I have always hoped for that day, when I see the cars I am looking for so long, and buying it. It happened 7 hours earlier in this Sunday afternoon in Manila.


I found these two cars at a shop located in 168 Mall, Divisoria, Manila City. There, on Level 4, was a stall that had oodles of cars from most every scale and variety. Unfortunately I didn’t bring my phone because this is Manila’s busiest shopping district on a Sunday and pickpockets are notoriously effective here, but I did bring the Php200 that I was supposed to use to buy whatever Howard was selling, which I backed out of because I was supposed to save it for the green 991 GT3RS and C7 Z06/934.5/FuguZ/other licensed casts yet to be revealed. The pegboard was literally just ahead of me, and there, right in front: the yellow F12.


I can barely contain my excitement and glee to the saleslady—you’ve all known about my star-crossed relationship with little Ferrari models—and ducked down to read casting names on the card bottoms and see if they have IT. All the while a considerably more grown-up collector came up and perused the pegs, talking to the saleslady about the state of the trade.

They had a Gran Turismo Basic assortment, and came close to having that, too, but it was Php150 and I ain’t got no cash for that. Still, it was an impressive bunch of old line and new lines, separated merely by which had Real Riders and which didn’t.


After a little chat with the man, I ducked again, this time more intently reading every card to make sure I got the base covered. Sure enough, I saw the name McLaren P1. I pulled it out. It was the blue one. Somebody’s smile just got wider that day.

These two finds got my hopes up: surely they have it. Somewhere, in this vast (it’s a big room, really, with glass displays) stall, they have a red LaFerrari. She said there wasn’t anymore, but there were some last year and in 2015. Had I known this store existed earlier, I could have...


I had to clear just one hurdle. There were more than one of the F12, but just one P1. I buy them now, I might just lose my chance at the green RS. But if I don’t buy these two, I might miss out on these again, and I’d be miserable.

I bought it, as a 2-for-150 offer the stoore had for Hot Wheels. The 50 bucks that stayed with me is my new base fund from which I can build up enough to buy me the 2017 cars I wanted to have.


The most shocking part, for me, wasn’t that there was an F12 at all. It was the 11 other yellow F12s hanging there. Along with an older (and yellow) Testarossa/512 cast, they were the only Fezzas Hot Wheels made for the mainline that the store had in stock.


Opening it made me really happy. I GOT AN F12 WOOT!!! Only my third Ferrari, my second in yellow, and second of the three modern designs that I thought were Ferrari’s best ever. I’ll have to use marker for the grille and some sharp-pointed red gel pen for the taillamps, but otherwise, this car was worth it. Beyond it, even.


The P1, meanwhile, was the only one there. Everything else were either last year’s (I saw a DB10) or older batches. This was the lucky pull that made me punch the moon.

And out of the card, the P1 is beautiful in its accuracy. Front and rear printing, intakes that are part of the interior, the cutouts, the diffuser, THE FRIGGIN’ HOOD SCOOP! Even the shape of the wing is accurate, but it’s also, um, a bit too high. Still, it’s the P1 I wanted, and I got it now.


—————————————————————————

As I was leaving the mall, I kept muttering: “I can’t believe my luck!” “This is unbelievable!” “Wow!” This score, I think, bodes well for my future finds. I can ascertain I can snag all the cars I want from the Batch of ‘17, and even if I don’t, there will be a store that has them and can cut you a good deal.


Mind you, I’m still gonna look for that LaFerrari, as well as other cars from ‘15 and ‘16, but I can rest now, assured that the shopping district has the goods I’m looking for.