The hood and trunk open to reveal the engine and the contents of the trunk, which looks like a fuel cell.  There are also two roof flaps that open.  The interior has some incredible detail right down to the dashboard guages.  Also, the safety net on the driver's window is much softer and realistic to the previous cars.  Even the undercarriage shows the exhaust and suspension system in greater detail than previous years.  There are even tiny goodyear decals on the bottom of the tires like you'd see on new tires!

Overall:  I give this car a 5 out of 5.  If the program car is any indication of the rest of the series, these will be the best of my car collection!
« Last Edit: August 11, 2006, 08:47 PM by Matt_Fury »
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Offline JediMAC

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Re: Revenge of the Sith 1:24 Scale Diecast Car reviews
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2005, 07:07 PM »
I haven't been paying much attention to these for ROTS, but where are they available right now?

I picked up the 1/24 Jeff Gordon TPM car (I think that's what it was), and the 3 cereal cars.  Any others that I've missed so far, besides ROTS?  I don't need to have the same car in numerous scales, but I'd like to have each car in some scale at least...

Nice review btw.  Gonna have to snag me these suckers.

Offline Matt_Fury

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Re: Revenge of the Sith 1:24 Scale Diecast Car reviews
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2005, 08:13 PM »
Thanks Matt, I tried to be as detailed as possible.

In the 1:24 scale, there was the Jeff Gordon TPM car and the John Andretti AOTC car.  The AOTC car looked just like the AOTC car in the cheeros mail away, only on a larger scale obviously.

For ROTS, there is the Jeff Gordon Car, Dale Jarret, and Elliot Sadler, along with the Promo car I got today.  The Jeff Gordon car I pre-ordered through QVC.  The other three were available through the SW Shop in their diecast vehicle section.  I procrastinated on pre-ordering them and missed out on the Promo car and got it through ebay (for a little less than the FC).  If they're available anywhere else, I'm not sure.
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Offline Matt_Fury

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Re: Revenge of the Sith 1:24 Scale Diecast Car reviews
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2005, 05:19 PM »
I received two more cars today from the Fan Club.  The #38 Elliot Sadler car and the #88 Dale Jarrett car.  Both of these cars are themed after the M&M's MPire theme, so I'll make one post to review both and highlight the differences between them.

Packaging: As with the previous car, there's no window packaging, so I would not recommend these for strictly boxed collectors since you can not see the vehicle at all.  That being said, the packaging itself is really interesting.  Each box has various M&M MPire characters and their corresponding Star Wars character on each panel.  The #38 car is based off the Dark Chocolate M&M "Bad Guys" Yellow M&M Darth Vader, Red M&M Clone Trooper and Blue M&M Boba Fett.  The #88 Car is based more on the milk chocolate "Light Side" characters, Red M&M Anakin, Yellow M&M C-3PO and Green M&M Princess Leia (from ANH).  Also, each car is well packed in a molded Styrofoam and has a lint-free cheese cloth type bag that covers the car.

Paint:  Here's where the cars differ.  the #38 car has a paint scheme similar to the Dark Chocolate M&M packaging, a maroonish red base and the Dark Blue and Grey M&M's painted on top.  The various sponsor ads are painted on either side and there are three M&M characters painted on.  Red M&M Clone Trooper on the driver's side, Blue M&M Boba Fett on the passenger side and Yello M&M Darth Vader on the back.  Also on the back, the words "Go to the Dark Side" are alongside the M&M Vader.  Another interesting bit of paint detail, both the Red M&M Clonetrooper and Yellow M&M Vader are painted on the underside of the hood!

For the #88 Car, the paintscheme is more of a lighter scheme of brown with green, yellow and light blue M&M's reminiscent of the Milk Chocolate M&M's  The Green M&M Leia is painted on the Driver's side, the Yellow M&M C-3PO on the Passenger's side and the Red M&M Anakin on the back, along with the words "Join the Jedi...".  The underside of the hood has the UPS logo, which is also on several other points of the car since it is Dale Jarrett's main sponsor.

Detail:  These cars are just as detailed as the Promo car with a few subtle details in the engine compartment.  I'm assuming there are slight engine differences between the Chevy Monte Carlo (Promo Car) and the Ford Taurus (#38 and #88 cars).  Suspension, trunk and cockpit details look almost identical, with a small change in the exhaust design because the Ford cars have smaller exhaust pipes.

Overall:  I have to gives these both a five out of five.  The detail is just incredible on these and it's obvious that  Action Racing isn't just mas-producing cookie cutter designs and just painting them with different schemes.  I honestly believe my reviews are not doing these cars any justice.  I plan on taking some pictures of them and hopefully posting them here soon.
« Last Edit: August 11, 2006, 08:51 PM by Matt_Fury »
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Offline Jesse James

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They do sound good, you really make me wanna check them out if I can find them...  I can't say I'm a die-cast collector really but I can appreciate good work at any point so I'll go take a look as soon as I'm back out shopping again. 

These are something I doubt I'd even have looked at otherwise, actually.
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Offline Matt_Fury

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They definitely fall into the "odd and unique" portion of my collection.  I am impressed at how these cars have gotten more detailed over the years as well.

I just wish they had some that were strictly OT themed.  Oh well, perhaps if this SW 3D project hits theaters they'll do them.
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Offline JesseVader08

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Thanks for the great reviews, Matt!  I was looking through these cars at QVC.com the other day and was definitely interested.  I was a bit a of a gearhead for a couple years, so nicely done die-cast cars always pique my curiosity.  Naturally, the SW theme really grabs my attention!

I'm assuming that the only "articulation" these cars have is the hood?  Do you get a nice view of the engine?

Is there any sort of "base" for the car to sit on when it's removed from the package?

Now for the toughest question:  if you had to choose one, which would be your favourite, and why?  I ask this because at $60US a piece, I'm likely to only grab one.

    

    

Offline Matt_Fury

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Jesse,

The hood and trunk open and there are also two roof-flaps that you can flip up.  The details of the engines, trunk, interior and undercarriage are amazing!

As far as which one to pick?  I think that depends on what you like when it comes to drivers or themes.  Since I collect the 1:24 scale cars, I want them all....not just one.
« Last Edit: August 11, 2006, 08:52 PM by Matt_Fury »
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Offline JesseVader08

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Ah, with knowledge comes more questions.   ;)

Can you enlighten me on what the difference is between these 2 cars?


Star Wars Episode III 2005 Program 1:24 ScaleDie-cast Car

$40.  Limited Edition of 900.


Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith 2005 1:24 Scale Car

$64.50.  Limited Edition of 2532.


They look like identical cars to me, they both measure 8-1/2"L x 3-1/4"W x 2-1/2"H.






Offline Matt_Fury

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The $64 one has more detail:

die-cast body, chassis, and tie-rod assembly
detailed interior with dual ignition
opening hood
manufacturer-specific engine
opening trunk with fuel cell
roof with opening flaps and camera mount
working steering
wheels that pose
front and rear shocks
disc brakes


The $40 one has a little less in the detail department:

die-cast body
plastic chassis
opening hood
wheels that pose
manufacturer-specific engine
high-quality paint
tampo-printed graphics


They are the same size and the paint jobs are the same though.
« Last Edit: August 11, 2006, 08:53 PM by Matt_Fury »
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Offline Matt_Fury

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I got home from alert today and in the mail was the last of the series for Episode III (and possibly ever).  The Jeff Gordon Elite.
And I think they saved the best for last!

Packaging: Although this one lacks the nice paint schemes that the previous boxes have, this is clearly a superior package for this car.  It's all black, with the Elite logo in gold.  Instead of a top and bottom as the others have, this is a hinged box revealing the car inside, although wrapped in a black lint-free cloth.  Very well done.

Paint:  The paint scheme is the same as the car Jeff Gordon won at Talladega this year.  Plenty of detail with the various sponsor logos, the only true Star Wars items on it are the Yoda and the Star Wars logo on the hood.  Still, a lot of detail went into it and it is the authentic paint scheme for the actual car.

Detail:  I thought all the other cars in the Episode III series had incredible detail until I got this one!!!  Not only does this car have all the detail of the previous cars....it's expounded upon them ten-fold.  There are tethers under the hood, trunk and roof-flaps.  The hood and trunk have extra metal hinges on them which help to keep them open.  The cockpit is absolutely incredible!  There's a seatbelt, cables running throughout and even one to the steering wheel which all I can think is it's some type of tether since the steering wheels are removable to get the driver in and out.  Also, the webbing on the driver's side window is actual cloth and not plastic as in all previous cars!

Overall:  I think this car would be a fitting end to the series.  I honestly don't know how they could improve upon it!!!
« Last Edit: August 11, 2006, 08:55 PM by Matt_Fury »
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Offline Chris Wyman

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Hey Matt, thanks for letting me know about this thread. Great reviews! The only other thing I collect besides Star Wars items is Jeff Gordon diecasts. I've got about 70 or so. The detail is quite amazing, I agree. I only hope that one day I can have the room to display them all like I want to. As of right now, they are all sitting in their boxes waiting.  :P
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