Wiking Mercedes and VW with Boats

[cfritschle]

Wiking will be releasing the boats and trailers set once again in June.  https://www.wiking.de/en/shop/new/june/zwei-bootsgespanne.html

The Mercedes sedan represents a 1966-72 280S, and the VW 1600 Type 3 Squareback is good for the 1970-73 model years.

However, it does appear that both cars will have tinted windows, which did not become common until the 1980s.   

[Philip H]

I really wish they would release their boats separately and the trailers too.

[Mark5]

However, it does appear that both cars will have tinted windows, which did not become common until the 1980s.   

They look awful. Not only are they tinted, but it is so dark that in my state they would be pulled over by the police for illegally dark tint.

[peteski]

They look awful. Not only are they tinted, but it is so dark that in my state they would be pulled over by the police for illegally dark tint.

Very silly of them - I don't know why they started doing this (some time ago).  Maybe we should start an email campaign to bring the clear windows back?    All they have to do is stop adding the dye to their clear resin.  Not difficult at all.

I just contacted them about the tinted windows - here  is the link. If others let them know how we feel, maybe they will revert to clear window inserts.
https://www.wiking.de/en/feedback/praise-critisicm.html

[peteski]

I really wish they would release their boats separately and the trailers too.

The problem is that except for the individual bodies, rest of the bits for the entire set is molded as a single tree of parts.  Breaking it up would likely not be economical for them.  At least that is how my older set was made - not sure if they still sell them packaged that way (all the models packaged in the box are still interconnected by the sprue.

[nkalanaga]

Peteski:  That's the only way I've seen them as well, although I haven't bought any for several years.  Usually what I want isn't available when I want it...

[cfritschle]

If all one needs is a boat and trailer, Busch makes a kit with 4 outboard boats, 1 boat trailer, and 2 rafts.  https://www.walthers.com/boat-raft-set-w-trailer-assembled-n-tt-scales

The boat trailer parts are laser cut except for the plastic wheels and steel axles.  One could probably use the trailer parts as a template to make a second boat trailer from styrene, and the boat trailer(s) could be built as single axle trailers rather than tandem axle trailers. 

Here is one built per the directions, but I am considering building a single axle version just to see how it looks.   

[peteski]

Very silly of them - I don't know why they started doing this (some time ago).  Maybe we should start an email campaign to bring the clear windows back?    All they have to do is stop adding the dye to their clear resin.  Not difficult at all.

I just contacted them about the tinted windows - here  is the link. If others let them know how we feel, maybe they will revert to clear window inserts.
https://www.wiking.de/en/feedback/praise-critisicm.html

Well, I received a reply and at least they gave an explanation as to why they use dark tinted windows. Not a good explanation (at least IMO), but that is why the do it.

Dear Mr Peteski,
Thank you for your e-Mail.

Our N-Scale models doesn’t have any interior decoration, so we produce the models traditionally with tinted windows.
We are sorry that we can not help you.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Best regards
i.A. Katja Grappendorf
Verkauf
Sales

She must be fairly new to the company because the same exact models they now sell with tinted windows were sold, literally for decades, with clear window inserts. And they sold plenty of those (with no interiors).

[Mark5]

She must be fairly new to the company because the same exact models they now sell with tinted windows were sold, literally for decades, with clear window inserts. And they sold plenty of those (with no interiors).

Yup. I have lots of them. I stopped buying when they went with the limo tint.

[peteski]

Yup. I have lots of them. I stopped buying when they went with the limo tint.

Me too!
I'll reply to her email (in a nice tone), maybe with few photos of my clear-glass cars.  But I doubt there is hope that they will go back to clear.  SOme new product manager figured out that it is better to hide the lack of interiors with dark tint than leave them clear and devoid of interior.  It is too bad because those are quite nice models (especially considering that they were made probably over 40 years ago).

I think that part of the problem is that the more recent, higher-end models Wiking makes have full interiors and thin clear window glass. So on the older, more basic models, they don't want to expose the fact that there is no interior.

[MK]

Did they really addressed you as "Mr. Peteski"? 

[peteski]

Did they really addressed you as "Mr. Peteski"? 

No, I obfuscated my real name when posting to a public form. Plus I thought it would be funny.    But hey, there are people with much weirder *REAL* names out there.

[Point353]

Did they really addressed you as "Mr. Peteski"? 

It would have been more proper to address him as Mr. deSnarkski: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=39437.msg481800#msg481800

[LN2800]

I would say that tinting THAT dark would get you pulled over in ANY state. Even Florida allows no darker than 28% in the front. This looks like limo tint (5%) or even darker.

Is/was pulling boats with a Mercedes a common practice in the US, regardless? Can't say I've ever seen it happen.

[peteski]

I would say that tinting THAT dark would get you pulled over in ANY state. Even Florida allows no darker than 28% in the front. This looks like limo tint (5%) or even darker.

Is/was pulling boats with a Mercedes a common practice in the US, regardless? Can't say I've ever seen it happen.

Well no, that is why modelers here were thinking that it would be nice if that set could be split up so boats could be sold separately.

Wiking is a German company, making German prototype cars, so U.S. prototype is not their main focus.  Mercedes in Germany is a very common car.  Plenty of even taxi cabs are Mercedes.