Jump to content

First MiniArt Grant finally on the way


Kingsman

Recommended Posts

Arrived in my email inbox today as a New Kit In Progress.  At last.  I want one.  And I want a diesel Grant II too when that is released.  Note that this isn't a release announcement, just publicisig that they're workig towards release.  It is likely to be a couple of months or more before we see it on sale.  Here's a link to the MiniArt web page with loads more CAD pictures to drool over. https://miniart-models.com/products/35217-grant-mk-i-interior-kit/#lg=1&slide=0

 

y9uYu12.jpg

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to say that the CAD images do look like the proverbial mutts' nuts.  And MiniArt usually back it up for real.  Sorry Takom: League 2 for you ............  Academy and awful Tamiya best forgotten.   I'm sure someone will find fault with it, and I suppose the absolutely perfect kit has yet to be created.

 

I can see this now in a diorama with the new Panzer Art desert crewmen or some of MiniArt's own desert figures fuelling and bombing up, engine covers open, desert cooker on the go, maybe an awning rigged on one side, someone in or on the turret on AA watch. 

 

I wonder if any of the after-market people - or the more adventurous and skilled among us (rules me out) - will attempt "sunshades".  Wafer-thin resin might be hard to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks rather good doesn't it? My own preference is to button everything up so the interior parts would be largely wasted with me. Therefore I hope they're still intending to do non-interior versions as well.

 

Mike.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, MikeR said:

I hope they're still intending to do non-interior versions as well.

As things stand in the current catalogue, it's a mix and match of interior and non-interior kits.  Not everything will come in both versions.  The Grant i is currently  the only M3 version that will be available in both forms.  the M3 Early and M3 mid production will only be available with interiors.  Everything else is currently exterior-only: Grant II, Australian Lee, British Lee, M3A5, Lee Late.  That doesn't mean that you can't swap interiors into non-interior kits, but that will get expensive.  And the M3A5 and Grant II will have different engine compartments.  MininArt seem to have no plans to do the diesel engine compartment.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess it will come down to how the UK importers price things. A good benchmark to use as a basis to compare the likely prices of interior/non-interior versions would be Miniart's T-54/55 series as I would say that the Grant/Lee kits will be of the same complexity and parts counts.

 

So a rough guess would be about £43-45 for the non-interior and say £58-60 for the interior ones.

 

Mike.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But if you can wait, the prices will probably fall a bit.  Like we're all patient people when a model we want comes along!  You can pick up most of the T-5Xs for under £40 now, even with interiors.  As ever, there will be some sellers who want silly money and others who are more reasonable.  But yes, £50+ on release certainly seems very likely.  Which compared to some other brands perhaps isn't unreasonable.  I'll be checking out the prices and exchange rates to buy directly from Ukraine, Customs charge risk notwithstanding.  It can be worth the risk.  You might find cheaper pricing from Poland or Germany.  Most British stores seem to feel the need to charge top dollar, but there are a few online sellers who are more reasonable.

 

Of course we might be paying customs charges on everything from overseas come 1 November ..............................

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Das Abteilung said:

Of course we might be paying customs charges on everything from overseas come 1 November .............................. 

Most of the EU countries charge VAT anyway, so that will be deducted when they post it here, it's the Royal Mail who will be quids in collecting it for HMRC, with what they charge for doing so

I purchase stuff from HLJ, if it's over £15 I get hit with vat (fair enough)but not customs charges as it's always under the threshhold, it's the Royal mail charge bumps it up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indeed this is so.  All EU countries are required to charge VAT on transactions within the EU boundary, but are free (not obliged) to offer VAT-free exports outside.  Poland recently stopped VAT-free exports because of fraud but has now reinstated it.  Something strangely uncontrolled by Brussels.

 

And that's the potential risk for us from November: that VAT gets more expensive.  Yes, because of the Royal Mail processing fee which IIRC is about £9.  But also because HMRC will be under no obligation to take account of any VAT paid in the country of origin, and will be able to levy more VAT.  Yes, potentially you could pay VAT twice.  Once outside the EU, import VAT can be levied regardless of the tax status at origin as HMRC want their 20%, which they will not get from their foreign counterparts.  As is the case today for imports from outside the EU.

 

Don't count on the £15 limit.  A friend of mine was recently hit with an £11 bill on a £3 item from China, and I had something similar in the past.  She didn't bother paying or collecting it.........  Don't forget that the £15 includes the shipping cost.  Because of the flood of counterfeit, unlicensed, unsafe and downright illegal goods coming in from China and HK just about everything sent from there gets rummaged by Border Force.  So being hit for VAT is pretty certain.  I may just have been lucky but I've never been charged VAT on shipments from Ukraine, even at £300+ value.

 

If I am ordering from somewhere where I might be charged VAT then I try to order a reasonable amount so the Royal Mail fee is less per item.  And for me the prices need to be at least 15% less than inside the EU to make the VAT risk worthwhile, assuming it is something I can even get within the EU.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We'll see in the event anyway. That's the release of Miniart's Grant/Lee's, that is, not something else!!;):P

 

Personally I think I'll end up with at least two - a North African Grant and a Burma Lee, depending on whether or not I can decipher the right starting point for the latter!:huh:

 

Mike.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the "Australian Lee" looks like a good start point for Burma, and I imagine that is what it is intended to be.  No MG cupola, split commander's hatch, no side doors, long gun, pressed roadwheels, rear stowage bins.  Essentially their "Late Lee" with added and removed parts.

 

I fancy a desert one, but the diesel Grant II.  Catalogue pictures show correct rear end variations.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I've just had an email alert from MiniArt saying that the Grant 1 (and the early Lee with interior) are now available.

 

Having said this, I've only seen one seller advertising it so far.  Jadar Hobby in Warsaw have it listed as "expected" at €51, supposed to be in stock as of 30 June.

Edited by Das Abteilung
update
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I had an email flyer from emodels at the weekend showing the MiniArt Grant kit as available for £53. From the images online it looks a good kit, and certainly better than the Academy kit I did a couple of years ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It looks to be an order of magnitude better, especially if you want the interior.  Better even than the Takom offerings, and greater version variety.

 

Low £50's seems to be the starting price in the UK.  Or low €50's from some European sources.  They will come down if we can all be a bit patient.  I worked out that you can get them from Ukraine for under £40 if you pay in UAH, plus shipping and the import VAT risk.  But that might have been a good exchange rate day: they've nose-dived again recently.  But some non-Euro currencies like PLN and UAH vary less against £ than $ or €.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...