Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

to be shocked at the price of...Lego?!?!

68 replies

Tw1nkle · 17/12/2011 22:27

Wanted to get some for my DD this year, as i think she's old enough now.

It's been years since I played with lego, and have never actually bought any, so when I looked at the prices - OMGoodness!!!!!

OP posts:

squeakytoy · 17/12/2011 22:28

I suppose it is fairly indestructible, so it lasts forever..

FreudianSlipper · 17/12/2011 22:30

worth every penny I ds loves it

FantasticVoyage · 17/12/2011 22:30

YANBU.

It's cheaper buying copper.

MyChildDoesntNeedSleepAtXmas · 17/12/2011 22:31

YANBU

I was pretty shocked the first time too.

valiumredhead · 17/12/2011 22:31

It will never ever break and it can be passed on to other kids. Also if you saw the programme 'How it's Made' you would understand why it's so expensive, the machines are HUGE and the moulds cost a fortune. Lego is fab :)

Original poster

Tw1nkle · 17/12/2011 22:32

I'm so dissappointed, as i hade a HUGE box full growing up - I loved it too! I never knew what happened to the box - we don't have it anyway - there must have been £100's or maybe £1000's worth of Lego in it, at today's prices!!

It'll take me years to get the same amount I had, for my DD!!

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 17/12/2011 22:32

yeah you don't get much for your money

we love it though, ds1 and ds2 will play with it for, literally, hours on end, and it's just so imaginative.

plus it lasts forever and you can flog it on ebay for nearly as much as you paid for it!

valiumredhead · 17/12/2011 22:33

You can get big boxes of bricks rather than the sets from Argos - they are good value.

EquestrianStatue · 17/12/2011 22:33

It is expensive, but my DS plays with his Lego every single day, and only gets new bits for birthday or Christmas (he does get the individual figures as treats once or twice a month though). Of all the tat I've wasted money on over the past 4 years, Lego has paid for itself many times over!

True about it lasting forever too. My DH has 3 crates of Lego at his mum's house that we'll be bringing back with us this Christmas; the genius thing about Lego is that stuff from the 1980s fits perfectly with older & newer kits.

starsintheireyes · 17/12/2011 22:37

I agree, expensive but money well spent. My dc started off with their dads box of lego from when he was little and have had sets every year for xmas and birthdays, the box now is huge but they do play with that and playmobil everyday. Playmobil is the same, quite expensive but another thing that lasts for years and can be added to bit by bit.

EnjoyResponsiblyIfSleighFlying · 17/12/2011 22:45

Worth it, but don't buy sets just the basic boxes + extra wheels. £30 should do it.

The Lego shop gift voucher for £11 makes a great birthday gift - the kids can spend HOURS picking the bits they want.

The Lego shop in Bluewater has quite possibly the nicest staff in the world.

TheBrandyButterflyEffect · 17/12/2011 22:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

shaka12003 · 17/12/2011 22:56

Yes Lego costs a fortune but it worth every penny we have spent £250 on 2 sets this year. The starwars millenium falcon and the lego city airport set, i can safely say it will be the most played with toy over xmas though.

akaemmafrost · 17/12/2011 23:01

Yep indeed! Have a child with ASD whose big obsession is lego. I ordered him two large sets for Christmas, just two ladies, just two, I have to reiterate this because the TWO SETS came to £150.00!!!!!!

CardyMow · 17/12/2011 23:04

I get mine from boot sales and Ebay. Much cheaper preloved, and as it's practically indestructable, is perfectly useable.

foreverondiet · 17/12/2011 23:05

Try buying on ebay by the kg!

akaemmafrost · 17/12/2011 23:05

I would buy from ebay huntycat have been tempted but as I said before my child has ASD if a set turned up without a couple of bricks, the ensuing meltdown just does not bear thinking about.

OhTheConfusion · 17/12/2011 23:09

I know!

My DS and DD both love it but it is soooo expensive. Luckily they also appreciate the price and realise a few hundred brick set can easily cost £70+.

However I happily buy it as they have hours of fun, it never breaks (although a few pieces die up the hoover) and can be used for a million different things. DD has the new lego make book wrapped under the tree!

TreeHouses · 17/12/2011 23:11

Buy it on ebay by the kg. In the last two weeks it has been selling for around £10 per kg including postage. that is for a 'mixed' or 'job lot' box. Kits cost more, usually half to two thirds of the new price.

CardyMow · 17/12/2011 23:27

Akaemmafrost - I have 2 dc with asd too. I check the pieces against the list in the back of the instructions (which are also usually available online, if it comes without instructions or box - Google to find the model number, then google again for instructions) BEFORE giving it to the dc's. If the set turns up with a missing brick (only happened once), I phone Lego customer services - and they have been more than happy to post out the odd brick to me.

Saves any meltdowns if YOU check it first, and keep a few tricks up your sleeve, like google and Lego customer services phone number. Also helpful if your Dyson eats Lego bricks for lunch. . I have saved myself a fortune by getting Lego from boot sales (for ordinary bricks), and Ebay for the sets. Though I didn't know you can buy it by the Kg on Ebay. I may do that for DS1's birthday...

akaemmafrost · 17/12/2011 23:34

Wow counting them all first! Now thats commitment to preventing a meltdown .

I will be looking at the buying by the kg as well, ds loves the sets but also is beginning to like his own designs too which makes me so, so happy as he has very poor fine motor skills and tends to avoid doing stuff like that. Lego has been fab for him.

CardyMow · 18/12/2011 10:18

Too many years with dc with asd, akaemmafrost. . DD is 13yo, DS2 is 8yo...You learn to avoid the triggers as much as possible in the end!!

bananamam · 18/12/2011 10:23

Well when I was a kid, way back in 1987 I wanted one left toy and it was £50 back then, so I would say Lego is just as expensive as it ever was! DS is coming up to 5 and loving it so Santa has got him some Lego that was half price. We also got blok squad? Which looks very similar to Lego as a cheaper alternative. No idea what it is actually like though..Argos sell it. Shall let you know on Christmas!!

camdancer · 18/12/2011 10:25

Amazon usually have good prices for Lego. We get lots from Ebay, but you have to know your prices and check the listing carefully. Don't worry about instructions as they are all on the web and don't pay extra for the box unless you really need it. And don't buy in Ebay before Christmas as the prices rocket. BrickLink is also pretty good especially if you just want certain pieces rather than sets.

As HuntyCat says, Lego are really good at replacing parts if they are lost. We bought a set that was missing a bit. I ordered it on Lego.com and it arrived within 3 days - completely free. I'm happy to pay the extra for amazing customer service like that.

camdancer · 18/12/2011 10:26

Oh and don't be tempted by the knock off versions. They just don't clunk together as well and are really frustrating. You don't realise how good Lego is until you try the crappy ones.

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread