What new copies?

They are about $8 though. For once the Brickset value trackers aren't unreliable.

I'm trying to say something good about this set, and coming up blank.

Um, the printed pieces are nice?

I'm curious how the tow truck is supposed to pull that roller skate that doesn't involve hooking onto the tiny little roll cage and dragging the thing flipped over onto its side.

I’m pretty sure I have this because all of it looks incredibly familiar… I know I’m likely alone, but I do have deep and sincere nostalgia for the 90s vehicles, silly as they may be :)

@PurpleDave said:
"I'm curious how the tow truck is supposed to pull that roller skate that doesn't involve hooking onto the tiny little roll cage and dragging the thing flipped over onto its side."

If it's pulling on the roll bar behind the seat then it could just pull it backwards.

@Miyakan said:
" @PurpleDave said:
"I'm curious how the tow truck is supposed to pull that roller skate that doesn't involve hooking onto the tiny little roll cage and dragging the thing flipped over onto its side."

If it's pulling on the roll bar behind the seat then it could just pull it backwards.
"

Hold up a minute. I need a chair and some popcorn, because I'm pretty sure that will fail spectacularly.

I know the racer has a mustache, but with the blurry image and the pose he's in, he actually looks more like he's angry and is telling that tow truck driver to not scratch the paint on his go-kart.

@PurpleDave said:
" @Miyakan said:
" @PurpleDave said:
"I'm curious how the tow truck is supposed to pull that roller skate that doesn't involve hooking onto the tiny little roll cage and dragging the thing flipped over onto its side."

If it's pulling on the roll bar behind the seat then it could just pull it backwards.
"

Hold up a minute. I need a chair and some popcorn, because I'm pretty sure that will fail spectacularly."

In real life, most definitely. In Lego, it might just work.

Cute, but very primitive by todays standards. 7/10 (I am easily impressed)

Wow, pretty big set today!

All jokes aside, nothing great here (and that base for the tow truck is a disgrace...), but I can see the play value for kids here. And some nice prints too.

This is a strange one. It includes 6446 Crane Truck but with a different minifig, and 6436 Go-Kart but in a different color and a differet spoiler.

So, it's not quite a traditional 'value pack' in just containing two boxes... but not quite its own thing either because of the tow truck and general similarities. Odd...

The individual parts aren't that bad. Only if you build according to the instructions, you realise how something can be less than the sum of its parts =(

Crying out for a return of the vintage blue trailer (the original junior one piece) to transport my go-kart rather than a useless hook.
Still good to remember the days before sportswashing when Octan could sponsor motor sport without upsetting anyone.

In 1999 stores were overflowing with inexpensive toys, thanks mostly to Star Wars. $7 was a battle zone price for many wallets.

That winch piece was always pretty good, I remember ordering that in about 1983 from the form you could fill in at the back of the Lego catalogue - I had the option of an Easter egg or some spare Lego bits - not much of a decision really...

Ah, 1999 - it was the best of times (Star Wars was released), it was the worst of times. (everything else was released) It was a time of feast (lots of printed parts in almost every town set) it was a time of famine. (said sets were very crappy)

@JavaBrix said:
" @PurpleDave said:
"I'm curious how the tow truck is supposed to pull that roller skate that doesn't involve hooking onto the tiny little roll cage and dragging the thing flipped over onto its side."

The instructions are instructive - the blue 1x2 bar plate snaps under the front end of the car for towing."

I feel like bolting the tow hook directly to the frame is cheating, somewhat.

@Murdoch17 said:
"Ah, 1999 - it was the best of times (Star Wars was released), it was the worst of times. (everything else was released) It was a time of feast (lots of printed parts in almost every town set) it was a time of famine. (said sets were very crappy)"

Hey, now... 1999 also introduced Rock Raiders, one of the best themes ever!

That go-kart is primitive, but I still like it, because I'm always predisposed to like vehicles built on that chassis element, as it was used in 6503 and 6506, two sets that I had so much fun with as a child.

@Murdoch17 said:
"Ah, 1999 - it was the best of times (Star Wars was released), it was the worst of times. (everything else was released) It was a time of feast (lots of printed parts in almost every town set) it was a time of famine. (said sets were very crappy)"

It was actually both for Star Wars, as Episode I was both hugely successful, because it sold so much merch, and hugely unsuccessful, because they greatly overestimated demand and were left with a lot of unsold merch. @PurpleDave has mentioned the warehouse full of Jar Jar and Darth Maul neckties.

Race car is barely ok, truck is so heavily juniorised nothing will save it.

To this day, Lego still do 4+ cars without roofs.

@b2_O said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
"Ah, 1999 - it was the best of times (Star Wars was released), it was the worst of times. (everything else was released) It was a time of feast (lots of printed parts in almost every town set) it was a time of famine. (said sets were very crappy)"

I guess you could say it was the blursed of times..."

Train sets weren't bad ... some pretty decent.

Again, I'm of the opinion Lego was trying to get back to appealing to a younger demographic, with small sets easily purchased on an impulse buy. And the larger sets not being too complicated, quickly ready for play and (best of all) not too expensive – that is, a kid can, with a few weeks' allowance or saving up from various jobs (the paper route, mowing lawns, etc.), buy such a set. Detail, to a 7 or 8 year old, I'm sure was thought to be secondary ... simplicity sold. (Just like the main appeal of the latter day Chevrolet Chevette and Pontiac 1000 in the mid-1980s ... a simple, old-fashioned and reliable car that was easily affordable to a young person just starting out and trying to build his/her income.)

(I can imagine such a commercial from the era – a 6 or 7 year old kid trying to put together one of the most complicated sets but getting frustrated as it keeps falling apart or other things that show his lack of skill ... and then he sees these easy-to-assemble sets that are fun to play with, and he boasts about being able to have fun building and playing with these sets.)

The 4+ sets are probably the best sets for younger kids these days, whose main objectives are ease of assembly and quickly being ready for play.

It’s a shitty set to be sure, but I have a strong emotional attachment to it. My parents gave it to me to keep me entertained while we were at the hospital waiting for my brother to be born!

@Briguy52748 said:
" @b2_O said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
"Ah, 1999 - it was the best of times (Star Wars was released), it was the worst of times. (everything else was released) It was a time of feast (lots of printed parts in almost every town set) it was a time of famine. (said sets were very crappy)"

I guess you could say it was the blursed of times..."

Train sets weren't bad ... some pretty decent.

Again, I'm of the opinion Lego was trying to get back to appealing to a younger demographic, with small sets easily purchased on an impulse buy. And the larger sets not being too complicated, quickly ready for play and (best of all) not too expensive – that is, a kid can, with a few weeks' allowance or saving up from various jobs (the paper route, mowing lawns, etc.), buy such a set. Detail, to a 7 or 8 year old, I'm sure was thought to be secondary ... simplicity sold. (Just like the main appeal of the latter day Chevrolet Chevette and Pontiac 1000 in the mid-1980s ... a simple, old-fashioned and reliable car that was easily affordable to a young person just starting out and trying to build his/her income.)

(I can imagine such a commercial from the era – a 6 or 7 year old kid trying to put together one of the most complicated sets but getting frustrated as it keeps falling apart or other things that show his lack of skill ... and then he sees these easy-to-assemble sets that are fun to play with, and he boasts about being able to have fun building and playing with these sets.)

The 4+ sets are probably the best sets for younger kids these days, whose main objectives are ease of assembly and quickly being ready for play."

I was not commenting on the quality of the set, I was just making a simpsons joke.

I'm not sure if offsite links are allowed but... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=no_elVGGgW8

@Vladtheb said:
"It’s a shitty set to be sure, but I have a strong emotional attachment to it. My parents gave it to me to keep me entertained while we were at the hospital waiting for my brother to be born!"

And I think that's just it – the powers-that-be at Lego, at the time, saw Lego as a way to keep kids distracted and occupied, and allowed the kids to easily be able to afford sets. A small set like this, with relatively few small pieces and easily put together, is as you note perfect in keeping a kid occupied.

Well this isn’t passing Euro NCAP, that front end looks deadly. It’s basically a flat wall coming at you!

@BaconKing said:
"To this day, Lego still do 4+ cars without roofs."

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