Bandai VF-31AX Kairos Plus - Hayate Type

[Bolt]

1 hour ago, no3Ljm said:

Cool!  And once they decided to upgrade the Kairos Plus to a Kairos Plus Max version, post a comparison pics and videos as well. You never know, it might feature a bigger Fold Crystal for wider coverage.  

 

Lol. We'll all be waiting on @jenius's video comparisons.

[jenius]

Hopefully I have a new workspace by the time this arrives! It's really odd not having one at the moment.

[Mommar]

13 hours ago, sqidd said:

It will probably be less expensive to get it directly from JP.

And if BBTS does carry DX's how do per orders work?

These days shipping is usually so high from Japan ordering domestic is cheaper outside of the three month boat wait.

[sqidd]

6 hours ago, Mommar said:

These days shipping is usually so high from Japan ordering domestic is cheaper outside of the three month boat wait.

It will probably be less expensive to get it directly from JP.

[Mommar]

45 minutes ago, sqidd said:

It will probably be less expensive to get it directly from JP.

Unless you're shipping via freight I doubt it.  That hasn't held true for the last nine months since places like Amazon Japan finally figured out international DHL for $7 is a bad idea.

[Jumbo]

On 7/6/2021 at 11:13 AM, seti88 said:

Orders on pre-order days open at 4PM JST for the major JP online retailers like ami-ami. 

Other non mainstream retailers may also open orders before that, but it is a risk on whether your orders will be fulfilled.
However lately they also have been fulfilling orders ok. 

The best thread to monitor PO activity would be in the PO thread pinned in this section..

 

Thx you very much for your answer  ^^

[sqidd]

9 hours ago, Mommar said:

These days shipping is usually so high from Japan ordering domestic is cheaper outside of the three month boat wait.

 

1 hour ago, Mommar said:

Unless you're shipping via freight I doubt it.  That hasn't held true for the last nine months since places like Amazon Japan finally figured out international DHL for $7 is a bad idea.

On another board we took some recent Macross releases and compared the BBTS "landed on your doorstep" price and compared them to the "landed on your doorstep" price buying from JP with DHL shipping and JP/DHL came out to be less. And of course you will get them 2-3 months faster than BBTS. If you have other examples with the included math/facts please post them up. I'm sure everyone would like to start to get their head around what the future may hold.

If/when places like BBTS start offering things like DX's (I have no idea how they will handle the PO thing) will we know for sure. I suspect that once places like BBTS add their markup and tax getting items directly from JP by DHL will probably be less. Or so close to the same why wait the 2-3 months.

Or ship from JP by boat and absolutely save money.

[spacemanoeuvres]

1 hour ago, sqidd said:

 

On another board we took some recent Macross releases and compared the BBTS "landed on your doorstep" price and compared them to the "landed on your doorstep" price buying from JP with DHL shipping and JP/DHL came out to be less. And of course you will get them 2-3 months faster than BBTS. If you have other examples with the included math/facts please post them up. I'm sure everyone would like to start to get their head around what the future may hold.

If/when places like BBTS start offering things like DX's (I have no idea how they will handle the PO thing) will we know for sure. I suspect that once places like BBTS add their markup and tax getting items directly from JP by DHL will probably be less. Or so close to the same why wait the 2-3 months.

Or ship from JP by boat and absolutely save money.

I think it would be nice to have another retail option.  How much was BBTS compared to scalpers lol jk

Edited July 7, 2021 by spacemanoeuvres
wrods

[no3Ljm]

21 minutes ago, spacemanoeuvres said:

I think it would be nice to have another retail option.  How much was BBTS compared to scalpers lol jk

I don't think BBTS charges people with scalpers' prices. The one great thing with BBTS is their customer service which you're not going to get for sure from scalpers.

 

[sqidd]

44 minutes ago, spacemanoeuvres said:

I think it would be nice to have another retail option.  How much was BBTS compared to scalpers lol jk

So far less than scalpers!

21 minutes ago, no3Ljm said:

I don't think BBTS charges people with scalpers' prices. The one great thing with BBTS is their customer service which you're not going to get for sure from scalpers.

 

I agree. If you ever have a warranty issue and you got it from BBTS you're good in the hood. If you get stuff directly from JP, good luck.

I got my DX Voltes from BBTS because I didn't want to deal with any warranty issues and the box is SO big that DHL get's really expensive. It actually ended up being less money (just a smidge) to go through BBTS. 

I ordered the Ultimetal Megatron through BBTS too. Same reason. Warranty and HUGE box.

[F360]

The Metal Build Gundam line would be a good example comparing what similar price it would be compare to buying from BBTS vs buying directly from Japan

First it will depends on if they can get it from local distribution.. (over the counter / general releases) .. if so it will have a similar msrp.

If it's a TWE/P-Bandai or a event item then BBTS will need to use their proxy or something to get it so it will have a high extra charge,, at that point you might as well just get it from Japan or if P-bandai USA.

 

BBTS does offer excellent customer service, so you are picky on your toys or normally happens to have toys that falls apart on you, or need that extra sharp corner on the box then BBTS will be a good option.     

 

[Special Sauce]

On 7/7/2021 at 1:10 PM, F360 said:

The Metal Build Gundam line would be a good example comparing what similar price it would be compare to buying from BBTS vs buying directly from Japan

First it will depends on if they can get it from local distribution.. (over the counter / general releases) .. if so it will have a similar msrp.

If it's a TWE/P-Bandai or a event item then BBTS will need to use their proxy or something to get it so it will have a high extra charge,, at that point you might as well just get it from Japan or if P-bandai USA.

 

BBTS does offer excellent customer service, so you are picky on your toys or normally happens to have toys that falls apart on you, or need that extra sharp corner on the box then BBTS will be a good option.     

 

There's no way I'd or order from Japan if it was available from BBTS as an American customer.  Even if the price was more I'd still order from BBTS.  At most all I'd have to pay is a small deposit or nothing at all to pre-order.  Then you have the good customer service and reliability of an established company.  

[dur]

I suppose if enough people wrote polite e-mails to BBTS customer service requesting that they offer DX macross stuff, it would happen.  Hint hint.

[Mommar]

On 7/7/2021 at 11:04 AM, sqidd said:

 

I got my DX Voltes from BBTS because I didn't want to deal with any warranty issues and the box is SO big that DHL get's really expensive. It actually ended up being less money (just a smidge) to go through BBTS. 

I guess I don’t have to post any examples…

[spacemanoeuvres]

2 hours ago, dur said:

I suppose if enough people wrote polite e-mails to BBTS customer service requesting that they offer DX macross stuff, it would happen.  Hint hint.

Good idea; it would be really great if they offered DX Valkyries

Edited July 8, 2021 by spacemanoeuvres
wrods

[Slave IV]

I don't find customer service to be a factor in buying high end Japanese toys. In all my years of buying them and the hundreds or thousands I have, maybe three had any issue worth bothering with and those were all handled quite easily, even by one of the shops considered to have the worst CS imaginable. Saving $20-$40 or more on each purchase adds up for me to get more toys or whatever plus I save enough to cover any possible catastrophe that might happen myself if I really had to.

[Sanity is Optional]

(Aside from NY) I've only ever had one real issue. The SV-51 I bought off CDJapan had the ankle issue, and I couldn't get a repair kit from Arcadia through them.

Fortunately Arcadia was willing to ship me a set to a Tenso address, so got it fixed. Haven't bought anything at CDJapan since.

[sh9000]

If BBTS sold them I’d still buy them from Amazon JP, HLJ, or any place else.

[Slave IV]

3 minutes ago, sh9000 said:

If BBTS sold them I’d still buy them from Amazon JP, HLJ, or any place else.

Yeah, I like BBTS but they are pretty much the last resort for any toys I buy, including domestic ones. Too many other places that provide similar service, have lower prices, no tax and free shipping.

[sqidd]

2 hours ago, Mommar said:

I guess I don’t have to post any examples…

For VF-XX DX size boxes you do.

 

[Special Sauce]

I guess I should clarify.  I'll buy from a US retailer, if it's possible, 100% of the time.  Doesn't have to be BBTS.  Just easier to deal with if there's a problem.

[Mommar]

15 hours ago, sqidd said:

For VF-XX DX size boxes you do.

 

You haven’t posted any numbers and you already contradicted yourself.  Nope.

[sqidd]

3 hours ago, Mommar said:

You haven’t posted any numbers and you already contradicted yourself.  Nope.

It's not my job to present you a case. I know what the results are. If that's not good enough for you, cool. Carry on.

I didn't contradict myself. DX VF-XX boxes are apples and DX Voltes boxes are oranges. it's a completely different cost comparison.

[twich]

So, with the new designation of VF-31AX Kairos Plus, what else, besides longer arm guns, dual beam cannon mission pack and custom heads will improve on these Valkyries to make them "plus"?  I wonder if they did away with the expensive fold wave system and uprated engines and dialed it back for more reliability.  I hope we get some mechanical information soon.

[Sanity is Optional]

Well, one of the big things looks to be the joint area where the wingtip hinges over and the v-stab attaches. It looks like it's beefier now, and also serves as an attachment point for the new out-board super packs.

[sh9000]

On 7/8/2021 at 4:36 PM, Slave IV said:

Yeah, I like BBTS but they are pretty much the last resort for any toys I buy, including domestic ones. Too many other places that provide similar service, have lower prices, no tax and free shipping.

This.

[enphily]

 

[Sanity is Optional]

Oh interesting, they bashed a SV-262's gun onto a VF-31's pod?

[enphily]

21 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

Oh interesting, they bashed a SV-262's gun onto a VF-31's pod?

no it's not from sv-262

[Special Sauce]

Really hoping this isn't a pain to get when it's up for pre-order.  Hopefully US retailers will be able to start selling Macross toys.

[spacemanoeuvres]

I don't think I like the AX as much as the A but she still looks like a sweet bird.

 

Also hope that some US retailers offer DX Valks *fingers crossed*

[Miles_Wolf]

I think it's soon to see Valkyries officially on webs outside Japan. Maybe next year or at the end of this, but now? We would had heard of it already.

[seti88]

Waiting for pics showing the larger fold quartz in more detail...

yea that looks like Windermerean tech in terms of the 262ish gunpod..

[Sanity is Optional]

32 minutes ago, seti88 said:

Waiting for pics showing the larger fold quartz in more detail...

yea that looks like Windermerean tech in terms of the 262ish gunpod..

Given the colors, the telescoping sections, even the muzzle, it's definitely based on a SV-262 gun.

[seti88]

26 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

Given the colors, the telescoping sections, even the muzzle, it's definitely based on a SV-262 gun.

hmm that being said....wasnt the vf-31 armored over the shoulder railguns also in a similar vein?

Edited July 16, 2021 by seti88