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I recently returned from the DiecastSpace Super Convention in Las Vegas, and I had a great time! It was so nice to get away and hang with old friends [and some new ones] who are just like me, obsessed with little cars! I don’t have to feel like I collect nuclear waste like I do with my non-diecast collecting friends; although most of them have come to accept my collection and rarely bust me about it. Not never, just rarely.

While I was in Las Vegas I met with several people who commented that they had read and liked my Convention Do’s and Don’ts article a lot; so it got me wondering, did I follow my own tips? Everything will be rated on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 meaning didn’t accomplish at all, 5 meaning accomplished completely and 2,3,4 somewhere in between. Let’s find out!

DO: PLAN, PLAN, and PLAN ahead.

DON’T: Wait until the last minute

SCORE: 5

I have to give myself a 5 here due to the fact of the great prices I paid for transport to LV and while I was there. I monitored airfare very carefully and eventually paid only $228.00 round-trip from NJ to LV!!!! Also I continually monitored rental cars prices eventually paying only $83.00 for five days for a mid-size car!!! Furthermore, I was arriving one day earlier than my package stay covered so I continually monitored the price for a room at the host hotel and settled on $37.00 for the one night when the convention rate was $55.00! I also remembered to print all of my confirmation paperwork to speed me through any bumps!

DO: Every event that interests you or you can afford to do

DON’T: Deny yourself or hesitate.

SCORE: 5

The package I had included pretty much every event at the convention. The only event I didn’t go to was not because I didn’t want to or missed the buy in; it was because I couldn’t afford it.

DO: Bring LOTS of CASH and in various denominations.

DON’T: Rely on an ATM.

SCORE: 4

I brought only the allowance I could afford for food/cars/entertainment and had to hit the ATM only once on the last night to do some gambling. It was a good thing because for such a large hotel [Circus Circus] there weren’t many ATMs inside.

DO: Ask for payment before you leave home from friends for cars you bring back

DON’T: feel bad about it.

SCORE: N/A

I wasn’t bringing anything back for anyone and I only picked up cars for myself.

DO: Be realistic if you’re going to be flipping convention/event cars whether it’s back home or at the event.

DON’T: Think every convention/event car is a money maker.

SCORE: N/A

I’m not planning on flipping any convention cars

DO: Bring a diecast price guide like Tomart’s or the very least Lee’s.

DON’T: Think everyone is honest in their valuations.

SCORE: 5

I brought my Tomart’s, didn’t have to use it, but I brought it. But I know if I forgot it I would need it so I am counting it.

DO: Bring good walking shoes!!!

DON’T: and you’ll be sorry!

SCORE: 5

My sneakers had gel insoles and my Crocs were brand new, so I never had an issue.

DO: Pack accordingly.

DON’T: Overpack; especially if you are flying.

SCORE: 3

He’s where I fell down! I forgot my camera and I was sorry for it! There were many great shots I would have liked to get. I also packed too many socks and T-shirts thinking it would be overly hot outside, it wasn’t. I did have enough everything else without going over and still enough room in my suitcase for other things.

DO: Pack a bag in your bag

DON’T: Bring small suitcases

SCORE: N/A

This doesn’t count because… (see next tip)

DO: Invest in a HOT-CASE.

DON’T: Think it won’t help

SCORE: 5

I brought a HOT-CASE and carry bag as my carry-on luggage and my loose car case in my suitcase. When I came home, my HOT-CASE weighed almost 10 pounds! 10 pounds less than would have been in my suitcase and I didn’t have to pay the airline’s second suitcase charge.

DO: Bring a variety of Protecto Paks.

DON’T: Rely on vendors at the convention

SCORE: N/A

I didn’t bring any thinking my HOT-CASE would be sufficient and it was. I really wasn’t going for many extra cars other than one’s tied to events so I planned accordingly.

DO: Invest in a good, compact, multiple bulb LED flashlight.

DON’T: Think it won’t help.

SCORE: 5

Brought it in my HOT-CASE loose car case and it helped out in several situations.

DO: Create a floor list to write down what rooms you’ve been in or where contacts are staying.

DON’T: Rely on your memory.

SCORE: 5

I brought floor sheets for approximately 5 floors of anticipated room to room trading but didn’t need them since R2R was a bit sparse. But I did bring them!

DO: Always be respectful when walking into someone’s room.

DON’T: be rude.

SCORE: 5

There weren’t many rooms open but the ones that were I was always cordial and when I needed to go back I was greeted warmly by the room’s owner!

DO: Buy it if you like it and the price is good

DON’T: Deny yourself or hesitate and say you’ll think about it or come back…it won’t be there!!!

SCORE: 5

I bought several new variations of the Delivery/Larry’s/Wayne’s/Phil’s Garage series that I hadn’t gotten yet for decent prices and was glad I did since they weren’t there later when I looked again and they weren’t replenished by their sellers.

DO: Zero in on a car you like

DON’T: Hesitate

SCORE: N/A

This really didn’t occur since R2R was sparse.

DO: Try to get a better price

DON’T: be afraid to negotiate

SCORE: 5

I actually negotiated several times for a friend of mine to get him something I know he needed.

DO: Be wary of un-priced cars

DON’T: be afraid to walk away if you don’t like the price.

SCORE: N/A

This wasn’t much of an issue at this convention.

DO: Take full advantage of a hospitality room

DON’T: Think you’re abusing the privilege

SCORE: N/A

There wasn’t any hospitality room at this convention.

DO: Hang a DO NOT DISTURB sign all day/night on your door

DON’T: Take chances if you have any misgivings

SCORE: 5

I followed this rule every night, and was able to keep full account of what I bought without having to put it away every time I expected the hotel staff to come in to clean.

DO: Go up to go down.

DON’T: get locked out of the elevator

SCORE: 5

If I could give myself a 10 for this I would. The convention was on the promenade level [2^nd floor] of the hotel and my hotel room was in the Floors 23-35 elevator bank that also went to floors 2 and 1. Many times during the week when I wanted to go to my room on the 35^th floor from the 2^nd floor, the elevator was going down to 1 first so I hopped on and rode it down then back up, usually stopping again at 2. Several times the car was already full from 1 to 2 so that the same people who didn’t jump on when I did still had to wait for another car!

DO: Expect to be on lines

DON’T: get exasperated.

SCORE: 2

I didn’t get exasperated when I was on a line but only when I was trying to control a line. I let the people on line get the best of me so I failed this one. I didn’t give myself a 1 because some of the people later apologized to me for what had earlier transpired.

DO: Expect people to be holding places in line for their friends and letting said friends in the line when they show up!

DON’T: Get annoyed at this.

SCORE: 5

Every line I was on for an event, this happened to me and by me. Everyone handled it with great spirit.

DO: Talk to people you don’t know and get to know a little about them

DON’T: Be a stick in the mud.

SCORE: 5

I met a good number of new friends; Rand and Brandon father and son team and of course Henry/Jean Ann from Canada plus several other people who were nice friendly folks with great stories of collecting!

DO: Be a little wary of convention T-shirt sizes

DON’T: Feel the squeeze.

SCORE: 5

I made sure I called my wife to see if she wanted her usual shirt size or one bigger for comfort before I forged ahead and bought one. I also bought a shirt for my six year old son at the Hard Rock and heeded the salesperson’s advice to buy one size larger!

So what is my overall score for the tips that applied to me at this convention?

An 84 out of a possible 90 points [16 tips]! That 93% or an A-! Not too bad but I can do better!

I want to hear from anyone who went the DiecastSpace Super Convention in Las Vegas and find out your score. Don’t forget that something that didn’t apply to me may apply to you and vice versa. Leave your results in the comments section below. There are a possible 120 [5 points x 14 tips] applicable points so GOOD LUCK!

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