| Anson |
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Anson was a manufacturer with variable quality. I saw some poorly painted Studebaker Golden Hawks in Toys-R-Us...real D quality stuff. (Maybe TRU gets a deal on factory seconds...?) Older Anson models sometimes have very noticeable door gaps.
However, like some other manufacturers, their later offerings were much improved. They did a respectable job with their Prestige series releases of the '32 Cadillac, '31 Peerless and '34 Packard. Many thanks to them for looking beyond the usual automobiles chosen to model. These must be more expensive to do, what with all those parts. Unfortunately, Anson has succumbed to the realities of the marketplace and is no more. Let's hope that Signature takes up the trend to release earlier year models.
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| AUTOart, AUTOart Millenium |
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AUTOart have one of the best quality/price ratios. Not that there aren't better models (such as Exoto, CMC, and other high-priced models), but for modelling realism at a reasonable price, AUTOart is hard to beat. Excellent fit, finish, interior and engine detailing. (Thank you, AUTOart, for the Jags and Corvettes! More, please.) Rated AA.
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| Bburago |
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My first 1/18 diecast was actually a Maisto. However, it was Bburago models which got me into this hobby. They were widely available, inexpensive (and often on sale), and usually of interesting cars. I have had to change the previous sentence to the past tense because Bburago is now out of business. At the moment, no other manufacturer has picked up the line. The problem is that, although they might have been worth the money, there was nothing exceptional about them. The engines and interiors were very plain, often with stick-on dashboards. The wheels and tires of several models from the 1928 Mercedes SSK to the 1957 Ferrari Testarossa are all identical!
It may not be worth it to another manufacturer to buy the molds, because a bigger problem is that the scale varies from 1/18. For example, their '30s era Bugatti, Mercedes, Alfa Romeos, Jaguar, etc. all seem to be the same size...what I call "box size". Although they could be rereleased with better dashboards, wheels, chrome parts. etc., nothing can be done regarding the scale of the original molds. Perhaps the rights to cars like the Mercedes gull-wing will be picked up and a new model produced. But also, Bburago, like Ertl, did a lot of rereleasing in different colors and variations (e.g. race versions, 'Executive' versions, etc.) and a prospective buyer may decide that the market has had enough of Bburago's models for the time being.
If you want any Bburagos, you should acquire them as soon as possible.
Typically a C (with exceptions).
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| Chrono |
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Chronos are now showing up as Sun Star models. While the detailing of original Chronos is not first rate (e.g. stick-on dashes) the overall look is decently done. Quality is usually B or B*.
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| CMC |
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Pretty much state of the art. If you don't mind the price, purchase without hesitation. CMCs are truly exceptional models in all aspects. Could be rated AAA.
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| Eagle (a.k.a. Eagle's Race or Eagle Collectible) |
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Well, the first Eagle model I acquired (the Model T Ford) broke. The problem was the brittle plastic used for the underframe and other parts. A problem which plagued this release. The paint was flawed, too. Their '41 Chevrolet is a more successful offering. Generally, a B- rating.
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| Ertl |
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Ertl has been taken over and some fans will be pleased by their latest offerings, but I am disappointed. They only seem to be interested in movie cars (e.g. The Fast and the Furious, Gone in 60 Seconds, Grease, Happy Days, etc.) and other merchandising tie-ins (e.g. baseball team versions of previous releases, anniversary editions, etc.).
Their American Muscle series is discussed below. Their Precision 100 Ford series (AA) is one highlight, although the release program has ended with just five cars released. I got a very badly produced Lincoln Zephyr which I had to return for replacement. Their Walter P. Chrysler Collection series (AA) seems to have disappeared off the map after only one release. The 300C was great but nothing has followed. (Yat Ming released the Chrysler Turbine and Signature released the Airflow which might have been slated for this line.) The Authentics line (A+) is welcome, with usually nicely turned out models. Their Classics line consists so far of three 1930s American cars (Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg). The quality here varies a little more than the P100 or WPCC but so far this line is rated A. Unfortunately, nothing has been seen from this line since the Duesenbergs (and they were movie star cars). The Britain's line is generally a B-.
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| Ertl American Muscle |
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Ertl's stock-in-trade is cars released under their 'American Muscle' banner. Ertl have a penchant for releasing and re-releasing cars in 'Limited Editions', in different colors and versions (and prices). For example, there are over 70 versions of their '69 Chev Camaro! They sometimes charge a premium price for this 'exclusivity'.
Often, the model that the edition is based on is not high quality, and doesn't justify the price. The engines are typically one or two color, the interiors and dash are simple, the chrome strips sometimes don't line up, and often the trunks are non-functional. If you want that model, you have to pay the price.
Quality is usually C to B+ but there are exceptions.
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| Exoto |
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If you like their offerings, and have the money, acquire without fear. Exotos are truly exceptional models in all aspects. Rated AA.
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| Guiloy |
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Another company that got ahead of itself on price was Guiloy. In their premium range, their '37 BMW 327 and '37 Delahaye were good models but the quality rating was one step below the cost rating. Guiloy did a superb engine (A+), bodies are good (B), but the interiors are often only average (C). They tended to fall down on the little details.
Again it is a case of "if you want the model, you have to take what you get". Well, I do want the models, and on balance I have to say thanks for the out-of-the-ordinary car selections. But, I just wish that the total package maintained the quality of their engines.
In their defense, I should point out that these were not the volume sellers that models of more popular cars would be. Also they were made in Spain, not China, which didn't help the economics.
No sign yet of the release of ex-Guiloy models by someone else.
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| gmp |
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Another outstanding line that comes with a high price but is worth it for those collectors who demand the best. Rated AA.
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| Highway 61 |
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If you like the American muscle cars cars that Highway 61 produce models of, you can collect them with confidence. Although they are somewhat expensive (upper 'b' to lower 'a' range), the quality is there. Interestingly, they sometimes are less good with their overall look, but are very good in the details, such as motors and hinges. That is why I give them an A+! rating. I am mostly interested in their 1950s offerings, but have also picked up the 1963 Buick Riviera.
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| Kyosho |
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Kyoshos are usually very good in the quality/price tradeoff. There are exceptions such as their older release of the Mercedes Gullwing 300SL (which was little better than Bburago quality!) Their models are very light weight, which might bother some more used to the heft of an Ertl or MCC. Rated A. (However, on earlier releases watch out for quality control problems with chrome strips or parts fallen off.)
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| Maisto |
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A company that sometimes produces a quality rating higher than its cost rating, but not reliably so. Not outstanding in any one department, some Maisto models capture at least a little bit of that magic that makes a model special. Maisto has a large catalog of models, and like Bburagos, they are commonly available at reasonable prices.
At their best, Maisto models have generally good paint and their dashboards have a little extra work in them. Some of the Maistos in my collection have details like strapped down spare tires. Another nice touch is working suspension. That still may not be good enough for you, but disappointments are rare. Their Premiere series is a great buy. The Maisto '37 Mercedes 500K is a fine model, I think just making it to an A.
Maistos often achieve a B- rating. However, that is not always the case. Earlier Maistos and, unfortunately, some new releases are let down by being merely average in some areas, most notably the dashboards. The quality range for Maisto goes from D to A-.
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| Mattel |
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A huge toy company, Mattel is famous for their Hot Wheels line. Around the year 2000, Mattel signed an exclusive contract to produce Ferrari models in 1/18 scale. Other companies had to drop 1/18 Ferraris from their production. (This may have hastened the demise of some companies such as Bburago.) Mattel reliably produces a quality rating about the same as its cost rating. Not outstanding in any one department, Mattels are commonly available at reasonable prices.
They have generally good paint, and the dashboards and engines are competent. Note, though, that Mattel have been releasing (or re-releasing) much of their catalog in an Elite series, at higher cost. However, these seem worth it. Everything about them is better and this line is very welcome.
Ordinary Mattels achieve a B- or B rating. However, the Elite series rates an A.
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| Mira |
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Competent models but with mostly mediocre interiors and engines. The dashboards are usually stick-ons. I don't like the inner side of the wheels being white. Another unfortunate detail is that Mira use decals for logos rather than print on the model. Occasional nice bits and generally good paint, but overall a C.
Out of business. Molds were bought owned by Solido, also now out of business. Ertl has picked some up.
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| Motor City Classics |
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MCC produced the model which first got me to part with my 'open sports cars of the 50s' collecting habit: the '48 Chrysler Town and Country Wood-paneled convertible. The car is quite the land cruiser, to be sure, but a very nice model in gunmetal gray. I couldn't resist!
MCC has been quite successful with their 'Woody' line of models, using real wood veneer for the panels. Generally maintain a B rating. Their Concours d'Elegance line is much improved and rates an A-.
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| Motor Max |
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MM do some interesting models...too bad the quality is not there. What I've seen so far does not impress me. The fit and finish are poor, especially the chrome trim. I hate dumping on any maker but generally I have to give this line a D.
It would be nice to see Motor Max step up the quality a bit.
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| Revell |
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Like Guiloy, a little pricey for what you get quality-wise. On older releases the interiors are nothing special, the trunk lids are often non-functional and that magic quality is missing. Overall the quality (C) is less than the prices would warrant.
However, their later releases are improving in quality. Their more recent releases are in the B category while their MGA and Volvo rate A-.
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| Ricko |
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Another interesting newcomer is Ricko.
Their proposed releases include a lot of German cars. They have released the BMW 507 (previously released by Revell) and the 1936 BMW 328 (Yat Ming version, 1940). Their Wanderer is nicely finished with flocking in interior AND trunk. However the side window attachments are crude. Dashboards are competent. Both BMWs are improvements over the previous releases. The 507 dash is not greatly improved (which is surprising) but the rest of the cockpit and the exterior detailing is much better. The engine is quite good, too. There is a working trunk and very life-like tonneau cover. The 328 is improved in all departments, especially the engine.
Problems: the 507 has four very noticeable mounting 'teats' on its underside, and the 328 is only supplied with a (poorly-fitting) top up accessory. The 507 comes with a top but I have been unable to remove the cover! Usually B- to B+ rating.
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| Signature |
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Signature have a very ambitious release program planned, although models announced on their web site as future releases disappear from the listings at a later date. Generally maintain a B rating although some models rate B+ or A-. Some very good releases (Lincoln Zephyr), but some less good examples (Jaguar XK120) let down the side.
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| Solido |
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I have a lot of 1/43 Solidos, mostly of models I can't find or don't particularly want in 1/18. However, I am not impressed with their 1/18s, especially their older releases. (Many Solidos are not even true 1/18 scale. That disqualifies them from higher ratings, in my opinion.) I haven't seen enough of the line to place a D on all of it, but their '34 Ford Roadster, '30 Bugatti Royale and '61 Rolls Royce, for example, I rate as Ds.
Solido acquired some Mira molds and released them as Solido models. Now, however, Solido has gone out of business and the future of both lines is up in the air.
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| Sun Star |
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The quality level of Sun Star is hard to pin down. Their '61 Chevrolet Impala is a fine looking model (esp. in black) that I rate a B+, and their '39 Horch gets an A-! Their '64 Galaxie doesn't quite have the detailing and thus rates a B.
However, their '53 Bel Air seems off scale... too big compared to similar cars of the period. (See comments under this entry.) I hope their future releases will be more like the Impala, or better still Horch, in quality.
An interesting development at Sun Star is their Platinum series. These models are fully A+ quality with prices generally in the low a category. The quality of production reminds me of Highway 61 or even Ertl Authentics.
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| UT |
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Like Kyosho and AUTOart, UTs are very good in the quality/price tradeoff. Their models are fairly consistent, but the average quality is perhaps just a little below those two.
Rated A-. Owned by AUTOart, they are no longer being produced. Some of the UT line may be released under the AUTOart banner.
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| Welly |
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Welly have never tempted me to buy their products because their quality, while a little better than Motor Max, is not on the level I demand for even the worst of my collection. However, I have just acquired their 1953 Ford Crestline convertible and can report that the quality level of that model (B) is much better than previous releases. Thank you, Welly, I hope for more in the future.
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| Yat Ming (Road Legends, Road Signature) |
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With substantial improvements in quality recently, their models are now fairly consistently B- quality. Earlier ones are C and sometimes D.
Yat Ming was one of the earliest manufacturers of 1/18 scale models. Like many companies back then (the 1990s) their models were what today can only be considered as poor quality. Their interiors were very simple with stick-on dashboards and the engines were monochromatic lumps. Yat Ming models had non-functioning trunks (and most still do). The exteriors were competent, but lacked any 'magic'. However, with their more recent releases there are signs that YM are capable of much better. Their recent model releases of 50s American cars don't quite make a B but earn a B-. Some get a B*. Even their reissues of older models (e.g. Edsel) seem better.
Their Signature series provides better than usual Yat Ming quality. Their Studebaker Golden Hawk is the finest of the three choices available...a solid A. But the prices are getting higher and in some cases don't seem worth it. The 1961 Chrysler Imperial, for example, doesn't have the quality level to justify the 'a' level price asked.
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