Having a blast with Hot Wheels.

For me l just work around what is out there. It is sad that people write that they are getting out of the hobby. For me, I am looking at getting out because I have bought up a lot of what I need but keep i the game for those few pieces thst are on the radar. If you play the game of holding off until those hot items cool off in interest,the chances of finding these is greater. It just how you play your cards to build up any collection.

I remember Y2K. Everyone thought the world was coming to an end. It ended being all good in the world hood. 😅

Wow. Now I know why I never find any treasure hunt cars. The employees cherry picking the boxes of cars. That's so f'ed up .

Great podcast Walter man, I like & appreciate your style, bravo!

Hey Walter man, on the Hiway Hauler, anyone else notice the later versions are just a bit different than the earlier ones? I’m old school & like the earlier ones better…I have the North American Van Lines, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, & Barbie versions, fave Blackwalls in the collection 👍🏻

Thanks for sharing my friend 😊

All that happens here. The only thing that saves collecting is that one Walmart keeps cars locked up out back and stocks morning, and afternoon randomly.
Also helped that a couple of the people who were intercepting cars before they were off the pallet got caught and banned from stores.

Walter that writer is absolutely correct, that's happening here in corrupticut and my sons and I have seen the employees and talked to them about it, and they said it's no big deal... to them maybe, but not to us honest collectors who don't sell, just collect. Shameful 😢😢😢

that definitely goes on in my area, dollar general employee admitted she pulls all the good cars for her boyfriend's father, at least what she is doing is going to a collector, maybe the father is handy capped or something idk or she's just grabbing for him, either way, it happens, i just found a different way to collect, one cool site is scale164, yes it's a bit more expensive, still cheaper than ebay and they pre order, and the stuff is only a couple bucks more than store prices, it's very reasonable I feel

Brother,

I don't remember all of the Action Packs, but I do know that I have a few, specifically the Home Improvement and Solar Racer (which was based on a movie, Race the Sun) packs. I also have that first Team Knight Rider pack, but missing 2 of the pieces. Great memories.

I have found the same issues with employees, etc. It's part of the hunt process, I have found that being patient you will eventually find what you are looking for. Just need to be patient and learn to let go no need to turn to the darkside.

Usually the scalpers at the store don't like to Hot Wheel talk am I purposely asking them 2 spare one and sometimes they say yes

I know it's happening in my area. I've seen it first hand with an employee taking a customer to a "stash spot" to pick up castings. Also, I know someone who worked at WM and told me another employee snipes cases before they hit the floor. It's frustrating for sure, but I won't quit. I just won't pay the stupid prices!

Thanks again for what you do.

hey forgot to say thanks for sharing, not only your Insite but your collection as well, much appreciated

I call BS on the tariff exploitation. It's not right.

No tariffs at the hobby store.

I’m laying low and will wait for the secondary market that’s currently lucrative to crash, IMO it is inevitable, we will see increased numbers of bulk hot wheels lots for sale soon at better prices than the price gouging that’s currently happening, I believe the greedy in secondary market will move on once they are stuck with stock at prices most will not pay for a mainline!

Good overall perspective

I paid $34.97 for the advan set at my walmart in Maryland!

I wonder, with these tarifs, is your complete collection now also worth much more than before? It's a complicated matter. Greetz, i'll be collector forever.....

I FEEL I Truly FEEL that collector frustration !!! That same SHIT is happening everywhere !!! That in itself does not make anyone feel better about any of it. I have been in the same frame of mind more than once. So I try to beat them at their own game. If a smaller store I stop sending money here. If it’s a big store when something is empty on the pegs I ask a manager to scan the empty spot and ask if there’s any more in the store times there is sometimes there’s not. I don’t pay ANYONE!!! And when a employee indicates they will do it for money. I have contacted their manager and let them know. Stay in the fight my friend !!! I Think it’s pretty shitty too !!!

Granted there are hurdles in this hobby.
But what's being missed in every single complaint and I've heard a shit ton.
SO REALITY CHECK:
WE HAVE VERY LOW ODDS OF FINDING A SPECIFIC HOT WHEELS SOLEY BASED ON SUPPLY AND DEMAND. SIMPLE AS THAT! MATTEL JUST DOESN'T MAKE ENOUGB OF THE HIGH DEMAND MODELS. I DONT REALLY WANT THEM TO FLOOD THE MAJESTIC MARKET EITHER.
THIS GUY DID GATHER INFORMATION AND MADE VALID STATEMENTS. HOWEVER 99% OF COMPLAINTS ARE BASED PURELY ON ASSUMPTIONS. I HAD A DUDE SAY HE WOULD PUNCH ME IN THE FACE FOR BEING A RESELLER. WHAT IS HILARIOUS IS FOR THE 1ST TIME IN MY LIFE I MADE IT TO WALMART AT OPEN THE OTHER DAY. GUESS WHO THE F WAS THERE BEFORE ME? FACEPUNCH HIMSELF!!! THE IRONY IS STR8 OUT OF TWILIGHT ZONE
We live in a society that is based on freedom. And in retail it's 1st come first served. SIMPLE ASS SHIT MAN. YOU CAN ORDER CASES FROM MANY PLACES. OR THE SMARTEST WAY HAVE YOUR MONEY READY WHEN THE MASTER SET COMES OUT AND GET EVERYTHING.
FEEL FREE TO READ THIS TO ALL. GR8FUL 4U WALTER

holy smokes, that home improvement action set is pure fun, so much love to detail, i love this tv show :)

Same exact thing happens in my area, but I'm not stopping. Besides I have a couple honey holes no one knows about for classic and vintage hot wheels for a reasonable price.

Walter
As you may remember I’m sure you don’t you’re following is growing and I’m rooting for you
I’m Chris and have been strictly a Matchbox collector for over 50 years and have a rather large collection. You definitely have me paying attention to hot wheels and I do appreciate the love you show for my beloved matchbox lol
I agree the frustration of collectors in this aggressive hobby however to quit ? Nope not me - I’ve taken my foot off the gas myself recently but never will I stop - like your dad I’m a retired 25 years member of NYPD as a police officer and I found peace with this beautiful hobby and the like minded people in this welcoming community
Keep up the great content you have a huge fan on Long Island in New York 👍🏻🙏🏻

Awesome Hot Wheels keep em coming ! The calendar is pretty cool man . I too love the Homer car and have two different releases . I'll be looking for the next Premium sets. I'm sure they'll be hard to find like the last few. The thrill of the hunt ? 😄 Those Action packs are sweet ! I don't recall ever seeing them back in the day. I do have that solar casting as well the Rugrats. One of the many HWs I collect are most of the Screen Time that I like. I feel for that collector, shame he's giving up. I know how it feels in the smaller cities. I tell you though even the larger cities have the same issues. Kickass War Report ! Thanks for letting me ride along. ✌🤘

I'm new to collecting Hot Wheels, but not new to collecting in general or the hunt. Over the years (decades) i've collected video games, books, board games, etc. Hot Wheels is by far the cheapest to acquire, not sure why I didn't start this earlier. I did buy some diecast from yard sales, thinking to flip them, but I decided to keep them all.

Today, after scouring the net for 'stores that sell Hot Wheels', I decided to go on the retail hunt. I picked up 18 of them; 5 Character cars, 5 Batman, 3 of the Matchbox candies and 5 mainlines that looked good to me. Family Dollar, Ollie's and Meijer were the stars, Walgreens and CVS were garbage, I won't go back to them anytime soon. There were a lot of stores I didn't make it to, i'll hit them up next time.

Curious if anyone else’s Walmarts dramatically raised the price of the Jada 1-43’s. I realize everything went up just a dollar or so, but those Jada at WMs in my state went to 16.94$😮
It’s almost laughable, knowbody is going to buy those things now.
The two packs are now 18 something $. 😅 So where do they come up with one is worth 17$..
They are cool but they were barely worth the 7$ they used to cost just a week ago.

Hey there Walter and Oso! Thanks for another fun show, really looking forward to those new Diorama sets! Have a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend everyone!

Ive been down but never out on this hobby. Let scumbags and pieces of shit be just that, us that show resilience are the winners....they are the losers in this game we all play

Great show, Walter! Showing the versatility of Hotwheels and their different offerings are cool! There's more than just JDM and Roger Dodgers out there.

It's weird around here. I went to 4 Dollar Generals, 2 targets, 2 Dollar Trees, 1 Walmart, 2 Big 5's, and the only place that didn't have empty pegs was the 2 Big 5's, and the Targets had some old ones that I already have. I see videos of people going to stores and there are lots of H case cars, but not here. I'm not sure what is going on.

Keep doing your thing WALTER !!!!!!!! Doin GOOD SIR !!

those came in shippers at cubs foods back in the the day they were formely corgi castings the grail of that series was the 714 blue talbot lago u got nice stuff....

Hey, Walter! I don't believe the Reddit poster was writing to entice anyone to stop hunting for diecast. I fully believe they were simply venting their frustration over the sad state of affairs presently ruining the joy of hunting and collecting for some of us. I COMPLETELY GET IT! It's timely that this was a topic of discussion today. As I have been feeling the same way for the past couple of weeks. As a matter of fact, I told my wife TODAY that if I was able to acquire the F1 5-pack in a store at the usual retail price (the prices are RIDICULOUS on the secondary market), I would NEVER have to buy diecast again. For me, it's not about FOMO (with the exception of the 5-pack). It's more about encountering COMPLETELY empty pegs or, vice versa, coming upon fully stocked shelves with nothing but peg warmers. My energy level for hunting is very close to zero and I don't feel any sadness about it. That's nuts. Because I used to be thrilled to hit a multitude of stores in a single day and come home with both hands filled with bags. I once remember buying 60 cars in one outing from a single Wal-Mart a couple of years ago when they had a mail-in promotion. The dump (dumb) bins were overflowing. Just the day before that, I purchased 20 cars from a different store. As BB King sang, the thrill is gone.

The action packs were neat, I had the toy story set. My lady was having a sale and something told me that day was when I should part with it, sold it to a kid with a huge smile for $3. hopefully a core memory of a cool toy for him and a draw to a future hobby. I hadn't thought of that in a couple years, cheers Walter!

❤ the cool aid truck ! Old-school 🔥💯👍✌️

Actually to tell you the truth you just have to be at the right place at the right time. I really have given up chasing pieces, if I get them I get them, no skin off of my sack. 2025 mix 2 mystery models got all 3 and left a full set for the next dude just saying.

I am that guy unfortunately employees get 1st dibs and then have a list of ppl they go to go give 1st dibs I never see anything due to all of the bs going on

Great video, watching it while I'm opening a box of 20 mainline 2025 cars I recently ordered, happy days.

I know, I just changed my locations to hunt. But I'm trying to teach my kids how to be honest and enjoy the hobby.❤

Dang forgot to watch this

There's definitely shady people in my area when it comes to diecast. Ever since Instagram it's been hard to find good stuff in my area. Never had any problems finding what I wanted before Instagram got big! Also I just got that Advan set for $30 after shipping straight from Mattel, cheaper than what the local stores are trying to rip you off for!

Good show Walter. I feel cheated though, I thought you were gonna spin the camera and show the bambies in your yard... maybe next time.

I love your show because most shows on YT are STH hunters and that gets old quick.

I am that guy too. Havnt found a super treasure hunt in five years. I don't even look either. I collect what I like. Trying make 2025 my last year. I will still be watching you and others on the tube. Thanks for all you do for the hobby. You do a great service.

Thanks for sharing, have a blessed Memorial Day weekend my friend, happy hunting…