Recent Finds: November 2012 Store Finds

[niftynigel]

Walmart in the US have just released a case, possibly the best ever!?

It includes

39 - Erik Laneley
43 - Otis
44 - Suki
45 - Alex Vandel (Chase)
46 - Nick Cartone
47 - Fabrizio (Chase)
50 - Sir Harley Gassup (Chase)

arbara over at CTT speculates there could be a Super Chase (or two) in there as well!

That makes the following Cars yet to be released in the UK...

28 - Vladimir Trunkov
30 - Victor H.
40 - Cartney Brakin' (Chase)
47 - Fabrizio (Chase)
48 - Alexander Hugo/party hat
49 - Mary Esgocar
50 - Sir Harley Gassup (Chase)

The UK couldn't possibly have a case with all that lot in? Could it? Enough to go round, say 2,000 like a normal general release case?

C'mon Mattel UK, you know it makes sense!

How about a 36 - Rip Clutchgoneski in there too? We'd all think Christmas was coming!

What a close for Cars 2 that would be. Come to think of it, Mattel UK, you owe us!

[cac1959]

Hopefully the above case that you mention in the reply above this, niftynigel, is the Walmart "special pallet" from the 3 or 4 canceled 2012 singles cases... I still don't think we'll see any Super Chases at US retail stores... at least I hope not, because Walmart is so hit and miss... I've not seen any case newer than the 2012 case A with Mel Dorado at any Walmart - that gave me the inspiration for the parody of the Eagles song Desperado that I called Mel Dorado and posted in:

http://www.pixarcarsdiecast.com/foru...-by-the-Eagles

I'm going to try to record that song this weekend.

And I will check a few stores this weekend in search of Cars...

[boogity]

neat, nifty nigel, will get on the blower and check a few shops tomorrow
thanks

[Hunter]

Went to my Kmart today and found really good Cars I needed..

#41 Galloping Geargrinder


#28 Vladimir Trunkov

[KingCollector]

Nice finds Hunter!

[alexlnufc]

Great to see new cases coming, surprised Toymaster are first though!
Found Suki and Vandel in Argos and Tesco respectively, also found a World of Cars Cactus Lightning Mcqueen in a Tesco.. how old would this be??? Only Cars 1 die-cast they had, didn't scan either! Still managed to get it mind.

[niftynigel]

I don't think it's that Toymaster are first with a case as such, it's down to what Mattel have in their warehouse at the time. As they got the 998G case when they did, probably means that all the 997J cases had been shipped out and are either in stores or stores' distribution centres. My local Sainsburys have become the latest store to put a 997J case out. You'll probably find that case 998G will be the next on general distribution for the next couple of weeks or so. Sales are up and I've noticed many stores are out of stock, which means reordering = restocking = new cars!

There are 2,000 of the general circulation cases. Tesco ordered 2,500 cases, so they initaially got 997J like everyone else. They'll probably get 998G and whatever follows. Wiilkinsons are surprisingly selling their ancient US cases, so hopefully they will get restocks of new cases too!?

The two local Disney Stores to me that were still stocking them have said that it's unlikely that they'll get any more now and that the line is now discontinued. That's sad if it's true, unless ...

... they are the launch store for the 2013 range?

It'll be great if they were. Not many stores are in a position to carry the line through 2013. The supermarkets won't be interested until next Christmas, when the line will be on it's way out.

[madbob]

Thanks for the info Nifty Nigel, how can you find out all those figures? Are they available to anyone online! With PJs report of Mattel having not a great selection of cases on the system it sounds like Toymaster, Sainsburys & Tesco got there first and Mattel have only old stock left.

[madbob]

I have found remains of Case J at Tescos, Sainsburys and Argos and remains of case G at a toymaster shop in High Wycombe.

There is good value on Cars 2 singles at the moment, Argos are 3 for 2 and Tesco are selling singles for Ł3.85 each.

Does anyone know the UK case for Cartney Breakin?

[cac1959]

Found a Burnt Autonaut McQueen at an Indianapolis area Walmart on the way back from a Nathan's Playroom conference that I attended with GOMATERGO... we stopped at 1 Walmart, 1 Kroger, 1 Toys R US, and 1 Target... Couldn't spend $50 at TRU to get a free Metallic Take Flight 2 pack... I saw the David Hobbscapp 7 pack and Captured Professor Z 12 pack at Target - I'm not going to buy them at the Target retail price... I'd rather spend that $80 towards new cases (2013 singles and Movie Moments) and get more new Cars that I want.

[niftynigel]

madbob -

I speak to lots of people at retail, Mattel, Disney, TRU, Smyths. Many staff have't got a clue or don't care, but there are some out there who are clued up, possibly because they are collectors too? Anyway, you get to know when someone is telling the truth or when someone is just fobbing you off. I thought it was general knowledge about the general circulation cases numbering 2,000. When you look at the number of Tesco, Sainsbury, Argos, Wilkinson etc., then the figure of 2,000 appears to be realistic.

Some staff at Mattel have been good enough to offer information, others not so helpful.

40 - Cartney Brakin' (Chase) was supposed to be in case 996W. It was a process of elimination. I fear the UK may have missed that one as Mattel haven't put *old* Chase cars in UK assortments and *catch-up* cases, the most recent being 998G.

There is a dealer in Holland, who was selling complete cases, so I knew what cases were being offered for sale. When the new cars were being offered for sale as singles in Holland, they tended to coincide with certain cases.

It was my best guess that ...

Case 996T contained 28 - Vladimir Trunkov, 30 - Victor H. and 33 - Becky Wheelin' (Chase).
Case 996V contained 37 - Bindo and 42 - Price Wheeliam (Chase) ~ Make it in limited numbers to Disney Stores. As they had the correct case 996S, I guessed they also had 996V exclusively?
Case 996W contained 40 - Erik Laneley and 39 - Cartney Brakin' (Chase).
Case 996Y contained 41 - Galloping Geargrinder.
Case 997H contained 35 - Kabuto

Cases 996S, 996U, 997J and 998G - I saw al of them in stores.

I also regularly look at ...

Take Five A Day
Cars The Toys
World of Cars (FR)
Pixar.Wikia.Com
The Diecast Company (NL)

PLEASE! If anyone finds new cars, please try and find out what case it came from, don't just buy and post it on here what you have, try and share the info with other collectors as it would be nice to help others get the cars they are looking for.

Thanks,
Nigel

[toffman]

Hello all,

I found Kimera Kaizo and Funny Car Mater at King Soopers (one of the Kroger Brands). I've heard from another Colorado collector that they found the Queen and Mater as well. I'm still hunting for a Queen...

[cac1959]

Great find, toffman... thank you for the heads up and for sharing your photo.

[toffman]

Just found Mater Hawk and Burnt Lightning McQueen at Walmart. (Actually saw them at a different Walmart last night, but didn't have time to buy them. Then the Walmart I hit this morning on the way to work only had Burnt LMQ. Finally at lunch I found them both!)

[Hunter]

Just stopped by Walmart and picked up Mater Hawk & Burnt Autonaut McQueen!