1:64

I am not what you would call a car guy. Why am I collecting 1:64 diecast cars?

My dad bought a car when I was around 10. It was a lemon. It blew smoke. It rattled when you pushed it past its limits. But it was our car. Eventually, my dad gave up, let it languish in the garage, and eventually sold it.

I never learned how to drive, although I can start the engine and move a car forward and backward. That’s all I know and remember up to this day. I attempted to learn how to drive back in high school. I eventually stopped when I drove our car into a shallow ditch and got into an argument with my dad.

Some people would say that driving is an essential life skill, but for me, it’s one skill I can do without. I work remotely and rarely venture out of my house except for the weekends. If I need to get somewhere, I’d rather take a cab.

But going back to the initial question, why does a grown man like me (and plenty of other men and women) collect diecast cars? I can only speak for myself.

I started buying diecast cars, mostly Hot Wheels, around 2005 when I worked for a friend who sold toys. Most of the stuff he sold were action figures and a few diecast vehicles. I started buying a few pieces, opened these and let my daughter play with these as I moved to action figures like Marvel Legends and GI Joes.

I started buying and collecting Hot Wheels and the occasional Tomica only this year. I stumbled upon a Facebook group of diecast collectors and this renewed my interest in collecting.

Back in 2005, most collectors sought out Hummers, Ferraris and muscle cars. Now most collectors are looking for movie cars and Japanese cars.

I must admit I hardly know anything about cars. I hardly know the difference between an automatic and manual car. I don’t collect because of nostalgia. I barely remember what my dad’s car looks like, except that it was a rust bucket.

I do collect because I’m drawn to great design. And as any person inclined to design will tell you, some of the best cars are moving works of art.

It is also fairly easy to get into the hobby. Even if you have a few bucks to spare from your monthly budget, if you keep your desire in check, you can slowly build your collection. Apart from Hot Wheels, there are a few other brands that make decent reproductions of beloved and modern classics. Of course, if budget is no issue, you can opt for pricier brands and their offerings in different scales.

It also helps that Hot Wheels are fairly ubiquitous. You can find them practically anywhere. But I guess if there is one thing that spurs me to continue to collect, that is the allure of the hunt. You’ll never know what you’ll find on the pegs.

Sometimes, finding the model you are looking for is a matter of luck. More often than not, other collectors (and scalpers) will beat you to the car you have spent days, weeks or even months looking for. It also doesn’t help that some promodizers hide cars in high demand for themselves.

But when you do find a freshly opened case and beat other collectors, there’s a unique exhilaration that you will feel. Of course, you can always buy from scalpers and pay a premium price, but there’s no thrill in that. That’s not to say that I haven’t bought from other collectors. But I only pick models that are reasonably priced and those that you will never find on the pegs because they were released years ago.

I’m also fortunate to have a girlfriend who puts up with a grown man who takes every opportunity to pass by the local toy store every now and then.