The first six parts of the Collector’s Field Guide covered the single CARS on hanging blisters that were available to all authorized Mattel resellers including the main retailers, small retailers, online and other resellers.

In 2007, the first exclusives were merely packaging exclusives at Target until the important Walmart 8 exclusives released in October 2007 with 8 new releases and Kmart CARS Day Piston Cup CARS of 2008.

For those who were not with us in 2007, in August – the Sarge recall hit. Since Target lumps everything under one DPCI/UPC, they cleared the shelves of every hanging blister CARS. Most Walmart’s did the same but eventually returned the non-Sarge’s to the shelf. It is understandable as they were not quite sure if Sarge was definitely the only CARS item that needed recalling and they would lose all credibility if they kept selling another CAR only to have to recall that one also … but of course, for consumers, it was hard to tell what was going on. TRU seemed to have been the only chain that just pulled Sarge – though I’m sure there were individual stores that might’ve pulled more but by the end of August-early September, WM & TRU seems to have put back all the non-Sarge’s but what was there to buy? Not much. Since the cases only contained 1 of a new CAR, the newest CARS to that “snuck” out before the recall were selling in the $30 to $40 range. You can read more details in this post.

In September, the odd TRU Movie Doubles were the first to return (to be covered later) – except for one relatively recent CAR release, Tongue McQueen, every other Movie Double was an old standby though they were a fine way for new collectors and openers missing CARS in their collection to catch up – it was not a particularly exciting series.

A few days/weeks later in September, the mother of CARS surprises hit. A giant pallet of 8 new CARS appear at Walmart. No real warning and as with Walmart, what was supposed to be a coordinated release on September 30, 2007 meant very little to the stores – they put them out in whatever haphazard manner so some consumers got them weeks if not 6 weeks before other stores. Actual release ranged from early September to mid October 2007.

There were 8 CARS in the mix: Al Oft the Lightyear Blimp, Barney Stormin’ (the first and ONLY oversized blister in the regular lineup), Bruiser Bukowski (HTB Pitty), Cactus McQueen, Ghostlight Ramone, Kori Turnowitz, Piston Cup Pace Car (later renamed Charlie Checker) & TJ …

But this about the most complicated 8 CARS you could collect. 🙂

These cards were not SUPERCHARGED nor WORLD OF CARS. It is a unique background with elements of THE SPEEDWAY OF THE SOUTH on its own unique card back showing off the 8 CARS of this “subset.” While the line has no official name (Mattel has it listed as CARS WM CARS Assortment), most people refer it to it was the WM8 or the Walmart8.

And in a sense it is … but even collecting them open was complicated … as from the time of release to today, out of the 8 releases, 2 have significant changes, 2 have minor changes and 1 has only been re-released internationally (though it is scheduled for domestic US in 2009).

Barney Stormin’ – now megasized and much more metal.
TJ – now megasized and presumably more metal (due Summer-Fall 2009)

Bruiser – different eye color released in e-pack with another HTB Pitty & Mater
Piston Cup Pace Car – renamed Charlie Checker, multiple re-releases but with yellow tail lights now versus the correct red tail lights in the WM8 release.

Kori Turbowitz – now a Movie Moment CAR – re-released internationally – domestic release due before 2009.

And this is JUST the start …

If you’re a card completist, each one comes in a packaging version with a NEW snipe (see above) and without. Same production dates – just different packaging.

So, now you have 16 to collect.

But wait, there’s more!

TJ originally came with an incorrect license plate that reads TUF GUE. He was later corrected to read TUF GUY – there are definitely a new & “non-NEW” TUF GUE TJ’s but is there a NEW and non-NEW TUF GUY? I’m pretty sure there is – I have to wade through my closet but I’m pretty sure there is …

So, for variant completists, that makes 18 for this line.

There are also more error versions of TJ but errors, not variants so you’re on your own there … this is a set that should hold its relative value. There are two & possibly three CARS that will never be re-released in its WM8 form, presumably definitely TJ & Barney Stormin’ who have not only moved to megasize (though Barney never changed size) so this form, metal content, etc … seems to be retired. While Charlie Checker/Piston Cup Pace Car’s tail-lights seem like an easy change back/fix … with three releases of yellow tail light CC by now, Mattel seems intent on yellow lights …

Bruiser will probably not see another singles release now that he’s part of 3-pack (plus the eye color change). Kori might also be permanently part of a MM now.

ALSO keep in mind, after a month or two of no CARS, people were pretty anxious to rip these open leaving fewer than average sets.

AND Cactus McQueen made up a larger portion of what was shipped so complete set numbers are probably relatively low. How many – unknown? You can read this post on my speculation on how many potential full sets – only 18-20k? That’s if NO ONE opened any CARS at all? So, I think this set will hold its value nicely as it seems to have many unique CARS not re-released as singles and maybe not again as singles and certainly not in its WM8 form …

This was a nice gift from Mattel to Kmart – 5 Piston Cup racers – their first release as singles and ONLY available at Kmart and essentially only that day (most were sold out in hours if not days including some online case sales at Kmart.com).

While wearing the World of CARS motif and packed with other WOC CARS, they had a different front art showing the CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY track and the finish line flag checkerboard on the right. The back featured a typical cardback on WOC CARS that changed with every shipment. Again, there is no official designation but most people generally refer to them as the Kmart Piston Cup Racers or the Kmart Days Piston Cup 5.

The 5 CARS were: Shiny Wax, SpareMint, Sputter Stop, Transberry Juice, & View Zeen.

While they were all released as part of the Speedway of the South Set and Shiny Wax & SpareMint were announced as part of the 3-pack, this was the first opportunity to get them as singles.And of course, Piston Cup racers are visually appealing and I’m certain that a complete set of these on cards should always maintain value.

* Yes there were regular WOC CARS available on that Kmart Day but they are just part of the WOC lineup since their artwork matched the rest of the WOC releases.

First post on the Kmart Collectors Day was here.

The Target exclusives are of much less importance as they were mostly re-releases and until this Easter Egg release were “common” re-releases.

The first offering was Easter in 2007. While I’m not privvy to the details, my feeling is they believed the line would peter out by the Christmas holiday of 2006 and so this was just sort of a holiday release so people didn’t totally forget the line and every once in a while, they would do another release – sort of like Toy Story – in a sense evergreen but more like evergreen shrubby versus a freakin’ evergreen forest that stretches forever. As proof of its “un-importance,” It is the ONLY CARS release on cards with ZERO design on the back. It’s simply a white card with legalese and a UPC.

The Easter Egg release of 2007 included a red egg (McQueen), green egg (Chick Hicks) and blue egg (Sally). Chick Hicks was hardest to find because he was only 1 to a case of 4 but because there was not enough Chick Hicks in release to begin with. McQueen & Sally were relatively easy to find as singles but the line was still essentially selling out and while other than Chick Hicks, you could hardly call the sales of the eggs a frenzy but this was still early in the days of collecting CARS so most people were thinking – maybe only another dozen or so CARS might be coming so better get everything :-). Still it was successful enough to confuse Target & Mattel that people would eagerly overpay for CARS in some sort of holiday motif.

Later that year (2007), there was a pumpkin tray holiday set with Crusin’ McQueen, Doc Hudson & Purple Ramone. By October 2007, none of these CARS were anywhere near what you could call ‘short supply.’ Put in Darrell Cartrip, Fred or Yeti, sure … The packaging was decent looking but once you opened it, it was not much of anything other than a half pumpkin tray. As a Skittles or jelly bean tray, not shabby but hardly worth it – especially with three CARS that anyone could easily find at nearly at time of the day in nearly every store. Weak.

Well, if the Halloween pumpkin tray was weak, the mock holiday ornament was worse. At least the pumpkin tray was a separate piece and you could use it for tiny candy storage … the mock ornament was essentially non-removeable. it was glued to the blister so when you removed it, it was a round plastic blister with remanents of the blister card art … classy, er not … and of course, again three CARS not worth shouting about – Mater, Green Ramone & Radiator Springs McQueen. Mater probably sold okay as stocking stuffing but the other two. Weak times two in a weak blister packaging that was not a real ornament ball (which would’ve been decent enough) but a mock ornament. But if you’re a complete completist … otherwise, worth exactly what I paid after Xmas … @$.79 each …

So, it’s no real surprise that the holidays of 2008 were turned over to Mini’s but the Easter Eggs of 2009 are a much better step forward. While red egg McQueen is expected, and yellow egg Charlie Checker is decent enough – the inclusion of green egg Shiny Wax crew chief and blue SpareMint crew chief are nice. Not only have they never been available as singles, SpareMint crew chief is still awaiting its first ever US release. I imagine that the value of Shiny Wax & SpareMint will hold up since it’s unlikely they will get singles releases, it’s way too early to gauge the value of this set.

So, the retail exclusives from WM & Kmart should hold or increase its value as some of the CARS we already know are not going to get another singles release and I imagine that Piston Cup racers will only get singles releases in limited edition forms … the Target exclusives are only of interest to completists but the 2009 set might be of greater interest and might retain its value going forward.

The links to the first 6 parts are in the ROR post from a few weeks back.