Why Buy Repaints?

[GMfan]

Originally Posted by Team Jetfire

As a general rule I stay away from repaints...unless it is a new charater, or a better paint scheme.

My weakness as well. I'll also add if I want the mold to repaint it completely or just do some simple repainting to make it better.

[Whisky Tango Foxtrot]

I try to avoid getting duplicate figures whenever I can (even my Seekers are all different moulds) but I do like the repaint-heavy nature of modern Transformers since it means that if I like a figures mould but not its colour scheme I can just pass it over, confident that there's be a recoloured version released before long.

Essentially, a lot of my collection consists of repaints, but it's almost always because I passed on the mould the first time around.

[C_Shewins]

I only buy repaints that i really like or exist. It really depends. I buy most Thundercracker, Skywarp and starscreams, although they are always the same mold. For example, I buy all 3 jets from the classic line. I think it is kinda dumb to get all three from the classic line, cuz Thundercracker and SKywarp is way over price...but i just couldn't resist. I don't regret that I got most of the repaint I have now. Like Bumblebee and Cliffjumper, they are both awesome when they are on the shelves together.

[Protoman]

Oh boy here comes the rants......

Alright first off......

Why we buy repaints?

For me, it's cause I have to get it all, every version, every character, every running change. But sometimes a repaint is welcomed. Lord knows a new character repainted from a mold instead of a "same character upgrade" is nice to see.

Now.... why it happens

Hasbro at Botcon 2005 stated that repaints are the result of Hasbro trying to get back the money invested in design and making the toy mold itself, all the time and engineering put into it. But see here is the thing......

Why yes they can get away saying that with the 1984-85 and some of the 86 line cause it was from previous sources that don't dip into "Hasbro's initial problem" (and why most of G1 didn't have a repaint problem like say.... A/E/C), it more stems from the fact that we didn't get repaints by the boxful till G2 came around.... and even then, it was thin. Beast Wars came and we got repaints of the odd random bot as a "name save" (Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, ect) or people who were show characters (Fox Kids Repaint line), but some were even REMOLDS (Say Wolfang to K-9 as an example). But not EVERY SINGLE MOLD HAD TO HAVE A REPAINT..... atleast during that time. This would continue into Beast Machines as well with very limited repaints (and more for character/fiction not for "making back the money" story).

RiD/Universe....... the turn of the century in 2000 changed everything. Every mold that we have ever gotten from 1994 and up had to get reused and repainted in some form or another (Some like Scarem dodged the bullet... for now).

So apperently NOW they need to make the money back from molds they designed over 5 years ago.... anyhow, here is the new gimmick.

It's called "Trick repainting". Trick repainting is when a new mold of a said TF toy debuts, they normally color it in colors less interesting or meant for the mold, but since it's a new mold, fans will eat it up. Then down the line, they will repaint it in a far more tangeble color job..... say an expected homage, or just a better paint job..... and well, the fans BUY IT AGAIN......

Botcon 2007 quote at Hasbro Panel

"Originally we were going to have Cybertron Armorhide painted blue then down the line do an orange Huffer homage but instead used it for the exclusives"

They work with that mind frame. It's why we got stuff like Premiums and so on........ I know all of you can name off tons of examples yourselves.

Anyhow yeah....... there was my piece.......

[chans formers]

^^that's so sad cause it sounds sooo true^^

[Sun Swipe Prime]

^^ true, but I guess you can't blame them for trying to make a buck. When you think about it, it's a pretty smart strategy. They know they have the fans by the short ones.

[llfalcon]

If I buy repaints, it's case by case. If in G1, they were repaints, then I'll buy them, eg. Seekers, Convoys, Prowl, Silverstreak, etc. In some cases, I bought a repaint because it was a new character, but I normally don't get them. Fracture, Dragstrip and Overkill were special cases. I also picked up Treadbolt, only because he was $10. I tend to avoid repaints of the A/E/C figures, but caved with Breakaway, Crankcase and Vector Prime. Mostly because they were in expensive, $7.77 for the 1st 2 and again $10 for the latter. I am however interested in the movie Hoist, but then again, I don't own the 1st of the mold, Longarm? I think he only comes in a 2 pack with a repaint of Mixmaster. Again, I don't have him yet, so it's not like I'll own 2 of the same mold. So really, it's case by case. I have some repaints, mostly from Universe, plus the Seekers in Animated, but none in Movie so far.

[MastaP]

I like repaints mostly becuase they often mean I have a CHANCE to get the mold, and often in colours I like more. I'll only buy one of a mold, but most of the toys I have are not the originals

[BeeBoy29]

-gives me a chance to get a mold i missed
-homages a character or is repainted after a character
-better colours then original mold in somecases

[Batman]

Why not? To me if the toy is cool, I don't care if I have 3 different versions of it already, I'll buy it a fourth time if it looks purdy enough