Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Just wanted to see what folks opinions are about this.

-Do you prefer to buy used or new?
-If used, how "used" (well painted, primed/assembled, in-need-of-stripping)

I'm a cheapaskate. I mostly buy used to save $, and will often strip the paint of plastic models if a good enough deal presents itself. As an example, I've got 3 bassies in a tub of simple green right now!
However...
Though I don't often buy new, there is a real charm to opening a kit that has all it's options available and the enjoyment of assembly. Getting the extra bits is nice too. I had a wonderful time assmebling models from the IG command Squad.

I also buy used on account of the cost. But every now and again I splurge and buy a nice shinny new kit (or three )

As much as that new kit smell is nice, sometimes, a deal on some old stuff is just too good to pass on.

Given a choice with no regard to my bank account, though, I'd go with new.

Most of my stuff is used, but it is always great to have new things with all the bits there for you.

Though it is also really cool to buy a bag of assorted bits and sift through to find the gems.

I dont have any particular dislike for assembled / used mini because i take too long assembling new items.

As long as they are in new condition , and doesnt require me stripping paint , and it comes in the weapon option i need , its good!

Also , been in multiple trade and buys , i no longer believe / trust in "primed" figures. Because i realize most of the seller
prime over bad paint jobs which I see this as a form of scam.

I really don't mind either way. New, used, painted, unpainted. It's all good.

I tend to prefer new plastics but used pewter. My bank account gets angry at me whenever I buy new though. I'm mostly hounding deals these days.

I like buying used so long as it's still in decent condition. I'd rather not have to strip it, but if it's a model I really like or want I'm willing to. As someone who has an unhealthy desire for old models, it's hard to find them in anything resembling a new-on-sprue state.

SilverMK2 wrote:Though it is also really cool to buy a bag of assorted bits and sift through to find the gems.

I definitely agree. One of the best decisions I made was to buy a kid's bits box a few years back. It's still providing me with usefull bits and trade fodder for bits I need. Often times the deciding factor in splurging for a new kit will be the number of extra bits and options that the kit has.

LunaHound wrote:
I no longer believe / trust in "primed" figures. Because i realize most of the seller
prime over bad paint jobs which I see this as a form of scam.

I never thought about this, but that's definitely something to watch out for. I've never run into this, but often I'm buying the bottom-of-the-barrel stuff that's clearly painted poorly.

I prefer to have new because most of the enjoyment for me comes from assembling and conversion. Buying built used creates more work and often involves damage from a ham-handed assembly job gone wrong.

That said if the price is right I'll put up with the extra work of used-assembled.

Only one vote for pre-assembled, pre-painted (well) and ready to play?

It's me...


*goes to sit in the corner*

RiTides wrote:Only one vote for pre-assembled, pre-painted (well) and ready to play?

It's me...


*goes to sit in the corner*

I'll join you!

RiTides wrote:Only one vote for pre-assembled, pre-painted (well) and ready to play?

It's me...


*goes to sit in the corner*

I like those as well if its not too expensive hehe

I'll buy used as long as I can reprime it or can strip it and repaint it.

Used metal minis, I'll buy in a heartbeat, in any condition, if it's a good deal. The problem with used plastics is that you can really be burnt if the person assembling them went heavy with the plastic glue. I'll generally only buy used plastic if the pics of what I'm buying are very good and I can see the quality of the assembly.

I am in the "I will buy used/painted metal, but prefer my plastics on sprue, or primed only" camp..

I can strip metal figs with nail polish remover, but the stuff to get plastic clean causes issues with family members with allergies.

RiTides wrote:Only one vote for pre-assembled, pre-painted (well) and ready to play?

It's me...


*goes to sit in the corner*

I buy all of the options because I prefer to buy cheap. Sometimes it's nice to buy something that is well painted, it makes a change to have something a bit different on the shelf and it's very convenient. I don't buy armies like this, just individual figures, sometimes they are too good to strip off especially if I have no foreseeable repainting date. I buy new, used, part assembled, whatever I can get that a) I want, and b) is a bargain. Generally I avoid things that need paint stripping though, it's a hassle and sometimes it's very difficult to get that last bit of paint off. Sometime you can't afford to be picky though, some figures are uncommon and you have to take what you can get when you find it. I mainly buy older figures so they simply aren't available brand new, as long as they aren't damaged I'm happy.

I'm iffy about used plastic, 'cos it's tougher to strip, and sometimes... yuck... well, there's this Chaos Land Raider I picked up on eBay at a very good price, but it has basically at least 5 different paint jobs on it already, layer upon layer upon layer, including some horribly thick gunky crap that I have to use a screwdriver on, and a load of metallics, and all of it is so smeared and full of brushstrokes that I need to get the whole lot off. It's had 2 days in Simple Green, and an hour or so of scrubbing, and it's not even halfway there yet. Based on what I usuallly charge for freelance work... I'd have been better off doing an extra job and just buying new.

I used to buy used on Ebay sometimes, but it seems that I just can't find the same kind of deals I used to (sigh). I think more and more people are looking for salvageable models, which is nice. I hate to think they are going in the trash. Nowadays though, I only buy used models if they can't be purchased retail anymore and are discontinued. I prefer to buy from my local game store. They give me 10% off a lot, and it that's not as good as mail order, well, the local staff are friends, and run open gaming, so I owe them a lot!

Wow, I got a shiver of pleasure opening my box set of Sisters of Battle this morning! The only thing more satisfying is when you have finished that last brush stroke and based and sealed them

Wherever you buy your models, may they bring much joy of heart and victories on the battle table!
--- Frankie

I like old models. They add a lot of character to your collection, especially if you get someone's weird conversions. I love my runty, beret sporting second edition Kommandoes. The odd robed Dark Angels marine I picked up in a lot ended up being the librarian with a nice coat of blue paint. You find all sorts of fun surprises when you buy ebay.

I rarely buy new as the wallet cries each time I do. I actually enjoy working on primed/painted models, especially the ones that have been treated badly. I remove the old paint jobs, re-paint and repair what I can and get them back to fighting weight!

I'm more of a hobbyist than a gamer.

3 of us! Come on guys, you know if you really had a choice, many of you would prefer to have a model that's already well painted

I tend to buy new, a combination of being lucky enough to have a decent sized disposable income and not being able to wait to get my hands on something new. This means that i usualy get my stuff from a GW store.

Occaisionaly i buy bits and bobs from Ebay, but only if it is in good condition and there is a significant saving to be had. My last used buy was a FW gargantuan squiggoth which had been well assembled and part primed for £150.

3 of us! Come on guys, you know if you really had a choice, many of you would prefer to have a model that's already well painted

If I had free money lying around I'd be an awesomely painted DKOK army thats about it.

At this point I generally buy used stuff provided I can strip the paint. That being said ebay deals are getting much worse than they used to be. I mean a crappily painted Squad of 10 sisters with flamer and storm bolter is going for more than the retail cost of the models. What is the world coming to

Yeah, I've noticed that -- there are some models where once you take P&P into account, the winning bid on eBay is more than getting the same minis brand new from a discount retailer. :(

The postage some people demand on eBay is outrageous. I've sold all sorts of miniatures on eBay and know what it really costs to post miniatures and books. Overseas rates are good, you can end up paying many times the actual cost.

I try to keep the postage down, single figures post for £1 which includes a bubblewrapped envelope. And if the item ends up selling for over £10 I usually send it "signed for" out of my own pocket. I think it attracts more bidders because, at least in my case, seeing high postage costs makes me skim over items.

I actually prefer to buy mashed up second hand models that I can redo and rebuild. It's more of a challenge to get a good looking model out of a dog that was coasted in black paint and glue. Plus it means I can actually afford to play Warhammer. The closest I get to new is the occasionally ForgeWorld model if I can't get one second hand, and a lot of bits from bitsandkits and bitzbox.

I gots to have a new kit. I've bought used before and stripped them. It is just too much trouble to bother. There are tons of discount sites to get new stuff anyway. If it's dirt cheap and not painted...then maybe I may consider...DIRT CHEAP...like the price of dirt...hahahaha!

RiTides wrote:3 of us! Come on guys, you know if you really had a choice, many of you would prefer to have a model that's already well painted

If I'm buying used, painted models, it's just to strip them and repaint. So being poorly or well painted makes no difference.

I like to buy new for sake of having access to the squad options. You can't normally get that with used. I'll buy either though as long as it's from my local shop. I bought and am repairing 3 landspeeders I found in the bits box. A few months before I bought a used, but fully assembled Zoanthrope. Condition doesn't influnce my purchases much. If it can be useful to army I'm making and I have the money to buy it, I buy. Everything is just paint and glue. I can take apart and repaint/reequip any model so it doesn't phase me.