Hot Wheels had released their 1986 Toyota Van (metallic gray/blue/black and maroon/orange/red) back in 2022 as part of their HW J-Imports line and they released it again in 2023 in tan/brown/red/orange.
Part of what made me want to get this vehicle was because my father drove a van with these exact colors. Well, it was easy to spot as a kid getting a ride and also my father often blasting his music and had this car horn that would play a lot of music.
Needless to say, he traded it in for another minivan with similar colors and then a huge dark blue van, abandoning the tan brown, orange, red colors.
As I get older, I begin to appreciate those colors. Granted, I wouldn’t drive a vehicle with those colors ever, but for clothing or board shorts, I can get stoked behind those retro ’70s or early ’80s colors.
But as far as the Hot Wheels vehicle is concerned.
Not sure if I happen to get one of the worst versions of this van but my goodness, all the paint chips. Missing paint around the tail lights, side stripes but you’ll never know how bad the paints are until you remove them from the package. Also, some unusual small warped plastic issue on a side panel for one side.
I think the thinning of the paint is something I can probably let it go. Afterall, it’s a diecast model car for $1.25. It’s not a near $7 premium version. So, somethings you just have to let sly. There have been issues for Hot Wheels main line (cutting corners for the main line to drive hardcore collectors towards the Premiums?), nevertheless, I’m not going to complain and get triggered. I suppose I can just buy another one but do I want another one? Not sure. I got this one out of pure nostalgia.
But I will give credit for Hot Wheels for releasing a repaint of the vehicle in retro colors. I know they will be releasing a variation of this in black, but for me, it leaves me nostalgic of the van my family had when I was a child.
But I also bought this not just for nostalgia but also one more thing. It’s for something you just don’t see with a Hot Wheels vehicles… a vehicle with side mirrors. The Toyota 2022-2023 vans have them, as well as the Toyota Showroom Pickup Trucks from 2013.
Matchbox vehicles have side mirrors, Hot Wheels usually never does. With the exception of the Toyota vans and Toyota pickups (some Dodge trucks do have them, but nothing like the Toyota vehicles).
Nevertheless, it’s a cool vehicle. I just received a really messed up version and I just hope others don’t get a 1986 Toytoa Van with bad chip marks as bad as this one. Definitely inspect the vehicle in the blister package as much as possible, especially on the sides and the tail light area.
