First off, I’d like to thank those of you who have sent me get well messages during the last week or so. The flu this year is late but NASTY! I hope none of you gets it.  

This last week saw a couple vehicles get pulled from world due to copyright problems. Normally this is taken care of prior to approval, but mistakes can happen and items that should have been rejected can slip through the cracks. One of the vehicles was a buggy, and the copyright issue was cut and dried. The only problem was that quite a few had been sold, so the owners were left with a buggy lacking a description and people who hadn’t seen it yet were no longer able to download the dds files into their client. My understanding is that an email to help may get a refund of the purchase price. I’ve also heard that they’re working with the designer to redo it without the offending content, but that’s speculation based on 3^rd hand information right now.

 The other item removed was the Veilron Hoverboat by Nex3d. Initially some thought it had been reported to There by a member. After discussion with Nex and reviewing the email he received that doesn’t appear to me to have been the case. I won’t go into detail here, but based on the information I’ve been given by Nex, it was an internal staff decision by upper management. It’s close resemblance to a Bugatti was the reason and while we may question whether or not it should have been pulled, the final decision belongs to There. They take the financial risk with content violations so that is appropriate. I’ve talked with Nex and he’s appealed the decision, which I believe is the correct way to handle this. His appeal is well thought out and detailed and I hope There responds to him soon so he can move ahead. He’s far too talented to stop designing now no matter what happens!

 

On to a few buggy reviews. Once again I have to rave about a new buggy by Vanderjos. He just keeps getting better and better. Perhaps one day I’ll actually meet him in world to compare notes. His latest is the Hell Explorer GT. Nicely detailed with an excellent metallic sheen this black beauty is one to take a look at if you’re checking out buggies. Priced at 18,850t this has to be one of the hottest bargains in auctions.

 

Another repeat designer for this column is BigD26 with his latest, the Acuda GT-07 also in black. This designer too improves with every design. His seats are beautiful, the dash simple yet detailed, and his intake vents are excellent. Priced at only 11,850 this is another amazing bargain in auctions. Based on this buggy and the Hell Explorer I’d have to say things are heating up in the lower priced range of buggies and that couldn’t make me happier.

 

Coming in at a significantly higher price is the Charm GTR by Sharmilla. Sharmilla is innovative and her buggies demonstrate incredible use of texture to achieve the shine she’s looking for. Her details are unique and original and that’s something I really like about her buggies. Priced at 25,000 this one comes in significantly higher than the others reviewed here today. It’s also limited to 20 copies in the description, but 50 were listed. That’s probably a mistake and I’m sure she’ll correct it. I’ve done that myself once or twice.

 

Finally let’s take a trip back in time. I’m thinking I may do more of these classic reviews, and this may be the first. The Chrome Buggy by Vanno brought back some memories for me. I don’t know the date it came out, but this particular buggy was built on September 4, 2003. The description doesn’t indicate it was limited, but I recall seeing the listing back then stating it was limited to (I believe) 15 copies. The number could be off, but it was limited. It was relisted a year or so later, and then pulled before any sold. The designer had relisted believing most who bought it had left so he could sell a few more. It was pointed out what that did to collectors and he pulled it immediately. Unfortunately I sold mine before he pulled and had to spend a fortune buying this one recently.

 

The Chrome Buggy was, as far as I could determine, the first metal looking buggy. It’s pretty basic looking to us now, but for the time it was revolutionary. It was actually the inspiration for the texture on my first successful buggy, the Silver Flame. Buggy design was new back then, and people were still coming to grips with the hood square, and that line in the tread, but the metal looking texture hadn’t been seen before as far as I know. Vanno was known primarily for clothing designs and I believe this was the only buggy he ever did. I talked to him once back then, but like many others over time he’s been gone for quite awhile.