$295 for new American Girl van?

[Tink561]

We got it for my daughter's birthday. She and I love it!

Next is Kit's Treehouse for Christmas.

 

[jpaxton1118]

Let me start off by saying we live in a house and have always lived in a house.

Now, with my story... My daughter for some reason has said since she was 2 that she wanted to live in a house on wheels. She had to go to the bathroom once on the way to Disney and my son told her that if we had an rv she could go it that. So ever since she wants a house on wheels. She got the AG magazine and that was the first thing she picked out (she is 7 now). For some reason she is still hung up on a house on wheels and she thinks her AG dolls should have one too. I think it is cute funny but I just can not justify paying the money for it. We did see it at the store in Atlanta and it is built really well. Plus she wants to have her 8th birthday party there and that is going to cost us an arm and a leg anyway.

I was looking at her Julie doll today and her neck seems to be seperating from her body. She has a hand me down Kirsten doll and she is still in perfect shape and she is at least 15 years old. Why are the new dolls so cheap? She wants to pass these on to her daughter but it looks like they will fall apart before that can happen, well at least the new ones, not the old ones. Kirsten looks like she will out last the new Julie doll.

 

[pintamino]

My husband would say "$295?!?!?! That's $245 more than my first car!!!!"

Me too -- and I only finally got my car this year!!

 

[badblackpug]

Yes, I can't believe how expensive that camper is! I thought it was a bit much ... if Lanie is such a nature girl, why doesn't she just have an overpriced tent?

Not to mention the fact that there is only room for one doll in that thing!

But, people will buy it ...

For $295 there needs to be room for my kid in there!

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

I do agree that the quality of AG is going downhill. I have a lot of the original stuff from the '80s & early '90s and it is much nicer than what they sell now. Since Mattel took it over, a lot of things for the 18" line are dumbed-down plastic. The play food used to be made from resin, the furniture was real wood, the dishes were ceramic/glass - some things are still of good quality, but a lot of it is plastic now. I'm sure in the name of safety & avoiding lawsuits, but that is why the 18" dolls are supposed to be for ages 8+. It also bugs me that a lot of the play food is all stuck together now; the food sets used to have all individual pieces so it was much more realistic.

There are other little cutbacks that we noticed. Outfits used to come with a hanger, now you have to buy a pack of hangers. Also, Bitty Baby outfits used to come with a Bitty Bear accessory and don't anymore.