For more pictures, click on the imagemap above

Robot Mode: Wreck-Gar looks fabulous in robot mode. Probably the most cartoony-looking 'bot in the Animated series yet, but it suits him. The resemblance to G1 Wreck-Gar isn't great, but it's there. Actually Animated Wreck-Gar resembles the G1 cartoon character Wreck-Gar a lot more than he does the G1 toy, but that's to be expected.

I especially like Wreck-Gar's head. It's a work of cartoony art. The mustache, the easy smile, and the fact that the head is actually a TV set, complete with the dials beside his face, everything just comes together nicely. The rest of the figure looks good, too, even though I could have done with a tad more detailing. Not a big thing, though. Speaking of big things, Wreck-Gar carries a huge rucksack. It's actually his vehicle mode, truth be told, seeing as Wreck-Gar doesn't so much transform as curl up inside the big vehicle shell on his back. If you unfold it, it looks as if he's got a garbage truck stuck to his butt (see this picture here). It doesn't bother me, but I know some people don't particularly like shell-formers, so I mentioned it. The big rucksack does make Wreck-Gar a bit prone to toppling over backwards, but he's posable enough to compensate and if all else fails you can use the two fork lifts on the back as additional stabilizers.

The only thing that does bother me a little bit is that Wreck-Gar doesn't have any accessories. In the cartoon he pulled all sorts of stuff out of his rucksack. They could at least have given him a vacuum cleaner or something. I took pity on Wreck-Gar and got him the rake you can see in the pictures as a welcoming present. What he does have are two blade weapons he can put on his forearms, either separately or combined into a bigger blade. The blades look cool and can be stored in the big rucksack, but I still would have preferred a vacuum cleaner.

All in all Wreck-Gar makes for a very dashing and funny-looking robot that you simply can't help but fall in love with. Some tiny things could have been done better, yes, but the bottom line is: I love Wreck-Gar.

Alternate Mode: I usually hate garbage trucks. Not because of the garbage, but because they are inevitably in front of my car during rush hour traffic, driving at a snail's pace and stopping every twenty meters to pick up trash that, apparently, couldn't wait to be picked up until after rush hour is over. It's how it goes.

Wreck-Gar transforms into - or rather, curls up inside - a garbage truck. It's the kind of garbage truck I've only ever seen in American movies, with the big fork lifts that pick up the big trash containers. I don't think we have this kind of garbage truck here in Germany, but whatever. The truck could have done with a bit more detailing, as it does look pretty plain, but apart from that there isn't a whole lot to complain about here. The truck looks wholesome, there is no trace of the robot mode to be seen, and the fork lift works just fine.

Not a whole lot more I can write here, I'm afraid. A solid, no-nonsense vehicle mode that could have done with a bit more details.

Remarks: Wreck-Gar has but a single appearance in Animated to his credit, but it was one of the funniest Transformers episodes of all time in my opinion. Brought to life by a shard of the AllSpark, Wreck-Gar was a newborn Transformer looking for an identity and leaving chaos in his wake. He helped the Angry Archer rob a bank, then tried to apprehend him, tried to save Decepticon Lugnut by unscrewing his tail section and got in an argument with Ratchet where the grumpy old Autobot actually ended up apologizing. Wreck-Gar finally found his identity as a hero and saved Detroit from a mutated batch of nanobots, but ended up at the bottom of the river for his troubles. Wreck-Gar was voiced by none other than Weird Al Yankovic, who performed the song "Dare to be Stupid" for the 1986 Transformers Movie, which played during the original Wreck-Gar's first appearance.

The Wreck-Gar toy is a must-have in my opinion. That's all there is to it. Okay, the vehicle mode is a bit boring, but the robot mode looks just fabulous and I simply love Wreck-Gar. He dares to be stupid. He's only good for one thing: GARBAGE! And he makes a great odd couple together with Pixar's Wall-E. So really, go and buy him! Now. Get to it! Go!

Rating: A-


Read the German version of this review on Transformers-Universe.com or NTF-Archive.de

 

Nice review. They were in Detroit though, not Chicago.

 

Wow, I just noticed this tonight and was wondering if it has happened to anyone else. I've only transformed mine four or five times and the stress marks are almost cracks! I'm sure the arms will stay on after that bottom layer goes, but won't they be super floppy?
This sucks, I hope someone from Radicons comes up with a solution... I'll buy him again just to fix it.

Needless to say, I love my Wreck Gar and am more pleased with him than I had expected. Except for this shoulder stress mark business, he's gold.


EDIT: Added pics. And yes, they're "upside down"

 

Yeah, messed up there. Thanks, I corrected it.

 

I'm still hunting for my Wreck-Gar here in Ohio, can't wait to pick this guy up!

 

None in Sothern Wisconsin. He is eluding me!!!! As well as wave 5 of the Legends.

 

"Anyone seen an egg with eyes? I'm tryin' ta help this guy out."

 

You should've said,"I am Wreck-Gar! Anyone seen an egg with eyes? I'm tryin' ta help this guy out."

 

Balance issues? Not even a day out of the box, and my guy was already mastering the crane technique as "Cruel Summer" played on the stereo.




Another handy hint for people who don't like how the arms stick out: if you pop them out and then swap them, they fold up behind the backpack a lot easier.


Me, I just like rotating them all the way around in robot mode, so that he has two additional "attack arms" that lash out and strike things.

 

mine has them too but it doesnt seem to begetting any worse despite the rather tight parts in teh shoulder.

 

Those are his poking arms for poking things. Poke poke poke poke.

 

Finally got him from HTS. Overall a really nice figure. Nothing to add that hasn't been said. A worthy addition to the Animated-verse.

 

I as well just got mine yesterday from HTS. Well worth the wait. Believe all the positive feedback about him! The only negative I've noticed is how heavy his back is, and how some were talking about having him lean over to compensate. I found that if you just turn his legs left or right you can stand him without any awkward difficulty!

I freaking love this toy!

 

I'm having the same problem with my Wreckgar. It seems like the pin in the wheel isn't all the way in, making the wheel wobble around and the weapon just hang there loosely. Does anyone have any suggestions/ideas for how to get it more?

 

hit it with a rock? or a hammer-or a mallet!!!


seriously. i think you could probably GENTLY hammer the thing in tighter, though you should wait and see if others call me a moron in case im wrong.

 

Thanks to my awesome girlfriend, I was able to get ANIMATED WRECKGAR (Finally!!!)

This toy is far better in person than online. ans I even managed to tuck his ugly purposeless forks behind his shoulders in bot-mode which makes for better posing.

 

But you can poke stuff with them! Poke!

 

Found one, LOVE HIM! But I also have two loose elbow wheels and could use tips on getting the pegs in. I was thinking of finding a plastic rod or something that fits the diameter of the hole and then just tapping it in with a hammer (gently and slowly, of course). That should avoid any scratches or dents on the metal.

 

Now I just want him more.

 

as you should! I just picked this one up today at Walmart and am pleased with his pose ability and overall awesomeness. I think everything tabs in well together and he's got a solid bot and alt mode. Coolest garbage truck i've seen  

8/10.