I love Whirl, but it falls a tiny bit below "gold standard" for me, thanks to a couple awkward bits and those "will it break?" knee joints.

 

Im useing mp hotrod for my rodimusprime, i have a video in my collection thread that shows how well they work togther, but ill post a pic later

 

wow it sounds like you are impossible to please. maybe you need another hobby.

 

Why I don't use them that way.

I dislike the "official" positioning and it is so easy and looks really good with them flipped around. Can't even tell it's not official IMHO.

 

The fact that someone's saying that to me of all people is hilarious.

 

yeah, that's how i display him too ~ kinda works, but the feet are still pretty wonky: i figured some 3rd party'd come out with feet replacement but never happened.

 

As am I,I just picked up the Henkei versions,brand new and cheap at a con recently and I havent been able to put them down since,they arent perfect versions of those characters but they are still enjoyable. Im glad I got them.

 

Classic Optimus Prime (get the evolution pack version, if possible)
RTS Jazz
Legends Jetfire (the Japanese version without the chrome)
Universe Starscream
Combiner Wars Devastator

 

My collection mostly consists of Combiner Wars and Titans Return. The Classics/Generations/Universe/Henkei/United lines (I refuse to say "CHUG". I HATE that acronym) are OK and all but most if not all of the figures haven't aged well at all when compared to the figures being released today. There are only a few exceptions in my collection of older Classics figures that hold up well and fit in with newer figures:

Universe Sunstreaker
Universe Hound
RTS Perceptor
RTS/Generations Wreck Gar and Junkheap

To tell you the truth, I don't understand the hate for the RTS Wreck Gar mold in this thread. Yeah it's a PITA to transform. But it was no different than most early Classics figures in that regard. As for the breaking Handlebars, I owned multiples of the mold over the years and NEVER had one break. All you had to do was shave the little nubs off the handles and your were golden.

The only older Classics figures that I'm interested in adding to my collection that IMO have aged well are:

United or RTS Jazz
Generations Warpath

 

If that's true, here's my best of in a pic:

 

Here is a pre "Thrilling 30" List:
1. Classics Starscream / Seeker Mold: This mold is by no means perfect but it is a solid representation of Starscream (and the many, many other seekers that follow after him). If you are collecting Classics (or CHUG, as many like to call it) then you should consider picking this guy up.
2. Generations Warpath: One of, if not the, greatest tank molds of all time. He may not be a Mini-Bot as some would like but he is still a great interpretation of a beloved G1 character.
3. Reveal The Shield Wreck-Gar: Aside from some breakage issues with the handlebar and a less-than stellar automorph gimmick this is the definitive version of the Wreck-Gar character.
4. Universe 2.0 Hound w/ Ravage: One of my personal favorite figures of all time, Hound was unique for a Deluxe class as he came with a smaller figure in the packaging. Hound is articulated, faithful to his animation model, and is all around a very fun figure to mess around with. Ravage is nice as well and is a nice addition to Hound. The only negative is that Hound does not come with a separate weapon from his "missile launcher" but I see Hound as more of an explorer than a fighter so I am fine with it.
5. Generations Sky Shadow/Thunderwing: A figure that I feel is often overlooked. I admit that a character as huge as Thunderwing deserves to be at least a Voyager Class, this toy is fun enough and looks good in both of his modes. I may be a bit biased since I love both of the characters but I recommend that you at least consider this figure or better yet get it and see for yourself.
6. RTS Special Ops Jazz: I have never owned this figure so I am basing this merely on the look of the figure in both modes and reviews that I have seen or heard.
7. Generations Red Alert: This is my favorite use of the mold that I think captures the look of Red Alert. He could have used a red head to differ himself from Sideswipe, though.
8. Generations Wheeljack: A faithful representation of the classic G1 Autobot mechanic.
9. Universe 2.0 Prowl/Silverstreak/Smokescreen: An underrated figure that manages to capture the original look of the character. Despite it's many flaws (door wings falling off and sticky paint) I find it to be a relatively enjoyable figure.
10. Classics Cliffjumper: I pick this figure over the original use of the mold, Bumblebee, because it manages to capture the look of G1 Cliffjumper while also giving us a somewhat Mini-Bot sized figure while not being in the Legends Class.
Honorable Mentions:
Universe 2.0 Cyclonus: An all around solid figure that technically deserves to be on this list but I think that some of the other characters on this list deserve some recognition.
Classics Optimus Prime: I have never owned this mold but from what I have seen this seems to be the definitive Classics Optimus Prime for many people on these boards. If I were you I would maybe just invest in the Combiner Wars version of the character for scale purposes.
Classics Mirage: A fun figure but his age is starting to show slightly more than some of the other figures on this list.

 

I am much like you in that I mostly discounted any CHUG toy as something I'm not into.
Plus, I have an MP thing going, and mostly CHUGs are too small for me.
That said, I have picked up a few, some because you guys all speak so highly about them.

Classics Bumblebee - I like it better than MP Bumble. There, I said it.
Generations Waspinator - Very nice. Love that character and design.
Generations Springer - you already know about this one
LG EX Rhinox - better paint than the other forms of that Generations mold. Really quite nice.
Generations Brainstorm - not the new one. Just got this one and it's really pretty frikken great.
Generations Jetfire - it suffers from the same kinds of hollowness as Brainstorm, but like it; it's a really fantastic piece of work.

 

Cheetor. What a turd of a figure he was.

 

I posted this in CHUG Appreciation a while back.
Onslaught wants to stomp you into unconsciousness, then shake you back awake so he can do it again.

 

You know? You're absolutely right about Straxus. (Lugnut's good, too, but he ain't no Straxus.)

I passed by this figure so many times when it was in stores and thought nothing of it. It wasn't a character known to me, so I didn't care.
I was watching video reviews and recommendations about him popped up from Peaugh and EmGo. Watched both.

WTF was I thinking?! Found one on eBay, used my eBay bucks and picked him up (shipped!) for $8.45.
I have him in hand and I must say the instructions are pure shit. Just used toilet paper shitty.
And the third mode, I appreciate the fan wank (I decided to look up Straxus) but it's an absolute mess.

Robot mode and vehicle mode? Bee's knees. Transformation? Pain in the ass. Voyager level transformation on a Deluxe frame. A lot of "move this out of the way, move that up, then move this back" which is kind of unfun with the arms and the backpack, but the rest is pure gold.

Oh...and the axe. Friggin. Awesome.

 

Ditto, it works so well as Rodimus even if the aesthetics are a little too "clean" next to his IDW brethern.

Already mentioned, but Classics Mirage and Generations Springer are both top tier.

 

If you can get your hands on RTS Lugnut, its one of my favorite molds of all time.

 

Generations thrilling 30th Springer. Absolute fucking perfection. He does everything you want him to except make sandwiches and filter telemarketers on the phone.

Classics Hot Rod legitimately is quite bad, though. Shoulders have no real range to lift out from the sides despite being ball joints, knee rotation isn't really in sync with the hips for posing, and his feet in general are quite clunky.

I actually would advise against this if possible - it's the version I own and while still absolutely fantastic, the mold wear from constant use and age really is showing with loose plastic-on-plastic joints not holding friction and slight deformity making his smokestacks a pain to transform sometimes. It isn't nearly enough to ruin the figure for me but something from earlier years would have less mold wear issues. Also no chrome unless it's a Henkei since chrome pants prime may not work for everyone.

Unquestionably the best thing to come out of RtS at Voyager scale, perfect realistic take on the animated design but superior articulation and the mother of all character centric gimmicks - the P.O.K.E. - is perfectly executed in all but one category, and that's the nuclear explosion that happens when the fists make contact with an Autobot's face.

 

I just never could consider RTS Lugnut to be "Classics" - his exaggerated posture and proportions firmly landed him in the "Live action movie" camp of the RTS/HFTD molds like Hailstorm and Tomahawk

 

I could see that if Lugnut was a wholly original character for that line, but the proportions and posture come from is animated form.