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LEGO just announced a new set that’s caught my eye: the Ford Model T . And it’s good timing, because I’ve been wanting to talk about a topic that divides people: should you buy genuine LEGO or copies from AliExpress?
The LEGO Ford Model T — a proper build
Set 11376 is part of the LEGO Icons range, the one aimed at adults. 1,060 pieces to recreate the Ford Model T from the 1910s. If you’re not familiar with it, this is the car that made the automobile accessible to ordinary people.
The model looks great: black bodywork, gold accents, large spoked wheels with white tyres. LEGO didn’t cut corners on features either. The fabric roof folds down, the windscreen tilts, the passenger door opens, and so does the rear trunk. You can lift the hood panels on both sides to see the engine, and the hand crank at the front makes the fan spin. You can even lift the driver’s seat to access the fuel tank.
Available from 1 March 2026 at €129.99. Once built, it’s about 20 cm tall by 29 cm long. The kind of thing you put on your desk that gets people talking.
My Christmas under the sign of the brick
This year for Christmas, I invested quite a bit in LEGO for the kids. As I mentioned in my article about my holiday purchases , I don’t buy everything on Amazon. And they loved it. Building together, following the steps, watching the model take shape… It’s a genuine shared moment. And above all, a moment away from screens!
On the dad side, I treated myself to the Back to the Future DeLorean. The small one in genuine LEGO (Speed Champions 77256 , 357 pieces) and the large one in an AliExpress copy (the equivalent of the Icons 10300 set, 1,872 pieces). For a Back to the Future fan, pure joy. Both sit on my desk and I never get tired of them.
But let’s be honest — I also ordered some “LEGO” on AliExpress for the kids. Right, let’s call them what they are: copies. Compatible bricks. Counterfeits, if you want to be direct.
LEGO vs. copies: the real debate
So, should you buy real or fake? My answer is simple: if you have the budget, don’t even ask the question. Buy LEGO.
The build quality is genuinely superior. The pieces fit together perfectly, the assembly is smooth. When you hold a finished LEGO model in your hands, you feel the difference right away.
AliExpress copies are a different story. They do the job as a display piece on a shelf, but the moment you handle the model, the flaws show up. A door that won’t stay open, another that doesn’t close properly, pieces that catch. On my large copy DeLorean, for instance, the hood doesn’t sit completely flat. For kids who play with their builds, I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s frustrating for them when things break or don’t hold together.
The price problem
Now, let’s face reality. LEGO prices have become absolutely ridiculous. It reminds me of my rant about digital comic book prices — it’s the same problem: hobbies are getting too expensive. €129.99 for a 1,060-piece set is a real outlay. And when you see the big sets at €300, €400, even €600… Very few people can afford all the LEGO sets they want.
So yes, occasionally ordering a copy on AliExpress for a display set that you’re going to put down and never touch — that’s justifiable.
Speculation: the real problem
What bugs me the most about all this is speculation. LEGO doesn’t produce every set continuously. When a set gets retired, second-hand prices skyrocket. Speculators buy brand-new boxes purely to resell them for double or triple the price a few years later.
That’s where the copycat market finds its real justification in my eyes. Rather than lining the pockets of a reseller who charges you €500 for a set that used to cost €150, you might as well turn to an alternative at €40 on AliExpress. I’m not generally a fan of counterfeits, but faced with speculation, it’s the lesser evil.
My verdict
- You have the budget → buy genuine LEGO without hesitation
- It’s for kids who will actually play with it → LEGO, always
- You want a decorative set on the cheap → copies do the job
- The set is out of stock and second-hand prices are insane → AliExpress with zero guilt
The Ford Model T at €129.99 — I’ll probably cave. With all those mechanisms and finishes, this is exactly the kind of set where a copy won’t keep up. And as for the Christmas copies… the kids didn’t complain 😄
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