PlaymoFriends

General => Report & Review => Topic started by: playmofire on April 24, 2010, 21:55:14

Title: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 24, 2010, 21:55:14
Having had a piece of good fortune at the beginning of this month here:

http://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=4332.0

I also had some good fortune on Thursday this week, 22nd April.  I had gone to York to meet a former work colleague for lunch and passing a toyshop I noticed it had a sale on, including Playmobil, notably the new fire theme.  Prices were reduced by about a third - 4820, usually £39.99 down to £29.99, 4821 £23.99 instead of £34.99, 4822 £9.99 instead of £14.99 and 4825 £12.99 instead of £16.99.  As I knew a friend in Australia was wanting these I nipped in to the shop and had a chat with the shopkeeper.  They were a toyshop largely selling traditional wooden toys aimed at younger children who had tried Playmobil to widen their range and found it hadn't done particularly well and were now selling off their stock.  They had 2 of each fire set in.  I explained about my friend in Oz and said I'd be in touch shortly.  Meanwhile, the shopkeeper offered me the display stand if I wanted it when they had sold everything off.  However, it wasn't especially interesting so I said, "No thank you".  Next day, after an exchange of emails with my friend I went back and bought 1 of each of 4820, 4821 and 4825 and two of 4822, one being for me.  I was glad I'd been quick as already the previous afternoon one of the two 4820s had been sold.  So now, here's a review of the 4822 fire 4x4.

The general shape reminds me of the RAV 4, a small 4x4 and although it doesn't look especially interesting in the catalogue, once out of the box is good Playmobil quality and a fine addition to a fire brigade.  So to start the review here are the usual box pictures, front and back and 2 of three side views.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 24, 2010, 21:57:09
Now the third side view and some photos of the vehicle built up.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 24, 2010, 22:07:50
Now two front views, one showing the independent suspension system which flatcat referred to.  The photo shows just the front suspension in operation, but the system also operates on the rear suspension.  The system is actually an adaptation of the system on the original small jeep, except that that used a centrally pivoted solid front axle to achieve the effect.  (It had no rear suspension.) With this version, each stub axle pivots independently.

A new departure is that the separate windscreen surround is glazed and a nice detail is the outline of the screen mounted rear view mirror, including the attachment point to the interior of the screen.  Underneath the front is a nicely detailed sump guard moulded as part of the "bull bars".  These are good examples of the attention to detail Playmobil gives to its models.

I'll continue with the review tomorrow as it's now after 23:00.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on April 24, 2010, 22:56:30
I like the functionality of this new fire theme addition much better than its predecessor 3177 Smart Car which didn't have enough storage to even house 2 fire helmets along with the 3 fire extinguisher's that were meant to be assigned to it! This will be a several must have! Thank you for the beginning review of this excellent new set Gordon!
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: WarriorOfToys on April 25, 2010, 01:52:32
Very cool car!
The suspension is really cool, has playmobil done this before?
Great reveiw PlaymoFire!
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on April 25, 2010, 03:36:44
Very cool car!
The suspension is really cool, has playmobil done this before?
Great reveiw PlaymoFire!

Vet with car set 4345 & Alaskan Adventure SUV set 5898 use this same type of suspension.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: flatcat on April 25, 2010, 06:54:17
Why do you always get all the bargains! I have never ever seen Playmobil reduced in a shop before :(

I have never seen the 4821 for £34.99 round here either and I had to pay £39.99 for mine :hissyfit: :hissyfit: :hissyfit:

Great review so far Gordon :)9
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: Wolf Knight on April 25, 2010, 08:03:58
That a great looking vehicle Gordon!!! A fine addition to FD fleet!!! It is much better than its predecessor....Has a better design too!!! Thank you for these pictures...looking forward to the rest...
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 25, 2010, 08:54:06
Why do you always get all the bargains! I have never ever seen Playmobil reduced in a shop before :(

I have never seen the 4821 for £34.99 round here either and I had to pay £39.99 for mine :hissyfit: :hissyfit: :hissyfit:

Great review so far Gordon :)9

It's not often I've found a bargain and, in fact, this is the first time I think, so you're in good company.

£39.99 for the 4821 suggests a pricing error as that is the price for the 4820.  I have come across this problem  before when one assistant has said to another, "How much is the fire engine?" meaning the 3880 and been given the price for the much more expensive 3879.  Fortunately, I knew my prices!
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 25, 2010, 08:56:34
I like the functionality of this new fire theme addition much better than its predecessor 3177 Smart Car which didn't have enough storage to even house 2 fire helmets along with the 3 fire extinguisher's that were meant to be assigned to it! This will be a several must have! Thank you for the beginning review of this excellent new set Gordon!

Thank you, Bill, for your comments.  A similar vehicle would make a nice edition to the police and ambulance thermes.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: Wolf Knight on April 25, 2010, 09:09:37
Thank you, Bill, for your comments.  A similar vehicle would make a nice edition to the police and ambulance thermes.

Police!!! Yes!!! That is a good idea!!! .... make a custom police vehicle of this....hmmm
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 25, 2010, 12:54:01
Thank you all for your comments.  Now on with the rest of the review.

The headlights are nice, neat representations of headlights plus either driving lamps or fog lights.  A good finishing touch would be to have orange turn indicators in the sides by having clear and coloured plastics injected into the mould and that may come with later versions of either this or other similar vehicles.  The rear lights, too, are separate plastic injections, this time in orange; again, a two colour moulding (red and orange) or even three (red, orange and clear) would have been a bit of extra detail, but these comments (like those about the headlights) should be seen as minor criticisms of what is a very good representation of a modern, small 4x4.  (In this area, Playmobil are lifting the standard to new levels which makes some of their productions in other themes such as (in my view) the ghastly fantasy area all the more disappointing.

The dashboard is a neat piece of moulding with four instrument dials, heater controls and a storage compartment, something which, offhand, I don't remember seeing before.   Between the front seats is a storage slot which I thought was for the laptop which comes with the model but isn't as the laptop hinge is too big for it to fit vertically, although it will fit in at a slight angle, hinge side up.  (See next post for a picture.)  Alternatively, the two-way radio easily fits in.


Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 25, 2010, 13:00:35
The roof clicks on and off for access to the interior and the rear storage area is moulded so that the fire extinguisher and first aid case are securely held rather than sliding about or falling out when the model is in motion or picked up.  At each rear corner there is a small circular hole to take the hand held stop sign provided with the equipment.

The remaining space takes a yellow storage box and the driver's helmet so that overall the storage space is effectively used with no wasted space.

There is a good range of equipment provided, laptop, two-way radio, stop sign, three small traffic cones, the first aid case and fire extinguisher and a loudhailer.  The klicky has detachable gloves and currently I am storing these in the first aid box.  This comes without the insert and stickers as found in the police estate car and the ambulance, but I have spares of the insert and stickers and will add these to make the first aid case complete.

The stickers (which I'm sorry I used before scanning them in) consist of the radiator grille, two medical stickers for the outside of the first aid case, the laptop screen and keyboard, and the front and rear number plates
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 25, 2010, 13:24:20
One figure comes with the set - a grey haired fireman with a moustache.  He has the rather fancy haircut of some younger klickies, so maybe he is going through a mid-life crisis and searching for his lost youth!  He has the standard white helmet of the theme but with a red badge on the front.  He has the usual equipment belt (usual for the male figures as the belt will not fit the slightly wider hipped female klickies) and separate work gloves.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 25, 2010, 13:26:56
Here are a set of photos of the figure for Heather for playmoDB.

Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 25, 2010, 13:38:00
One of the advantages of the new 4x4 is that it is much more in scale with the fire engines.  The 3181 4x4 (either a G-Klasse Mercedes or Land Rover, depending on your view - to me the fact that it was made by a German company and the wheel hubs definitely made it the former) was out of scale with the 3880 because of it having to accommodate the optional RC system.  The 3070 4x4 was likewise too big compared with the 3880.  The new 4x4, however, is nicely in scale while still being able to carry an adequate amount of equipment.  What it lacks, however, is a working roof light as it uses the roof light from the 3177 Smart car.  If Playmobil do produce more emergency service vehicles using this 4x4, then a working roof light is something they need to produce.

Summing up, then, a very welcome model in the new fire theme with only some minor suggestions for possible detail improvements.  Criticism is limited to the new fire theme badge (and this applies to all the vehicles I've reviewed in the new theme), but probably careful use of polishes etc can remove these.  The use of the Playmobil name across the shoulders of the firecrew is also something I would prefer not to have been done.  But these are minor criticisms of a great new range of fire vehicles.  Hopefully, there will be one or two additions to the range in the next year or two.  And on the basis of this version, I think I will get the parts for the vet version from DS so that smaller 4x4s can appear on the local streets.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 25, 2010, 13:44:28
A final postscript.  Over the years I've always liked the way Playmobil have reused parts in different sets and this occurs in this set too.  When putting the wheel centres into the wheel hub, I thought I had seen them before recently being used for something entirely different, and I was right.  The wheel centre (picture 1) as well as appearing in this set (picture 2) is also used as the filter for the suction basket on the hose in 4821 (picture 3)!
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on April 25, 2010, 19:58:49
The grey mustache & haired Klicky will be a must have to update my avatar with a finally true representation of a grey upper lip that is SCBA friendly :lol:! Thanks Gordon! I've been waiting for this a long time & finally it comes to be :yippee:!
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 25, 2010, 20:05:22
The grey mustache & haired Klicky will be a must have to update my avatar with a finally true representation of a grey upper lip that is SCBA friendly :lol:! Thanks Gordon! I've been waiting for this a long time & finally it comes to be :yippee:!


Glad to have solved a problem for you, Bill.  An item for your next DS order then?

I haven't forgotten the spares for the old pumper, Bill, but we've been a bit busy with things about the house and I also want to get the lowest possible postage cost for you so I'm doing a few permutations of the small spares.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: flatcat on April 25, 2010, 20:54:03
Great review Gordon :)9

I know I have mentioned this before but is there anyway to put larger wheels on it as they look too small. perhaps not larger wheels but thicker tyres maybe? Do any that would fit this exist ???
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 25, 2010, 21:08:31
Great review Gordon :)9

I know I have mentioned this before but is there anyway to put larger wheels on it as they look too small. perhaps not larger wheels but thicker tyres maybe? Do any that would fit this exist ???

Thank you, Damo.  I don't know about the tyres and I guess it is probably a case of trial and error.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on April 25, 2010, 22:38:14

Glad to have solved a problem for you, Bill.  An item for your next DS order then?

I haven't forgotten the spares for the old pumper, Bill, but we've been a bit busy with things about the house and I also want to get the lowest possible postage cost for you so I'm doing a few permutations of the small spares.

With the impending move :0, the DS order I've been working on is presently on hold, but that figure will be added to it ;)! Just let me know about the old pumper parts when you find out.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: Gepetto on April 26, 2010, 04:50:09
With the impending move :0, the DS order I've been working on is presently on hold, but that figure will be added to it ;)! Just let me know about the old pumper parts when you find out.

Are you moving again Bill? I shudder to think of your having to pack up all your klickies again!  :0 :(o):
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: Gepetto on April 26, 2010, 04:51:40
Thank you for the excellent review and photos Gordon! Although this is not a theme of major interest it is always nice to hear about something Playmobil has done right!  :wave:

Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 26, 2010, 06:26:46
With the impending move :0, the DS order I've been working on is presently on hold, but that figure will be added to it ;)!

I'd guessed that was probably the case, Bill.  Hope the move's going OK.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on April 26, 2010, 11:53:19
Yes, we are packing up again for another short journey! As always, it takes a long time due to all of the Playmobil on display getting thoroughly cleaned & bathed before being packed up :doh:! Most of the larger boxes are still stored in our building, so all I need to do is put some of the newly acquired PM with them! Well, back to the grind :lol:!
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on April 26, 2010, 11:58:00
Are you moving again Bill? I shudder to think of your having to pack up all your klickies again!  :0 :(o):

I dare to say, they're up in the thousands now :0! Maybe I need to check on some Klicky birth control :-[!
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: sbblabotw on April 26, 2010, 12:16:40
Here are a set of photos of the figure for Heather for playmoDB.


Got 'em, thanks Gordon - they should be up tonight.  Much appreciated.

30 00 6542 - Firechief, grey hair, blue uniform (http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/showpart.pl?partnum=30-00-6542)
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 26, 2010, 16:04:56
Yes, we are packing up again for another short journey! As always, it takes a long time due to all of the Playmobil on display getting thoroughly cleaned & bathed before being packed up :doh:! Most of the larger boxes are still stored in our building, so all I need to do is put some of the newly acquired PM with them! Well, back to the grind :lol:!

I'll hang on to the old pumper parts until you've moved, Bill.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: playmofire on April 26, 2010, 16:05:44
Got 'em, thanks Gordon - they should be up tonight.  Much appreciated.

30 00 6542 - Firechief, grey hair, blue uniform (http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/showpart.pl?partnum=30-00-6542)

Glad to help the good work, Heather.
Title: Re: 4822 fire 4x4 review
Post by: Bill Blackhurst on April 26, 2010, 16:43:51
I'll hang on to the old pumper parts until you've moved, Bill.

Thank you, Gordon!