the BIZARRE diseases that DESTROY transformers toys

Common Defects That Can Damage Transformers Toys

The video covers five recurring “ailments,” ranked roughly by severity and how fixable they are. No numerical ratings are given.

Loose Ball Joints — Usually Fixable

Ball-and-socket joints became common in the Beast Wars era, giving figures more articulation than many earlier G1 and G2 toys. Over time, these joints can loosen and leave figures floppy.

A suggested fix is to apply a thin layer of clear nail polish to the ball and let it dry. The same approach may help with loose hinges and mushroom pegs. The host says Hasbro uses ball joints more sparingly today, though they remain in use.

Clear-Plastic Breakage — Design-Dependent

Clear plastic can be less sturdy than opaque plastic, especially when used for joints or parts that bear weight or are frequently moved. Transformers Animated Swindle is cited as a particularly bad example, with arms prone to snapping at the shoulders.

The host still likes clear vehicle windows because they look more realistic than painted ones, and notes that plenty of clear parts hold up well. Some newer designs use solid plastic for joints and translucent plastic only for outer parts. This may reduce stress, but does not eliminate the risk.

PVC Deterioration and Damage — Avoid Prolonged Contact

PVC is a softer, rubber-like plastic used for some tires, treads, and blast effects. It can become brittle and, in some cases, damage nearby plastic or paint.

• Revenge of the Fallen Bludgeon has PVC treads associated with damage to the figure’s mold, described as mostly cosmetic.
• PVC tires on Legacy Beachcomber, Ruckus, and Sandstorm have reportedly damaged the paint on other figures they touch. Separating them from other toys may be wise.
• Soft blast effects introduced with Siege can stick to weapons or damage their paint if left attached.

The host thinks the risks often outweigh the appeal of rubbery tires or blast effects.

Yellowing — Widespread and Difficult to Prevent

Plastic can discolor over time. The change is easiest to see in white plastic, but other colors can change too—for example, blue may take on a greenish tint, and yellow may become more yellow.

Sunlight and UV exposure can contribute to yellowing, but the host says some plastics yellow through exposure to air, and susceptibility varies. Yellowing became especially prominent in releases around 2020, including the War for Cybertron trilogy. Netflix Soundwave and Legacy Motor Master are examples; some Motor Masters reportedly arrived already yellowed. Hasbro attributed the outbreak to reduced quality control during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hydrogen peroxide treatment under UV light may temporarily restore discolored plastic, but it can harm stickers and paint, and the yellowing can return. The host is unsure whether the treatment works on the affected “unpaintable” plastic. Painting with a suitable alternative paint is another possible workaround.

Gold Plastic Syndrome (GPS) — Most Destructive

A particular metallic, swirled plastic can become extremely brittle and break easily. Despite the name, affected plastic may be gold, brown, blue, or reddish.

Examples include:

• G1: Blackarachnia, Skyquake, and Thunderclash
• G2: Electro
• Beast Wars: Transmetal Megatron, Torca, Mutant Soundwave, and Randy
• Several Star Wars crossover figures
• Movie figures: Protoform Starscream and Revenge of the Fallen Stratosphere
• Unite Warriors Motormaster

Failures range from specific parts snapping to figures falling apart under light pressure. The host recalls his childhood General Grievous bike breaking and later learning the problem was common.

Some versions or related molds avoid the issue: Takara’s Transmetal Megatron uses normal plastic, Razorbeast is a non-GPS version of Randy’s mold, and Hasbro’s Motormaster reportedly did not share the Unite Warriors version’s problem.

The last reported case mentioned is from 2015. Hasbro and Takara no longer appear to use the problematic plastic, though collectors still worry when they encounter gold plastic.

Overall Verdict

The defects range from manageable looseness to irreversible structural failure. Ball-joint looseness has a simple potential fix, while clear-plastic and PVC issues depend heavily on design and storage. Yellowing is difficult to prevent and may only be temporarily treated. GPS is the most severe because affected figures can break apart, sometimes with very little handling.

The host is cautious about blaming Hasbro for defects that may be hard to predict, but feels the company could respond more quickly when problems become apparent.

Speaker Perspectives

There is one main speaker: the host. His personal experience includes owning a General Grievous crossover toy that broke, and he expresses particular disappointment about clear-plastic Swindle and GPS-affected figures. He likes clear vehicle windows despite their risks and generally considers the trade-offs of PVC not worthwhile. No other reviewer or speaker contributes a separate opinion.