Bandai DX VF-1D - July 2021

[DYRL VF-1S]

39 minutes ago, betocc said:

I got an ETA of August 4th from Neokyo to receive my 1Ds on the warehouse, they sent me an email on July 20th with that info.

 

An operator reviewed your order status #XXXXXX (DX Chogokin VF-1D Valkyrie & Fun Racer). A new estimated time of arrival at the warehouse has been issued.

After investigating the order status, our team issued the following new ETA : 4 Aug, 2021. We wish to emphasise that despite this delay, the order cancellation is not possible at this point. We sincerely apologise for this disturbance beyond our control.

Thanks!

26 minutes ago, spacemanoeuvres said:

Most proxy services named on the forum are rendered useless for TWE after a few releases.

Yup!! I was mostly just trying them out and giving them a 3-strike rule. At this point, even if they deliver, I won't use them again.

[Jasonc]

I have an extra one, which I had to pay a little extra for, but if anyone is interested, pm me.

[sh9000]

I opened mine today.  Minmei fits in the cockpit seat.  She just has her arms on her head and face.

[Chronocidal]

2 hours ago, sh9000 said:

I opened mine today.  Minmei fits in the cockpit seat.  She just has her arms on her head and face.

I tried the Yamato Minmay, but she rattles around something awful... just like in the Yamato VF-1D, only worse.

Really need a custom made figure for her... and an actual 1/48 Hikaru.  Only problem with the DX-1D is that the back seat has basically no leg space at all.  You might get a 1/48 pilot figure in there, but you'd have to cut them off at the knees.

[F360]

what about the Hi-metal R Minmay,, did anyone try to put that in?

[Chronocidal]

2 hours ago, F360 said:

what about the Hi-metal R Minmay,, did anyone try to put that in?

If you intend to stow her under the seat, that might work, otherwise I think she'll be a pinball.  

[Gabe Q]

I'm not sure if this is the best place to ask but here goes. What is the absolute most I should pay for this? I figure: retail price + proxy fees + overseas shipping + small markup. Does $350 shipped seem high, low, or just right? 

I really wanna get one of these really bad but don't want to get ripped off. I'm usually a model kit guy but this release I just can't pass up. The ebay prices seem really high. 

[betocc]

9 hours ago, DYRL VF-1S said:

Thanks!

Yup!! I was mostly just trying them out and giving them a 3-strike rule. At this point, even if they deliver, I won't use them again.

FYI I just received an email that my 1Ds arrived to Neokyo warehouse 

[Anasazi37]

14 hours ago, sqidd said:

Just got this email back from Luna Park about their crap packing:

Yes, we have received some report from buyers of the new figure (DX VF-1D), as the item was super popular, we sold over 200 units, so we have given the whole container to DHL, we asked DHL to warp them, however, DHL didn't handle the parcel with care, we feel bad about it.

we have confirmed that DHL shipped 78 units of DX-1D so far, still over 100 left, we already told them do use bubble warp, don't just ship it in plastic bag. (if you wanted to order DX VF-1D)

and from now on, we will not give wrapping job to DHL anymore, we will start wrapping ourselves, please rest assured, your order will be wrapped with care.

thanks again.

regards

LUNA PARK

Two things:

1. That's a really crappy packing job. Thanks, DHL. Feeling bad is great and all, but I'm hoping that Luna Park will offer some kind of partial refund for damaged boxes.
2. Over 200 units? I think there was a limit of four per person, so that means they got 50 people to help. I think that's impressive, but maybe it's small potatoes compared to the big proxies.

[DYRL VF-1S]

30 minutes ago, betocc said:

FYI I just received an email that my 1Ds arrived to Neokyo warehouse 

Awesome! Thanks For the update. Nothing on my end but happy to share when I hear back.

[Sanity is Optional]

Looks like my proxy shipped my pair out via DHL, ought to be here in a couple days.

Waiting is hard…

[no3Ljm]

12 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

Looks like my proxy shipped my pair out via DHL, ought to be here in a couple days.

Waiting is hard…

What's a couple of days more? When you were waiting for this since December of last year. 

 

[Sanity is Optional]

12 minutes ago, no3Ljm said:

What's a couple of days more? When you were waiting for this since December of last year. 

 

Guess I'll just have to be satisfied with the Tachikoma & Major Kusanagi figures that showed up today.

[no3Ljm]

20 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

Guess I'll just have to be satisfied with the Tachikoma & Major Kusanagi figures that showed up today.

Ooh. Is it the one from 2045? Robot Damashii or the Variable Hi-Spec?

 

[Sanity is Optional]

Just now, no3Ljm said:

Ooh. Is it the one from 2045? Robot Damashii or the Variable Hi-Spec?

Variable action Hi-Spec. Just managed to finish cramming the Motoko figure inside the tachikoma and posing it in driving mode.

Impressive amount of (necessary) articulation on the Motoko, all double-joints plus thigh and bicep twist and lots of ball joints.

[ErikElvis]

On 7/24/2021 at 6:14 PM, no3Ljm said:

 

C'mon now. Don't be so harsh. Things we buy? Those are not crap. They're investment. 

 

 

I’ve never collected as an investment but damn do I have a lot of stuff to move.  I don’t know if I plan on boxing everything up or just shoving them in the pod we’re renting and moving them one by one. Or whatever I can carry at once. 
 

totally psyched to be able to display all my statues now. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by ErikElvis

[no3Ljm]

18 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

Variable action Hi-Spec. Just managed to finish cramming the Motoko figure inside the tachikoma and posing it in driving mode.

Impressive amount of (necessary) articulation on the Motoko, all double-joints plus thigh and bicep twist and lots of ball joints.

Cool. Care to post some pics in the Ghost in the Shell thread?  

1 minute ago, ErikElvis said:

I’ve never collected as an investment but damn do I have a lot of stuff to move.  I don’t know if I plan on boxing everything up or just shoving them in the pod we’re renting and moving them one by one. Or whatever I can carry at once. 
 

totally psyched to be able to display all my statues now. 

That is going to be my dilemma soon. 

 

[markoN1]

9 hours ago, Gabe Q said:

I'm not sure if this is the best place to ask but here goes. What is the absolute most I should pay for this? I figure: retail price + proxy fees + overseas shipping + small markup. Does $350 shipped seem high, low, or just right? 

I really wanna get one of these really bad but don't want to get ripped off. I'm usually a model kit guy but this release I just can't pass up. The ebay prices seem really high. 

I paid $345 shipped. Cant find it cheaper.... Don't know what was the initial retail price...

[CzarAlko]

32 minutes ago, markoN1 said:

I paid $345 shipped. Cant find it cheaper.... Don't know what was the initial retail price...

You are not too far off, at AE they were about $270 for pre order, then shipping put another 50 60 bucks, you are already at 320-330, so paying an extra 20-30 to get it now without having to go through the nerve wrecking trouble of pre ordering it, I think its fair

[spacemanoeuvres]

Yeah even the folks that managed to get it via proxy from Bandai paid $300-$350. No one outside of Japan was able to get this at “list price”; and there was no “retail” price as this was a web exclusive. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by spacemanoeuvres
wrods

[sqidd]

28 minutes ago, spacemanoeuvres said:

Yeah even the folks that managed to get it via proxy from Bandai paid $300-$350. No one outside of Japan was able to get this at “list price”; and there was no “retail” price as this was a web exclusive. 

My buddy in JP got me two at $226.03/ unit. Now he ships to Tenso ($10ish). Then Tenso to me. I'm guessing $120-140 (they're pricey). I'm guessing I will have mine in hand for $295-300. I think that's as good as it can possibly get. So $50-60 more as a late fee without the benefit of a local buyer seems pretty fair to me. 

[sqidd]

Anyone get one fro DEJapan? I paid last week (I know they had a holiday over the weekend). But it has been two business days over there since the holiday and still crickets on tracking.

[wm cheng]

For Canadians - my Hobby-Genki order where I specified EMS got "upgraded" to DHL (I think at pre-order the EMS was actually a little more expensive 5,200Y) and its taking at least 8 days delivery (scheduled for Jul 30th).  As expected from DHL, I was dinged with customs, tax, duty and brokerage fee - but it was less at $34cdn than I expected, so my total shipping costs came out to $94cdn just in shipping alone!  Argh. 

[betocc]

13 minutes ago, sqidd said:

Anyone get one fro DEJapan? I paid last week (I know they had a holiday over the weekend). But it has been two business days over there since the holiday and still crickets on tracking.

I got 1 package of 1Ds shipped from DeJapan before the holydays and I´m waiting for another one that I did pay last week, at least I was able to get one shipped before holydays, that one is already on customs on my country so I should be able to get them in a few days.

[MKT]

From all the pics I'm seeing, its great Bandai managed to cram the racer and its stand into the existing clamshells. No extra packaging weight or footprint than necessary for shipping, which can help a lot during these times.. I don't think they can fit anything more in there though.

[Paco Grande]

30 minutes ago, wm cheng said:

For Canadians - my Hobby-Genki order where I specified EMS got "upgraded" to DHL (I think at pre-order the EMS was actually a little more expensive 5,200Y) and its taking at least 8 days delivery (scheduled for Jul 30th).  As expected from DHL, I was dinged with customs, tax, duty and brokerage fee - but it was less at $34cdn than I expected, so my total shipping costs came out to $94cdn just in shipping alone!  Argh. 

Usually that estimated delivery date is a "worst case scenario" date. It should arrive much faster than that. I'm still baffled by my Luna Park DHL delivery. I paid 3000Y back in December for shipping which was most likely EMS at the time. They did not ask for more money for the DHL shipping and on top of that it was delivered last week and I have still not received any fees at all from DHL. It's bizarre. Not sure if it was a glitch or what. The packing job sucked and the box was a bit damaged but I'm still happy because I was expecting to pay what you paid. I do feel your pain though! I've been screwed by many expensive shipping bills this year.

[spacemanoeuvres]

43 minutes ago, sqidd said:

My buddy in JP got me two at $226.03/ unit. Now he ships to Tenso ($10ish). Then Tenso to me. I'm guessing $120-140 (they're pricey). I'm guessing I will have mine in hand for $295-300. I think that's as good as it can possibly get. So $50-60 more as a late fee without the benefit of a local buyer seems pretty fair to me. 

I agree ~15% late tax is not too bad. A little time and patience will save a few more bucks but may not be worth the trouble. 

[vladykins]

3 hours ago, markoN1 said:

I paid $345 shipped. Cant find it cheaper.... Don't know what was the initial retail price...

I paid 27800 + 4480 for shipping, so 32,280 (which is currently about $295 total). But that required hitting Anime Export at the right time and such. $345 at this point is not unreasonable.

[derex3592]

I emailed Anime Export on their website contact feature this morning.  Still radio silence from them on mine...We'll see what happens. 

[peter]

How's everyone's experience with My Kombini?  They said it would be available 25Jul21, it's now 27Jul21.  I paid the balance owning (for shipping) on the 23rd.

 

I know, it's only been two days......just that I got *ucked by NY, so I'm a bit nervous about pre-orders.

[Sanity is Optional]

So I bought 2, and looks like my all-in cost is ¥55,760, including proxy fees, extra packaging, and shipping with DHL.

About $510 for both.

Checked my card statements, looks like the exchange rate was worse on the first payment. $535 for both.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Sanity is Optional

[spacemanoeuvres]

23 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

So I bought 2, and looks like my all-in cost is ¥55,760, including proxy fees, extra packaging, and shipping with DHL.

About $510 for both.

Checked my card statements, looks like the exchange rate was worse on the first payment. $535 for both.

You’re right; I was looking at the VF-1J Armor Combo which was closer to 300 a piece all in.

I typically use surface mail so it’s a bit cheaper. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by spacemanoeuvres
wrods

[Sanity is Optional]

Once again, DHL is ridiculously fast shipping.

Package shipped out of Japan on Monday (there). Scheduled to arrive this evening (Tuesday) in California.

Accounting for time difference, that's a little over 2 days.

[sqidd]

1 minute ago, Sanity is Optional said:

Once again, DHL is ridiculously fast shipping.

Package shipped out of Japan on Monday (there). Scheduled to arrive this evening (Tuesday) in California.

Accounting for time difference, that's a little over 2 days.

I just got a FedEx package that was shipped Yesterday (JP time) and was on my doorstep this morning at 10:30am EST. That's just ridiculous (in a good way). The DHL package that left JP yesterday won't be here until tomorrow. Soooooo slow!

And yeah, the Fan Racer is pretty small.

All I need now is the DX GBP and the Hikaru shelf is done!

[Rogueload]

41 minutes ago, sqidd said:

I just got a FedEx package that was shipped Yesterday (JP time) and was on my doorstep this morning at 10:30am EST. That's just ridiculous (in a good way). The DHL package that left JP yesterday won't be here until tomorrow. Soooooo slow!

And yeah, the Fan Racer is pretty small.

All I need now is the DX GBP and the Hikaru shelf is done!

Looking good @sqidd