Disney Pixar Cars - Three Die Cast Storylines

Did you know there are now three different storylines for Cars? That means there are technically three different directions of collecting you can take.

There's the "Mainline" that consists of the Cars that hail from the 2006 film. There are approximately 100 Cars that have been released to date. They are the great die cast toys we've been chasing down for two and a half years! Cars like this just released Sally With Cone. The Over Sized line, and the soon to be released Haulers! This line of die cast toys shows no sign of slowing down. To date, this line has generated over two billion in sales!

The second group are the Cars that consist of the "Storytellers" which are basically a prequel to the first film. These are the Target Exclusives that have been in circulation for just a few weeks. They consist of some characters already released but now packaged to look like a booklet. Additionally, there are four New Characters for us to add to our collections. There's Sponsorless Lightning McQueen, Smell Swell Lightning McQueen, Retro Ramone and Wedding Day Ramone. For the first time, we also see Red, the Tractor, Rusty and Dusty Rusteze in single packs.

Finally, the recently debuted "Cars Toons" are based on the stories from the new "World of Cars" book just released at Target. These stories focus on "Mater's Tall Tails!" I've been told that the sculpts for Mater the Fire Engine and others look fantastic at Mattel's Design Studio! So, we can expect some cool Cars from these stories to be released next year! How about Mia and Tia as Fire Dogs?!! Sounds a little Ren & Stimpyish to me!

So, do you think you can keep up?! Are you building shelves to hold them all? How about commandearing the guest bedroom? What will your house look like by 2012? Last one standing wins!

http://www.CarsDieCastToys.Blogspot.com

Disney Pixar Cars - Mack the Hauler Pulls In

"Mack the Hauler" pulled into my office recently! Lightning and Guido stopped by to greet Mack. He is smaller in size than you'd think. His package is 10-1/4 inches long by 5 inches tall. Mack is approximately 3-1/2 inches long, while his trailer is about 6 inches long. He is full of detail, a great size, and just plain cool. You are going to love Mack and the other haulers! I can't wait to get more of them! The price point will be around $13.00, and they should show up in Wal-Mart some time soon.


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Disney Pixar Cars - Alternator Valley's Buffet of Features

I was talking to a friend who reads Alternator Valley, and she didn't realize the wonderful buffet of features we give you! So, sit back and I'm going to lay it all out for you. You may find something you've been looking for right here under your nose! I'm going to work from the top of the blog to the bottom.

1. Once you arrive to Alternator Valley, the most recently published article will be at the top of the page with the published date.
2. At the absolute top left of the page you'll see a Search Blog bar. Here you can type in your topic, I.E. Blu-Ray McQueen and any article containing that topic will appear.
3. As you move down the left side, you'll see where you can Subscribe to RSS feeds.
4. I put a Countdown to San Diego Comic-Con 2009 clock.
5. I've assembled "Important Collector Websites" as a resource for our readers.
6. I've also assembled "Phone Numbers You Need" as they are tough to find.
7. I put up a daily news feed for "Disney Pixar Cars News" so you can read the latest and greatest beyond Alternator Valley!
8. Our Video Bar is a cool item! You can watch Disney Pixar clips for FREE!
9. A number of weeks ago, I was analyzing our traffic and was amazed at how many states and countries readers of Alternator Valley hail from. Thus, our listing of the States and Countries you all come from!
10. The Blog Archive is listed by month for your exploration of past articles.
11. A quick About Me with a picture of myself and John Lasseter is listed.
12. All of Alternator Valley's Polls have been listed for your info gathering.
13. Finally, our Checklist of Singles, Pairs, Triple Packs, Play Sets and Accessories round things out. I decided not to cover Minis as they are not Die Cast Toys. Additionally, I ONLY add to our Checklist when I am satisfied a Car has been officially put into circulation.
    

There you have a "Baker's Dozen" of goodies to inform, entertain and assist you in the collecting of Cars die cast toys! I hope you enjoy Alternator Valley and appreciate my passion, as I am a collector just like you!

http://www.CarsDieCastToys.Blogspot.com

Disney Pixar Cars - Oversized Seen In Small Quantities

I called a Wal-Mart yesterday that I suspected may have gotten in some Oversized Cars and talked to the Toy Department manager Linda. She told me that she got in a couple of cases a week or two ago, and that they sold out in a day. One of my Kmart Collectors Day reporters was in a Wal-Mart today. I asked her to check the toy department while I was on the phone and she came across the Oversized Dinoco Helicopter. So, I was lucky to get that because of her. Nothing else was in site. They are showing up, but being snatched up faster than Mater can whip his tow hook onto Lightning! Searching for these toys is a pain in the #$$! How have your searches gone of late?

I also came to understand that Wal-Mart orders high quantities of Cars from Mattel. They then warehouse their inventory in a big dark cave distributing it in slow drips to the stores. This is why they are so far behind the Newest releases. I'm still seeing cases from months ago showing up in the Orlando stores. Maybe this explains why I see so much Batman stuff in their stores. Ya know, bats like caves! ;-)

http://www.CarsDieCastToys.Blogspot.com

Disney Pixar Cars - Calling on Delaware & North Dakota

Just two states have yet to have be accounted for in our list of readers...Delaware and North Dakota! I'm putting out the call, the smoke signal, the Morse Code, the bouy, the shout out for a Cars fan from these two remaining states to be accounted for in our tracking! Do you know any Cars fans from these last two stragglers? If so, please zip them off an e-mail and ask them to checkout "Alternator Valley!" I'll see from their IP address where they hail from and update our list pronto!

Maybe Sweet Polly Purebred can sing, "Where, oh where has my unaccounted states gone?" It works for Underdog! Then a hero from Delaware and North Dakota can do a virtual swoop into Alternator Valley and save us from Incompletion! Simon Bar Sinister will be foiled again! But wait, what the hell does he have to do with this? Nothing! Yet, he could have made some whacked out super ray thingy that has blocked transmissions from these two elusive states! So, YES! He must be foiled again! Then, and only then, will we hear from Cars nuts from these two states and reach Completion!! Ta Dah!

http://www.CarsDieCastToys.Blogspot.com

Disney Pixar Cars - Alternator Valley Trading Post Coming Soon!

I've had a number of readers ask if I'd start a Trading Area. I am willing to do so since the site has a diverse global readership, and can help people get more of what they want. It will strictly be a "Trading Post." No selling will be allowed. I will be awarding a special "Key to the Post" to traders I know are good people. Others can attain this designation through nomination and proof of being an honest and reliable trader. Details and Rules will posted once the "Alternator Valley Trading Post" is launched in the next week! If you have any thoughts or ideas to make the "Trading Post" more of what you want, feel free to post comments.

http://www.CarsDieCastToys.Blogspot.com

Disney Pixar Cars 2009 Calender

It might be made of paper, two-dimensional, and only good for sixteen months, but the 2009 Cars Calender delivers! I figured many of you would be interested in it and like to get one for your house. My 2008 calender hangs in my office and adds colorful fun to my day! The 2009 calender picks up where 2008 ends with great stills from the film. Each month focuses on a specific character and gives you a bio on them. You learn a bit more about that character and things you may not know about them. I got mine at Walmart for the bargain price of just $4.97! I'm sure I'll be getting the Cars Calender for years to come!

http://www.CarsDieCastToys.Blogspot.com

Disney Pixar Cars - Waiting for Oversized and Storytellers to Appear

I still have yet to see a single Oversized Car appear in Orlando. Just one Target had a shipment of Storytellers, and they were effectively gone in a day. I keep calling and visiting Walmart, Target and Toys R Us and nothing, nada, zilch!! Less than two months until Jolly Saint Nick visits, and there's been nothing for us hungry shoppers to spend our dough on! So, we wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait!

http://www.CarsDieCastToys.Blogspot.com

Disney Pixar Cars - Darth Mater Selling Price A Disappointment!

I talked to a good friend from Mattel this morning and was told that Darth Mater sold for a paltry $10,000! I am certainly shocked, amazed and disappointed! This was one of the most unique pieces I've ever seen. Where were the heavy hitters? Why didn't Lucas or Lasseter bid on it?

If you were fortunate enough to see Darth in person like I did, you'd have been amazed at the quality, workmanship, and creativity behind the one-of-a-kind collectible! Hell, if I had ten grand, I would have gladly paid it to get Darth Mater! I can tell you this much...Collectors want a small version of him. I've said that Mattel should absolutely make a version for MattyCollector.com within the next year! If they don't, they'll miss the boat. Collectors love this costumed version of Mater.

I feel the amount he sold for could almost be deemed insulting. It had to be a shock to the Children Affected by Aids Foundation as well. They were really counting on these bids to help the organization financially. Well, as the saying goes, "Wait until next year!"

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