Mazda 787B: Kyosho versus Tomica Limited Vintage

I find this to be a somewhat interesting comparison.  In a way, each models are impossible to judge by comparing it to the other.  While they are both higher-end 1/64 scale diecast models of the Le Mans winner Mazda 787B, Kyosho came out of a blind box costing about $5(you didn't know which model was in the box) & the TLV came out of a box with.....  suggested retail price of over $70.  

You can see my casual review of the TLV version here & I also posted an article on its quality control woes here.  Sadly, general consensus of the TLVs in my circle has been somewhere between it's "okay" to what-a-joke.  They priced it too high, almost none of the one's we've received had straight rear wings, and details were underwhelming considering the price point.  Not one person I know on GTPlanet, or Twitter announced how this car blew their minds, and that really says it all.  So many people I know bought it & for $70, we all should've been pretty damn impressed with it.  

Anywho, here are the side-by-side.  Looks like TLV on the left, Kyosho on the right:

It's kind of all over the place from here, but you can tell the difference between Kyosho & TLV by how TLV has the small line/gap created by the removable cowls, also has the decals recreated on the roof, which are absent on the roof of the Kyosho.  Kyosho has more defined front wheels covers + metal strip at the back of rear wing not present on the TLV.

Enters the black/test/stealth whatever this 787B is.  It's supposedly a Karuwaza exclusive(no idea who they are, probably Japanese retailer).  I believe this one was $30 shipped, eBay.

I know I put the "versus" in the title, but is there a winner here?  I think "you" decide the winner.  Tomica Limited Vintage is certainly more impressive with the removable cowls, and overall better detailing with higher quality parts..... TLV casting looks sharper.  But seriously, this Kyosho.  It's from a $5 blind box.  I got it on eBay for $24, shipped.  

For me, bottom line, TLV price is just too high.  I paid $57(shipped), and for that, TLV was a "meh"....  Pretty good I guess?  I generally don't care for opening hoods/doors, considers them unnecessary gimmick, so maybe I am showing little bias here.  Kyosho, for $5 or $24, it's perfect to my eyes. 

TLV 787B was the first car I graded.  Just added grading for the Kyosho as well.  It would be cool if you check it out, even if you don't agree.  XD

Tomica Limited Vintage NEO Mazda 787B 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans Overall Winner

Oh boy.....  Where do you begin with this thing?  Ah, that's right.  With the rear wing.  Finding this model with straight & level rear wing was nearly an impossible task for most collectors in my circle.  I think most of us will live with it.  Mine wasn't bad. 

I think mine has level wing, but its legs or whatever they are called are not completely straight.  :(  MSRP of these cars were over $70 U.S.(8,000 yen).  I bought two, along with few other cars from amiami & the cost for the each 787B shipped were $57 & change.

Nice packaging.  Not a fan of these collector-sized boxes, but with removable parts, it is what it is.  Interesting background on the car + brief comments from Mazda insider(Ex-Mazda).  Before reading this, I didn't know that Rotary was originally going to be banned in Le Mans after 1990(a year before this car won overall).  A year delay in the ban gave Mazda one more chance at the title, and they pulled it off.  

I thought they wanted to ban rotary engine, because it won.  Le Mans actually wanted to ban the engine before it did anything. lol

One of the two had cowl that did not want to sit right, and this is what it does.  Leaves a gap unless I wrestle with it.  I thought I had it fit together for the pics, but apparently it came apart again.  You expect fit & finish problem like this from a $5 car, but moving on.

Credit where due, it's pretty impressive under the rear cowl.  I don't know if it's $70+(MSRP) impressive, and I certainly wouldn't trade for this by having to put up with poor fitting cowl, but it certainly would've helped this model be a winner for TLV if it didn't cost a million dollars.  If they only assembled these cars with little bit more quality in mind.

Beautiful casting from this angle.  It doesn't bother me much, but one of the good points made by GroupB(friend from GTPlanet) was the unpainted plastic rear wing.  Also, another member, GT HP Nut brought up how "Dunlop" prints are missing from the sidewalls.  Rare on $6 cars, but yeah, that would've been nice on something costing as much as some 1/18 scale diecasts.

Unfortunately, for me, this seems like the trend with Tomica Limited Vintage brand these days.  We are starting to see more & more parts you have to install yourself(and they are impossible tasks), undetailed wheels that gets embarrassed by wheels from $5 cars.  All the while, at least to me, MSRP & store prices seems to be about 30% too high for what they are delivering.  $70 race car, $90 buses.  Are we still talking about 1/64 scale cars?  I think I'm open to high prices, if they were delivering something amazing?  Unfortunately, at least for me, they aren't as special as the MSRP indicate, and at least with the race car, they couldn't even put it together right.

Few parting shots:

Off & on, I've thought about grading the cars I post?  I feel like this one should be the first car to be graded, but I haven't really thought this through. Off the top of my head, I can think of three major points that comes into play with these minicars, or hot wheels:

1. Value - Bang for the buck is a huge part of almost anything.

2. Quality - How nice are the parts, tampos, assembly, etc.  Graded based on the price point.

3. Allure - For the lack of better word. lol

I think I like the scale of 0 ~ 10, with 10 being best, of course.  When you see a "zero" though, it should be pretty entertaining, too.  I need a name.  I need something catchy.  I know, "Minicar Grade".  Yes!

So here's the debut(out of ten).

Minicar Grade

Value - 4 

It's a nice model, priced much, much too high.

Quality -  6

High quality parts & design in some areas, dropped the ball in others. Misfitting cowl is devastating at the highest price point I have ever seen for car like this.

Allure - 6

Honestly, "5" for me, but I've been spoiled by the Kyosho version of this car.  I'm going to put myself in the shoes of 99% of the collectors & give it one extra point.