Let's rename this hobby to plastic models with some diecast parts. Case in point is this ridiculous model, the CAT CT680 truck by Tonkin or WSI that have recently been flooding the market. I am guilty of selling these things too. Without question these are the worst diecast trucks ever made in 1:50 scale. They look great, don't they? Get your hands on one and you'll be screaming bloody murder at the quality. I sold some mint in box without ever removing one. Then I started mixing and matching colors. That's when I got my hands on some. They are worthless. The plastic is so cheap if you breath on it hard enough, it will break. Mirrors, steps, mudflaps, visors, grab bars, anything plastic. Some parts just fall off as if they were never glued. For anyone who bought these from me, I am sorry. We all deserve better than this. And the prices on these are totally absurd. There is no way this truck model should cost over $25.00. Yet you are paying your hard earned money for these, as high as $149.99. That is profoundly wrong on the part of the manufacturer, the distributors, the wholesalers, and the retailers. I don't care if I am upsetting anyone. If you earn $30.00 an hour in your job, you will work three to five hours to pay for this JUNK. DON'T do it. I thought First Gear had become a junk maker in trucks and Tonkin has always sold junk. But this takes the cake. WSI makes beautiful trucks. But their trucks can be cheaply made too. Alan Smith Models, Conrad, and Corgi used to have the only great trucks in town. Then we all demanded more detail. And look what we got. I still love Conrad, Smith, and Corgi. I love them because they are sturdy. If you want detail, customize them. Chuck, it's too bad that TWH went out of business, and Steel City. Their trucks and custom parts were better than WSI. Sorry if I upset your apple cart. Any other CAT CT680s that I sell on Ebay will start at one cent. CAW

Geez, I was thinking about getting one... glad I didn't. I'm not really sure, but did WSI continue making the truck after Tonkin lost the Cat license?

Great post Quinella, this also applies to a lot of construction diecast models too, especially Universal Hobbies who makes absolute junk. I have recently made the conscious decision only to collect Conrad, and Pre-China NZG (back when they where still made in Germany), Joal and Aprpa Construction Equipment and Truck Models. China will never come close to replicating the quality, and workmanship of model makers in countries including Germany, Japan, Spain, France, USA, etc. Yes Chinese models are very detailed but they are equally fragile. Detail alone does not equal value in my eyes. Plus German manufactures also have the capability to make detailed fully functional models (if you do not believe me look up NZG's Kaelble SL14B and Conrad's Vogele Super 3000-2). I wish Conrad too would do more North American trucks but most of the ones they have made in the past have been commissioned by the assistance of North American Distributors such as Roy Ferguson. Thanks for the heads up, I will not buying any of the CT680 models.

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-Mike, Collecting 1/50th Construction Diecast Since 2003.
View My Collection Here, As of 03/29/24

I bought an orange one to match the small orange fleet I have, what a hunk of junk. Has anyone actually compared these side by side to the KW and Macks? Either the CT680 is out of scale because it's huge next to them or it is that much bigger in real life.

Kokosing: What KW and Mack are you comparing this to? If they are Tonkin models, then they wouldn't be the same. Though these CAT CT680s are made by Tonkin, they are 1:50th scale, not the usual 1:53rd. They were made to be used with 1:50 trailers. WSI decided to use them with Rogers trailers. WSI bought the Tonkins after they lost their CAT license I heard. Anyhow, they do fit with the Rogers. It's just that they are nowhere near the quality of the SWORD/WSI Petes, Macks, or hopefully the new KWs coming out. I assume they were a filler release to hold us over until the KW T800s come out. They should have retailed at about $125.00, most of that price attributable to the Rogers trailers. I pulled one out of the box the other day and found that the grab handles on the stacks are not glued in. The hood mirrors are the most brittle and break if you look at them hard. Then the steps fall off in a breeze. Heck New Ray makes better quality than this. If you must have one of these, go to Ebay and buy it for $29.99. Don't pay a nickel more. Sorry to rant. I am incensed at myself for falling for these. CAW

Look at this new truck from China. Gee, I wonder what kind of truck it's supposed to be????

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kaidiwei-Construction-Equipment-Motor-Homes-Car-1-50-Diecast-Vehicles-Model-Toy-/122663568619?hash=item1c8f5184eb:g:Q78AAOSwAYJZh8Ul

Tonkin's use of the brittle plastic also plagued the Linkbelt TCC750 tracked crane as the mirrors on that were as delicate as a faberge egg. I used a micro drill to create a hole in the back of the mirror and the base and then bent a sewing needle (using jewellery bending pliers) to match the original support arm to create a more robust component and finally painted to match. It is disheartening having to do repair work on expensive, but sub par quality models. Tonkin certainly ventured into some interesting models and they added some unique details, but typically the overall model would be deficient in several aspects.

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Good point. Tonkin has a long history of this problem. Reading between the lines I would say they probably lost their shirt getting out of the Cat business.

This is some funny stuff. Everyone wants a scale model to look just like the real deal. Well. Everything in real life these days is made out of plastic, fiberglass, or a recycled pop can. Guess what, that's what they built!
International, who let Cat copy their trucks and build a even bigger pile of mess than Navistar could have dreamt up, has always had a cab big enough to bring your whole family to work with you.
From the few times I've seen a Cat truck parked next to a wide hood, or a regular hood T800 or a W900 or a 357 Petercar in real life, the Catistar is quite a bit larger in cab and body size. The Mack Granite looks like a Matchbox Car in the parking lot compared to any of them.
In my own honest opinion the only thing uglier, more cheaply made or just plain stupid looking than a Catistar truck is a Mack Titan or a Volvo!

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Are you an enviromentist, or do you work for a living?

A scale model is supposed to look like the real deal otherwise it is a toy.