Gearhead’s Guide to Buggy Collecting

By Aj_1988

So you would like to start collecting buggies on There.com but you aren’t quite sure where to begin. Buggy collecting is a hobby practiced by many on There.com. There are literally thousands of buggies in world and there are many factors that decide what buggy falls into a ‘collectable’ realm. I will try to clear up some misconceptions and explain some qualities to look for in a collectable buggy. 

A few key factors to research and observe:

·   Exceptionally well painted body, wheels, tires, dash board, lights, seats and other components that make the design stand out from others.

·   Initial quantities listed by designer (Limited/ not limited), Initial price, Year of manufacture. 

·   Designer’s track record (Old designer/ new designer), Respect for collectors market. 

·   How often does it appear in auctions by others and price range.

 

Designer: Spyderbytez
Name: Belair
Date of Manufacture: April 11, 2004
Quantities produced: ~30

Belair is quite possibly one of more widely recognized buggies and is highly sought after by the collectors. This buggy is one of the older designs in game, being born in the Beta stage when designers were still experimenting with the buggy template. It explores the possibilities that were way ahead of its time and in many ways it has laid out a norm for modern buggy design. As far as its creator goes, Spyderbytez is a very pleasant person who has done some very innovative designs. He is not currently designing; however he pops in the world from time to time. As far as many collectors are concerned he is the ‘Godfather of buggy designs’.  

 

 

Designer: Onus
Name: XLR-916
Date of Production: August 30, 2004
Quantities Produced: Unknown

Onus is also a designer from Beta days. Onus vehicles are highly collectable for his unique subtle yet sleek style. I have heard ZachC that Onus was the first one to experiment with the ‘Shine’ on buggies. Today shine and shading of the buggy is one of the biggest factors to any collector. When this buggy debuted the template was still vastly unexplored yet you can clearly see the innovation in introduction of new textures and shading. The dashboard and interior of a buggy were given just as much attention as the exterior. Onus is a very helpful and inspiring person he has helped out many designers. Onus is still an active designer and he makes new stuff from time to time. 

 

 

Designer: Jinxed_Karma
Name: Phantom XRS Pro LE
Quantities Produced: Under 10
Date of Production: December 18, 2004

 JND has always been a household name with buggy collectors. This buggy was produced late in 2004 and you can clearly see the difference in style and textures as time passes on. Jinxed has always been known to push the envelope of buggy designing, with his technical skills and innovative mindset it is no surprise that we see constantly evolving products from him. His attention to detail is second to none and he is well known for never compromising when it comes to designing. He is well known in the buggy community and he understands exactly what it takes to make his designs stand out from the others. His modeling skills are also just as impressive.

 

 

Designer: ZachC
Name: ZMW Bandit
Date of Production: Dec 2005
Quantities Produced: 25

In no way can I complete this article without mentioning ZMW or ZachC, so where do we start. Shown here is the ZMW Bandit which is possibly one of the most sought after buggies by collectors. It clearly demonstrates a complete understanding of the buggy template inside and out. The dash, seats, interior, roll cage and all other components are created with great detail. The presence of ZMW in There.com is such that even people who don’t know a single thing about buggies know what ZMW is. The modern shine on the buggy was invented and perfected by ZachC and imitated by many. He has not only created more buggies than all other major buggy designers combined but he has set a new standard for designing by constantly raising the bar. Zach is a good friend and has been extremely helpful along with BigD to teach me the roads of buggy designing.

 

 

Designer: Nazgul
Name: Wasp
Date of Production: March 18, 2006
Quantities Produced: Unknown

 From my understanding Nazgul has only created a handful of buggies and they rarely pop in auctions. As time goes on it is clear how individual style and ideas lead to such different results from each designer. The shine and texture on all Nazgul buggies are very original and exceptionally detailed. It is important to understand that all the buggies are created using the same template and therefore it makes it so interesting to collect and see how different they all are. I don’t know much about Nazgul apart from the fact that him and Anik77 used to design together. Anik77 has also produced some quality buggies in the past.

 

 

 

 

Designer: Mullachops
Name:
Date of Production: May 06, 2007
Quantities Produced: Unknown

 Since I am on the subject of style/shine variation, I would like to talk about Mullachops’ designs. While many people in game produce shiny ‘show cars’ Mullachops has been producing works of art that are equally durable as they are beautiful. His unique industrial and gritty style and his crisp textures certainly earns him a special place on the collector’s list of must haves. He produces textures and components that look real enough to put your hand on. While he is known for his radical styling in buggy designing, he creates clothes and other things that are just as impressive. 

 

 

 

 

Designer: Polymatrixdragon
Name: Ace of Clubs Soviet
Date of Production: April 11, 2007
Quantities Produced: 5

Polymatrix cannot be left out of a list that describes diversity. His designs to put lightly were out of this world. His unique blend of colors, textures, lines and graphics were absolute pieces of art. Polymatrix has left the game from what I have heard but he has left a long legacy behind. His buggies are not only great conversational pieces but they also make realize the immense possibilities that have yet been unexplored. Polymatrix has submitted under a few different avatars, Metronome is one of them. Collecting Poly buggies is like collecting parts of his imagination converted into pixels.

 

 

 

As you must have now realized collecting buggies truly is a fun hobby, you meet many new people along the way and learn more each day. In no way can I compress all the info in one article but by understanding some key factors you would be on your way to buying your first or your 50^th  ‘collectable’ buggy. I have not explored the price ranges mainly because they fluctuate from time to time and it really depends on how much you like a buggy to shell out the Ts.