Only paid $23 for him loose. Now is a good time to grab some older figures on eBay, a lot of them are going for better than usual prices.

 

Generations scourge. Superior articulation, coloration, and imagination than his TR successor, he's an objectively better figure.
Generations Darkmount. Probably the best articulated deluxe of all time, with great weapons, altmode, and personality. He matches and surpasses the current deluxe standard in every conceivable way.
Lastly FE Bulkhead. Due to his character design, he can appear as bulkhead in any chug or prime collection, in addition to having a genius transformation to vehicle mode. Not only does he age like fine wine, but pairs well with RTS Lugnut.

 

Here's a few of my picks. I'm not doing anything later than 2010.

Cybertron Optimus is and will always be my favorite Prime, and his figure is perfect still holds up great.

Animated Blurr aged very well too, and is a stand out figure from a pretty stellar toyline.

HFTD Terradive and his many repaints are some of the best deluxes I've messed with. Depth Charge in particular is my favorite.

Energon Inferno was a childhood figure to me that also holds up great.

Classics Mirage is really damn posable even by today's standards.

 

I should check into that. Thanks!

 

Still probably the overall best deluxe ever made.

I would say Galaxy Force (Japanese Cybertron) Voyager Starscream. Gorgeous molding, gorgeous paint job. Just looks better with age.
Universe Cyclonus on on that list too (actually the Battle in Space repaint). The only figure that will ever replace it is a larger version of the same mold.

I have a feeling a lot of Transformers from Siege and Earthrise will make this list in a decade.

 

that is definitely a top 10 deluxe for me. AFAIK it's still about the cleanest Jet alt mode this side of the first version of Masterpiece Starscream. The feet folding up inside the jet engines is one of my all time favorite transformation bits.

I think Siege with it's incredibly lame alt-modes and overdone greeblies is going to lose it's luster quickly once folks get over the "ZOMG looks just like cartoon!!!! bot modes". I've been shocked at how much love it receives, but the whole time its felt like the emperor's got no clothes to me. (that said, I still think it's got a handful of great figures like Skytread and Spinister).

This is a stickler for me personally, because a big part of what I love about Transformers is that they transform, and when you've got someone like Soundwave, who basically transforms into his robot mode laying on it's face, man I just need more than that.

Earthrise maybe, but I look at the overall build quality (clip on wheels   ) and reduction in materials and lack of paint and bizarre embracing of really crappy partsforming and I wonder if it's gonna age like wine... or milk (still, give me every repaint of ER Starscream you can churn out there Hasbro  )

 

Thrilling 30 Springer. Can’t believe I replaced him with Siege Springer for a while until I nearly broke him and switched back to Thrilling 30 Springer.
Siege Springer does have nice weapons to give to other figures though.

 

Call me crazy, but G1 Metroplex. He’s still so much fun to fiddle with. I can’t believe I have one that’s nearly complete...rubber tires too!

 

one of my greatest shocks in TF fandom was getting a nice G1 Metroplex as an adult AND HOW SMALL HE WAS!!!

I think I'd been spoiled be Brave Max  

He's still got better alt modes then the Generations version though. And love all his buddies.

 

Absolutely. I used to think Metro was huge as a kid and even decently sized up until I first saw Fort Max in person as an adult. His size hasn’t agen well, for a citybot, anyway. But I agree that all of his modes still hold up really well. And he has an impressive number of gimmicks for a G1 figure.

 

I'm surprised nobody has ever done an upsized KO of Metroplex. He's the most versatile, playable citybot Hasbro/Takara has ever done. He blows the CHUG version away in every respect apart from size. Reinforce the existing joints, add elbows and knees and make him a similar size to the CHUG version.

 

I had Metroplex as a kid, and I loved him. The play features were just outstanding with all of the little repair bays and the chest ramp, or helicopter pad... Man, I got a lot of play out of that toy. I don't recall ever worrying about his size as a kid because I'd just imagine he was bigger or something. Seeing it now as an adult? Yeah, he's pretty small.

I'll agree that the G2 cyberjets are some of the best figures ever made, especially for that time. Any version of G2 Laser Prime as well.

 

Two come to mind...ROTF Mixmaster and Deluxe Generations WFC Megatron and Optimus Prime.

These are figures that I consistently pick up and mess with.

 

agreed! One of the best trailer bases of all time, just PACKED with features.

it has also completely blown my mind that TT or Hasbro has never done G2 Prime in a full-on G1 or movie Prime deco.

 

Really? I thought for some reason he was released with a G1 deco (red chest, blue legs etc.) I'm probably wrong, but for some reason I can visualize one in my head.

 

They did the Spychanger version in that deco, might be what your are thinking of:
Optimus Prime (G1)/toys - Transformers Wiki
full size version has been released as: OG, Black Convoy, Scourge, (canceled/unreleased) Universe 1.0 Toxitron, year of the goat, reissue and e-hobby Laser Magnus.

It’s always seemed like an easy money/low hanging fruit release to me, especially as a store exclusive during either run of Universe or the first couple of movie lines....

 

G1 Optimus Prime (and by extension, Ultra Magnus)

Simple but fun transformation that never gets old and a nice presence both in hand and on display.

 

Classics Seekers....great size, aerodynamic to the point of looking close to a 1:100 scale model of an F-15.

 

TFA Cybertron ratchet.

FE tfp starscream.

FoC Optimus.

and FoC shockwave.

 

I've been rejigging my shelves recently with some "all time greats" on display.

Some more I'd say belong in this thread are:

• BW/Universe 1.0 Optimus Primal
• BW TM2 Megatron
• RID Scourge
• Armada "Bendy" Optimus Prime
• Alternators Smokescreen
• Cybertron Armorhide
• Cybertron Red Alert/Universe Countdown
• RTS Windcharger
• Animated Shockwave
• Prime Wheeljack/Deadend