Buying Vintage Vehicles Just for the Figure

[jogunwarrior]

Someone on another thread had made a comment that they only bought vehicles just for the figure, which got me contemplating whether or not I had ever wanted/purchased a vehicle just to get the figure included with it.
After careful perusal of my Joe memory banks I distinctly remember a few instances where I did in fact want the vehicle driver more than the vehicle.

The first example was the Warthog AIFV with Sgt. Slaughter. I had the Marauders version of the Sarge, but hardly ever used him in combat, so when I saw the Sarge with the Warthog I knew I had to have that figure. As a pleasant side effect, the Warthog was pretty awesome on its own and instantly became one of my most played with vehicles.

Another example is Interrogator. I had to have that awesome Cobra, but could care less about the terrible Battle Copter.

Anyone else have any memories of vehicles they wanted or purchased just for the figure? Please share!

[fireflyguy]

Not me. I got the vehicles because they were awesome. The figure was just bonus to me. I even enjoyed the vehicles that came without figures---the Trouble Bubble and Skyhawk come to mind.

[Python Viper]

Sometimes I would buy one vehicle over another just because it came with a figure, but I cant recall getting a vehicle I didnt like just for the driver itself.

[jogunwarrior]

Not me. I got the vehicles because they were awesome. The figure was just bonus to me. I even enjoyed the vehicles that came without figures---the Trouble Bubble and Skyhawk come to mind.

Many of the Figureless vehicles are among my favorites: Armadillo, Locust, and Devilfish.

[Python Viper]

Many of the Figureless vehicles are among my favorites: Armadillo, Locust, and Devilfish.

Python Conquest, Python Stun, Python ASP. :D

The Hammer didnt have a driver either, another good one.

[jogunwarrior]

It often surprised me the vehicles they released with figures and those they released without. I wondered how they made the decision. Did Hasbro execs look at the Arctic Blast and say, "This clearly needs a driver", and then look at the Locust and say, "Well, Anyone can fly a helicopter"?

And As much as I love the Python Conquest, I was always disappointed it never came with a Pilot. Where was the Python Patrol Strato Viper or Motor Viper for the Stun.

[07GT500 COBRA]

I can't recall any such purchases on the vintage stuff, but modern era on the other hand I have.

[fireflyguy]

Many of the Figureless vehicles are among my favorites: Armadillo, Locust, and Devilfish.

I used to love the Devilfish! That would've been great with a driver but it was easy enough to putnWetsuit in there.

I can't recall any such purchases on the vintage stuff, but modern era on the other hand I have.

I can't say this is true for me either EXCEPT the 30th vamp, kinda. I really like SBD, but I also liked the color of the 30th vs. the PoC one. Otherwise, if I've gotten a ME vehicle, it was for the vehicle alone.

[Python Viper]

And As much as I love the Python Conquest, I was always disappointed it never came with a Pilot. Where was the Python Patrol Strato Viper or Motor Viper for the Stun.

Oh yeah, that killed me as a kid. The Python vehicles were sooo cool, but no drivers. Pp Copperhead is pictured piloting it on the box so he was the one who flew mine.

Maybe it was a marketing strategy. Vehicles like the Hammer, Sky Hawk, Devilfish etc, Hasbro thought would stand up on their own and sell well and didnt need a driver just tossed in. Other vehicles like the Arctic Blast and such Hasbro knew would need to include a figure just to help them move off the shelves.

I remember with Tiger Force only the larger vehicles (Rat, Fly and Cat) came with drivers. Maybe it was a 'deluxe vehicle' thing?

Neither Night Force or Sky Patrol vehicles came with drivers which kind of saves us now. Imagine what we would have to pay to get the pilot of the Night Boomer on the secondary market? It would be over $100.

[spiderpumpkin]

Serpentor

[ChicagoScott]

I can't ever recall doing it as a kid. I've done it all the time since 2000 though. I've had to throw some vehicles away because I can't give them away and just wanted the figure.

[07GT500 COBRA]

Serpentor

I guess I did buy a vintage vehicle for the figure alone then. Zartan would be a similar purchase.

[RolandofGilead]

When I was little, the figures were the thing for me. The GI Joe line was my first experience in trying to be a completist. I liked many of the vehicles to be sure, but I can remember many times where I bought any old vehicle because I had to have the driver in my collection.

[spiderpumpkin]

Dino-Hunters

[UKJoeCollector]

I loved the vehicles, mainly the basic, realistic vehicles (Stinger, Tomohawk, APC, etc) but they always broke when played with as a kid. After a few years of this I only bought figures.

Twenty odd years later as an adult, Ill buy a vehicle if complete but its the figures I want.

After Id stopped buying GI Joe as a teen the vehicles were awful anyway. The colours and missiles spoilt them. But the figures were still worthwhile Interrogator, Overlord, Green Ace, Cutter.

[VideoViper]

The only vehicles I bought for the figure was Keel-Haul Payload & Hardtop. Tossed those stupid vehicles in the garbage.









































Just Kidding :)

[Krys]

Cobra Maggot for the W.O.R.M.S. figure.
I just thought he looked cool with that helmet and cross bones belt buckle. He also looked like a high ranking Cobra officer and became my Cobra field commander. Loved that guy.

Also v2 Destro because dat gold chrome!

[spiderpumpkin]

The only vehicles I bought for the figure was Keel-Haul Payload & Hardtop. Tossed those stupid vehicles in the garbage.
Just Kidding :)

Yeah, you're not the only one.

[jogunwarrior]

Also v2 Destro because dat gold chrome!

I'd forgotten about that one. I remember my parents giving me the choice of buying Destro with his Despoiler, or the Pogo and a figure. I went with the Pogo and a Hydro Viper! I later got Destro with the Despoiler but traded the Despoiler to my brother for his Repeater figure.

[Python Viper]

I'd forgotten about that one. I remember my parents giving me the choice of buying Destro with his Despoiler, or the Pogo and a figure. I went with the Pogo and a Hydro Viper! I later got Destro with the Despoiler but traded the Despoiler to my brother for his Repeater figure.

Win, win and big win!! I would trade Despoilers for figures all day long! In fact I have 2 Despoilers for grabs, they are super hard to find and no I dont get 2 in every collection I buy.

Someone mentioned the APC earlier, it didnt have a driver either. Neither did a lot of the small battle field weapons - Flak, Whirlwind..... Man, that wouldve been a really classy move if Hasbro had included a Greenshirt with each of those three vehicles.

[Mike T]

As a kid, it was rare to buy a vehicle for the figure. I know I begged my parents for a Viper Glider since it had a unique figure in it, but they thought the gliders were junk and wouldn't give in. I pretty much bought every vehicle, though, eventually just due to the completist bug that afflicted me even in my youth. But, the figures were such bonuses back then that I would always pick up the vehicles with figures first before those without.

However, when I first returned to Joe collecting in '95/'96, I would only buy vehicles if they had figures in them. I only bought the Shark 9000 and Blockbuster because they included figures. The figure was the selling point. As Joes got harder and harder to find at retail, though, that changed and I would buy a vehicle without a figure just because it was the only Joe item left on the shelves to buy.

[jogunwarrior]

Win, win and big win!! I would trade Despoilers for figures all day long! In fact I have 2 Despoilers for grabs, they are super hard to find and no I dont get 2 in every collection I buy.

Someone mentioned the APC earlier, it didnt have a driver either. Neither did a lot of the small battle field weapons - Flak, Whirlwind..... Man, that wouldve been a really classy move if Hasbro had included a Greenshirt with each of those three vehicles.

Agreed, it would have been awesome if the Check Point Alpha station was released with a MP figure, or have the Mortor playset released with a Short Fuze variant (maybe in desert brown like Grunt, or Clutch). It'd have been a way for Hasbro to get more mileage out of some of those old molds.

[spot138]

Most recently I'd say The POC mech for the Kickstart figure - I really like him.

[drunknmunky]

I bought the Dino Hunters set just for the dinosaur. I was about 10 and had dinosaur fever from the Jurassic Park movie toys. So the fact that Joes were fighting dinosaurs made me have to get the set.

[cobracobra]

As a kid picking out the ARAH collection, It was strictly for the vehicle. I remember thinking the figures that came with the vehicles were cheaper than the normal figures.

Now though in the modern era I have purchased vehicles strictly for the figure. ROC was the pack in figure gold mine. Too bad our luck wont be repeated for the new film.

[bassistcarlos]

I can't ever recall doing it as a kid. I've done it all the time since 2000 though. I've had to throw some vehicles away because I can't give them away and just wanted the figure.

Mole pod?

[bassistcarlos]

This is a very accurate description of how I collect as an adult. When it comes to collecting figures, I am a completist. The vehicles just pile up and take up too much space. As a kid, the vehicles with drivers were definitely more desireable than the vehicles without.

[jogunwarrior]

Many of the vehicle Drivers became some of my favorite Joe's and were used a lot on missions even if they weren't driving their vehicle. Skidmark, Crank Case, Wild Card, Clutch, Cold Front and Wind Chill were all used quite a bit independent of their vehicles.

I think Hasbro is really missing the mark on their new vehicle drivers because of there view the the figure would be used solely as a driver.

[Indiana Joe]

rarely had enough money at one time to get a vehicle with figure. I think I had 5 drivers total (82-89) and those were gifts. I do this a lot now though!

[arlichar]

i totally agree i was happy with all the vehicles , figure was just bonus... and your right the vehicles without figures were awes tooo

[MightyMegs]

Do Serpentor, Zartan and IG Destro count? I could have cared less about their vehicles...

[crock master]

im sure over 90% of vintage vehicles purchased dont come with drivers, shit i bet most of them dont come complete either.

[GGPiKE]

I guess I was different as a kid, always buying the vehicles for the figures. I would rarely buy one without, unless it was too neat to pass up. Some of my favorite figures out of the entire line were all vehicle drivers: Motor Viper, AVAC, Ice Viper, WORMS, Skidmark, Skystriker and Cold Front.

[troublemagnet]

I bought the 30th VAMP for the Steel Brigade figure.It's a decent vehicle, but I wouldn't have bought one at full price without that bad ass figure.Same with the Crimson Hiss-that driver is SSwweeeet.On the other hand, that Cobra VTOL plane has a generic looking pilot-no way I'm buying that for the crappy plane and boring figure.
Back in the ARAH days, all the vehicles and playsets were good to awesome-whether it came with a figure or not.

[pryorstemmed]

I bought 2 that I can recall, the Maggot for worms and Wolf for Ice Viper. I wanted them for the figures but ended up really liking the vehicles too. I bought most figures and vehicles because of the card/box art hahaha.