Hot Wheels vs. Matchbox

yr description of the difference between the two brands is totally otm in my recollection. i think the superior quality of matchbox makes it the winner.

I'm was a Hot Wheels kid myself, because I loved the futuristic concept cars as well as the wacky shit like a hot-rod grocery cart.

Also, while Matchbox bodies may have been tougher, I remember disliking their axels and wheels in comparison with HW.

Britishers will be along in a moment to shout "Dinky!" - oh they're already here...

Corgi!

No way, Matchbox all the way.

Matchbox all the way. I've always been about the realism. I wanted to replicate the real-world of motorized transport in my play, and Matchbox was most realistic. Fire engines, police cars, construction, etc. That was my thing. My son inherited my obsession with vehicles, which means I get to buy cool diecast cars again. Also, see Tomica (Japanese) and SIKU (German).

Ooh, I remember owning some Corgi and Tomica cars too! I think my mom would get those for me at smaller discount stores not named Kmart or Wal-Mart.

The problem with the Tomy/Tomica cars was that they were so poorly made:

http://cdn1.ioffer.com/img/1079078400/_i/2528187/1.jpg

I liked both, but I think I had more Hot Wheels. Just seems like there were more of them to be had, and I had relatives that bought shitloads of them for me.

I remember banging this one with a hammer and the only thing that happened was that the paint started to chip off. Matchbox cars were indestructable, ffs!

http://image09.webshots.com/9/1/34/44/120113444IMjCMz_ph.jpg

Corgi was Matchbox's main rival in the UK (er, in the '70s-early '80s anyway). I preferred matchbox because 1. they had metal bottoms. Corgi were plastic underneath, which made them lighter and more prone to flip over and bounce about when pushed. 2. Matchbox had better cars; Porshe Turbos, 928s, rally cars, allsorts. 3. My dad worked at the metal castings where some of them were made.

Sadly Matchbox cars are now plastic underneath also.

i'm gonna hotbox my matchwheel, who's with me

Sadly Matchbox cars are now plastic underneath also.

Yeah, I discovered that when I bought the ones for my nephew. On the plus side, though, it seems the casts used have gotten even more detailed and accurately miniaturized.

Later Corgi models had plastic undersides but earlier ones were metal (and better constructed overall)

Corgis were my favorite because of:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/martinklasch/SKnRvK0sT2I/AAAAAAAAFRE/Yh4RQcDzY5I/3.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/martinklasch/SKnRvKlY_CI/AAAAAAAAFQ8/84kHhCrN0JY/2.jpg

However Dinky had the license for:

http://www.theoldtoyguide.com/Images/dinky-thunderbirds-2-106-detail2.jpg

http://space1999.tv-toys.co.uk/dinky-359-2.jpg

I'm glad I don't have excess money right now, because I'd probably start collecting. Those are awesome! xxp

Voted Matchbox. Never did care for the Hot Wheels designs and their axles were incredibly flimsy. Hot Wheels did have the better tracks though.

I had that Batmobile/Batboat/trailer combo. Wouldn't pass health & safety today! The "blade" that comes out of the front can catch you a fair wack on the finger, and the missile launcher will take your eye out (almost).

There's a great bit in one of Julian Cope's books (either Head On or Repossessed) where he rants about the differences between Corgi and Dinky. Dinkys were perpetually tired and boring because they'd have police cars, lorries, and milk floats whereas Corgis were aspirational and cool - James Bond, Lotuses, Jaguars, etc.

I used to have a huge plastic version of the Space: 1999 ship! I got it for like 50 cents at a garage sale and used it for my Star Wars figures, at the time I had absolutely no idea what the ship was from.

Case in point: Corgi has the Ford Cortina from Life On Mars

Fave Hot Wheels though...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XGME8JS3L._SL500_AA280_.jpg

And this one too. It was very heavy and could out-accelerate pretty much everything else I had

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/hotwheels/images/b/b4/Sidekick.jpg

Still my fave was this Matchbox Iso Grifo

http://www.shabbir.com/pictures/mbpictures/mb14isogrifo.jpg

(xpost) Matchbox had their sort-of-realistic-but-actually-fantasy cars as well...
http://www.diecastfire.co.uk/images/mb_kingsize/mb%20shovel%20nose.jpg

And still own an Aston Martin DB2

http://www.townfield.doncaster.sch.uk/images/matchbox_cars/Lesney%20Matchbox%20Vehicle%20No%2053%20Aston%20Martin%20DB2%20(1).jpg

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/hotwheels/images/8/84/Customeldoradogold.jpg

I remember getting a Hot Wheels 15th anniversary catalogue/booklet when I was a kid (I guess that would've been 1983? So I was just about out of my toy car phase at that point). It had photos of every model they'd ever released since the first year. I marked off all the ones I had, which was a lot, but it wasn't even 25% of all they'd produced.

Wish I still had that.

I remember getting a Hot Wheels 15th anniversary catalogue/booklet when I was a kid (I guess that would've been 1983? So I was just about out of my toy car phase at that point). It had photos of every model they'd ever released since the first year. I marked off all the ones I had, which was a lot, but it wasn't even 25% of all they'd produced.

Wish I still had that.

It's basically all online now: http://hotwheels.wikia.com/wiki/Hot_Wheels

And to maintain balance of power: http://matchbox.wikia.com/wiki/Matchbox_Cars_Wiki

I'm gonna spend 2 hours later tonight going through both archives.

same thing

(= awesome)

Oh shit! I used to carry this one with me everywhere (strange kid, I know... the VW Rabbit?!)

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/matchbox/images/c/ce/7607_V.W._Golf_R.JPG

I had the Hot Wheels 15th anniversary belt buckle.

this?

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj158/cantina00/matchbox/DSC00158.jpg

which ones had the parts that would flip over to show crash damage? that was dope.

Oh I remember those! I think they were Hot Wheels maybe?

must have been but i can't find any pics. sometimes when i see real cars that have been fucked up i'm struck by how much they look like those hot wheels.

They were called "Crack Ups" (by Hot Wheels)

http://good_old_toys.homestead.com/files/hw_crackups6.jpg
http://good_old_toys.homestead.com/files/hw_crackups5.jpg

http://www.redlineprotos.com/Packaging%20&%20Advertising/Crack%20Ups.JPG

Loved my Matchboxes as a kid, was never really into the lighter weight and more boring designs (to 8 year-old me) of the Hot Wheels. It occurs to me tho that maybe Hot Wheels didn't make any Britishes interest models whereas Matchbox had loads of cars we knew from real life.

yes!

xp

Dinky cars were kinda cool but annoying cos of the different scale, so you couldn't realistically play with them and yr Matchboxes together.

xps: Damn! Where the hell was my Camaro then?

Just remembered Penny Racers too, which were never designed to be realistic, but were still great fun (until they ran under furniture, and were forgotten about until they were rediscovered years later when moving or rearranging).

I was a Hot Wheels kid to be sure, I think mostly because my local toy shops had bigger Hot Wheels selection than Matchbox. I moved into Micro Machines as I got a little older.

i still have my matchbox blaze buster!

xps: Damn! Where the hell was my Camaro then?

That would be Corgi's department

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w140/Original_Baskingshark/Madcollector%20Sales/eBay%20Salvo%205/Camaro6.jpg

(detachable roof and you could switch out the tires too)

^ MUST OWN!

Crack Ups remind me of Kenner's SSP Smash Up Derby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aBxw-EJiLQ

And all those parts were guaranteed to disappear in < 1 week

GISing for old Matchbox cars is resulting in sharp nostalgia pangs.

The Citroen S.M. was - for some reason - one of my all time favourites.

http://images.gittigidiyor.com/132/MATCHBOX-CITROEN-S-M-ORJINAL-UK-1971__1328226_0.jpg

I hated it when Matchbox did away with the box packaging.

Yes!

http://www.shabbir.com/pictures/mbpictures/mb72hovercraft.jpg

Yeah they died for me when the boxes went.

Always classic. I used to spend hours wondering what this signified.

http://www.midlandmemorabilia.co.uk/IMAGES/beetle%20flyer.JPG

Corgi goes American

http://www.ewa1.com/md/cor076.jpg

http://www.dkimages.com/Collectables/images/previews/13848200.jpg

Aw Noodle Vague, I was just going to look for a picture of that crazy krauty thing.

(xpost) from the rarely seen Kojak Claymation series...

Corgi's Fawlty Towers Austin, complete with mini Basil beating it with a branch

http://www.dailyllama.com/news/2005/images/fawlty_corgi.jpg

That's not too bad, but seriously, every other figure that came with a Corgi vehicle was terribly moulded. Except, bizarrely, Twikee (sp?) that came with the Buck Rogers' Starfighter, although Buck was still true to (mis)form.

It's awesome on a few levels that something like that was presumably marketed at kids.

CRISS
CROSS
CRASH

That Matchbox hovercraft was sold in the US, complete with the union flag and all.

The car that Noodle Vague posted looks very similar to the Mini Ha-Ha.

http://www.shabbir.com/pictures/mbpictures/mb14mini.jpg

Corgi were big with the TV tie-ins weren't they? Every kid had to have the Starsky & Hutch Ford Torino set.

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Business/Pix/pictures/2008/05/01/StarskyHutchx.jpg

.. and The Professionals' Ford Capri!

http://www.personal.u-net.com/~carnfort/Professionals/images/merchandise/corgi.jpg

OMG the Mini Ha-Ha. I cherished that toy.

remember having two matchbox capris and painting them gold and silver, so i could play Professionals.

I just had to get up and away from my computer and walk around my house to avoid spending about $25 on Matchbox cars on eBay just now.

i remember an orange lamborghini with the number 8 on the hood - it was always the fastest, it always won the races

http://matchbox.zsebehazy.com/sf/tsf27b-01.jpg

I had that, fastest car I had too!

wow, that was it!!!!! "the eight car" as my friend and i immortally dubbed it, age five or so.

the crazy thing was, i think at some point it got so beat up that it wouldn't go any more, and for one of our birthdays, we got a REPLACEMENT eight car. holy shit. and guess what - it was still the fastest, still won all the races

Even now in 2010, they're still only 99¢ each... which has to make them about the most bang-for-the-buck toy still being made.

otm

whoa I had that space 1999 dinky set. I wonder how I got that? I wonder what happened to it?

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

there is no hot wheels 20.

haha

Crack-ups were awesome until the latch broke and they stayed broken all the time. Key cars were my favorites though:
http://i48.tinypic.com/rs7vqt.jpg

slightly ot, but guys my folks sent me this a few weeks a go-- from the attic, vintage ~1977 or so-- afx slot racers

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr222/Chass3ur/IMG_1531.jpg

my champion:

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr222/Chass3ur/IMG_1531.jpg

ahh, sorry:

http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr222/Chass3ur/IMG_1532.jpg

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

wtf this is way rong hot wheels had big ass wheels and way better axle construction

also a much cooler name

I approve of this poll.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/25/news/companies/mattel_hot_wheels_flat_cars/index.htm?hpt=Sbin

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- It's the size of a credit card and about as slim as a cell phone. But the coolest feature of Mattel's new Hot Wheels ride is its 3D action: Push a button and the "flat" car pops up into a remote-control vehicle.

Called "Stealth Rides," these toy cars are Mattel's first-ever folding Hot Wheels. It's the latest innovation for a brand that's been selling in toy stores for more than 40 years.

"This is definitely one the coolest new toys in 2010," said Jim Silver, a toy industry analyst and editor in chief of TimetoPlayMag.com.

Mattel (MAT, Fortune 500) has created five different models of Stealth Riders, including two cars, two tanks and a "Batmobile Tumbler" that the toymaker will debut next month during the Toy Fair in New York.

The annual industry event showcases some of the hottest new toys that will hit stores later in the year, in time for the Christmas shopping season.

All five Stealth Rides fold flat and slide out of a plastic case that functions as both a carrying case and a remote control. With the push of a button, the "flat" cars transform into three-dimensional, fully functioning remote-control vehicles.

"Containing a fully functioning vehicle in a pocket-sized case will allow kids to play anywhere, anytime," said Geoff Walker, senior vice president with Mattel Brands. "The vehicles provide a unique and cool level of play experience that was not previously possible."

The Hot Wheels Stealth Rides will hit stores in August, priced at about $25 per car.

"The remote control category [of toys] used to include big toys for $70 or more," said Silver. "So this is an affordable price point for a very cool product that's never been done before."

He also praised the cars' engineering. "These cars are easy to carry around and the charge time is fantastic," Silver said. "It's 30 minutes of play, and that's a long time for such a small remote-control toy.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/2010/01/25/news/companies/mattel_hot_wheels_flat_cars/stealth_rides.top.jpg

http://www.toplessrobot.com/Stagefright.jpg

had this one!

"Stagefright"

!

I think I might have had it too.

This is probably my favorite of the cars my kids own: Grandy Lusion

http://www.southtexasdiecast.com/hwguide/images/2004/2004_017.jpg

Sizzlers: C/D?