(Good) Surprise:

Classics Prime (Voyager)

Not overly complex, not overly simple. No super mode add ons. Cleverly designed weapons.


(Bad) Surprise.

The Dodge Ram mold. No amount of paint or exclusivity can compensate for the fact the transformation is too simple for an Alt. - Rotating knee cap feature is utterly pointless. - Truck mode is more tidy with knee caps left rotated upwards.

Robot mode is an unresolved combination of kibble and gaps.
(think Gobot in a power suit)

Gun is a bit on the small side for Prime

 

best surprise: Alternators Prime

biggest disappointment: Energon Slugslinger

 

I guess I am the only one who liked Slugslinger  

 

Surprises

Cybertron Metroplex - I can spend hours trying to find more fan-modes for him and his many mini-con ports just made everything better.

Cybertron Shortround - At first I was put off by his lack of real hands, but now he's become my favorite Cybertron Basic.

Classics Prime - He's really the definitive version of an Optimus Prime figure. He's cheap, isnt 6 times the height of the others, and is down right a fun toy.

Disappointments

Energon Megatron - Too big, too bulky, takes up too much damn space. Plus his sword/gun tank sucks.

"Bendy" Prime - I expected better.

Classics Rodimus - I had more hype for him over everybody else, but then I got him.

 

Surprises;
Classics Ramjet/looks very cool even though I am not a fan of coneheads
Neo Magatron/didn't expect him to be so solid

Disappointment;
Nothing really...I'm easy. Maybe Classics Starscream, but it's because of the poor paint job, not the figure's fault.

Only from recent purchases.

 

Biggest Surprise:
classic grimlock, armada blurr, or OpOp (orange and blue version)- These toys just fcking kick ass, the blurr may be simple but its great ub robot and car mode. Also the grimlock i never had one, i am a big fan and i liked everything about it except for him not really having a sword and his messed up shoulders. Finally, OpOp is like awesome with his 3 different modes and like overall is just great.


Biggest Dissapointment:
Either Cybertron Starscream or Cybertron Repugnus. Starscream because like others have mentioned, hes too big and bulky and also has too simple of a transformation. Then Repugnus i guess overall hes okay but his right transformation is pretty bad considering it looks like he has 4 arms. Thats why i usually mistransform to hide his little dinosaur arms.

 

For me, a big surprise was the Alt. Ram mold. When I first saw the pics of Prime, I thought it was terrible. But then I got Nemesis Prime, and it was amazing. I also got Prime then not long after that. I think it's a really great toy.

Also, I would have to saw BW Neo Longrack. I never thought much of it from pics, but I got one from a friend as a gift, and it's fantastic. Great modes and fun action features.

Magmatron is another that I will saw was a surprise. I had heard that he was mediocre at best, but when I got him, I loved the little gimmicks with the individual dinos, and the combined mode is really nice and sturdy.

 

Pleasant surprises:
Energon Demolishor - expected to hate it based on pics, but gained a great appreciation once in-hand
Classics Optimus - figured it would be a nice toy based on pictures, but didn't care for the skinny waist, head sculpt, and arm kibble. I said "I'll get it, but no way is it better than Armada bendy Prime". I was spectacularly wrong on that one once I had it in hand, and Classics falls in the 'fave Primes of all time' category now.

Disappoinments:
Energon Slugslinger - looked neat, but a total flopwad. Seemed like one of those designs just way more complicated than it needed to be.
Armada Tidal Wave - was really looking forward to his imposingness, but the toy has no 'personality' in person, much like a packing crate.

 

Biggest disappointment is between Cyb. Supreme Starscream and G1 Rodimus Prime (bot mode, anyway).

Biggest surprise is probably Classics Bumblebee...at first, he was about the only Classic I didn't want, but he quickly became my favorite.

 

Biggest suprise: RID Scourge. Back when he came out, I only wanted him because he looked like Prime. Having heard he was a G2 toy, I expected him to be a brick because most G2's were repainted G1s. I never owned any G2 toys. I was blown away by his awesomeness. After playing with my friends Scourge, I just had to go buy my own.

Biggest Disappointment: Universe Skydive. I bought him because I thought he was a Pterredactyl and would make a good Swoop. It wasn't til I opened him and looked at the back of the card to see that he is actually a Pelican. A FREAKIN PELICAN!!

 

Cybertron Defense Red Alert, I was kinda bored with him in the store but when I finally picked him up I fell in love with him!

Masterpiece Starscream was a huge disappointment. I couldnt wait for that figure to come out, now I wish it never did.
Blah!

 

NOOOOOO? Really? I always considered him a Dinobot!

 

Geerave told me about this thread so I had to post since I'm the one who got his Slugslinger, and I'm the one who convinced him Scorponok was worth the cash. My biggest dissapointment. Classics Megatron. But I still vote Clasics B.B. as the best of 2006.

 

Hm...Biggest dissapointment...I'll have to say RM Gigant bomb and Smokesniper. I bought them cause I missed my old G2 set, I was very thrilled when I got the package, but I had forgotten how fragile some of the parts feel and Gigant bombs knees is rediculusly loose so now I havn't fiddled with either of them in months, they're just sitting there MIB on the shelf.

Biggest surprise must be cyb Thunderblast. I didn't expect much of that mold but I bought it for for three reasons. 1, it's a decepticon 2, it's fembot (gotta lova fembots   ) 3, it's a anime girl.
Now I can't put her down   there's just too much fun posing her, pointing her big launcher at things and making her fall in love with Shortround  

 

Big disappointments:

Cyb Thunderblast: I thought she looked pretty cool, but she's pretty lame in person.
Arm Bendy Prime: Everyone talked this guy up, I think he sucks.
Cyb Def Scattorshot: Still a good figure, but just didn't live up to the hype.
Cyb Soundwave: I figured he would be like Sideways (who rocks the house) but he's just kinda "meh." I do love Laserbeak and his guns though.
RID Build Team: Yeah, just not that great. Alright individually (but Wedge is a rip-off for a deluxe) but the combined mode is a bit weak. Railracer is so much better.

I actually kinda like Energon Slugslinger, but he is a floppy bastard.

Biggest Surprises:

Cyb Evac: Wasn't that sold on him, but I was cashed up and really wanted a new TF. Man, he is so freaking awesome. One of the best TFs in recent years.
RID Axer vs Sideways: These guys are so great!
BWX Primal: Initially I had only got BWX Megs and thought he was just above average. I found one last BWX Primal marked down a bit and I decided to bite because I wanted the Axalon. Wow, I love this toy. One of my favourite TFs ever. I guess the pictures just didn't do him justice. Such a great transformation, so nicely sculpted and also a sweet and unique weapon.

 

my two biggest disapointments have been g1 reissue skywarp and classics hot rod.

skywarp was a disapointment because i got robomaster starscream first who is just hampered by no knee articulation.

cl hot rod just disapointed me, i had the g1 version but the doors on his legs seriously affect the way his legs move and in vehicle mode he looks less sleek and futuristic than the 1980's version.

my biggest suprise was alt jaguar ravage, i had heard bad things about how he can be posed but after playing about with him he's got all the articulation a cat bot could possibly need, (was slightly disapointed with him not being accurate for a uk plate car though  )

 

It happens sometimes, but ive enjoyed my recent transformers.

 

biggest dissappointment:

classic ultra magnus i really don't like the way this one is painted.

 

I'm pretty sure that Skydive is a Quetzalcoatlus. Skydive even has an elongated 4th finger like this site attributes to the Quetzalcoatlus.