It was sure to happen, check out page two of the PDF http://www.kml-log.ch/pdf/09/piko_Herbstflyer%202009_oP.pdf
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:Santa won't be bringing that down my chimney. If he does, I'll shoot 'im. Bah, humbug!
It was sure to happen, check out page two of the PDF http://www.kml-log.ch/pdf/09/piko_Herbstflyer%202009_oP.pdf
What next - Coca-Cola, Disneyland, Snoopy? Did not another manufacturer follow this path to self-destruction???
Agreed. Nice idea of a car hauler, but a Mercedes built in Alabama…blech!
Tim Brien said:You got it, Tim! :D
What next - Coca-Cola, Disneyland, Snoopy? Did not another manufacturer follow this path to self-destruction??????
or as someone put it
Magnus Müller on GBF said:
....Der Weihnachtswagen muß halt sein. Auch wenn es hier nie einer glauben mag, in Amerika laufen die Dinger bestimmt. Bei einem hohen Exportanteil, muß man sowas im Programm haben. Auch wenns den Modellbahner gruselt. Die Kinder freuts
“The Christmas car is a necessity. Even if no one here believes it, in America they will certainly be a seller. With a high export quota that kind of thing belongs in the product line. Even if the model railroaders shudder, the kids will be happy.”
OK guys, lets face it, it is all our fault! Because as NorthAmericans we are dumb enough to buy just about any “treasure”! 
Regards from the discerning cynic North of the 49th
You people are amazing- Christmas starter sets sell well- anyone who has ever worked in a hobby/train shop can tell you that. People will buy add-on cars for them every year.
Just because it doesn’t fit in with certain people’s ideologies of what should and shouldn’t be made doesn’t make it a bad idea!
Get over it!
John Joseph Sauer said:
You people are amazing .....…
Thank you Marvin! Nice to see you arrive at a reasonable conclusion - at least once in a while.
:lol:
I’ve bought several Christmas sets myself.
But they weren’t butt ugly 
Ralph
I wonder who will distribute the wonderful new Christmas Sets?
I mean, that’s six months away.
Lots of things can happen in six month’s time.
BTW, the butt-ugly BR 80 will be in a DR (Reichsbahn version) and at least one dealer has it listed as €149.99. Compare that to the price of the starter set and … 
Marvin,
In German one wishes you “Petri Heil!”. :lol: :lol:
BTW when adding the URL for an image, you don’t need to add the code for image, the forum software recognizes it just like that. Smart, eh?!?
Does that make you feel better?
Nah, I’m feeling good enough already. Just trying to help you remember the basics i.e. posting pictures.
Guess I should get it right since your the inspiration for the picture!
Nah, I thought by now you would have commented on the perceived quality of that butt ugly BR80. No such luck as that would concern trains, eh!?!
Considering the review in Gartenbahn Profi and Garden Railways it would be interesting to know if the NA dealers will run these critters in i.e. to wear off all the black-finishing on the axles and remove all the surplus grease in the gear boxes … or just wait for the return of the frustrated customers.
No doubt we can look to more christmas add-ons…
…
I can almost hear some elves singing.
…
Les
Hi Ho Hi Ho …ooops wrong song.
Garrett said:Hey, less of the 'blech'!!! Our first ML350 was built in the M-B Alabama plant and it was a great car! We must have liked it - we kept it four years and then bought a new one, this time built in Graz, Austria.
Agreed. Nice idea of a car hauler, but a Mercedes built in Alabama.....blech!
That’s got over 80,000 on it and I’m looking at it rght now as mrs tac drives away into town.
tac
www.ovgrs.org
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Nah, I thought by now you would have commented on the perceived quality of that butt ugly BR80. No such luck as that would concern trains, eh!?!Considering the review in Gartenbahn Profi and Garden Railways it would be interesting to know if the NA dealers will run these critters in i.e. to wear off all the black-finishing on the axles and remove all the surplus grease in the gear boxes … or just wait for the return of the frustrated customers.
HJ et al:
Wasn’t the other theory (and one that reportedly corrected and improved the running) was excess oil/grease that leaked into the pickups? I remember reading this on another forum and MIBA (I think it was them or another German magazine’s website) and once removed, they ran much better. The ‘control’ to this experiment was that the 218 also has the blackened wheels without the running problem.