When did Scalextric become so expensive?

Haze said:
It's never been cheap, not sure if serious
Click to expand...

danlightbulb said:
It's never been cheap as I wanted this as a kid but it was expensive present.

But isn't this one of those things that is more an adult hobby now than something for kids. Childhood hobbies turned into adult hobbies are expensive as adults have far more disposable. Train sets are the same.
Click to expand...

Interesting - I actually feel a bit guilty now as I think my parents bought us quite a bit of stuff and I don't think I fully appreciated that it wasn't cheap and didn't really take that much care of it.

Really good point about the Train Sets/Subuteo - also, those Citadel warriors are still in fashion (Hero Quest, Warhammer etc.). They are also quite expensive - again, I had no idea until recently that they still made those things.
 
Last edited:
I had the cricket version of Subbueto as a kid. Also had Scalextric, the pack where you got a black JPS Lotus and a 6 wheel March Ford. The Ford was always at a disadvantage because of the rear drive wheels were the same small diameter as the front wheels, whereas the Lotus had the normal big diameter wheels, so for the same rotational motor speed the effective track speed was much greater than the Ford, so it urinated all over the Ford on straights. Also had a Ford Escort Mk1 RS1600 with working lights. Absolutely no idea what happened to it all.
 
The thing is you're probably looking on ebay at cars you remember which will now be classics and have the same nostalgia factor. Looking online you can buy new cars for ~£20
boxerslot.com

Scalextric Compact - Coches, Circuitos y recambios

Compra todo lo necesario para disfrutar de tu Scalextric Compact, toda la emoción de Scalextric en tamaño reducido.
boxerslot.com boxerslot.com

I went through a phase around 13-14 where i bought loads of it for dirt cheap. I think the late 90's/early 00's was probably when it was easy to pick up the stuff cheap. It had passed its original hay day but hadn't quite hit retro level. I had a freaking amazing car, think it was a yellow Ferrari F50 and it just was glued to the track!

EDIT. This was it

Ninco Ferrari F 50 Shell Slot - Precios y tiendas | Ninco Ferrari F-50 Shell Slot - Encuentra Ofertas Y Precios

Encuentra los mejores precios de Ninco Ferrari F 50 Shell Slot.SIBOOM encontrar las ofertas en la red y ahorra. Comparar los precios Ninco Ferrari F 50 Shell Slot hoy.
www.siboom.es www.siboom.es
 
Last edited:
Nostalgia. People remember them from when they were a kid and probably couldn't afford one (my parents couldn't) so they buy them now as a reminder of their childhood. Matchbox cars if in mint condition and still with box sell for a lot of money
 
Scaletrix was never cheap. Nor was model railways.

I had the group C "Porsche Power" set one Christmas and another I got a Hornby Midnight Freight set. I can remember them being extremely expensive. We would go to second hand model fairs to buy stock and trains as brand new they were crazy.
 
I had a Scaletrix as a kid, figure of 8 one with 2 cars.

I really wanted it so badly and to be fair it did get played with a fair bit, but the replayability of it was nothing compared to something like lego.

And yes as others have said I think it always was expensive.

I also found with Scaletrix the little metal electric contact/runner parts on the underside of the cars were always a bit rubbish, and didnt seem to last very long.
 
BUDFORCE said:
I had a Scaletrix as a kid, figure of 8 one with 2 cars.

I really wanted it so badly and to be fair it did get played with a fair bit, but the replayability of it was nothing compared to something like lego.

And yes as others have said I think it always was expensive.

I also found with Scaletrix the little metal electric contact/runner parts on the underside of the cars were always a bit rubbish, and didnt seem to last very long.
Click to expand...
That’s what mine was. Figure 8 Knight Rider set with KITT and a Datsun 240z.

I vaguely remember a friend of a friend having a massive set in their loft laid out on a board. The cars had lights and everything.
 
Last edited:
I had a Race & Chase set up. It was so cool at the time. Working lights and everything! Best bit, you could do J-turns with the cars.

My parents didn't pay what they seem to be asking for the set now though...no way they would have been able to afford that.

www.ebay.co.uk

MATCHBOX POWERTRACK PT6000 RACE & CHASE - FULLY RESTORED - MECHANICALLY PERFECT | eBay

PT6000 RACE & CHASE. New Motor Pinion Gears. New Rear Axles and Drive Gears. slot racing set. The set has all of its accessories including all Bridge Supports, Crash Barriers, Corner Aprons and Apron End Tabs.
www.ebay.co.uk
 
Whiffle said:
What has happened to Scalextric?
Click to expand...
same as everything else, they moved production to china or somewhere.
Have shareholders who want maximum profits.
and suddenly we have no manufacturing industry and everything is more expensive than it ever was.


you barely see any kids on bikes either these days, too expensive, RC cars too expensive.

barely even see a football around.

everything went full on capitalism without the competition that's supposed to keep it in check.


anything that used to be a cheap hobby is now expensive.. how much is fishing gear these days? in the 90s almost every teenage lad I knew had some fishing gear.

now you see almost no one doing it.


even teenage hobbies became a thing for wealthy middle classes and dentists
 
Last edited:
I have fond memories of changing the metal wire pickups on the bottom of cars. Also the smell of the track and cars after running for a while. Does anyone remember TCR? Total Control Racing. It was like Scalextric but you could flip a button on the controller and the car would change lanes.
 
Last edited:
Hades said:
I have fond memories of changing the metal wire pickups on the bottom of cars. Also the smell of the track and cars after running for a while. Does anyone remember TCR? Total Control Racing. It was like Scalextric but you could flip a button on the controller and the car would change lanes.
Click to expand...

Yeah I had quite a decent TCR set-up....boht have pros and cons, but I think I prefer Scalextric as the cars were bigger :D
 
I actually take back what I said about things being expensive. Well maybe they were expensive back then compared to wages but with inflation they are stupidly expensive now.

I found online that this Hornby set retailed for £50 in the late 80's/early 90's. That is a little over £100 in todays money. That was my Christmas present in the early 90's


The nearest thing I can find that is comparable is nearly £200 and comes with less track than what I had!
 
I had a TCR set rather than Scalextric, with the ability to change lanes and with a ‘jam car’. Far more fun but incredibly unreliable.

None of these things were cheap.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom