My thing with them, yes they are nice kits, I have quite a few in my stash as well.
My biggest gripe with them is that they seem to lack any imagination in their new kits in the last few years. Last modern release were the 2 M1 tanks many years ago, which people still clamor for, but are hard to find because in Dragon's infinite wisdom they think more people want a new Pz.IIIJ that has 2 parts different from the last one, and because it was only built on a Tue. in March of '44, that all the WWII German tread heads just have to have that particular tank, even though they probably already have multiples of them in their stash already.
Now admittingly, I don't build much WWII German, but still, do we need multiples of the same kit just with one or 2 different parts that 90% of the modelers would have no clue that there was anything different about it in the first place?
I will admit, that their new M48 coming intrigues me, and is a pleasant surprise, I hope they continue with that line and also do the M60 series, finally something that is different from the myriad of WWII rehashed German subjects. For awhile there I thought Dragon was turning into Hasegawa, release the same kit with different decals, call it new and jack the price up another $5-$10. I mean, why did we need a new 234/3? What is different on it, that wasn't on the one they released a few years back, other than a different box art and new decals?
2nd gripe, their pricing. Now unfortunately, I don't sell enough Dragon product to be able to meet the min. order specs to be able to buy it direct from Dragon USA as a dealer, so I have to rely on buying them through my other suppliers which of course make a percentage on the mark up, and I am OK with that, however Dragon's regular tanks have been creeping up to the $70 mark, again, for the same kit that was out a year or so ago, with just a few parts that only the experts would know was there, and different markings, yet the kit 2 years ago was probably about $10 less.
Don't get me started on the price of some of the Cyber Hobby white box releases, $80 and up for their so called "limited release" kits, too rich for my blood and for my customers as well. Frankly, unless it is an extra special kit, I don't even bother to bring it into the shop unless I have a customer asking for it. Times that you brought it in just because it was a new kit, just to watch it collect dust on the shelf because no on is buying them are long gone. I can sell 10 or more Trumpeter or Hobby Boss kits (which are just as good as Dragon kits for quality) to every Dragon kit. Just getting to the point that it isn't worth bringing in.
Sure, I will always have the requisite Dragon Tiger, PzIV, just to say I have them here when someone is looking for it.....but I don't need, nor want every minute different PzIV kit they have made.
What gets me is their CH Orange box kits cost the same to produce as their regular kits (I know, they are all based on older molds), yet they can keep the price of them at a more reasonable $40-$45. I know, new molds cost alot to make, but for every different version of PzIII, PzIV, Tiger, etc, etc, they aren't cutting brand new molds for the whole kit, just a small mold for whatever minute parts needed for that particular version, however the price on the new kits keep rising.
I have been in the business for about 5-6 yrs, and in that time I have seen the mainstream Dragon kits go from about $45 each to now approaching $70 each. Most of the rest of the companies I suppose have been doing the same, but I just don't think they have been increasing by as much. I mean a Trumpeter T-62 kit is still under $55, and is every bit the detailed kit that anything Dragon produces, so why are they so much more?
Anyway, this turned more into a rant, which was not my intention, so RANT OFF! LOL
