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[Capital Power]

After working with me for a week to try and identify what I'm missing from the Friends Apartments, I think we understand what I need... and Lego have decided they aren't going to help me.

I'm shattered, I'm missing the stickers - which they say they can't replace, and I would've lived with - and 2 whole bags of pieces. Now I need to decide whether I can be bothered going through the instructions to identify and order every piece from those 2 bags (and order stickers off Bricklink), or whether to stop throwing good money after bad, see whether I can part it out, and just try and recoup the loss

Given every experience I've ever had with Lego, I was stunned that they've decided not to help me. Even moreso when the implication throughout this week is that they were going to help

Of those 2 options, I think identifying the missing pieces is probably easier, but who knows? If there are minifigs or anything particular in the missing bags, it becomes a whole ****around of pick-a-brick orders and ordering individual parts off Bricklink, which could get insanely expensive.

Cheapest option would possibly be to source a used complete copy from bricklink or eBay (Australian sellers have these for $350 currently) and then sell on the parts/minifigures you do already have. Stickers can be picked up from bricklink or you may be able to get them printed in the aftermarket.

Yeah you can identify the missing pieces and order, but by the time you've gone through all that it probably makes it much of a muchness financially, particularly if there are rare parts in the missing bags.

 

[eddiesmith]

View attachment 2183297

Finished. Fun build! Was worried clicking the "roof" in place on the front half would cause a Stranger Things style model collapse, but it clicked together nicely. I love the little hidden features and attention to detail (like the hidden compartment to store the Batmobile exhaust flame when the Batmobile is kept inside the cave).

Concentrating on the Home Alone House for the rest of December:

View attachment 2183298

Mine collapsed about 3-4 times when building, especially the front door side. Worst one had about 10 pieces to put back in and taking another few off to get them back.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Mine collapsed about 3-4 times when building, especially the front door side. Worst one had about 10 pieces to put back in and taking another few off to get them back.

I've learned not to build certain parts while sitting on the floor on carpet. Ground's too uneven and things don't click in place properly and then collapse. Sometimes it's my only choice though especially at night and I don't want to wake the kids up, so I hide myself away in the theatre haha. But flat hard surface like a table definitely better when pushing pieces down.

 

[nobbyiscool]

I'm a bit jealous of some of you with cool builds on at the moment. Every day since Wednesday I've woken up hoping my back will feel a little better so I can sit on the floor and start building Endurance, but my shitty back barely lets me sit in a chair this weekend, let alone the floor

Cheapest option would possibly be to source a used complete copy from bricklink or eBay (Australian sellers have these for $350 currently) and then sell on the parts/minifigures you do already have. Stickers can be picked up from bricklink or you may be able to get them printed in the aftermarket.

Yeah you can identify the missing pieces and order, but by the time you've gone through all that it probably makes it much of a muchness financially, particularly if there are rare parts in the missing bags.

It was going to drive me nuts, so I've been through the PDF instructions and added every piece from the 2 missing bags to a pick a brick order. A quite infuriating $65. And I'm still not 100% sure I've covered everything off.

That's not the worst of it though, cos there are 2 special pieces that aren't widely available that I have to get off Bricklink, I need to buy the sticker sheet, and one of the missing bags contained one of the mini figures. Another ~$60 or so.

This has turned into a nightmare. Definitely a lesson learned about buying cut-price lego

 

[nobbyiscool]

Does anyone have any experience filling out missing chunks of a set like what I'm trying to do?

Do you just bend over for Lego because it's all in the one spot?

Does Bricklink even end up being economical if you have to get shit of 4-5 different sellers?

 

[Capital Power]

Does anyone have any experience filling out missing chunks of a set like what I'm trying to do?

Do you just bend over for Lego because it's all in the one spot?

Does Bricklink even end up being economical if you have to get shit of 4-5 different sellers?

Didn't you do this for Voltron and finish up short anyway, or am I mis-remembering?

I've never done this, but all the reviews/videos I've seen of similar acquisitions say that it's generally more expensive than buying the set, even on the aftermarket. As you say, you may need half a dozen different bricklink orders, which may come with overseas shipping.

However, a $65 PAB plus $60 bricklink to complete a set currently fetching $350 used seems like a good deal.

 

[nobbyiscool]

Didn't you do this for Voltron and finish up short anyway, or am I mis-remembering?

I've never done this, but all the reviews/videos I've seen of similar acquisitions say that it's generally more expensive than buying the set, even on the aftermarket. As you say, you may need half a dozen different bricklink orders, which may come with overseas shipping.

However, a $65 PAB plus $60 bricklink to complete a set currently fetching $350 used seems like a good deal.

Yep, but in that case I had just looked up the set on the Lego site and ordered all the pieces that came up when I searched the set. I didn't realise that any retired or "non normal" pieces just wouldn't show up on the list.

They did end up letting me return it all, so that was good.

This time I've done it according to the instructions, page by page, checking each piece, finding the piece and the code in the back, and then looking it up on the PAB site.

They've sent me an inventory of each of the bags - as in just the bags, not what's in them. So I know that there's 1x number 1 + 1 smaller bag inside it et al.

It's been bloody time consuming, it's basically taken all of Travis Head's innings, but I'm pretty confident in the list that I've come up with... I just need to haggle with Lego over how much I'm going to pay for pieces that they probably should be replacing. And now that I can point out that they have literally all the pieces, aside from 1x minifig, the stickers, a chicken and 2x support girders, and that I've already done the work, I'm hoping they might come to the party.

I should probably find some more pieces to buy as well, if I spend another $9 on pieces I save the $15 service fee.

What's some good pieces to have handy? I don't really have any current MOC ideas that I'm working on.

I'm less pissed off about it when I was this morning because, having done the work, I know I can fix the problem/find the pieces.

 

[Xtreme]

My mini Lego Batwing went flying earlier today. Consequence of where I keep it (on tip of my Xbox console), go to turn the power switch off at the wall. Bumped into it, it slid off, and landed upside down.

Damage isn't that bad and mostly repaired, but I'll need to reverse the build process in order to figure out where some parts go (its not immediately obvious on the outside). Also have to hope that nothing else went flying further away, would hate to be missing a stud somewhere lol.

 

[nobbyiscool]

Lego continue to be a pain in the junk...

They've shown me the inventory of bags that should be in the box, why are they being difficult about sending me a list of what's in each bag? It doesn't make any sense.

I'm so close to having this sorted out in terms of having everything accounted for in 3 different orders, but I'm 15 pieces shorter than I need to be.

The box/bag inventory they've sent me has a piece count on it. I've gone through the instructions twice, but my orders for bag 6 only account for 117 of 127 pieces; the orders for bag 11 only account for 153/158 pieces.

Could they be accounting for spare pieces? That would be strange, right?

In any case, it would be so easy for them to help me resolve it once and for all, I don't know why they're being so difficult. At this stage I'm not even asking them to pay for it, I'm just asking for their help to make sure I get everything I need in one go.

I'm going to end up getting the pieces that I need, building it to make sure it's complete, then selling the ****ing thing ASAP. I don't even want to look at it after this ordeal. Lego's customer service is always so much better than this. I think that's part of why it's been so staggering/exhausting, is that we've all come to expect that Lego is the one place that will never give you grief when it comes to fixing problems.

 

[Capital Power]

Could the discrepancy be Minifigures? Five pieces in one bag, ten in another seems coincidental. The only flaw with that is that they have only 4 pieces each.

It could also be spare pieces, these would be accounted for in Lego's calculations as they are consistent across all copies of a set

 

[nobbyiscool]

Could the discrepancy be Minifigures? Five pieces in one bag, ten in another seems coincidental. The only flaw with that is that they have only 4 pieces each.

It could also be spare pieces, these would be accounted for in Lego's calculations as they are consistent across all copies of a set

I don't think it's a minifig issue, I had accounted for 4 pieces + a handbag.

I think it has to be spares. I'm going to go through it all a 3rd time today or tomorrow and see how I go. I only found 1 error on my second go-through though, so it's a bit frustrating!

Thanks for your thoughts/ideas.

 

[Capital Power]

I don't think it's a minifig issue, I had accounted for 4 pieces + a handbag.

I think it has to be spares. I'm going to go through it all a 3rd time today or tomorrow and see how I go. I only found 1 error on my second go-through though, so it's a bit frustrating!

Thanks for your thoughts/ideas.

Bricklink lists the spares for a set, ten in one bag sounds a lot though.

 

[nobbyiscool]

Bricklink lists the spares for a set, ten in one bag sounds a lot though.

I'm on there now and can't find it. Where abouts is it?

And is it just listing the whole set, or does it do them bag by bag?

 

[Neese]

Nightmare before Christmas is on hold while I write a couple of job applications. I will get back to it in a couple of days.

 

[Capital Power]

I'm on there now and can't find it. Where abouts is it?

And is it just listing the whole set, or does it do them bag by bag?

At the bottom of the parts listing under "extra items". It seems there are something like 78 spare pieces which is a lot. It might explain the differences in your bags.

It only lists the set contents I think, not each bag. I don't have an account there, do I could be wrong, that's just on the public page.

 

[SnakeMan86]

Up to bag 15

 

[dumb]

Keen on some advice...

I've been sorting through all my boxed lego tonight... I've become an accidental investor, about 4-5 things that I bought when they were good prices but I never built are now retired and just taking up space...

Anyway, about a year ago I bought the The Friends Apartments (10292) on clearance for about $190, cos it had a destroyed box. All the bags appear in tact - what's missing is the instructions, but they appear fairly readily available from Bricklink.

Is the set still worth money with a beat up box and replacement instructions? It should be worth double what I paid for it, and I don't ever see myself committing space to it in my current space... but does the shitty box make them worth heaps less? (I did look on Bricklink for a box, but to get a box this size shipped here is going to be too hard.)

i'm late to this thread, but you can always put it up on ebay for a price you're willing to receive to part ways with it. if no-one pays the dollarydoos for it, no loss (except the time taken to compile the listing)
but as you say you can cross-check what it's available for. if you're honest about the state of the box it will be less problematic - there are people who collect entire sets who need the box in pristine condition, and they won't go near your set. but others will be looking to build/collect etc.

 

[dumb]

Does anyone have any experience filling out missing chunks of a set like what I'm trying to do?

Do you just bend over for Lego because it's all in the one spot?

Does Bricklink even end up being economical if you have to get shit of 4-5 different sellers?

i'm about halfway through doing similar. abandoned about 12 months ago i reckon, just didn't have time.

i forked out for some sets through ebay. the sets kind of live in tubs for now so i may uncover the pieces at the bottom.
was in the process of comparing the set inventory, to what i'd received. brick link does make it easier to check what i'm missing. yet to pull the trigger on any pieces i need though. i don't think i was intentionally duped.

i'll be helped by being ok with 2nd hand pieces. i own most of the old blocky and holey technic sets between 1980 and 1990. and i'm not likely to find the bits new anyway. if you have lots and lots of time, you may be able to get away with sourcing 2nd hand pieces, or different colours to use on the internal parts of your build that won't be seen - that would be dedication to saving a dollar.

postage will be the killer if i need not easy to find bits. from overseas, particularly europe is through the nose. i did source second hand sets from overseas because options were limited. bits, i'd like to think there's some resellers closer to home.

 

[Scotland]

Went to pick up the Endurance from the GPO and was handed a 1kg box about 1x1 foot. Package 1 of 2, 2 still in transit.

Will open tonight and see what GWP are in it and what it was I ordered to take $399 over 400.

 

[TheEscapeClub]

I'm off for 5 days over Christmas. This bad boy was on my front doorstep when I got home.

 

[Capital Power]

Went to pick up the Endurance from the GPO and was handed a 1kg box about 1x1 foot. Package 1 of 2, 2 still in transit.

Will open tonight and see what GWP are in it and what it was I ordered to take $399 over 400.

All of my recent purchases from Lego have turned up like this. The larger set, left in it's "ready to ship" packaging, arrives 2-3 days after a smaller package containing GWPs. I suspect the PO handles larger parcels differently?

 

[Forward Press]

I'm off for 5 days over Christmas. This bad boy was on my front doorstep when I got home.

View attachment 2185327

This is a great build imo.

Looks amazing on display too because of its sheer size and smooth lines.

 

[MatthewB]

I'm off for 5 days over Christmas. This bad boy was on my front doorstep when I got home.

View attachment 2185327

i enjoyed the build, its bigger than you think

 

[TheEscapeClub]

i enjoyed the build, its bigger than you think

I'm surprised by how heavy the box is.

 

[Neese]

All of my recent purchases from Lego have turned up like this. The larger set, left in it's "ready to ship" packaging, arrives 2-3 days after a smaller package containing GWPs. I suspect the PO handles larger parcels differently?

Other way around for me. Book GWP came 3 days after Nightmare Before Christmas.