Made in China?

[morganm]

After hearing about the magnet packs getting glued together I started researching on the web and couldn't help but notice a lot of comments where people were saying they despised the quality. I was surprised to hear they were made in china! I'd never bothered to look and assumed all Lego products were produced the same way. Apparently the collectible fig sets, key chains, magnet sets, and even the battle packs are all made in china.

I've had 6 or so key chains and I did notice the printing wore off quickly but I just attributed that to them being abused in my pocket My Yoda key chain also split where the arm & hand interlock which is unusual but I've had it happen on a few minifigs over the years.

Now recently I've been buying the battle packs because it's a pretty reasonable price for minifigs and a handful of parts. I'd have never guessed they were any different; they all seem to be the same as any other minifig I've ever had. Someone said they "feel different" but I didn't notice. Others claim the printing wears off faster but I haven't really had them long enough to find out.

Has anyone really noticed the chinese stuff is truly that different? I'm tempted to buy some magnet sets before they all get glued together but I don't want to be buying minifigs that are going to wear out quickly... we do actually play with these things and they just get tossed in drawers with masses of other figs and bricks so they aren't babied in some glass geek shrine. Are these just Lego snobs or are the minifigs cheap chinese junk? What's your experience been?

[RunsWithLegos]

well i have been notising some of the newer lego pants/legs lose their griping power unnaturally fast. i have some indy pants that i bought last september and already they can not grip a stud. compare this to some of my other pants/legs that i have had for 6 years and they are not even half as bad as the aforementioned indy pants.

[Zahru II]

Yes I did; the arms of the dwarf minifigs from the battlepack (partly chinese) are very weirdly colored/molded, it's hard to describe it but when compared to same looking torsos from, e.g. Viking minifigs you can spot that they were made from inferior plastic.

Also on Collectibles; the forestman fig's plumes plastic is nearly see-through on mine, and the capes feel like they were cut out of paper instead of cloth (for me at least).

[ikensall]

FINALLY, some decent reasons to nuke china...
On a less megalomanic wave of thinking, on a snowtrooper (from a battle pack) the head almost needs pliers to pull it off.

[Keldoclock]

It's hard to get manufacturing plants in different countries to suddenly raise their standards- there's a culture difference "how can we screw over those white devils"

Also: that guy who may or may not have leaked an Iphone in China got TORTURED!

[Lordofdragonss]

Comparisons between Chinese and Normal minifigs ( pics made by Nori- Polish Afol)
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/nori- ... ll/x04.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/nori- ... ll/x02.jpg

[Swordsalmon]

From what I've seen, Chinese parts tend to be more common in the licsenced themes rather than original theme. My Green Army Men sets all has numerous problems with piece damage and general inferior quality. In addition, the connection of the collectable minfigures is far weaker than standard minfigs.

[Hoboman]

I realized I just do nto care anymore. I am buying a ton of Lego so my son and I can have fun. Once he gets to the age where he no longer wants to play then I will be one of those people who like the stuff but have no one else to play against. So the legos will become more focused on MOCs and less on the minifigures.

So as long as they last a few years and have fun weapons etc, I just do not care that they are "looser" etc. We keep tearing them apart as they are killed anyway. They are not collectables to us. They are toys.

So while I hear your pain, I just do not feel it the same way.

[Gungnir]

Really? My snowtrooper packs say they were made in Denmark, Hungary, Mexico, and the Czech Republic. There's no mention of China anywhere on or in the package.

[aoffan23]

I think the only battlepacks that are made in China are the ones that come with the cardboard backing and the clear plastic over them. Eg. Kingdoms, Pharaoh's Quest, etc. The ones that come in the boxes are made the same way, like all the Star Wars ones. At least that's what I think.

The collectible figs' yellow skin is a quite a bit paler than that of regular figs. The hands aren't noticeable, seeing as all Minifig hands are paler than the face/arms. I also think the plastic feels different, and it isn't as shiny as other Lego.

That being said, I haven't had any problems when it comes to actually using the Minifigs, they've held together just as well as all my other figs.

[ikensall]

Really? My snowtrooper packs say they were made in Denmark, Hungary, Mexico, and the Czech Republic. There's no mention of China anywhere on or in the package.

Perhaps it's just a thing with new lego?

[dilanski]

I bought the shin stormtrooper which was really fucked up, the thing want fully painted and the arms don't fit. makes me want to burn there factories down.

[Gungnir]

Or just level China.
Lead-based paint, cheating at the Olympics. Those bastards' dumbassery know no bounds.

[RoC77]

Just take the damn lower quality Lego's and don't complain, China can crush the US economy whenever it feels like it, so be nice.

[stubby]

Really? My snowtrooper packs say they were made in Denmark, Hungary, Mexico, and the Czech Republic. There's no mention of China anywhere on or in the package.

I don't know this for a fact, but I think the products made at different countries' manufacturing centers are determined by the quality level required, and by the degree to which Lego is worried about somebody stealing the molds and/or molding technology. So it may be that the less sophisticated / resellable stuff gets assigned to China, while minifigs stay closer to home.

Or just level China.
Lead-based paint, cheating at the Olympics. Those bastards' dumbassery know no bounds.

They're not any smarter or stupider than anyone else, but you've got to consider just how many people are involved here. China has something like five times the population of the U.S., or twice the population of Europe. Think about the number of bastards and dumbasses in the U.S. or Europe, and multiply accordingly. There's that many more people willing to do something stupid.