I want to buy lego. Where should I start?

[JohnSmith]

I'm 30. Played with legos till my early teens then forgot about them. Then the movie came out and now I want legos. But since they are so expensive and since I don't like to let people just walk with my money I'm almost certain I'm not buying retail, esp. not after seeing the prices at Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, etc.

 

I'll likely search the internet until I find a decent lego let. But I've been at this for a week and still have to find a good deal. On amazon, for instance, there are a bunch of people trying to sell legos by the pound. But there is so much that is wrong with that business model  that I don't even know where to start with my list of complaints: what if the pieces are all just 2x2's blocks, or all 1x1s, or some other generic/nearly useless piece? what if the bulk of the weight comes from a boat's hull, or some other massive piece? A pound is next to nothing, but in the pictures they upload it sure looks like they are offering a big box full of pieces that obviously weighs more than a pound. Since I doubt they are throwing in the extra pieces and paying extra for the shipping of a heavier package, my guess is that the pieces they actually send you are not the ones you saw on the single picture they were able to upload (which was probably all dark & grainy).

 

That's Amazon. Craigslist is another cesspool of people who think the internet is full of suckers willing to pay retail or next to retail for non-collective used items that are obviously in pretty bad shape and I bet at least in half those cases missing pieces.

 

And then I thought that I'd beat the system if I bought a cup of pieces at the Lego store, only to learn a few hours later that the Lego people are obviously very smart and k now exactly what kind of pieces NOT to place in the bins. There's more than one mall in this area, each with its Lego store and each Lego store with its own variety of loose pieces, but overall the kind / variety of those pieces really sucks.

 

Maybe I should keep checking craiglist until I find a deal?

[justafrog]

1. Decide what you're looking for. From your post, I can't tell if you are trying to buy a big pile of miscellaneous bricks and parts, or if you're trying to buy complete sets.

 

2. Look at the MSRP on LEGO.com of the sets, if any, that are currently available that you would like to own.

 

3. Look at the Brickpicker price guide to determine current market value of the sets, if any, that are not currently available that you would like to own.

 

4. Start watching eBay, Craigslist, and the retail stores for sales and deals. LEGO items are popular, it might very well take you more than a week.

 

LEGO is not cheap. Bargains can be had, but in most cases that's going to take some time, patience, and knowing exactly what you're looking for.

 

Welcome to the site. :-)

[Gee]

Im in the same boat as you. Returning Lego fan. Finally broke down and bought 31010 Treehouse. Its a 3 in 1. I am having a fun working through the the set.

Long story short if you want a set, don't hold out for a cool set for cheap, just buy one.

[brickelements]

Lots of factors to think about.

 

Do you just want to build?  Do you have a favorite theme from your childhood days?

I want to just build and prefer Castles...go to ebay or "gasp" craigslist and starting searching with those terms.

Lego Castle Lot, or Lego Castle LB.

 

Sort the list any way you see fit.  Start smaller, Lego IS expensive.

Popular themed Lego lots can easily sell for more than $10/lb.

 

Mix and match lots with general Lego can be had much cheaper.

Pay attention to the description for clues on how much non-lego may be included, how many minifigs, if any complete sets are present etc.

 

Personally: I prefer Vintage Pirates. I search for it almost daily.

 

A little homework goes a long way to having a satisfactory experience.

 

welcome to the site

[zinger-lego]

Welcome to the site JohnSmith!

 

If you decide to go used bulk lot off of craigslist, you can get some great deals.  Just be aware that some of the great deals are old LEGO's that have gathered dust and grime and a large lot can take a decent amount of time to sort out the chewed, non-Lego, cracked and unusable bricks.  Then you will spend some time washing and drying them.  I haven't found a real fast way to clean them either (especially if they have been sitting out on someone's shelf gathering dust).  Not trying to scare you off from bulk lots off craigslist, just want you to have an idea of what you may be in for!  

[lodibricks]

For me and many others, it's all about waiting for the right sales or clearance to hit. There's no goldmine where deals are available year round. There's forum threads on deals found, so if you follow those, you'll be in the know of when something good hits.

http://community.brickpicker.com/topic/9186-daily-lego-deals-3-26-14/

[ZombieToyChest]

You should do what I did and invest 10k into Prince of Persia sets, just kidding. Take a good look around the forums and you will find what you are looking for.

[binici]

I've had so many great experiences driving around to counties trying to hunt down bargains... It is a thrill and worth it when you find that golden gem.

Anyhow, are you collecting, investing, playing or have some sort of LEGO fetish?

Decide what you want and how you want before anything. Brainstorming can save you the hassle.

Sent from my iPhone using Brickpicker

[Darth_Raichu]

Just go through the first post on the first page of every daily deal thread from the past month or so.  IF none of those deals is appealing to you then most likely LEGO is too expensive of a hobby for you.