I don't know why aircraft modelers and military modelers pay so much for kits. Is their detail better than an AMT or Revell car kit? Maybe? I don't know.

Are $ 100.00 kits better?

I built the 36-inch Moebius VTTBS Seaview - that was far superior to the older Aurora kit or even the Moebius copy - they were about 12 inches long.

I built the Italeri 1/35 PT Boat. That kit is far superior than Revell or Lindberg's offerings. Or any other PT boat kit I know of.

I built the 1/350 Round2 Star Trek Enterprise. Far superior than the older AMT kit from the 1960s. Their newer (smaller scale) Trek kits are pretty fair - so in this case I will say that I was paying for the size. Though it's probably the most accurate of any other kit. Round2 spent a lot of time and money to make it accurate.

MPC Space 1999 1/48 Eagle. Far superior than any other kit at that time. Apples and oranges.

These are all popular plastic kits. They are all still on the market today (except maybe the Seaview - not sure of Moebius; licensing expiration).

Large scale car kits are $ 100.00+ models and there are many of those, mostly from Tamiya and such, and people do buy those.

I think you are correct that these are exceptions as far as pricing and the kind of kits they are (larger).

In the end as modelers we are going to spend whatever we can to build the subject we want. I think price will only stop us temporarily until we find a way or have patience to get a super deal.

I have been building models since I was 8 - since 1970. The most I ever spent on a car model that I remember is $ 80.00.

But I am sure if I was wealthy I would be over at the MFH website ordering all kinds of kits ! :-) LOL