Review: 60083 Snowplough Truck
Posted by CapnRex101,
The so called 'Great Vehicles' are some of the most interesting City sets in my opinion and many would agree that the highlight of the selection in this wave is 60083 Snowplough Truck. Not only is this a superb model which looks very accurate to the real-life source but it is also an unusual vehicle for LEGO to include in their City line-up. If we omit the Arctic sets from earlier in the year and instead focus on domestic snow clearance vehicles, the last one was 6524 Blizzard Blazer released back in 1988!
The set is priced at £17.99 or $19.99 and contains 195-pieces, some of which might be rather appealing for your own models as many are quite unusual and potentially useful. These sets are almost always good value for money and this one is no different; the model is small but heavy and it looks brilliant.
Box and Contents
The box is much the same size as every other City set at this price point, although the City logo has undergone some slight changes for this year. It seems the city has been caught in the grasp of a particularly fierce Winter as there are huge snowdrifts which make for a more interesting background than the usual skyline.
On the back are plenty more images of the snowplough and its driver in action which also shows off the features of the set including a rotating grit spreader and detachable plough and hopper.
Minifigure
One minifigure is included to drive the truck which is sufficient. He is fairly plain and all the components have been seen elsewhere including a blue cap, orange and blue jacket and dark blue legs. Minifigures without back printing are becoming something of a rarity so it is a shame that no printing is present here, but I suppose it is not really necessary as he will be sat in the cab most of the time. His bespectacled head piece is printed with a beard and he is equipped with a push broom and shovel, both of which can be attached to the truck for storage.
The Completed Model
The first thing that struck me about this model was how small it was, only 18cm long with the snow shovel attached. However, the vehicle is impressively bulky and looks very much like those that you might see on European roads, particularly in the North of the UK at the moment I am sure!
The shovel on the front is pretty enormous with a couple of red and white hazard stickers on the top and some nice lights. There are fifteen 1x1 round tiles included in white (and one spare) to represent snow to be pushed along and out of the way, which is a rather entertaining feature in my opinion. The snowplough blade can be moved around or easily removed as it is attached by a ball joint, giving plenty more options if you are hoping to display the set.
The contrasting green and orange colour scheme looks great and the addition of some warning stripes is a realistic touch. The cab is built in the standard fashion with a SNOT headlight and number plate section below some slopes and a trans-black 2x6x2 windscreen. This model, like 60073 Service Truck which was reviewed just the other day by Huw, has only a short bonnet section. Inside the cab, accessible by opening doors, is space for one minifigure along with a steering wheel and red coffee mug.
The enormous tyres raise the vehicle a long way off the ground which is not at all surprising given its purpose. I suspect the minifigure would have a very difficult time climbing into the driver's seat but LEGO proportions are often not quite perfect, so I think that they can be forgiven for this minor inaccuracy. There is a fuel tank on each side to which tools can be clipped along with smoke stacks and warning lights on the roof.
The back of the truck is occupied by a hopper, just as in reality. This hopper is used to store grit which can then be spread to prevent ice forming over the freshly cleared roadway, an action recreated by this set. Although nothing actually sprays out of the back, there is a rotating wheel representing the spreader at the back which turns as you move the vehicle. This is a great function as it works perfectly while also maintaining appropriate scaling to real life. The model is completed with some more lights, hazard stripes and an arrow for directing traffic around the truck. As you can see the sticker is attached as though you were driving in North America or Continental Europe, but this is easily adapted for right hand drive vehicles as the sticker can be placed to point vehicles off in the other direction.
Overall
For me this is the pick of the Winter line-up in the City theme. It is an unusual but useful vehicle and this is a superb model which closely resembles its real life counterpart. There are not many play features but I imagine the intimidating nature of the truck will make up for this in the opinions of many buyers.
I love how the vehicle looks and there is some decent playability, so I see no real drawbacks here! It is always nice to see something new from the LEGO City theme, particularly when it is appropriate to the season like this one is.
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26 comments on this article
I'm looking forward to buying this one because it looks so much like the Mercedes Unimog (if you don't know what that is, look it up on the Internet). There aren't many play features in this build, but I kinda like the spreader, it's nicely done. Very realistic, although it can't spread any salt or sand on the road. I think the best thing about this build is that you can detach the hopper and plow and make your own Unimog with different accessories to serve different purposes.
Love this set. I purchased 2 already. It is as close to realistic as it can be at this price. The working spindle in the back is a really nice touch.
I drive a very similar truck at work so I just couldn't resist.
I'm glad you like them. We'll continue to do them until (a) we run out of sets to review, or (b) we get bored, or (c) you get fed up reading them.
I think it looks realistic if you compare it to the real one:
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@nudny I saw this set in Tesco market in Swiebodzin 5 or 6 days before Christmas. I was really suprised because besides this set, there were also 9 other LEGO CITY sets from 2015. It was really cool to see the new 2015 stuff in a such small city like Swiebodzin.
Unfortunatelly my son didn't want to get this set for Christmas and because I did not want to make my wife a woman version of "the angry kitty" (I had already prepared a gift for myself - the Exo Suit set), I decided to wait with the purchase for "better days". ;-)
This set is awesome. I really like it and I want to have it. But I need to work out with my son on this. ;-)
Brickset's review is as always great. Keep doing the good job, Gentlemen! Happy New Year!
Has anyone seen this in the UK yet?
@martinb - Thanks a lot for a tip about looking for it in Tesco, what was the price? Because if it's around 80pln i will go to Tesco even today. :D I saw this set and many other 2015 City in Smyk, but the Snowplough was for 100pln, which was too much for me. I'm waiting for them to be a little bit cheaper. Cheers!
@gloslegofan - The set is available in LEGO stores at the moment or for pre-order at LEGO.com: http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=oSv/vWYkQIY&subid=&offerid=124738.1&type=10&tmpid=5026&RD_PARM1=http%3a%2f%2fshop.lego.com%2fen-GB%2fSnowplow-Truck-60083
Why, that's no snowplow driver, that's Walter White!!
@CapnRex101 - There was a snowplough included with Winter Village Cottage. Although that one seems much more vintage.
Altough we have no need for this here (no snow!!,) I really want this.
Usually this kind of set will eventually be temporarily on sale for around € 15,-- around here, so probably will wait till then.
Now available in the official UK LEGO stores.
It's a fantastic set.
I got this at TRU in the US for my young son for X-Mas... he loves it and uses it to plow the snowy streets in front of his new Bike Shop and Cafe set! Having built most of the City vehicle sets over the past 5 years, I appreciate the unique chassis of this set, which is more akin to the recent 'monster trucks' of the City line, than the other cars and large vehicles. The suspended wheel axle parts are also appreciated.... well done TLG! I hope this encourages more uncommon road vehicles in the Great Vehicles line.... Now we need a new street sweeper and vacuum truck!
This review has put this one on my radar.
Great review! Available on the German Lego Store now. Ordered 2 :) Will ship on January 2nd.
Looks nice but I didn't like the gigantic wheels. I think they are too big, even knowing the inspiration for this probably is the Unimog, still it is out of proportion. Feels more like a "Monster Truck" to me.
Whatever, I'm buying it anyway =D
Yep, it's a definite must-buy for me, this one. It's just absolutely spot on.
Although a spot-on rendition of a winter service unimog it ultimately must come down in price - as soon as the weather picks up the price will fall as snow clearance will not be a theme that children pick up from daily life. Seasonal sets generally have a limited rrp window.
Cool, its definetly something they haven't done before and I like it.
I just got done putting this set together, and find to be a great piece, with plenty of playability. Very realistic, another nice city set.
At least they didn't add a yellow tile to the snow pile... There are a lot of dogs in the city after all...
Thanks for the reviews, and I think if it is option C, some will just drop out, but we still want to know more...
@nudny - So it seems that I have a price-suprise for you in case of this set. :-)
In Swiebodzin the 60083 set cost 79.99 PLN, but there was also a promotion for all LEGO sets and the total cost of this set was 61.99 PLN. So it's a nice price, isn't? :-)
The sets in SMYK shops are always overpriced. Just a great example: I have bought the 42009 set via Internet for 549.00 PLN. But just before Christmas I visited SMYK shop for some other stuff and I have noticed that there is also 42009 set. When I saw the price I was in shock - they wanted for it 1100.00 PLN! IMHO it is a "total-disaster-price", if we will compare it even to the catalogue price, which in case of Poland is 899.00 PLN...
@martinb - I went to Tesco today and only City set from 2015 I saw was the Dune Buggy Trailer, which is not on my wish list (I didn't seen the price, 79,99pln I think).
The shelves looked almost empty so i guess everything was sold during Christmas, I hope they will have the delivery soon, thanks a lot for a tip!
Have a great New Year everyone :)
That's amazing... I want three...
Anyone found this at TRU or Smyths?
Set already sold out on lego.com (Germany) today January 3rd. Next possible delivery at January 23.