79103 - Turtle Lair Attack

[MI678]

Seems like it may be the only set worth keeping from the first wave?  Thanks in advance!

[@rtisan]

Honestly I`m not sure if the set will be a good investment. I`d lean toward no (same for the entire line), but I`m also not a TMNT fan. Basically means I wouldn`t touch it unless heavy discounts came along. I`d buy into the line if I saw 40% off, but not on all the set put it that way. If I had to choose one set from the first wave to lead the others it would be the Turtle Van. And even that one isn`t great. Bottom line if you want to make money, chances are you`ll be better off else where. Stranger things have happened though, the theme may skyrocket and leave most everyone with their mouths open  , though I seriously doubt it. 

[spener90]

Some of these have sold for fairly well.  I sold the lair for $50 recently, buy in was just shy of $25.

[Veegs]

I tend to check the shelves of every store I go to, and at least in my area you can still get TMNT stuff, Lone Ranger and CHIMA.  That tells me that if it doesn't sell at Christmas, its potential is limited.

 

That being said, buying in well under MSRP should still provide some cash at some point.

[amnesiac]

I really like TMNT but I feel like TLG really dropped the ball on this line. The minifigs are pretty awesome from the turtles to Shredder to Splinter but the sets just really seem kinda meh. If I were gonna pick something from the first wave I would go with the Baxter set first as it was an exclusive to TRU and after that I'd probably go with the Lair as its a huge part of the TMNT mythos. Even still I wouldnt go wild with it...

[supraboy888]

In my neck of the woods, TMNT and Chima goes like hot cakes. I was at the lego store and saw someone pay $149 + 12% sales tax on Chi Temple. I wanted to whisper to her that I'm unloading it for $120 cash. Problem was, I was sold out. The Turtle Lair are all but wiped out of the TRU shelves. I saw two sets of parents at Toys R Us in Richmond B.C. digging all over for the last Lair and nearly flipped, not only themselves but the shelves. There were at least 5 kids crying and asking where it was. I told him I have it for $45, cash, in my trunk, they came to me and took 3 sets off me. I usually drive around with 3-5 sets of different lego, usually Chimas or Turtles, and some city sets. I just roam around TRU looking at what people are buying. My world is a lot different than a lot of what's going on in the US. I laugh to the bank when Chimas are unloaded at fire sale. As long as people in the US don't want this stuff, I'll be happy to take every piece of it at a discount.

[Brickshopper]

In my neck of the woods, TMNT and Chima goes like hot cakes. I was at the lego store and saw someone pay $149 + 12% sales tax on Chi Temple. I wanted to whisper to her that I'm unloading it for $120 cash. Problem was, I was sold out. The Turtle Lair are all but wiped out of the TRU shelves. I saw two sets of parents at Toys R Us in Richmond B.C. digging all over for the last Lair and nearly flipped, not only themselves but the shelves. There were at least 5 kids crying and asking where it was. I told him I have it for $45, cash, in my trunk, they came to me and took 3 sets off me. I usually drive around with 3-5 sets of different lego, usually Chimas or Turtles, and some city sets. I just roam around TRU looking at what people are buying. My world is a lot different than a lot of what's going on in the US. I laugh to the bank when Chimas are unloaded at fire sale. As long as people in the US don't want this stuff, I'll be happy to take every piece of it at a discount.

Your world is apparently A LOT different then ours

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

These dont move for crap in terms of parting out. Baxter has finally picked up a little tracking, but the others are failures. Almost as bad as lone ranger and WAY worse than Chima. To me, that tells me low interest.

 

I think they are worth a shot - at least one of the better sets. I have a couple baxters and want a lair and van. But not too much more than that.

[rcdb1984]

Last year i remember TMNT were cleaned off the shelves.  These were around last christmas.

[lowillsw]

The TMNT toys are moving.  Makes me kind of scratching my head why kids don't want TMNT Lego.  At 50 for the most pricey set, Lego basically wave the white flag on this one.  

[supraboy888]

Your world is apparently A LOT different then ours

No kidding dude. The TMNT moves like freaking hot cakes and I'm ******** myself for not loading up enough on Black Friday.......people were cleaning the shelves of the Shellraiser at $69.99 a pop plus 12% taxes......pissed me off when I could've had it on Amazon.com for $35.99. I was having shaky fingers and removed 10 from the cart because people in this forum said TMNT is a bad investment. I could've flipped 10 easily at $60.

[supraboy888]

The TMNT toys are moving.  Makes me kind of scratching my head why kids don't want TMNT Lego.  At 50 for the most pricey set, Lego basically wave the white flag on this one.  

$69.99 for the most pricey set in my neck of the woods and moving like hot cakes.

[supraboy888]

These dont move for crap in terms of parting out. Baxter has finally picked up a little tracking, but the others are failures. Almost as bad as lone ranger and WAY worse than Chima. To me, that tells me low interest.

 

I think they are worth a shot - at least one of the better sets. I have a couple baxters and want a lair and van. But not too much more than that.

Way worse than Chima? Are you saying Chima can't move. I'm heading to the lego store now. Was there yesterday, all the craggers and Chi Temple were wiped out. Asked the rep where the heck these sets have gone, he said all sold. I'll see if they restocked later.

[fuzzy_bricks]

Not investment related, but I hated building this set and it's too fragile for my kids to really play with.

[zskid00]

I'm in for a couple that I think I got for right around $35 but I doubt I'll pick up any more.  I loved the TMNT as a kid and I have the entire LEGO lineup for my personal collection but I'm definitely not stocking up on anything yet.  Maybe once the EOL is imminent for some of these sets I'll check back in.

[nolanfan34]

Parents fighting over Turtle Lairs? Kids crying? Chima sets wiped out? I think your part of the world your strategy should be the Costanza school of investing.

[supraboy888]

Parents fighting over Turtle Lairs? Kids crying? Chima sets wiped out? I think your part of the world your strategy should be the Costanza school of investing.

Dude, I just went to the lego store and all the Chima Cragger and Temples are gone.

Mod edit: You could probably tone it down a bit. You're at an 8, we could use you at around a 5.

[TheDarkness]

Mod edit: You could probably tone it down a bit. You're at an 8, we could use you at around a 5.

I lol'd. Where do we find our current rating on the Troll-O-Meter.?

I picked 10 up locally at $37.50. I'm happy to sit on them a bit and see.

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

Way worse than Chima? Are you saying Chima can't move. I'm heading to the lego store now. Was there yesterday, all the craggers and Chi Temple were wiped out. Asked the rep where the heck these sets have gone, he said all sold. I'll see if they restocked later.

 

I am talking about when parted out. Chima moves perfectly fine. But CHristmas is different than the rest of the year too - you have to remember that.

[thirsty]

Chima doesn't move here, but then folks out on the left coast always did seem a little different from us flatlanders.... 

[jaisonline]

I tend to check the shelves of every store I go to, and at least in my area you can still get TMNT stuff, Lone Ranger and CHIMA. That tells me that if it doesn't sell at Christmas, its potential is limited.

That being said, buying in well under MSRP should still provide some cash at some point.

I agree.

In my opinion, I think TMNT will fair like Toy Story and Cars after retirement. So money will be made depending on how much you paid below MSRP. There are plenty of people still making cash selling Cars and Toy Story at MSRP prices since the buy-ins were 50%- 75% below retail.

Too bad these sets didn't come out in the early 1990s to catch the tail end of turtle mania part 1

[Veegs]

In my neck of the woods, TMNT and Chima goes like hot cakes. I was at the lego store and saw someone pay $149 + 12% sales tax on Chi Temple. I wanted to whisper to her that I'm unloading it for $120 cash. Problem was, I was sold out. The Turtle Lair are all but wiped out of the TRU shelves. I saw two sets of parents at Toys R Us in Richmond B.C. digging all over for the last Lair and nearly flipped, not only themselves but the shelves. There were at least 5 kids crying and asking where it was. I told him I have it for $45, cash, in my trunk, they came to me and took 3 sets off me. I usually drive around with 3-5 sets of different lego, usually Chimas or Turtles, and some city sets. I just roam around TRU looking at what people are buying. My world is a lot different than a lot of what's going on in the US. I laugh to the bank when Chimas are unloaded at fire sale. As long as people in the US don't want this stuff, I'll be happy to take every piece of it at a discount.

 

I see your point - in a busier urban center (I'm in Windsor, ON, 200,000 pop) I'm sure that everything moves from the shelves at Christmas, and there are more opportunities to sell sets out of your car.  Unfortunately, the TRU and Wal-marts here are still stocked with TMNT and CHIMA, some LR and the like.  I bet if I drove up the 401 to Toronto I could move a lot more product using your tactics.

 

I guess you gotta know your local market.