I got this little set recently, and, honestly, it did fulfil my expectations. There is not much to talk about in this set, but for its price, it's a pretty good choice! It has a clever use of diamond elements as lights (which, honestly, I didn't see earlier) and I like how you can put a suitcase in the back (which, by the way, contains 6375358 coin element which is pretty good-looking, and this is the cheapest way to get it). And it can be a nice addition to your MOC city (If you have one, because I'm not a MOC person). Overall, it's a pretty, nice, small and cute vintage car!

This is probably one of, if not the best Lego creator set of the year 2012 in my opinion. It makes for a great display piece as any of the 3 main builds and, from afar, it doesn't even look like a lego build. But it also doubles as a great toy that’s easy to play with, it’s sturdy enough to be played around with, and it’s even compatible with older and newer creator cars like the 5867 Super Speedster and the 31089 Sunset Track Racer, and even some most 8 stud wide Speed champions cars.

The build is surprisingly easy to follow, the yellow car is easy enough to build and some of the techniques used are quite interesting. The truck itself is expectedly more complicated to build, but at the same time, the building flows nicely, and it takes shape rather quickly. However, the part where you assemble the functional flatbed is a big step-up in difficulty, and some of the techniques used feel rather unconventional, like sliding the bed into the technic beams and using them as the rails themselves, or using the rear axle as a support for the entire assembly. After that you have to assemble the winch mechanism, which is not necessarily difficult because of the set itself, but it is inherently annoying because of the whole “passing the thread through the spool and hook and tying it” process. But after all that, the rest of the building is smooth, and even relaxing since you get to add all the small, yet impressive details like the gear shifter, the pedals, the small spaces behind the doors, and even the rear-view mirror inside the cab, which is a detail that i very rarely see in creator sets.

This set comes with parts that are quite useful for a lot of possible alternative builds or even MOCs. Such parts include: the gear rack, the steering mechanism joints, the spool, thread and hook, and the 2 light bricks that come with it.

The functions really surprised me for a non-technic set, especially since it can do a lot of stuff that most creator sets before this one count do. The steering is surprisingly smooth and easy to operate. However, the turning radius is not great, which is something that can be fixed by removing the 2 technical ball elements behind each wheel. The 2 light bricks are a very cool detail on the top, and the button is surprisingly well installed, using the HOG steering axle as a guide, the doors are very nicely built and the engine. And obviously, the working flatbed, which, needless to say, is easily the best and most important function of this set. It can be operated using only one knob and its tasks almost flawlessly each time. Even the smaller yellow truck is packed with functions, like opening doors, engine bay, boot, and even an adjustable steering wheel (which may or may not be an intended function, but I'm counting it anyway).

Like I mentioned earlier, it can be a great display piece, and it can also be a great toy.

However, this set does come with a few drawbacks. For example, the side mirrors and the exhaust tips are really fragile and easy to knock out and lose if you're not careful when you're using this set. Also, the red truck does fit minifigures, but it is greatly oversized in comparison. You can also fit 1 minifigure inside the yellow truck if you remove the 4 blue tiles that make the seats and relocate the steering wheel to the middle, which is not too hard to accomplish.

Overall, this set is a fantastic addition to any collection, and it’s a must-have if you’re a fan of classic American-style trucks

Parts: Inside the box you will find two plastic bags, three manuals, and a loose plate:

This set is about as "pure" as modern non-Classic LEGO sets get, parts-wise. There are no highly-specialized parts, and the overwhelming majority of parts use common, tried-and-true colors. I am pleased to note that the space shuttle's dark blue parts did not show the quality issues I observed in 42147's parts of the same color.

For those looking for some zest in their parts list, there are some lacquered gold plates-with-bar. The trans-blue tiles are a bit off the beaten path, as are these rounded 1x4 tiles (arches? plates?). This is an excellent selection of parts for a $10 set. By sticking to common colors and shapes, 31134 avoids potential quality issues, and maximizes the reusability of its parts for whatever build you can imagine.

Building Experience: I built all three models, working from the least interesting (the spaceship) to the most interesting (the shuttle). The instructions were well done, although the spaceship's instructions got a little pedantic at times.

The spaceship's low part count and lack of playability features makes it by far the weakest of the three builds. If LEGO recolored it in gray and blue, it would make a good polybag and a surefire smash hit for the nostalgia audience. As a tertiary build in a 3-in-1 set, it's merely "okay."

The astronaut was good fun, and more technical than I expected. It makes good use of the parts in the set, and it's an engaging build. It also leaves behind all the larger plates, which may be appealing to folks looking for a parts pack.

The space shuttle, this set's main build, doesn't bring anything unexpected to the table. It's a fun build, if not overly technical or complex. That is understandable in a $10 set. As a set with 6+ age rating, it may even be a strength.

Playability: As mentioned before, the spaceship (third model) lacks any significant play features. That isn't a big deal, since spaceships already have immense imaginative power and it's a tertiary build in a $10 set.

The astronaut's limbs move, but not in a natural way that lends itself to play. He is excellent at doing the splits, but if you are expecting action figure-like handling, you will be disappointed. There is something amusing about an astronaut doing the splits, though. All that said, the astronaut is mechanically sound, and should withstand play without trouble. As a secondary build, the astronaut performs well.

As the primary build, I have higher expectations for the space shuttle than for the other two builds. Because it's another spacecraft, the shuttle has all the playability of the tertiary build. However, it also adds a large storage compartment and a probe. The compartment opens and closes easily, and it is large enough to store the probe without any fuss. It's barely too narrow to hold a minifigure, which feels like a missed opportunity for some extra play value, Gulliver's Travels style.

The gray bar inside the compartment can hold the probe in place, which is a nice touch for play and display purposes. The shuttle feels robust in my hands, and it's small enough that small hands will grapple it without trouble.

Concept: "Space stuff" is not adventurous subject matter for Lego. If you search "Space shuttle" on BrickSet, you will get no fewer than 17 matches (granted, one of those is actually a Batman set, so 16 is more accurate). Of those sets, 6 have been released in the last 4 years. Of those 6 sets, one is a Duplo set, one is a small promotional set, and the other four are standard mass-market Lego sets.

On the surface, it seems like Lego is competing with itself. However, 31134 has a not-so-secret weapon: it's a 3-in-1 build. This set can be a spacecraft, but it can also be an astronaut. In this way, it appeals to the "hold the <vehicle> and go vroooom" kids, and the action figure kids. It is thematically focused, but manages to provide broad appeal through alternate builds. This sort of versatility is nothing new for 3-in-1 sets, but it bears repeating.

It is a little disappointing that the tertiary build is redundant with the primary build - it's just a different spacecraft, but an objectively worse model. At this price point, I am willing to forgive an unimpressive tertiary model in light of the two strong models preceding it.

Appearance: For a set that doesn't seem to be display-focused, the space shuttle sure looks good. It's proportionally accurate, and the color palette is appealing. I made a little stand for mine, and it looks great on my desk. The shuttle's black-and-white color scheme is stately and mature, while the red-and-blue markings on the wings and the probe's gold highlights keep it from being a bore.

Value for Money: 31134 delivers adequately as a plaything, while also being very nice to look at. This set's $0.07 PPP is good-not-great for small Creator 3-in-1 sets. PPP doesn't tell the whole story here, though. The part count betrays an excellent selection of Lego pieces. Value-minded parents can rest assured that their kids will find endless purposes for all the parts in this set. Nothing will go to waste. Playability and parts selection are critical for budget-class sets, and the space shuttle delivers in both categories.

Summary: This is a delightful little set. My only significant criticism of this set is the milquetoast tertiary build. There are (literally) dozens of space shuttle sets, but few of them are this affordable. Among myriad budget-class space shuttle sets, this one is the best-looking, the most playable, and offers the most dynamic building experience. Whether you're looking for a small display piece, or an affordable plaything for your space-obsessed child, this set is a winner. Five stars.

This is, for my money, a perfect set.

Pros:

• Looks very good. Ratios look correct.
• Easy to build (thinking for the kids here).
• Pocket money set.
• Good minifigure (I am always happy for more female-presenting minifigs).
• Easy to modify (colours aside, the printed headlights are great but limiting).
  • Added lightbar (five pieces).
  • Added canoe rack on top (four pieces + canoe/paddles).
  • Added bike/motorcycle trailer.
  • Could probably easily make it longer by combining two sets.
• Drives everywhere.
• Hits 10c/piece and doesn't feel padded with small parts. Everything is needed.

Cons:

• Needs a shifter. Easy to add, but also gives the option of choosing right or left hand drive.
• Two people have to sit front and back, but that's a limit of 6-wide vehicles.
• Small gap behind rear fender.
• Roof doesn't attach the most securely.
• Sticker, if you care. I didn't put the sticker on and honestly it looks good enough to me.

Anyway, I loved it as soon as I saw it and I'm not even a Land Rover person. It's fun, it looks good, and it's taken a coveted spot on my desk. I really hope Lego makes more sets like this in the future. Recommend 100% at full price; any discounts are just icing. I'll probably end up with two or three of these in short order.

The Classic Defender is an exceptional set. The build of the vehicle is sturdy enough for most play, and the overall impression is an excellent representation of the real life truck. The scale of the ORV is fantastic with the use of the 6 stud wide size, and I hope is a start of a new or renewed scale of use by Designers and help get more everyday like vehicles introduced to CITY ecosystems.