I wasn't expecting much from this set, however right after opening the box, I was really excited, and the set impressed, the truck is really sturdy, really fun to operate

The only thing I don't like is the colors, yellow and red are too flashy

This set was a huge surprise to me and it is a shame it is no longer produced.

The set is more than meets the eye. It may only have two motorized functions but these are really cool and ingenious:

- the fork not only shifts out but also automatically unfolds

- the bed tilts, but also the position of the wheels turn.

I was so stupid to sell this set but rebought it...

The cabin is also very cool, using a lot of plates, tiles and wedged plates...

AWESOME set!! - as a former towtruck driver, i would have liked to have seen a pair of tie down straps, a jack, and an opening driver side box to put them in, and some side rails on the bed, but other than that, an absolutely AWESOME SET / BUILD... VERY fun, and VERY MUCH worth the $100 price tag... (so much so, it's almost worth puting an unopened one away for future sale at a HANDSOME proffit!!)

Pros

• Pro 1 - FUN build
• Pro 2 - LOTS of parts
• Pro 3 - COOL color scheme
• Pro 4 - EXCELLENT value for the money

Cons

• Con 1 - no tie down straps
• Con 2 - no jack
• Con 3 - driver's side tool box doesn't open & store "extras"
• Con 4 - no side rails on the bed

in conclusion, i HIGHLY recommend this set... i actually recommend buying TWO of these sets and putting one away for for future sale... i GUARANTEE it will wind up paying for BOTH sets down the road!!.... GUARANTEED!!

After initial assembly I usually take sets apart and build moc's but this one looks soooo good!
If you want better idea look here: LEGO 8109

ME LOVES 8109:
- awesome model, very tight construction took me ages to figure out how to put power to rear wheels without changing the bed functionality,
- good looking b model
- great color scheme, different color for different section
- b model has totally different color scheme from the main truck
- many, many parts plus some new ones,
- 6 wheels -yeah baby!
- rather challenging construction, these guys are geniuses!
- manuals sealed in plastic with stiff cardboard - took them 30 years to come up with this idea,
- it's BIG and HEAVY - my kind of model
- stickers make it look 2x as good, add a lot of detail

I'm not gonna comment on technical stuff of LEGO Technic 8109 because I think every model is as it should be and the beauty of LEGO is that if you don't like it you can always do it your way.

But I have a grievance in regards to LEGO cost cutting and quality department:
- yellow bits all have different shade of faded yellow, different size have different shades, this looks like patchwork up close
- the stickers' yellow does not match the brick color in any way, forget about the looks you get on the box,
- cabin panels, 2 panels for top front roof slope - made out of different kind of soft plastic! you touch it - you scratch it kind of thing, VERY CHEAP...of course in different shade of yellow, simply pathetic cost cutting,
- tires in my model are very soft, model is heavy on front and tires can come off the rim easily, this softness also causes front to low down - not fun on a thicker carpet.

I really truly recommend it, The construction is simply brilliant, a lot of brain behind it. It looks so good that you can put it into a glass cabinet with soft light and have people marvel over.

I LOVE IT!

This is the fourth model I put together. I had a lot of fun doing so BUT...may things missing for the size of it. Just to point out a few :

• Missing engine. Really? no engine on a truck this size?
• The chasis is just plain WEAK, no torsion rigidity whatsoever.
• Poor fork strengh, yes...it's nice to look at but it just does not work at all, perhaps with a custom built light car.
• A Technic model with PFs and a hook, but the PFs don't make the hook work...really?there could be a mod just below the batery box and out of the gearbox, that would be awesome and might encourage you to overlook other things.
• Removing the batery pack is a rather complex task.

These things make the model...almost a parts model I believe, or a nicely shaped paper weight.

Now to its favor the model was indeed fun to work with as usual, so no complaints in that matter, a rather easy model to work on. Also, it looks NICE; I have to reckon that I bought it for the looks, and that exactly what I got, just looks.

If you like the way it looks, can pass on the functionality of it and find it on a good deal, then buy it, worse case you some PFs and new gears to work with.

Cheers.