Apart from being a primarily G1 and pre-G1 collector, there's a lot of stuff that I think is cool. I loved the Movie line, Human Alliance figures, Alternators and Binaltech and associated spin-offs and KOs, Animated, a lot of Mini-con stuff, Masterpiece, reissues and even G1 prototypes and original Alternators artwork.

However, space, financial and time constraints have meant that in order to follow my deepest love which is pre-G1 (specifically European-based Diaclone toys with a smattering of Japanese bits and bobs), I've had to sacrifice my Movie, Alternators, Animated, reissue, G1 (US, minibots, Mexican, Japanese, Euro variants), KO, Masterpiece (to some degree) and prototypes to concentrate purely on the Diaclones. I have so far managed to cling to my Binaltech and original Alternators artwork, but the future may dictate that those go too.

Nowadays my goal is to have a thoroughly and ridiculously comprehensive and complete collection of Joustra Diaclone, with the odd dabble into Finnish, Japanese and Italian Diaclone Car Robot variants as a secondary goal. This restricts the kind of things I purchase quite a lot and means what I care about most in my collection can actually fit into a single Detolf cabinet.

All the best
Maz

 

I used to "buy what seems cool" but now I'm more selective with prices going up and releases being less consistent. When I make a purchase, I think to myself "am I going to still be playing with this two months from now, or is it just going to be sitting in storage because I'm bored of it?"

Passed on Prime Rumble at Target yesterday. I'd buy him for $8 or $10, maybe $12, but not at $18. I might pick up the red redeco if it ever comes out stateside, but... not holding my breath. They couldn't even get the blue Scout one out, let alone a redeco.

 

I think selective fits me a bit better than picky. I'll buy a less than perfect figure but that doesn't mean I'll buy everything.

I mostly stick to figures that will fit into either my Classics or Cyberverse collection but that doesn't mean they have to be G1 figures. I've got Transformers Prime Bulkhead in my collection because I liked Bulkhead from Transformers Animated, but the Prime figure just fits in better with the Classics figures. Or I've got Transformers Prime Ratchet because he's a better looking Ratchet than the Classics release. Skipped on Wheeljack because the Prime figure just doesn't seem like an improvement on the Classics figure.

I skip the movie figures because I just don't like the look of the robots.

I skip 3rd party figures because they are just a little too expensive for something I consider to be a toy.

I mostly skip exclusives because of the cost or being too hard to get.

 

I don't collect Bot Shots as I feel that money could be allocated to better things. It's the same reason that I don't want my money tied up with DOTM or Prime figures (TFP Soundwave is the only figure I've kept thus far, but I've been trying to sell him off). And while I collect Kreons, I typically don't buy the sets. If I do, I quickly sell them off. As for the higher end stuff, I usually don't like buying MP or 3rd party repaints. I'll make exceptions for retools, though.

 

I buy Classics styled figures and Legends figures of characters I love from G1 when they resemble that character the best they can. That's why I didn't buy Tracks, "Springer" and "Wheelie". Tracks was a near miss, but not good enough  

 

I try to collect as many different versions of Optimus Prime/Convoy. I currently have 76 different versions of Optimus Prime/Convoy

 

I buy what I think is cool but I rarely spend over 30 dollars for a figure. Only about 15 figures I bought that were over 30.

 

-Aesthetics don't bother me at all. Animated, G1/Classics, Movieverse, whatever.

-Screen accuracy and paint apps are bonuses for me. Transformation cheats don't bother me (i.e. DOTM Voyager Optimus's chest plate is different enough from the actual windshield for me to say that it's not meant to be the windshield at all, but robot parts meant to imitate an aspect of the alt. mode).

And paint apps? There are quite a few awesome figures out there that get rejected because they didn't have that proper paint job. If it's that distracting, I'll throw some paint on it myself to suit myself.

-Gimmicks? Depends. Can Optimus deploy/retract his faceplate? NEAT. A Deluxe with a gun the size of a Scout? MEH.

One gimmick that will definitely make up for the higher prices (for me, anyway) are glow-in-the-dark parts. They'd definitely look good on WFC/FOC figures, since they have all sorts of glowing panels. And I'm a sucker for mechs with all sorts of glowing panels.  

-Ultimately, the make-it-break-it deal is the transformation (y'know, being TRANSFORMERS and all). I usually prefer more complex transformations, but I've become more lenient with transformations that simply "fit" the size class (as well as the price).

And lately, a majority of the figures out there now aren't necessarily bad, they just aren't worth $15.

-This one is sort of an "after-purchase" selection - per generation, if I buy the repaint, I won't buy the regular, and vice versa (unless they're different size classes). To me, "repaints" are variant color schemes of one character (i.e. regular Optimus Prime and Nightwatch Optimus Prime), and generally I don't like duplicates of the same character. However, I'll buy a mold reuse/retool (if it's a mold worth buying again, of course), on the grounds that it's a different character (i.e. Classics Acid Storm may be the same mold as Starscream, but he's not Starscream).

 

Now that I'm working how picky I am has definitely shrunk a little. I just bought RID Wheeljack the other day and he's awesome. When I save enough money I'm gonna go to Frank and Sons and get myself a little treat.

 

Right with you. I am personally all about G1 and scale. To be honest I've been contemplating selling each deluxe that gets replaced by an MP figure. Such as Red Alert.

 

I already sold my Red Alert for that reason. And Rodimus. And Thundercracker. Well...you get it LOL.