2023 Hot Wheels Vintage Oil Collection Is a Great Mix of Five Classic Vehicles

These days you'll find plenty of Hot Wheels communities on various online platforms. While it's a good idea to join several of them to expand your horizons, you should also be wary of scalpers and trolls. I've seen plenty of newcomers spending twice or three times as much as usual on mainline cars just because they were hurrying to increase the size of their collection.

By the time they realized their mistake, they were already thousands of dollars into the game, albeit they had learned a valuable lesson. Of course, there are plenty of supportive collectors out there to guide you on your journey, but it simply takes time to identify them among the hoard of people who are not that in love with this hobby.

Before I get to the topic, here's another tip for you. Aim for premium Hot Wheels instead of mainline models if you plan on having a valuable collection. And buy sets as soon as they hit the market to avoid overspending. With that in mind, let's talk about the 2023 Pop Culture Mix 3, also known as the Vintage Oil set.

Volkswagen T1 Panel Bus

The Volkswagen T1 Panel Bus is the first vehicle you'll encounter here. Jun Imai designed this for its 2012 release when it sported a Hershey's livery. Currently, there are 24 iterations of this casting on the market. And getting all of them is going to take a lot of work. After all, the T1 Panel Bus is a Premium-exclusive casting, and it has had some excellent appearances over the past decade.

In 2014 you could buy one with a "The Muppets" livery, "Super Mario" was up next in 2015, "Scooby Doo" in 2017, and the list goes on and on. One particular seller on eBay is asking $750 for a collection of 18 iterations, but the limited "Fatlace" release could set you back as much as $550 by itself. If you manage to hold on to a complete line-up of Hot Wheels T1 Panel buses for 20 years, it may be worth a small fortune by then. But let's get back to the model at hand instead of talking about the future.

You can't help but appreciate the remarkable contrast between the green Castrol livery, the white roof, and the RRSteelie rims. It's a shame you can't open the side doors on this, but that trick is usually a mark of the Red Line Club series. The card art is simple, but most collectors will still have a hard time deciding whether they should or should not set the little VW loose from its plastic prison.

Custom '62 Chevy Pickup

Castrol's headquarters is in the United Kingdom, but the Custom '62 Chevy Pickup takes us across the Atlantic Ocean to Indiana. Lucas Oil is a much younger company than Castrol, having been around for over 30 years. But if you ever pay attention to motorsports, you'll see plenty of vehicles sporting their livery or at least some company logos.

Like with the VW T1 Panel Bus, this Chevy is rocking RRSteelie rims, albeit this time, they feature a red and white finish to match the overall colors. The Custom '62 Chevy Pickup casting is slightly older than the T1 Panel Bus, as it first came out in 2008. A retool occurred in 2017, and you'll find 33 different iterations on the market.

It's not a premium-exclusive casting, so getting all of them under the same roof may be cheaper. If you like having rare models on display, look for the 2019 Collectors Convention edition, as there are only 5,000 of those to go around. $200 is a fair price for one if you insist on having an unopened package.

Combat Medic

The third item in the Vintage Oil collection is the Combat Medic. That may not sound like much of a name, but most people will instantly recognize this vehicle once they see it. It's the oldest casting, as Larry Wood designed it for its 1986 release. But there's more. The Combat Medic is a reissue of a casting called The Letter Getter, which Mattel introduced back in 1977.

Almost 50 years ago, that first truck had "US Mail" written all over it, which should enlighten those of you who were still uncertain about the origins of this machine. The Combat Medic has almost 50 variations to collect, with a good mix between premium and mainline models. The latest one features a Kendall Motor Oil livery and uses Deep Dish Real Riders wheels to set it apart.

The checkered flag on the side might bring back some NASCAR memories for those actively following the sport. The Combat Medic might not be the most exciting item in the Vintage Oil set, but that's ultimately down to personal preferences.

Haulin' Gas

This next item might confuse a lot of young Hot Wheels collectors, and rightfully so. Haulin' Gas draws inspiration from a vehicle that's almost 100 years old, the 1933 Diamond T Doodlebug. Texaco used this futuristic tanker truck back in the day, but what about the Union76 logos on this Hot Wheels casting? Union76, like Mattel, was located in El Segundo, California, for many years. See the connection now?

Jun Imai worked on designing the Haulin' Gas casting, which first made an appearance back in 2011. Like the T1 Panel Bus, the first edition featured a Hershey's livery. And there's one more similarity to point out: this, too, is a Premium-exclusive model. There are only 15 iterations; another Vintage Oil edition came out in 2020. The white, blue, and orange color combo looks great on this thing, particularly with those Real Riders 10 Spoke wheels. Nostalgics might choose the Haulin' Gas as the star of the show for this edition of the Vintage Oil set, but I'd probably still go for the Castrol VW.

Datsun 620

The last car in the set is the Datsun 620, one of the newer castings to make an appearance here. Since 2014, Mattel has released over 20 variations, only one of which has had the characteristics of a premium model. That is the 2016 Car Culture: Trucks edition, which looked spectacular thanks to its Aqua paint job and DISH wheels. Surprisingly, you can still buy one for less than $30 today.

The new iteration features a Motul livery that is very familiar to me, given my background in drifting and motorcycle road racing. The wheels on this thing are relatively impressive, but I would have chosen a different color if I had the choice. The Datsun might become the most overlooked model in this set, given how often you'll see it in standard guise. But that doesn't mean you should refrain from buying one if you like it. Get some small barrels of Motul oil to accompany the theme; that would make for an awesome diorama!

As with any other Car Culture or Boulevard set, the Vintage Oil pack of five cars should be available for about $50, depending on your location. If you don't usually see premium cars in stores around your area, your best bet is to order one from eBay or any retailer holding Hot Wheels stock. You can always sell or trade the items you're not fond of and focus on collecting some of the castings inside. It will still make for a fun journey and might be less financially stressful by comparison. At the rate Mattel is churning out products, you will need a small fortune to keep up with all the new variations!