D23 Albert Is Real!!

[cac1959]

I've said for years... Cars sell in spite of Mattel, not because of Mattel.

I imagine most of us where very unhappy with how Mattel chose to release Albert Hinkey... a very limited release available (currently) only available at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California... that's not a good way to treat customers who have supported this line going for years... be it individuals who may drive hundreds of miles a year to out of town cities to shop or smaller online resellers who continued to order product at times the big retail stores quit ordering and carrying product due to not knowing how to order and being stuck with non-selling inventory due to case assortments.

At the start of the day yesterday they were allowing people to buy 6... after a bit they lowered that number to 2... and then 1... and they were not letting people back in line to buy more... I've heard they sold out... I've heard they sold out for the day... I've heard the only ones remaining have damaged boxes... but being in Indiana and not in attendance I have to rely on what I've heard or read about from others who are there.

Currently your best bet, if you want one, is to go on eBay... current prices are from $119 to $179 shipped buy it now... which is a lot of money... but keep in mind that people had to buy single day or three day passes to the Expo (single day passes were about $75) and may have had to pay people to stand in line after buying a pass for them.

Will there be any left after the Expo that we'll see them on mattycollector.com? Don't count on it... will more turn up in a warehouse somewhere after the event like Barry Diesel did? It's hard to say.

I wish Mattel would have made 4000 Albert Hinkey and given more people a chance to buy it at the retail price... but they didn't.

Congratulations on being able to acquire an Albert Hinkey, Bumper Save... that's a great story that you shared with us.

Please refrain from improper language and personal criticism of others - it's Mattel we need to be unhappy with.

[jestrjef]

Truly a bitter sweet release ... and I second what cac is saying, these cars certainly sell IN SPITE of Mattel. I know in my area cars fly off the pegs with in a week of a case hitting the shelf. repeats and new cars alike. I have never understood why it seems Mattel likes LOSING MONEY to the secondary market ... just crazy ... such a great opportunity to reward all of the long time collectors and instead they reward the secondary market. Thanks for making "BIG AL" just wish they would have been more considerate when figuring out how to release him to the public.

[bobbyjack]

I ended up ordering one of eBay this morning. Total cost of $1 under the maximum budget I allowed myself for this purchase. I will probably put him away when he arrives and let my kids give him to me for Christmas.

[boogity]

as a matter of interest i,ve just checked e bay for albert, convoy bros and barry, wish i,d never have bothered now, its put me in worse form, however I did find a barry in cake topper and christmas dec form which wernt too badly priced

also checked bubba and the showgirls too......

at least when collecting my ferraris and little cycling figures there is none of this skulduggery

cheered myself up by watching "stay wud ,er johnny" on u tube, its a short irish rally complilation, check it out

[Bumper Save]

Congratulations on being able to acquire an Albert Hinkey, Bumper Save... that's a great story that you shared with us.

Thank you, Chris. I'm truly thrilled to be able to have this car but it is bittersweet for myself as well seeing how many collectors on here are unable to acquire it for a fair price. Mattel really threw a sucker punch with this release, and it is truly unfair to all of us loyal collectors. I've gotten extremely lucky to have had someone grab me an Albert - but it shouldn't be a matter of luck to get a collectible we have waited years for. It is disrespectful to collectors for Mattel to release Albert like this, it's a big middle finger in the face of the few hundred loyal people who have emptied their pockets year after year and have put up with lots of this skullduggery (good way to put it boog) from the company which only profits from our hobby.

[Nitroade]

I agree and understand most of the frustration here, it's annoying and its getting old, but it is Mattel. :P
I did end up purchasing one from another member, and to justify myself I just look at what happened with the Convoy Brothers, which I'll probably never own at the current price.
I didn't realize his banner wasn't the same as the movie until it was pointed out, but I would've noticed eventually. :P

At the end of the day he's still a cool piece, and D23 is a collectors event, right? At least we're not into Frozen with those signature dolls going for $900 on eBay.

[GotFrank]

the banner is not only a mess, but is NOT canon as well. And Big Al??? Might as well call him Bessie!

"CIAO Lt. McQUEEN" and "Equipo El Rayo McQueen" spring to mind...

[John in Missouri]

I thought the same thing about Equipo del Rayo.

[CarsDiecast08]

I got one off Ebay for a not too bad price, free shipping. Having quite a bit of savings put away I didn't have any shame in spending it on my hobby of collecting. Its only money, I work and eventually I'll put money back into savings. Life goes on and at the end of the day Mattel's still rolling in their money piles with their unorthodox ways of releasing their merchandise.