Though these items originally appeared on the News page, we think they are important enough to keep around.

Scale-size Modeling
Lots of you are 'into' doing scale-size modeling and use various diecast for your vehicles. For those of you who start with the vehicles and then 'build' a diorama or display, you know that not all the diecast are the same scale-size. A majority of diecast are between 1:55 and and 1:144, with most being between 1:55 and 1:80. If you're looking for accessories to go with the diecast, your best bet is model railroading accessories. Of all the scales/gauges in model railroading, the best scale/gauge to use is "S gauge" since it's a true 1:64 scale. The next closest scales are "O gauge" at 1:48 and "OO gauge" at 1:76.2.

Clamshell Warning
Be careful which clamshells you buy. It has been verified that certain clamshells will turn blistercards yellow or make them look old. The culprit clamshells are made of recycled plastic and have the 'three arrow' recycle symbol on them. The acid that is used in the recycling process remains in the finished product and reacts with the paper in the blistercard. The 'change' is mostly noticeable on the blistercard backs.
At this time, it is not known if the clamshells affect loose vehicles; but check the following article.
Though non-recycled clamshells cost more, it is recommended that you get these instead of the recycled ones and chance having a card 'change' on you.

Display Case Warning
Be careful which display cases you buy and/or be careful how you build your own. It has been verified that many pre-assembled display cases are assembled using acid-base glues/adhesives. These glues/adhesives have an 'odor' (that's why the directions on them state to work in a "well-ventilated area"!) and the chemicals in that odor react with diecast paint causing it to mottle. So, if you plan to buy a pre-assembled case or plan to build one, check out the glue/adhesive. If all of them are acid-based, consider using other types of 'fasteners.'

Web Pages/Sites Don't Appear/Print 'Right'
In using different ways to access the World Wide Web (the "www" in most site addresses), we have discovered some 'glitches' that you may have also noticed. These glitches may cause a page/site not to appear 'correctly' on your screen or may cause a page/site not to print out 'right.' The most common glitches are non-appearing page titles, non-appearing links, and 'wrong' colors.
But don't worry, these 'glitches' do not, necessarily, indicate that anything is wrong with the page/site or your computer.
The glitches are the result of some type of incompatibilty (it's usually not a serious one, but it can be very frustrating).
The incompatibility is the result of many factors with the main factor being all the different equipment being 'forced' to work together. The "different equipment" consists of:

Though this does not apply to most people who re-sell Hot Wheels, you need to be aware of the possibility.

Did you know that it is very easy to open a blisterpack without damaging or marking either the card or the blistershell?
The two most common ways are:
1. cooling or freezing the blisterpack which makes 'popping off' the blistershell easy
2. applying acetone to the back of the card right where the blistershell is attached on the front
Once this is done, anything (removing/changing accessories, tampos, etc.; dying a new color, exchanging vehicle; etc.) can then be done to a vehicle. And once the vehicle has been changed, it's even easier to re-blisterpack it on the card -- and it's basically impossible to tell that anything has been done to either the card or the vehicle (who wants to break open a blisterpack to check?).
It's the unscrupulous re-seller who does this in order to 'ask' higher prices for so-called variations or errors that they've created.
You, the buyer, must really know your vehicles in order to know if what you're thinking about buying is a factory variation/error or a 'created' one.
Caveat emptor, "Let the buyer beware"!