I find myself trying to decide if getting the figures MISB is so necessary with this line since they'll be so expensive and Ill end up opening them anyway. Most times I really want to be the first to break the seal but not sure so much because of the price with Binaltech.

Difficult call. All my BTs were brand new MISB, but I'd say at least 50% had paintwork imperfections right out of the box. Everything from chips and scratches and painted-over-dust to, in the case of blue Tracks, a different shade of colour on the doors!!

 

So if you do buy opened, beware there may be imperfections even if the item is "mint as new"...

I find myself trying to decide if getting the figures MISB is so necessary with this line since they'll be so expensive and Ill end up opening them anyway. Most times I really want to be the first to break the seal but not sure so much because of the price with Binaltech.

I hate MISB collectors... Why buy a transforming robot if you dont want to you know transform it? Makes as much sense as MISB Games collecting.

"Dude new PS3 is out, so getting one for MISB" :tfevil

I dont keep them MISB, there's just something awesome about being the first one to open the figure.

Question for anyone that may know, Do the BTA Figures, Red Alert, Sunstreaker Broadcast come with the cardboard stands like the previous figures?

I find myself trying to decide if getting the figures MISB is so necessary with this line since they'll be so expensive and Ill end up opening them anyway. Most times I really want to be the first to break the seal but not sure so much because of the price with Binaltech.

I hate MISB collectors... Why buy a transforming robot if you dont want to you know transform it? Makes as much sense as MISB Games collecting.

"Dude new PS3 is out, so getting one for MISB" :tfevil

I dont keep them MISB, there's just something awesome about being the first one to open the figure.

Question for anyone that may know, Do the BTA Figures, Red Alert, Sunstreaker Broadcast come with the cardboard stands like the previous figures?

 

BTA Red Alert, Sunstreaker, & Broadcast come in robot mode in their respective boxes. But they doesn't come with a display stand for alternative mode like the BinalTech.

 

In my opinion.....Go with the BinalTech. They have a much BETTER resale value than the Alternators. That and the fact that DIECAST toy are so hard to find now a days.

 

For me personally I brought 2 of every figures in the BinalTech line and some Alternators here and there to get the character that wasn't released in the BinalTech/BTA/Kiss series. (ex. Rumble, Ravage, and Swerve)

This is the line that got me back into TFers at all. Even as a kid, I wished TFers had been an 'all car' series. I am still madly in love with the binaltech line and think it's one of the best series to date - along with the masterpiece line. IMHO (and i've ranted about this before) the newer Alternity series just does no justice to the BT line whatsoever.

 

Speaking as a person that ownes 100% of both the ALT and BT line (my 9 yr old son has all the ALT's while my BT line is on display in a curio) i can say that Liege was most direct and to the point...

 

 

If you want to PLAY with em and transform them a bit -- GO ALTERNATOR - the plastic can take the abuse.

 

If you want to DISPLAY them -- the quality, paint and diecast of them make them much better display pieces -- GO BINALTECH

 

 

As far as them being 2-3x the money -- that's completely on you. But I would not get the BT line and expect to transform them a lot and not get scratches in the paint - and the joints looser due to the weight and material.

 

 

Also, as far as the MISB vs MIB -- if you are going to OPEN them -- you will save a bunch of money buying them MIB. 100% of my collection was purchased MISB. It was worth the extra $ to me, to be the only one to open them, and know their history and when they were transformed. You have to ask yourself if that is important to you. If not, then absolutely - get some MIB if you can (Loose if you don't care about the boxes).

 

 

The only complaint that I have about the BT's (and i've been lucky that NONE of the BT's that i purchaesd had any noticeable manufacturer defects) was the names they released and used (or rather did NOT used). For a series to be out this long, and not have a megatron? no starscream? no bumblebee? no soundwave? I mean, there are just a lot of the PRIMARY names that never got used. It is in this issue alone, that I do like what the Alternity line is doing. Their name release is MUCH better. But the quality of the line doesn't compare to the BT line. The paint isn't as nice, and there are joins in areas that detract from their vehicle mode imho. They look more like toys, whereas the BT line looks more like diecast models. The ALT and BT line are both dead tho - and thus no new ones are coming out. The Alternity line is fairly new, only has a few cars out, so you can look foreward to the new releases for awhile into the future.

 

Best of luck to you. I hope you enjoy them 1/2 as much as I do mine and pick the series best suited for you.

I find myself trying to decide if getting the figures MISB is so necessary with this line since they'll be so expensive and Ill end up opening them anyway. Most times I really want to be the first to break the seal but not sure so much because of the price with Binaltech.

I hate MISB collectors... Why buy a transforming robot if you dont want to you know transform it? Makes as much sense as MISB Games collecting.

"Dude new PS3 is out, so getting one for MISB" :tfevil

 

I am not a fan of keeping them MISB either -- however, there does come a value point that you have to question them. I opened up 'all' of my BT line - including Mirage. However, when it came to BT Nemesis Prime that has a price point of close to $1000 now??? Yes, I left that one MISB myself. Is breaking the seal worth $500 bucks or more?? Especially when you have 4 others of the same vehicle?? That's the only one that I couldn't bring myself to open.

 

But why do you have to want to transform them to admire them?? Imho, it's nothing like game collecting at all. You do not change the quality of the game by playing it - it's electronic - not made up of wearable joints, scratchable paint, and possible breakage. Your comparison is simply not in line. For me, I admire the engineering and look of them. For me, that's why I buy 2 of some (like MP Grimlock) so that I can put them in both modes and admire them both. And with the BT line - EVERY SINGLE MOLD has a repaint (ie, Hound has Swindle) Thus you can actually purchase just 1 of each and have at least 2 of each one to display in both vehicle and robot mode.

 

As I said, i'm no fan of MISB collecting either - but I don't understand the hate or disrespect for differing methods of pleasure in a collector.

 

 

 

Back to the original poster.... re MISB vs Loose and saving money...

 

As far as saving money or not, whether to collect MISB or opened -- what I would do - create a spreadsheet of each one. List the amounts you can buy each one for MISB and MIB (or loose) - whether ebay, craigs, stores, etc. And then look at the difference in total cost for the series - and individually and save money where you want. I think a lot of it comes down to your disposable income and how important it is for you to have been the one that opened it. It was worth it to me. It's probably not to most. You can definately save a lot of money otherwise. And good luck finding BT Nemesis - it's usually not even listed for sale. But ebay has one for $875 right now. So it's going to be a difficult series to get 100% complete (if that matters in your decision making also.) Hell, maybe you save enough money buying each one loose/MIB from the MISB price - that you can fork over $875 and have a MISB BT-17 nemesis as well. Food for thought.

I find myself trying to decide if getting the figures MISB is so necessary with this line since they'll be so expensive and Ill end up opening them anyway. Most times I really want to be the first to break the seal but not sure so much because of the price with Binaltech.

 

If you're going to open them up and TF them a few times anyway, I would suggest going Alternators where possible. They hold up much better to wear and tear. If you're committed to spending BT prices, though, you could go MISB on Alternators for the same price. So... yeah. I just complicated the decision with another option to consider. :-P

I find myself trying to decide if getting the figures MISB is so necessary with this line since they'll be so expensive and Ill end up opening them anyway. Most times I really want to be the first to break the seal but not sure so much because of the price with Binaltech.

 

If you're going to open them up and TF them a few times anyway, I would suggest going Alternators where possible. They hold up much better to wear and tear. If you're committed to spending BT prices, though, you could go MISB on Alternators for the same price. So... yeah. I just complicated the decision with another option to consider. :-P

 

Not really. If your going to go Alternators and actually transform them - why buy MISB??? Your not getting anything for the extra money. You might as well save the $ and go MIB/loose.