Oops, I Did It Again! Adding a Third 1/18 R33 GT-R To The Collection

It's official: I am now more than just a 1/64 collector. I am a 1/18 collector as well.

In all honesty, probably not, but it's all about the models. If someone makes the car you love most, you get it no matter the brand or the scale. Unfortunately for me, I have to dive into larger scales to get a model of my favorite car, the R33 GT-R. Fortunately, there have been some very nice ones coming from the premiere, high-end brands. My third R33, in said 1/18 scale, has arrived.

Cue the Gran Turismo-esque cover photo, because what else goes better with Skylines than GT?

This is the Nissan Skyline GT-R (R33) V-Spec, by AutoArt.

And I got it in the best color ever: Midnight Purple.

AutoArt has produced this model in a few other colors, namely white, silver, and blue. It was tough, but I had to pass on those. Look, an R33 is an R33, but I always knew deep down inside that I wanted that Midnight Purple the most. While the other colors are quite plentiful, I had to do some searching to find a store with the color I desired.

I purchased this model from ezToys, an online dealer that specializes in model aircraft but also sells quite a few AutoArt pieces as well. They have a very formidable selection with very competitive prices. Luckily, they had this exact model in stock and at a slight discount to boot.

I have to say it was not all sunshine and blue skies.

My package arrived with the car bubble wrapped and separate from the standard AutoArt box. When I unwrapped the car, I found both of the side mirrors broken, likely during transit. I quickly sent an email to ezToys asking for an explanation. To their credit, they replied very quickly and told me that they had issues with AutoArt's shipment of this particular model. Many of them arrived broken as originally packaged (they even sent me a photo of one with a mangled front wheel housing), so they asked that AA wrap these cars and ship them separately from their boxes. It sounds a bit strange and counter-intuitive, but this is per their word and I'm not making any of this up.

In any case, the good thing is this is an easy fix with a few minutes of time and a little bit of glue. I really did not want to go through the trouble and wait a couple weeks just to get a replacement that hopefully doesn't break on the way here. Therefore, we worked out a resolution in which I received a partial refund on the purchase and kept the car. (Of course, there's that whole issue with resale value, but we don't care about that over here.)

A few dabs of Krazy glue and the R33 is looking like new again.

Overall, I'm about as satisfied as I was with all my other 1/18 models, which is very. After a couple of "boring" resin models, it's refreshing to get back to diecast again. The steering does wonders for photos. Opening parts are a bonus. There's just more detail inside and out. AutoArt prides itself on the number of individual components used to make each model, and that's something every collector can appreciate when they get up close with something like this. That fine mesh on the front grille intakes. The intricate hinges and tiny screws that you see when you lift up the hood and the trunk. Those photo-etched badges that remind you this is a GT-R and not your everyday Japanese econobox. That's why AutoArt models command the premium that they do. And that's why, in a world where everyone seems to be shifting towards resin, collectors still love their diecast cars.

Lastly, the obligatory family photo: