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Review: #8655 RX-Sprinter


RobExplorien
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RobExplorien

LEGO Racers Tiny Turbos #8655 RX-Sprinter
Review by RobExplorien
 

(Note: This review may show quite some similarities to the review on #8658 Big Bling Wheelie, as both sets are somewhat the same. Nevertheless, here is the review on another set from the beloved Racers theme.)


You've seen the Big Bling Wheelie, but let's not forget about its counterpart, the #8655 RX-Sprinter. It may appear smaller and less intimidating than the Big Bling Wheelie, but it's still a worthy racer on the race track. This set was sold at a retail price of $3,99 in the US and £2,99 in the UK (according to Brickipedia), and must've been something around €3,99 in European stores. Advised ages are 6 and up, and again (it is no surprise) it's sold with the garage box allowing for easy storage of the racecar. I can already see where the designers of the link=(#8120 Rally Sprinter) got their inspiration from, when I look at this set. The boxart depicts the RX-Sprinter as a fast and furious racecar. Also, in the background is a city at night, which adds that tiny detail to the atmosphere depicted on the boxart. So, will this set be as good as the Big Bling Wheelie? I and you will decide after this review.

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The back of the box is not very interesting, but it's always nice and handy to know that there are 'small parts'-warnings printed on the box, in 31 different languages! The company's adres is present as well (and in URL form), and it seems that this set was released in 2005, though the box dates back to 2004 (probably when it was designed?). Then you have the barcode and the name of the set shown above, implying that the box can also be used as a garage.

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The left side of the box shows the four collectable sets from this wave of the Tiny Turbos racers. Also pictured are the combined-set models (that come with instructions). I think that these pictures should've been put on the back of the box, instead of printing the back full with warnings.

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The right side of the box shows the Racers logo and the URL adress of the official LEGO site again. The scale is correct this time, the wheel is indeed this big. And how does this box work as a garage?; it's shown next to the scale.

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Overall I'm not dissapointed with the boxart. It looks good, but next time the LEGO Group ought to work some more on the warning text part. 31 different languages is a big number, and the 'not intended for children under 3 years of age'-logo implies plenty if you're telling me.

 

 

But enough of the box, this is a LEGO set review. Time to take out the bricks.

This set includes:

  • 57 bricks (excluding spare bricks)
  • sticker sheet (containing 10 stickers)
  • single instruction sheet

Red and white are the prominent colours in this set, along with some grey and black parts. What I sometimes like to do is to calculate the sticker:brick ratio of a set. This set's ratio would then be equal to 0.18, the ratio of the Big Bling Wheelie 0.13. In general I'd say that 0.15 is the limit for this ratio (well, atleast for these small sets), meaning that there should never be more than one sticker per 7 bricks in a set. So it looks like the RX-Sprinter is crossing the line here.

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The single sheet instructions show you how to build the RX-Sprinter in nine steps (the same amount of steps as the Big Bling Wheelie, though the latter set has less parts). The wheels and stickers are to be added in the final step.

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The other side of the sheet also shows the first bunch of steps for the 'combined-set' model, a large off-road vehicle. And do you need service? lego.com offers it (see top right of the instructions sheet).

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And finally, we get to the best part of reviewing. In the image below is the finished RX-Sprinter in a fitted environment. Chrome rims, headlights (without 1x1 round plates), high spoiler (with LEGO Racers sticker!) and advertisement for Guest and Woodman, this racecar is ready to enter the track. The front is nicely designed, and the rims do well with this racecar. However, the chassis is too high off the ground in my opinion. Most racecars have their chassises low to the ground, and the RX-Sprinter would look much better that way. Also, unlike the other Tiny Turbos sets I reviewed, this time there is a sticker covering up to four bricks. (Be careful or you might rip it.)

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The rear of the RX-Sprinter is not very interesting. You have the spoiler and two small black exhaust pipes on the sides, but I'm missing lights.

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Time to rest little racer, disassembling you will be quick and painful. Oh wait, you fit in there just like that, nevermind. I mentioned this feature in all my Tiny Turbos reviews, and I have to mention it again. It is one of the pros of the Tiny Turbos racecars to fit in the box that they're sold in.

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Now to return to the aforementioned ‘combined-set’ model, from which the building steps were shown on the back side of the instructions sheet. In order to make this model, you need (bricks from) the #8658 Big Bling Wheelie set as well. Below is an image of what you end up with after the first six steps. The chassis is generally finished (consisting of lots of stacked up plates) and both type of wheels are to be used for this model. Note that the headlights of the RX-Sprinter are now used on the rear of the off-road vehicle.

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Then after four more steps, this what you end up with. It is this large (for its kind) off-road vehicle, measuring at about 11cm/4.5inch. A mixture of red and black elements and more chrome rims. The spoiler got 1.5x wider. Four spare parts left, a fair amount, taking that the designers hadn't had an easy task to make a good looking vehicle with just the bricks of these two sets and using as much bricks as possible for this model.

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It becomes clear that the RX-Sprinter parts are dominant on this side. Mount the spoiler on the 'Big Bling Wheelie side', and you could consider the rear as the new front of the vehicle.

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Thus we get to the end of this review, and to summarize this set review:

  • The box offers easy storage of the racecar, one of the pros of Tiny Turbos sets. Boxart could've been done better. Screw Google Translate, I got a LEGO box.
  • The instructions look fine and explain the building very well.
  • I'm fine with the addition of stickers (once again), but I hate to see stickers cover multiple bricks. Yes, I'm looking at you windscreen!
  • Overall I do not really like the design of the vehicle. The front looks nice, the rear not so much. The chrome rims do not compensate it this time.
  • Combine this set with the #8658 Big Bling Wheelie to make a large off-road vehicle, or add roadplates and perhaps some scenery to make a racetrack for the RX-Sprinter and have it compete with other (Tiny Turbos) racecars.

 

 

Rating


Design: 6
Quality: 7
Fun: 7
Price: 8
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