Do you shell out the $$$ for Playmobil?

[infomama]

We never did the Playmobil thing with Dd1 but while shopping at a more high end toy store over the weekend I saw an entire wall of these sets and they look really fun *but*...$100.00 for a set? http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-US-Site/en_US/Product-Show?pid=4190&cgid=Reiterhof. Seems like I would go broke buying these?
Insight?

[vonfirmath]

Playmobile has sets at all price points. Just like many other toys.

[brittone2]

we do, but we have bought a lot used on ebay, and at a big local mom to mom consignment sale. I also once scored a nice PM castle for free on Craigslist in my area.

DS has spent some of his own money on PM...last year he bought the car repair and tuning shop with his own Christmas $$.

We've also found some fun stuff that PM sells as "bag" sets from Ridge Road Station...no box, meant usually to be add ons to other sets but sometimes really fun in and of themselves.

On the flip side, PM usually has decent-ish resale.

FWIW we've never spent $100 or more for a set.

[happi]

Do these hold up good? We bought a truck and trailer with horses yesterday and the trailer door broke right off last night when my son was playing with it!

[brittone2]

Do these hold up good? We bought a truck and trailer with horses yesterday and the trailer door broke right off last night when my son was playing with it!

For us it has, but my kids are fairly gentle on toys (particularly my 5.5 year old DS who is not as rough as most typical 5 year old boys IME). I have no way to compare today's PM to the PM of years ago, but I know some collectors etc. mention that it is not as good of quality as it once was. IMO it is still better quality than most plastic toys, and much of it is not MIC. We have the horse trailer w/ the jeep and it has held up fine for us.

I think they've also changed connector systems through the years and some people don't like the newer style connectors for big buildings/structures as much as some of the older styles.

I haven't had to do this yet but I think PM may be able to sell you replacement pieces? If you contact their CS maybe they can work with you?

[hellokitty]

I only buy playmobil stuff when it's on clearance or at a discount place like TJ Maxx. Like I snagged 2 of the advent calendar kits last yr on clearance at a private toy store for 50% off and thought that was awesome, considering the fact that playmobil advent calendars seem to be hard to come by to begin with.

[elliput]

I usually get Playmobil on clearance at Target, TJ Maxx, TRU etc. I've got a $80 castle stashed away which I purchased for $20. However, I do shell out the $ for the 1.2.3 sets as I have never seen them on clearance.

Our one experience with Playmobil customer service has been good. DH broke the latch on a treasure chest that came with a pirate set and we received a replacement.

[AnnieW625]

My brother got some Playmobil sets in the mid to late 80s and they are still in good shape. I would buy them for my child, but like Legos they have all different price points.

[BeachBum]

We don't have any of the $100 sets. "Buildings" just aren't what my kid likes. He prefers boats and other vehicles. Those are usually $30-$50 and I definitely feel like they get the play value.

[vejemom]

My stepchildren were big into Playmobile when they were younger. My only complaint (and something to watch for if you have an older child AND one under 3) is that the pieces are so darn small. The airport came with little mechanics. The little mechanics have tiny little wrenches that get vacuumed up, eaten by dogs, or stepped on by barefoot moms!

[ChunkyNicksChunkyMom]

Tons at Once Upon a Child!

[Karenn]

We don't have any of the $100 sets. "Buildings" just aren't what my kid likes. He prefers boats and other vehicles. Those are usually $30-$50 and I definitely feel like they get the play value.

I usually buy the smaller sets and compliment them with other things. Like instead of buying the house for $150, I bought a much cheaper doll house and furnished it with playmobil. Instead of the $250 hospital, I found an old Sweet streets Fisher price hospital and bought all of the smaller hospital pieces separately. Aside from the big pirate ship which DS saved his own money for, I don't think I've ever spent more than $50 on an item, usually much less.

[AngelaS]

I save my 25% off at Learning Express coupons or discounts for 20% off at other places to buy the bigger sets. :)

[dcmom2b3]

Our Costco has some large sets right now for $36 -- Pirate ship and racetrack/stable. We got the racetrack which I'm regretting already -- 226 pieces, many of them tiny.

[Seitvonzu]

after reading this i started browsing the playmobil website, ACK. i've been wanting to get a nativity for lucy and i noticed that playmobil.com had a better price on the advent calendar than toys r us-- they also had some extra advent calendars (a fairy one, a knight one, the pirate one)-- so i got an extra one (fairy). so that little browse ended up costing 60+ plus. still, i think it will be worth it, i've been looking at the nativity set for a while now, and the advent calendars are so fun-- lots of pieces! the knight one was 25% off on playmobil.com if anyone is interested.

we already have a dollhouse and a barn, but i love all the different sets. they have a pyramid! they have a circus! i've never seen playmobil at our tjmaxx... *sigh*