I feel very strongly about this topic. Late 90s and Early 2000s Diecasts will always be my favorite. The quality is unmatched. I would LOVE to see Lionel go back to the Elite 1/64 Diecasts in the future.
History of Diecast Brands: Early 90's: Racing Champions, Matchbox, FunStuf, Road Champs Mid 90's: Racing Champions, Matchbox (until 1995), & Hot Wheels Late 90's: Racing Champions, Winner's Circle, Action, and Hot Wheels 2000's: Winner's Circle, Team Caliber, Racing Champions (until 2005), Hot Wheels (until 2005), & Action 2010's: Lionel, Winner's Circle (until 2010), & Spinmaster NASCAR Authentics Today: Lionel (including NASCAR Authentics)
Jonathan M. Hot Wheels were until the end of 2005 like Racing Champions & you also forgot to add FunStuf & Matchbox to the list of Diecast Brands. FunStuf for early 90's & Matchbox for early & mid 90's
1999-good 2000-good 2001-good 2002-good 2003-good 2004-good 2005-good 2006-good 2007-good 2008-good 2009-good 2010-good 2011-bad 2012-worse 2013-awful 2014- so-so 2015-it's OK 2016- did you even try 2017- come on your better than this 2018-BRING BACK WINNERS CIRCLE!
Lionel also makes me mad when they put pre order diecasts available and then they cancel them, like if your not gonna make it don't put it on your site. For example almost every Xfinity diecast
Bieker Bros they do that so they know how many to make. They don’t want to make like 500-1,000 diecasts and not really sell them. So that’s why they do that. I can understand why they do it, but I think you shouldn’t pay full price for it until it gets released if you pre-order.
The reason they don’t care about quality is because there is no one to battle them to make better quality die-cast so they don’t have any one to worry about.
The quality has gone down and the 18 scale cars went away. I collected the 64 scale and the 24 scale, but it was something about the 18 scale that I loved!!! Great video...
Are you familiar with 1:12 scale cars? While very uncommon, they do exist and I have a couple collector buddies that have at least one in their collection. I don't have one, but they are a goal. I do have a couple 1:18 scales, though.
Very informative video! My son and I collect diecast mainly 1:24 but the cars are just like everything else these days you know. Cheap parts low quality and higher production numbers and their bottom line is #1. We'll never see the days of high quality products.
100% agree and I think the problem is they have no competition so they can be lazy because it’s a “take it at this quality and price or don’t buy it” type deal. It sucks because my paint comes chipped, uncentered and basically all of what you said. What sucks is if their sales drop they’ll just be like “oh this wasn’t a popular diecast, we aren’t producing it” I’ve gotten at least 3 emails that they aren’t producing it so not buying from them won’t work, they just have a monopoly right now and have no challenge
I miss those diecast car's from 2000-2007. I wish we could go back to those 2007 cars or Xfinity 2008 or 2009,2010, diecast car's like those again. I want them back to. Because I grew up with them before.
I stopped collecting in 05 & was dissapointed to find out they quit making metal 1/64 diecast with rubber tires when my lil bro started collecting in 2015.
I feel the same way about nascar hats made by New Era, like a new era wouldn’t even fit on my 3 year old nieces head properly much less a grown mans head. I mean I’m paying $30 for them at least make them to where you actually wear them and not just sit them on top of your head, hoping a 1/2 mph gust of wind doesn’t blow it off. I will forever flat out refuse to buy a nascar hat made by new era. Screw them guys.
No one to compete with. Plus the sport isn't as popular among fans as it used to be and NASCAR drove off its core fanbase. I used to want to tune into every race, now I find myself tuning in less and hearing about rules packages, how good the stages are and having it shoved down my throat about how exciting it all is. I could say a lot about the reasons why, but the main thing is greed, greed has gotten us to this point and now with one manufacturer making diecast, I'd rather go after the older stuff at least its better quality and it helps get you through the rough patches, nostalgia helps these days.
I know exactly how you feel. I bought a 1/64 Austin Dillon die cast and the 3 on one of the sides is angled upwards and it drives me absolutely insane.
I get the cheap nascar authentics at walmart or target with the white inside, because they are soo easy to modify, and they don't cost a lot if i mess up. What i do is i take them apart, and i paint the chassis and roll cage silver with a paint marker, and I paint the suspension and exhaust black. I also paint the dashboard, seat and net black, and under the back window. I then take the windows out and paint the edges and corners black, then out everything together. Sometimes I take a toothpick and paint the bolts and rivets on the windows and windsheild. But I agree. The RCCA from like 2002-2008 where the best on the market that were widely available, and they cost as much as the ones now. THe hotwheels racing legend kyle petty car Is the most realistic though. It has suspension and multi part metal steering system. I have a few hotwheels ones and an RCCA jimmie johnson from 2004, and they are still my favorite. (every car mentioned is in 1/64 scale).
NASCAR.com has them at 10 dollars and it’s honestly absurd they should be 5-7 for the quality they are made at. I haven’t collected as many because of how much they cost I wait till the next season when they’re discounted oh and my Larson 2014 car the target logo LITERALLY PEELED OFF ITS HALF A LOGO
Look. Geno you are 100% right. I have a collection of late 90's and early 2000's 1:64 cars and you are right that they look like 1:24 diecasts. PTC molds are completely trash. EL molds are the best. I spent up to about 1000 dollars on those cars from the time period above. Now I only buy my driver Chase Elliot's cars, and whatever looks good. But now I hardly get anything. All I'm doing is getting my 2015 Jeff Final Ride car, and that's it. Thank you for reading my rant.
I feel the exact same way. I basically stopped collecting modern diecasts because of the embarrassing “quality” of those things. Like what in the world is Lionel doing?! I was really looking forward to the 2018 Cessna car and when I saw it for the first time I was ticked. There needs to be elite 1:64s and platinum series 1:64s like back in 2007!!!
I have spent over 271 dollars on 1/64 this year and I would agree that the quality is terrible but I wasn’t a nascar fan when the quality was half good. I was born in ‘04 and wasn’t a NASCAR fan until ‘09
Also I just ordered yesterday a Kasey Kahne from 2004. His Mountain Dew skeem dodge intrepid. The only thing I’m mad about is that it’s coming in 11 days
I think one reason diecasts have decreased in quality is because lionel is having to make vastly different molds for each manufacture, but that isn't a legitimate reason for having decals way off place or having the wrong color scheme. Another reason may be that lionel is trying to get the new cars out as fast as possible.
That particular kind of diecast was discontinued as soon as Lionel took over. So you won't find them anymore man. I feel ya. But it's a different time. Nobody wants to put the Time in. I got most of those, and more. I also got the 1.24s. They suck with them too. Everything is being cheaply made. There's no competition. Only Lionel.
Rainor Tyre I know, it’s such a shame. I’m basically pleading for Lionel to make them again. I would love to have a platinum series 2018 chase elliott mtn Dew 1:64.
I wish we still had that detail but at the same time, they have less detail because most of the time, little kids will have their hands on them and destroy them and if the hood were come off, it could be a choking hazard
Lionel Racings Gold Series just ain't enough and hello Geno how is your day. I got 17 diecast Thursday , not trying to brag, but 12 from my aunt and 5 from my Walmart. Wave 3.
I'm also going to wait for the 2019 Jamie Mcmurray Cessna because I can't stand how they perform on one my stop motion tracks. I'm sure you've had them same issue.
So was Revell made by Action I actually like the old Revell ones for some reason I’m talking 1/24 ones . The action ones are great as well even the older non elites
For me 2018 was the worst year for the 1/64 nascar diecast you believe me 1 year with the dale jr cars in the stores and more in walmart is the store im going everyday and other for cristhmas im buy a ricky sthenhouse and coming with a tire tha are very difficult to play with it but thanks to god that the quality are more good today
And when they wrap the cars, you can see the lines and they kind of hang around the windows. Are you kidding me? for 10 bucks? And, on amazon, they can be 25 DOLLARS. I could have bought 2 RCCA's on ebay for that money.
What do expect for an $8 toy? It even says on the box that they're suitable for children 4 years old and up. You want quality, and a good looking diecast, you're going to have to invest in adult collectible 1/24 Elite diecast.
I will NEVER buy an elite now. I will be buying Kevin Harvick's car this year at Watkins Glen only because it's his last year. I'm hoping he'll be at the trailer to sign it.
