Affordable HO vehicles

custom1106

New Member
Does anyone know where I can find some HO scale vehicles that are affordably priced? Be it on the internet or local (phoenix area). I'm kind of finding it hard to pay $6 or more just for one car. I detail most of my vehicles, so they don't have to be super detailed, I'm just looking for a good platform to start from. My layout is pretty modern themed, I have some older cars to keep it interesting though.

Thanks for the info...

Custom
 

TrainClown

Member
I think Machbox cars and Hot Wheels cars are 1/87. If they arnt then they are durn close. What dose the experts think of this idea?

TrainClown ;)
 

FiatFan

Member
Keep an eye out at your local Hobby Lobby. I found a bunch of Imex brand vehicles which were being closed out for half price. I bought about 20 of them for about $3 apiece.
thumbsup.gif


Tom
 

shaygetz

Active Member
Check out the Johnny Lightning diecast line. Their stepvans, light trucks and military vehicles all fall within HO scale very well and at $4 apiece. At train shows I always manage to pick up 3-5 Wiking vehicles at a buck a pop from some box of fribbitzes on a dealer's table.
 

wjstix

Member
These might be a little too far back for your era, but the Life-Like autos are really pretty good. I used them exclusively on my layout for a while, then started mixing in mini-metals over time. I still use some parked between more detailed cars, unless you really look you can't tell they are just plastic.
 

Jon Grant

Member
In theUK we have stores called Poundland or Everything's £. They sell this range by Cararama. The box says 1/87, but I think they are more 1/83 but for a quid apiece, we can always strip them for detailling bits.

You might find them in the Dollar stores in the US.





adi.sized.jpg


adk.sized.jpg



Good hunting,

Jon
 

jetrock

Member
In the US we have the same sort of thing, called "Dollar Tree" (formerly "The 98 Cent Store", but inflation, y'know.) Searching the racks for appropriate sized items can be worthwhile.
 

shaygetz

Active Member
I do most of my shopping for vehicles at KayBee Toys. Buses by Corgi and Racing Champions---$5 each
 

Attachments

  • 1rc.JPG
    1rc.JPG
    20.9 KB · Views: 163

shaygetz

Active Member
Johnny Lightning civilian commercial---$3-4 Hobby Lobby is a good place to find these and Imex.
 

Attachments

  • 1jl.JPG
    1jl.JPG
    20.1 KB · Views: 161

shaygetz

Active Member
Boley, found at Hobby Lobby. These are my upper end models but still a bargain at $8-10 each. Jetrock is right, most of the fun is in the searching. :thumb:
 

Attachments

  • 1bol.JPG
    1bol.JPG
    24.9 KB · Views: 163

custom1106

New Member
Jon Grants' trucks look like stuff manufactured under the "Boley" name in the us at about $5-$6 each. I went a picked myself up a pack of trucks and a pack of cars from my LHS from the life like line. They are pretty easy to paint up too. I have some of the Johnny Lightning commercial stuff too, my girlfriend works at Target so I get a rake on them.

Thanks for the info guys, I really appreciate it!
 

spitfire

Active Member
The cheapest cars I've seen are Life Like's Scenemaster. Sets of 4 for around $9, in generic 1950s styles. They have no bottoms, just a plastic shell of the upper car body, so they may not be suitable for detailing, but they do at least have clear plastic windows. Good for getting lots of cars on the layout fast.

Val
 

wjstix

Member
Yup, those are the ones I was talking about in my reply earlier. Given the price they're really quite nice, two different styles of autos plus some pickups and delivery vans.
 
Top