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GundamBlog posted an update in the group
Finally getting a PG! 6 years, 10 months ago Okay, so I’m pretty new to this hobby but am already looking at certain PG’s. I live in the Netherlands and gunpla is extremely scarce here. Importing through HLJ isn’t an option, because import tax will jump through the roof for big, expensive items like that. So, I’m limited to one single store that sells gunpla, and they’re ALWAYS low on stock. Right now, they barely have anything. But they do have this: http://hlj.com/product/BAN906047/Gun There’s barely any good coverage on this kit online 🙁
Is this a good (first) PG? Is it worth 160 Euro’s (183USD / 19.400 Yen)? I prefer the look of the GP01 a tiny bit, but that’s out of stock and it could be ages before they get new ones… Any tips or thoughts are welcome.
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Finally getting a PG!
I live in Bangladesh and there are no shops here so I always have to pay for import (transport, tax, etc.). Prices will always be high as whoever is selling has a monopoly and you pay if you want it. An alter native is to search for people offering import services online via Facebook groups (make sure they have good customer reviews). You end up waiting a month or two for the kit, but still cheaper even after transport and taxes when compared to retail stores at home.
Here’s a good review on Amazon I felt best described this kit (By D. Chung on April 20, 2012):
“Granted the Gundam Mk-II looks dated, but if you long for a deeper understanding of the mechanical design of a Gundam, look no further and get this kit ASAP. Although Gundams are fictional, all the design elements of this kit makes physical and mechanical sense, as they are there not just for the sake of design or to look cool. Take its shoulder armor for example. Most Gundam models will have the arm attach to the body by a pin, with the shoulder armor sandwiched in between free floating. This is true even for most of the Perfect Grade kits out there, which is cool for design but make no mechanical sense. The PG Mk-II however changed this, as its shoulder consisted of a L-shaped frame attached to the arm making rotations much smoother. In addition, most parts of the arm and legs, saved the hip, ankle, or the wrist joints, are lock together not by poly caps, but by grooves or slots fitted together, making the internal frame very secure. I built this kit as my first Perfect Grade, and all the other kits I built since from the line up just didn’t seems up to the Mk-II standard, mechanically speaking (and yes, I have every single PG kits.) My bottom line to you is that if you can only pick one kit from the PG line up, get the PG Gundam Mk-II and be amazed.”
Thanks for the advice and the review! 🙂
You’re welcome! 🙂
Hope it helped you reach a decision! (^__^)7
I ordered for around 100€ and paid 40€ for fedex express on hlj.. after only 4 days it was at my place in germany, and there were no taxes. So even with the realtive high shiping costs it was cheaper than on ebay or amazon. I have a second order still on its way. I ordered an MG Epyon with standard shipping end of march.. still hasn`t arrived. So even if it seems expensive, it is totally worth it.
Yeah, but you guys don’t have to pay Merkel, we here in Holland need to pay the Royals, and since they have an expensive taste and a big family… Everything above €25 gets 21% tax on top of the purchase and chipping price!!!!
In some countries, like Germany for example, hobby product and or toys are free from taxes, talk about one big Europe eh…. sigh
P.S., I was lucky a few times, one time a seller on E-Bay noted a price of €20 for my PG, shipped from Korea.
Someone even stated that tuning parts for my car where “Missing Parts” 😛
There are a few loop holes, but HLJ doesn’t state another price on the invoice, which is understandable. I took the risk with the PG in ordering from an unknown seller (sure, a 99.9% satisfaction, but still, for all we know you get a bootleg kit and unfortunately some have…), now I order from HLJ. In most cases, when ordered a few kits and shipped combined, they are still cheaper then other online sellers, even with taxes. Even if I was lucky a few times, there is always the risk of having to pay taxes and clearance charges (€15-€20 depending on the postal service)
At least.you can go to the next coffeeshop and calm your anger.. Would you have to pay taxes if a friend from D sends you a package?
That is very true, except I stopped smoking 5 years ago…. 😛
If things are send or bought inside the EU, there is no tax to be payed as “taxes are already payed in an European country”.
Es ist so krumm als dass es lang ist 😀
Haha gesprochen, wie ein wahres Wunderkind. But since all the plastik has to be importet anyways, there would be a double shiping cost. From Japan to Germany and then from Germany to the Netherlands. And that would be the same extracost.
Haha, I take back what I said. Had a bill from FedEx in my postbox today.
19% importtaxes and FedEx took also 12,5€ +19% taxes.
haha, yeah I’m sort of hoping PostNL isn’t going to send me surprise bills, but they usually ask for the tax commission in cash at the door. And if you don’t have that exact amount, you can pick it up at the post office. Good luck scrounging together 19,78 Euro’s :p
We have gundam-market.nl though! Which has no stock whatsoever… -_-‘
I will see what Deutsche Post is going to do, but i expect a simple 19% at front door also.
If my Epyon will ever arrive .. its over a month now.