Tell us what this hobby means to you? 13 questions answered by you, Josip Jedvaj from Croatia.

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1) What first got you collecting diecast? How long have you been collecting? What is your total model count as of today?

Cars and their models I like since I was born. More serious collecting models I started about 10 years ago, when I was start earnigmy money. I could say that I started collecting a lot sooner because all the models that I get as a child are still like new. Of course, they are mainly Bburago and Maisto. Right now I have 121 models in 1/18 scale. I had about 70 to 80 models more, mainly low budget, but I sold them or changed for models that I like more.

2) What was your first diecast or memory?

First model in 1/18 I got from my parents in 1995., and that was Bburago Porsche Carrera 993 in red which I still have it. Already then, with age of 7, I realized that one day I will start collect models.

3) What is your favourite scale, and why?

My favorite scale is 1/18. On this size of models I can see easily all the details and they usually have many functioning parts too, and the models are not too big to take too much space. And it’s a good offer of models in this scale.

4) What are some of your favourite models to date? Did you share any photos with us?

I like all my models, but one is my favorite, it is AUTOart Nismo Skyline GT-R R34 Z-tune. Of course, it’s not the best made model, butt that is for me the best 1/1 car ever made so I like them so much, so much that I bought two identical models:-) After him my favorite is AUTOart Honda NSX in red and NSX-R in white. Yes, I’ll be happy to show you pictures of my models.

5) Is there a model that has eluded you, a holy grail of sorts?

Now my holy grail to get is Lexus LFA in white. Before them my holy grail was Skyline Z- tune.

6) What is your favourite brand/manufacturer, and why?

I’d say my favorite brand is AUTOart because they have good quality and best offer of models that I want, but lately too expensive and very often with QC. And Welly is good, solid quality and reasonable price models.

7) Describe your current theme and what your overall goal is?

I collect all Aston Martin, Porsche (no Cayenne and Panamera), and my personal favorites, the Japanese sports cars. Also I have Cobra, McLaren F1, DeLorean,… I buy road version of the cars with a few exceptions that I have in racing version like Ford GT LM Spec II #4 from Gran Turismo 4, Skyline R32 Calsonic and Impreza WRC. My target is to continue collecting cars form this brands.

8) Do you display your collection? If yes, how?

Of course that my collection is display, otherwise collecting does not make any sense for me. I have a room that is only for models. I keep them in vitrines and some models, mostly smaller scales, in the original boxes. Vitrines I stuck with transparent tape around the edges to protect them againts dust and fix vitrines to the wall for protect them from falling of earthquake. The room is protected from sun so the models were never in the sun.

9) Do you have any other hobbies, passions or addictions?

Yes, I’m fan of the series Gran Turismo games.

10) What do you think about the diecast hobby as it stands today?

I think hobby stands very well. To me a little bothers that is to much resin models that are very often more expensive that the high-quality diecast models. For me resin model can not cost more of 50$.

From experience I can say that all the people involved in this hobby are friendly and make wonderful companions. This is a good hobby to spend money because the models holding value and if the collector decided to sell the model or models, can get almost as much as he paid and often much more so this hobby is good investment.

11) If you could change one thing about the diecast hobby what would that be?

Reduce the prices of all models, especially new models from AUTOart and increased their QC. I personally would love to someone make some high-quality Japanese models in diecast, for example Nissan 180/200/240SX, Silvia S15, Toyota Celica ST185/205, MR2 SW20, and many many others.

12) Do you modify cars? If yes, what are some examples?

I slightly modified a few Bburago models but usually I don’t practice that, I love that the models are in MINT condition. When I was modified, I do things like painting interior and engine more realistic, put brake disks and calipers, maybe change wheels and that’s it. Here are the pictures of Bburago Carrera 993 that I little modify. Most of them I sold it.

13) What is your 1:1 daily driver?

My daily driver is Honda Civic 1.5 VTEC 6. generation and I planing to replace it with some newer Japanese car, I hope with Accord 2.4 Type S 7. generation.