Hey all,

This week I decided to just write a personal piece on why having sold nearly everything non-Diaclone/G1 in my collection to make space and funds for my true collecting targets, I still have not found it in my heart to sell my collection of Binaltech cars.

Why I Won’t Sell My Binaltech | TF Source News <- CLICK TO READ



Hope you enjoy it, be warned, it's full of personal opinion and very few facts!

All the best
Maz

 

Nice article! While I don't have any Binaltechs myself, I do have about 10 Alternators and I love them for many of the same reasons.

 

Indeed. Even as I've chosen to part with about 3000 TFs over the last several years (with several thousand more yet to go), I can't imagine a day when I'll be parting with my Binaltech, Alternity, and Masterpiece collections. Those, along with G1 84-85 are (for me) definitive--the absolute best the brand has to offer.

I appreciate your sentiment greatly; thanks for the enjoyable read.

 

I've got two alternators, Smokescreen and Sideswipe, and I just don't see why the fandom loves them so much. The plastic feels a bit cheap and idk... its the one TF line that's never clicked with me.

Maybe I just got unlucky and picked the worst two molds.

I read the article and I definitely don't have the same love for them that you seem to. Alternators came out just as I was getting out of collecting for a few years so maybe its something you had to be a part of at the time to enjoy.

I loved Alternity though, despite having far less.

 

I sold Grimlock but then again I have three of them.

Awesome article. Nice to see Binaltech (Alternators) making a comeback on the boards.

 

excellent read and I feel the same way about alternators. even if I have to sell everything else off someday, I will get rid of everything before these have to leave my collection.

I went with alts instead mainly because of the paint chipping aspect, and price. I love me some diecast but in the case with these guys it just didn't seem worth it. I still always wanted to have at least one binaltech though someday...

Any good recommendations (besides smokescreen mentioned in the article) if I was just to pick up one single BT?

 

Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen
Smokescreen

Possibly Meister or Yellow Tracks. Overdrive was bloody nice too...

 

All the best
Maz

 

Great article! I'm on the same page as you. My alts/BT won't be going anywhere.

 

And I'm in the same boat. outside of my G1 stuff, the Alts/BT(including MP) aint goin nowhere. Animated pulls third place as its just so self contained. Everything else is fodder.

BT got me back into collecting properly (after a brief resurgence with RID car bros) its amazing that they were my 'classics'. No new line has really captured my heart in the same way. They were the 'true' update to the classic Diaclone molds in a way that the classics stuff will never be.

I just need a good way to display them...

 

- Hound: Closest you can get for an updated Masterpiece version.
- Mirage: Beautiful alt mode.
- Tracks: Same as Hound.
- Lazerwave: Both modes are awesome.

Either one of these are beautiful Binaltech.

Out of all the above, I'd pick Mirage but I agree strongly as well with Binaltech poster boy Smokescreen.

 

Thanks for the recommendations. I have all the alts, so I would just be looking for something that really shows off being a BT.

I might go the yellow tracks route as the color wasn't available in alt form, and it's a mold I really like. That red meister is tempting as well for the same reasons, but a bit more expensive it seems.

 

This article is just . . . wow.

It really reminds me as to many of the reasons I like these lines so much as well.

This is also the connecting point for myself and Maz, as I still remember enthusiastically sending and replying to pms "back in the day" in regards to things with this line. Sharing a hobby this way is what will always make it special to me.

Again, props to you buddy!

 

Nice article, Maz, as usual!

Hmm... I'm currently running out of storage space, and the ten various MISB Binaltech TF's I own are currently very much on my personal 'to sell' list. In fact, the only thing holding me back is that, as Maz mentions in his article, the resell value isn't great. I always loved the idea of heavy diecast, highly detailed alt modes, but I never dared take these out of their boxes due to the fear of scratching the paint job. It makes having these a bit moot, for me.

Then again, the few Alternators I also own (Swindle, Wheeljack, Mirage) do prove that these designs were ahead of their time and could well be marketed as Masterpieces today.

 

If you notice, the thread starter said "Binaltech", not Alternators.

What you are describing about the plastic is one of the reasons why I like Binaltech more than Alternators.

 

STK, I certainly see your point here and certainly agree with you on it. However, I still feel that it's not just the diecast with this line, but the molds/designs and everything else that Maz taps into with his article. Even if both lines had the diecast, I don't think that would be enough to get someone to like either line. As in the other threads regarding Alternators/Binal Tech, this line taps into many areas with enthusiasts that other lines simply don't.

I own a complete line of both sealed, and my loose collection is made up of a mix of Alternators, Binal Techs, and customs from both lines. I don't like one over the other, as they feel like the same line.

All of that being said, I still find myself at some points wanting to get a complete set of loose BTs  

 

Nice article, not enough pictures though!!!

Will definitely try to get them all back at one point, despite the limited selection of characters.

Funnily, while some ALTS have gone over 4 times their price, the vast majority of Binaltechs aren't even twice the price they used to cost. Besides Black Convoy.

 

Forget Smokescreen, Sunstreaker, Hound, Meister/Jazz, etc.

Given that these were all available as Alts, it makes sense to look at BT-only releases. And as such, the only candidate is BTA Alert (with reprolabels and a head from Alt 'Prowl'). Given that he's such a key G1 character, the fact that an obvious redeco only got released in the BTA subline, as a different character to boot, is one of the more inexplicable decisions in the line.

 

Not sure if serious...and by the point he was released the mould was already used multiple times. Most if not all Alert figures do not fit properly back in vehicle mode.

 

I am serious (and don't call me Shirley).

As said, it's your only option for having a BT Prowl unless you use a custom figure or use the BT Acura 'Prowl' as a poor substitute.

And mould degradation aside, he still looks great iin bot mode.

 

The article has sufficient enough photos for Maz to illustrate his points.

Some Alts are simply more in demand than others as well as some being harder to find.

It doesn't make sense if the person is simply wanting to collect BTs. There are several cool figures from the BT line that we didn't get. Red Meister, blue Prowl, and others.

Just know that the Alt Prowl head does not fit in the space designated for the head required for transformation. Using an Alt Prowl head will force the Subaru mold to stay in robot mode.

I enjoy both Alt/BT Prowl and BT* Alert. Regardless of your own personal feelings, BT Prowl is what it is. Using a custom or another placeholder is the substitute.