34 Collector Topics • Knowledge Base

Frequently Asked Questions

Häufig gestellte Fragen (FAQ)

Everything you need to know about scanner tools, market data, profile settings, GPS privacy, COTD, Daily Quests, and fair trading.

You can immediately test the on-device scanner and check vehicle telemetry without registration. Creating a free account (via Google Sign-In or Email) enables encrypted cloud sync across multiple devices, duplicate shield tracking, and personal garage backups.

Yes! In addition to rapid Batch-Capture scanning, we support structured CSV imports. The system parses toy codes, casting names, and release years, matching them automatically with our central catalog.

All garage records, custom photos, wishlists, and comparison logs are continuously synchronized with your encrypted Supabase profile. Log in on your new iOS or Android device and your complete garage is restored in seconds.

Your collection data is strictly private by default. You decide exactly what to share with the collector community:

  • 100% Private Data: Your total inventory count, purchase prices, acquisition dates, storage bin locations, private condition notes, and offline garage backups are never visible to anyone else.
  • Public Showcase & Profile: When sharing your collector handle or profile link, visitors only see: your public username, verified collector badge, and items you explicitly mark as "Available for Trade" in your public showcase.

In your app's Profile & Settings screen, you have comprehensive control over your collector experience:

  • Disable GPS Location Sharing: Navigate to Settings → Privacy & Location and toggle off "Share Store GPS on Radar". When disabled, your device GPS is never queried during scans or hunt logs. You can still optionally select a city or store name manually without transmitting any hardware coordinates.
  • Measurement Units: Switch telemetry between Metric (km/h, HP/PS, cc) and Imperial (mph, BHP, cu in) with one click.
  • Notification Preferences: Toggle instant push notifications for Trade Chat messages, Daily Quest reminders, COTD drops, or new Case assortment releases.

Both work, but front is fastest: Aim at the upper area of the card front. The scanner reads the Mainline Number (e.g. 120/250), Series Index (3/5), and casting title in one shot. If a card is heavily creased or obscured, flipping to the back code (e.g. HDH08) guarantees an instant 100% exact match.

Yes. Because thick acrylic/clam-shell cases create double reflections under direct light, tilt the protector case 15° to 20° downwards so light glides away from the text area. The multi-frame OCR engine locks onto the code effortlessly.

Garage Prime features 3 specialized scanner tools tailored for different collecting scenarios:

🎯Single Blister OCR

Best for: Live Peg-Hunting in store aisles; instant duplicate check before purchase.

+ Strengths: Ultra-fast (<200ms), instant Green/Red HUD alert, 100% offline.

− Limitations: Scans 1 car at a time; requires carded packaging.

📸Batch Capture Mode

Best for: Big shopping hauls (20–50 cars) on desk/floor at home.

+ Strengths: Non-stop photo shutter; background parsing queue; 1-click bulk import.

− Limitations: Requires decent lighting to prevent motion blur on fast snaps.

🔍Loose Vision Mode

Best for: Uncarded models, flea market bins, vintage cars without blister.

+ Strengths: Visual AI identifies castings via silhouette, rim style, and decals.

− Limitations: Needs clean background; identical castings with tiny livery differences may need quick manual confirmation.

Open Batch Capture Mode. You can snap photo after photo in rapid succession without waiting for individual processing. The asynchronous queue manager (GpBatchQueueManager) works in the background, parses OCR, matches telemetry, and presents a complete review list where you can approve everything with one click.

If a vintage casting shares similar artwork with another generation, simply tap the model title on the preview HUD. A quick-search sheet appears allowing you to select the exact variation or type the casting name in 2 seconds.

If a model isn't immediately recognized, it usually comes down to one of the following reasons and can be resolved in seconds:

  • 1. Card Glare & Angle: Bright overhead store lighting often glares across the card. Tilt the blister card 15°–20° downwards and keep a 10–15 cm distance so the Toy-Code text is sharp.
  • 2. Special Variants & Store Exclusives: Store exclusives (e.g. ZAMAC editions, Red Editions, Dollar General recolors) or regional European Short Cards may have subtle numbering differences.
  • 3. Incomplete Public Wiki Tables: Public die-cast wikis are maintained by community volunteers. For brand-new yearly assortment drops (e.g. fresh Case Q mixes or pre-releases), external wikis frequently have missing rows or delayed uploads.
  • 4. Quick Manual Add & Cloud Sync: You can add any casting manually in 5 seconds (snap a photo + type casting name). Our AI automatically enriches real-world horsepower and specs. Custom entries are instantly saved to your personal garage, ready for PDF export, Car Compare, and trading!

Yes. Switch to Loose Vision Mode. Point your camera at the loose model on a clean table or floor. The AI analyzes casting shapes, wheel rims, and livery decals to match the casting against the master catalog.

Yes! OCR text recognition runs 100% on your device hardware without requiring an active internet connection. Scanned cars and duplicate checks work offline. New finds are safely queued and sync automatically once you step outside into reception.

Hot Wheels and die-cast models are miniature tributes to automotive engineering history—from 90s JDM icons (Toyota Supra, Nissan Skyline GT-R, Mazda RX-7) and classic American Muscle (Shelby GT500, '69 Camaro) to Group B rally beasts and modern hypercars. Instead of treating models as static toys, Garage Prime brings them to life with real factory horsepower, engine displacement, top speed, and 0-100 km/h acceleration. It turns collecting into an interactive automotive encyclopedia and bridges the passion between die-cast collectors and true petrolheads.

We curate our vehicle specs from official manufacturer datasheets, homologation archives, and verified automotive databases. However, real-world cars often vary by market (e.g., European vs. US horsepower ratings, or pre-facelift vs. post-facelift engine generations). For pure Mattel fantasy castings (Twin Mill, Bone Shaker, Rodger Dodger), specifications are derived from official Mattel engine lore. Because no database is static, you have complete freedom: tap the Edit (Pencil) icon to customize any stat for your garage or submit a community correction!

Garage Prime aggregates market indices to provide neutral transparency for the collector community:

  • Data Aggregation & Tiers: Estimated values factor in recent verified secondary market transactions, casting rarity tiers (Standard Mainlines, Regular Treasure Hunts, Super Treasure Hunts with Spectraflame & Real Riders, and RLC / Convention Exclusives), as well as packaging condition.
  • Fair Bartering Guideline: Garage Prime does not sell cars and charges zero fees. Values serve solely as an informational guideline so collectors can evaluate fair 1-for-1 or multi-car trades without getting taken advantage of.

With over 10,000+ historical castings and constant yearly releases, automated matches may occasionally contain minor imperfections. Here is how you can easily adjust them:

  • 1. 1-Tap In-App Edit (Pencil Icon): Every car detail screen features an Edit (Pencil) icon in the top header. You can overwrite the model name, series year, horsepower, displacement, color, and personal notes instantly for your garage.
  • 2. Custom Photos in Maintenance Journal: If the default catalog image doesn't match your exact variation, snap a crisp photo of your physical car in the Journal & Maintenance tab. Your custom photo immediately takes priority across all PDF exports, album grids, and share cards.
  • 3. Report Correction to Master Database: Spotted a genuine typo in the central catalog? Tap "Report / Suggest Fix" or use the feedback button. Master catalog improvements are reviewed and rolled out over cloud sync so the entire collector community benefits!

In your Garage, open the Mainline Album tab and select the year (e.g. 2026). Tap the filter "Show Missing Only". The matrix instantly condenses to display only unacquired casting numbers with target preview cards.

Hot Wheels often releases the same casting in two colorways in one year (e.g. Nissan Skyline in White and later in Metallic Blue). In Garage Prime, you can either keep colorways as distinct album entries or combine them under one card with an incremented stock counter via the Duplicate Resolution Sheet.

Absolutely! In the vehicle detail view, tap the Journal & Maintenance tab. Snap a crisp picture of your model on your desk or diorama track. Your custom photo becomes the primary cover across your garage and public share cards.

Go to Garage → Export & Print. Choose between a Compact Matrix Grid (great for physical convention binders) or an Editorial Collector Booklet with full specs, toy codes, and custom photos. The PDF is rendered instantly on-device and can be printed, AirDropped, or emailed.

The Car Compare engine lets you select any two vehicles from your garage or central catalog to compare authentic automotive telemetry specs side-by-side:

  • Direct Telemetry Metric Bars: Generates dynamic side-by-side comparison bars for Horsepower (HP/PS), Engine Displacement (cc), Top Speed (km/h / mph), and 0–100 km/h acceleration, instantly highlighting which casting has the edge.
  • Real Car vs. Die-Cast Benchmark: Compare your real-world daily driver against legendary supercars or muscle cars in your 1:64 miniature collection with full spec readouts.

Every 24 hours, Garage Prime spotlights an iconic die-cast casting as the Car of the Day (COTD). Each spotlight features: real-world automotive history, engine specs, production trivia, curated collector notes, and 1-tap buttons to add the model to your Wishlist or Garage. Checking the COTD also rewards daily bonus XP for your Collector Level!

Collecting in Garage Prime is accompanied by a motivating, non-paywalled gamification system:

  • Collector Points (XP) & Levels: Earn XP by scanning new cars, completing yearly series (e.g. HW Turbo 5/5), comparing vehicle specs, and discovering new Case models. Rise through ranks from Rookie to Master Collector to unlock exclusive profile badges.
  • Daily Quests: 3 fresh challenges each morning (e.g., "Scan 1 JDM model", "Compare a Muscle Car against a rival", "Inspect today's COTD") offering daily XP boosts.
  • Community Missions: Global cooperative goals for all collectors worldwide (e.g., "Community discovers 500 Case D cars this week"). When achieved, every participant receives an exclusive seasonal community badge.

Every licensed casting (e.g. '82 Toyota Supra, Porsche 911 GT3) is linked with authentic automotive technical specifications: real factory horsepower (HP), engine displacement, top speed, and 0-100 km/h acceleration. For pure Hot Wheels fantasy models (e.g. Twin Mill, Bone Shaker), values are based on official Mattel engine lore and fantasy specs.

On sealed 72-car factory cases, the letter is printed at the end of the manufacturing stamp (e.g. L2593-9993 A → Case A). On US Long Card blisters, the last letter of the stamped code printed on the top rear hook indicates the assortment case.

The in-app Collector Newsfeed delivers clean, curated die-cast updates without advertisements or clickbait. Our editorial pipeline monitors global assortment shipments, leaks of upcoming Case mixes (A through Q), verified Super Treasure Hunt sightings, store exclusive recolors (ZAMAC, Red Editions), and Garage Prime platform updates (such as the upcoming Desktop Web App).

A $TH shares the exact same silhouette as its standard mainline counterpart, but features 3 key distinctions:

1. Spectraflame Paint: Deep, glossy metallic candy paint instead of solid enamel.

2. Real Riders: Two-piece wheels with genuine rubber tires and detailed rim spokes.

3. Hidden Golden Flame / "TH" Logo: A golden flame logo printed on the card behind the car bubble, and a subtle "TH" decal on the vehicle livery.

When sharing a find, Garage Prime attaches the pin to the public commercial store POI (e.g. "Toy Department, Main Street"). Your private living address, exact GPS coordinates, or personal movement tracks are never recorded or visible on the community map.

You can mark duplicate models in your garage as "Available for Trade". Browse fellow collectors' listings and send direct 1-for-1 or multi-car barter proposals. If the owner accepts, an end-to-end encrypted trade chat opens to coordinate shipping details. The marketplace is non-commercial and charges zero fees.

Your safety, friendly communication, and fraud prevention are top priorities in Garage Prime. You have 3 direct moderation tools built into the app:

  • 1. Block User (1-Tap Mute & Isolation): In any Trade Chat or on a user's collector profile, tap the three dots (⋮) menu and select "Block User". The blocked person can no longer see your trade listings, cannot send trade offers, and cannot message you. Ongoing chats are instantly frozen and hidden.
  • 2. Report User (Fraud, Scam, or Harassment): Select "Report User / Listing" in the menu. Our moderation team reviews reported accounts and permanently suspends fraudulent, abusive, or spam profiles.
  • 3. Report Inappropriate Comment (Community Discussions & Chat): In Trade Chats or community discussions, tap the flag/menu icon next to any comment to report abusive, commercial spam, or inappropriate text for immediate moderation review and removal.

Garage Prime is completely free and contains zero advertising. Because it is a private indie project, running Supabase database clusters, OCR compute, and API services incurs monthly costs. If you enjoy the app and want to support ongoing maintenance and new features, you can support the developer with a virtual coffee via ko-fi.com/garageprime. Every contribution helps keep the servers running!

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