[Closed] another question:

Paperwork of negligible value in my opinion. If you like the image and plan to keep the car, it probably has no real effect on anything.

IMO, paperwork is nice to have but the lack of should not be a deterrant to buying a model that you really like. I believe that the packaging material is more important as you never know when you may have to pack and relocate.....

Will, just like the 1:1 cars..... documentation supports the car's value.

BTW.... you don't have to drop big $$$ to be happy with your purchase.

I am with Dallas

I always ask the question on documentation: Is it all there?

I have never intentionally bought a car without documentation or without all the orginal packaging. To me these add value to the car should you ever decide to sell.

Regards

With some of the more rare and valuable cars, the papers ...

are very important to keep the value up. With most of the "every-day" cars it really has little impact one way or the other.

Paper work nice but the original box a must

William I have been in this crazy hobby for 16 years. I have all my paperwork and boxes. When looking on E-bay I would not bid on a car without the original box. This is a prime essential if you ever want to resell the car. Really what good is a owners certificate with someone elses name on it? If you don't want to get into the buy everything mode you must decide what is your favorite car make, corporation or decade. Once you have done that you will have a focus and you can start buying. You also want to consider space you have available for displaying your collection. Almost dust free display is essential. DM makes excellent 6 and 10 car display cases that can mount on a wall or you can go the large curio cabinet route. When I first started I would buy the individual plastic 1/24 scale cases. They would fit anywhere and would keep car protected and dust free.

William, with regard to papers and boxes...

Personally, I think most collectors put to much emphisas on both. One poster here stated that having the box is essential, and I guess it depends on the individual.

For me, boxes are not a big deal. I don't plan to sell any of cars (nor have I), and having space to display each car is most important. I don't want to have to worry about a closet to store empty boxes too. I wouldn't buy the cars if I didn't have a place or space to display them.

Buying a car or cars, and keeping them in their box(es) makes no sense to me at all. They cost far to much money to be hidden away in a closet. But, to each their own.

With regard to what car(s) to buy as you launch into the 1:24 hobby, I agree with the poster that says, you must pick your favorite marque, or decade. Just doing that, you will find many cars from which to choose from.

Finally, with regards to displaying your car(s)...it is extremely important (at least to me) that, they are displayed in as "dust free" a way as possible. These cars are to expensive to be covered with dust and not protected.

The poster that recommened the little 1:24 scale plastic cases, offered a good idea. Each of my cars is in their own individual plastic case, and then displayed on my custom built shelves.

Getting into this hobby is not only fun, but an investment. Like any investment, you should protect them.

Good luck with your adventure!

There are a number of reasons to keep the box

I don't believe it when people say they will never sell. Over time ideas change. When you get too much down sizing comes in. Selling a car without the original packaging leaves one open to damage in shipping and loss of money. It would be easier on your wife if you died and left her with a lot of cars to dispose of. Most people, myself included will not buy a model without the original box. You might say this is the downside of this hobby. Gets to the point you practically need a storage shed for empty boxes. On the plus side DM will supply you with all the puffies you will ever need. I have saved 4 55 gallon garbage cans of puffies in my yard for future shipping of anything I might sell on E-bay.

Glenn...you will have to believe it, because

I will never sell any car in my collection. Your thought that some people need to downsize is wrong too...at least for me.

I don't collect to sell. I buy what I want, and it is with me for the long haul. Boxes get the car from the mint to me, and that is where their life ends.

You seem to forget that we are all different.
And should I buy a car from a fellow collector, I'm not concerned that it has the original box...I don't collect boxes. I collect cars.

How does the customer car get to you if not in a box? the foam protects things like mirrors Etc.

In the end we all die and someone else has to deal with it

Glenn, you are correct, and that is not my worry.

We are all going to have to take care of someone else's junk when they die. It all equals out.