10212 Imperial Shuttle - Buy now or wait for another sale?

[Lamonster]

Hello everyone. I'm new here and registered so I could ask this question to the experts.

I have only recently become addicted/obsessed with LEGO Star Wars sets, and the 10212 Imperial Shuttle has been at the top of my wish list. However, I am having trouble pulling the trigger on the purchase because it is difficult to justify paying full MSRP $259.99 when I am seeing it has recently been as low as $182!

So I ask you guys: Do you foresee the price dropping again or will it only go up as it is an older set and probably going OOP in the near future? I am going to purchase this set either way, but I can wait if it is possible that it will go on sale again.

Thanks!

[Solo]

No one knows when a set will go on sale or how much the price will drop. Your guess is as good as anyone on here. We all know set prices tend to jump once they're gone though, so it's up to you. Roll the dice and hope for a deal, or just grab it while you can lest you wind up out of luck down the road.

[Inzane]

What solo has said is of course true.

On the other hand, if history over the last few years is any indication pretty much every SW UCS set released in the last 7 years or so has gone on clearance at the end of it's life cycle. People can correct me if I'm wrong but all of:
Tie Advanced, AT-ST, Grevious, Death Star II, Star Destroyer, and the Millenium Falcon all went on clearance pricing at Shop@Home before they sold out.

(The fact that the shuttle set had gone on sale for the US folk recently was partly what has me hoping someone will take me up on my For Trade offer in the classifieds for one.)

[Lamonster]

Death Star II, Star Destroyer, and the Millenium Falcon all went on clearance pricing at Shop@Home before they sold out.

Man, talk about wishing for a time machine. Thanks for the reply!

[Inzane]

We all have to start somewhere. I had to buy the UCS x-wing and tie interceptor for well over MSRP because I didn't start collecting SW lego until well after those were gone.

[lowlead]

Experts? Wow, you flatter us!

I have only recently become addicted/obsessed with LEGO Star Wars sets, and the 10212 Imperial Shuttle has been at the top of my wish list.

The Lambda Shuttle is my favorite SW vehicle, so for me this is easy: I would think how miserable I would feel if I waited too long and didn't get one at all - only to face the aftermarket prices in the late and desperate hour. MSRP wouldn't be so bad in retrospect.

If it's that high on the list, I would click 'Order.'

[SDIronClaw]

You want a incentive, wait to March 1st for the double VIP points. Its a awesome set, you will not be disappointed.

[SWfanforever]

I too wanted to buy this set...saw it on amazon just the other day for $218. Now it is $259 which is too much for me to spend. I should have jumped at that price. So much for picking this one up...unless it drops in price again.

[MisterFubar]

Even if were to decide to take all of my LEGO SW down that ship would still be displayed in my office. It's just such a cool looking display.

If I had to, I wouldn't hesitate to pay full price for it.

[Lamonster]

Experts? Wow, you flatter us!

The Lambda Shuttle is my favorite SW vehicle, so for me this is easy: I would think how miserable I would feel if I waited too long and didn't get one at all - only to face the aftermarket prices in the late and desperate hour. MSRP wouldn't be so bad in retrospect.

If it's that high on the list, I would click 'Order.'

You make an excellent point. It's shipping soon.

[Monkeyhanger]

I'd love to get the shuttle, but everything has it's price, and at £246, I think Lego are having a laugh at the UK consumer when it retails for almost the same number of US dollars, making it a third cheaper. Discounted to $180ish, it's half the UK price. It's very rare to see UCS stuff discounted in the UK unless it's hugely unpopular (Kenobi's star fighter) as UCS seems to be sold only by Lego stores and online in the UK. If I could see this for £150 in the UK i'd buy it in an instant.

Might come to regret it later. Always had my eye on UCS MF but thought it was crazy paying £350/US$500 for one while they were still in circulation. I'm gathering the parts together via bricklink and some odd parts i've picked up elsewhere, and it'll cost about the same to do this way. I think the only lego set i've ever paid RRP for is the Death Star (10188).

[sstoroe]

I do not remember 10198 going on sale at all at shop at home, but it is gone and Amazon still has them? Not sure what this means? Will they do the same with 10212?

[SuperDave]

I like using TheTracktor.com to check prices on items. This might give you an idea of what is a "good price" versus what is normal or high. (I used it to score a good price on the complete Battlestar Galactica series.)

[Mofo Jones]

If you haven't bought it yet, 2X VIP points for the first half of the month might help.