Jay's Brick Blog

A blog about LEGO bricks

  • Home
  • About Me
  • LEGO Reviews
  • News
  • 2023 LEGO Sets
  • Star Wars Day 2023

Review: LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine

October 15, 2015 By Jay Ong 5 Comments

The LEGO Group managed to delight and thrill fans of all ages when they unexpectedly announced that they were producing LEGO Scooby Doo sets earlier this year.

The hallowed cartoon series and its iconic characters transformed into LEGO form was a match made in heaven, with the animated series’ bright cartoon colours translating brilliantly to LEGO bricks. I grew up watching plenty of Scooby Doo – they were a Saturday morning staple for me and I have very fond memories of the gang.

To kick off my series of LEGO Scooby Doo reviews, I’ve selected one of the standout sets of the theme – 75902 The Mystery Machine as the first set to review!

 

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Box Art

Name: The Mystery Machine
Set Number: 75902
Pieces: 301
Price: AU$49.99 – Buy from LEGO.com [AUS] [USA]
Exclusive to: N/A
Minifigures: 3
Theme: Scooby Doo
Year of Release: 2015
Instructions: 75902 The Mystery Machine 1 2 

The Mystery Machine is arguably the most iconic vehicle in Scooby Doo. As the vehicle of choice of Mystery Incorporated, it’s practically part of the gang as it’s always present in most of their adventures.

LEGO Scooby Doo sets are starting to show up around Australia and I wasted no time picking the Mystery Machine up. It’s currently the most popular set out of theme as it sits in a very comfortable price point (AU$50), contains 3 major characters and of course is one of the most recognizable elements from the cartoon.

It’s so popular that you may have trouble getting your hands on it – so far, I’ve yet to see many of them in large quantities out in the wild.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Minifigures

The Mystery Machine comes with 3 minifigures (Fred, Shaggy and a Zombie) and Scooby Doo himself. The lineup of minifigures are definitely one of the set’s strengths – not too shabby for a $50 set.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Scooby Doo

Scooby Doo is the star of the set and series, so we’re treated to a delightful new mould for the cowardly pooch. The new mould is made out of 2 parts – his detachable head and solid body.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Scooby Doo Alternate Angle

As his head is detachable, it can be swiveled around, giving Scooby some much needed articulation. The printing and other details around his body are quite impressive – everything is sharp and crispy and I really like Scooby’s terrified grimace/smile.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Fred and Shaggy Minifigs

Fred and Shaggy are the two other main characters included and they’re both really likeable minifigures as well. I can’t say this enough – Scooby Doo cartoon characters translate really well to the LEGO form.

The most interesting thing about Fred and Shaggy are their brand new hairpieces, with both making their debut in the Scooby Doo theme. I particularly like Fred’s the most. Shaggy’s hair is a little too “big”, making the proportions look slightly off.

Both of them have simple yet accurate torsos – Fred with his orange cravat and Shaggy with his green v-neck shirt. I really love the vibrant colours, especially Fred’s bright blue slacks. Fred and Shaggy’s faces are generic looking enough that they could easily be reused in other minifigures.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Fred and Shaggy Minifigs Back

Being minifigures in a licensed set, it’s not surprising that they each have an alternate face. Fred has a shocked face whereas Shaggy has a slightly quizzical “I don’t think this is a good idea” expression going on, which fit the theme of the set. They also both have minimal back printing to give their backs a little fabric texture.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Newspaper Tile

Fred’s accessory is a printed newspaper clipping tile, which I believe is a clue the gang uses to solve the mystery of the Spooky Tree.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Fred and Magnifying Glass

One of my favourite LEGO accessories is the fully functional magnifying glass. Can’t solve a good mystery without the help of one.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Zombie Zeke Minifigure

This is the Zombie or Zeke as he’s called in the official description. I don’t watch the cartoons so I don’t know if he’s a significant character so I’m just going to call him Zombie. As Zombies go, he is actually really amazing. I love his ghoulish green skin tone which gives him a very spooky vibe.

At first glance, I was excited because the shade of green made me believe that his face and arms were glow in the dark (they look exactly like glow in the dark stars) but alas they’re just regular plastic. A glow in the dark Zombie would be a really cool character and I was quite surprised that LEGO didn’t include it in a theme that’s all about ghosts and spooky mysteries.

The Zombie has a shabby (although not tattered) outfit which looks more like a hobo’s wardrobe than someone who has risen from the dead.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Zombie Zeke Minifigure Back

The Zombie has back torso printing and some important details on the back of its head. Looks like the Zombie might not be real and might’ve just been wearing a dude in a mask! Who da thunk!

 

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Shaggy Scooby Snacks

Oh and you also get a giant sandwich as well.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Spooky Tree

The first thing you assemble is the Spooky Tree that has been terrorising the unnamed town. I have to mention that it doesn’t look at all like a tree – more like a zombified stump. There is hardly enough foliage to qualify itself as a tree.

That said, the Spooky Tree actually looks pretty attractive thanks to the huge sticker that runs across its bark, primitive looking mecha-inspired hands and of course, a spot for the Zombie to ride it.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Spooky Tree with Zombie

The Spooky Tree’s arms are quite poseable thanks to the ball joints giving it a bit of playability which is nice. The branches with leaves are also adjustable.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Spooky Tree Back View

The back of the tree shows you its robotic origins. There’s a stickered control panel with the gang’s Mystery Machine in its sights as well as a couple of levers to control the Spooky Tree. Curiously, there’s a green gem stuck to the back which I assume is what’s powering the Spooky Tree.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Spooky Tree Chases Fred

Fred is obviously terrified by reanimated haunted trees.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Mystery Machine Van

I’ll just come right out and say it – the Mystery Machine is a beautiful rendition of the gang’s vehicle of choice. The Mystery Machine’s vibrant flower-power colours are accurately represented. The pastel shades of blue and green go brilliantly together as well.

The hallmark of a great LEGO recreation is that it’s immediately recognizable – something the LEGO Mystery Machine scores maximum marks in.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Mystery Machine Van Side View

Purist LEGO fans might get little irritated with the ungodly amount of stickers you have to apply. I believe that there are 23 stickers in total, but thankfully most of them are relatively easy to apply.

While printed tiles and slopes are a luxury, in this case I think all the stickers are kinda justified as they give the Mystery Machine plenty of much needed personality. The hubcaps are printed which is a nice little consolation.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Mystery Machine Back View

The LEGO designers have done a remarkable job capturing the van’s blocky look, while ensuring that all the subtle curves that you’d expect from the vehicle.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Open Top

The Mystery Machine’s roof can be lifted out quite effortlessly, allowing you to have a peek inside or place the minifigures around the spacious van.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Back Section

For play features, I was delighted to discover that the back of the Mystery Machine opens up in a very doll-house like manner to reveal a tightly designed interiors with plenty of cool little Easter Eggs.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Interior Left

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine - Interior Right

The back of the van while small packs plenty of cool features such as a stove, hooks and clips to store the gang’s mystery-solving equipment and 2 stickered computer screens.

I also really like the cork board stickers on the walls of the van which has clues like photographs and letters. The workspace is really believable as it has mostly everything you need to crack cases.

I don’t know if the Mystery Machine fits in the entire gang as I haven’t got all the Scooby Doo sets just yet, but I’ll be sure to test out if I can fit everyone in.

LEGO 75902 The Mystery Machine

What I liked:

  • Mystery Machine is accurately gorgeous
  • Minifigures included in the set
  • Affordable yet has tons of value

What I didn’t like: 

  • Number of stickers are a little high

Final thoughts: The Mystery Machine is the perfect introduction to the Scooby Doo theme and one of those rare flawless LEGO sets. The design of the van is simply outstanding, despite it being littered with stickers which I feel are a necessary evil in this case to replicate the Mystery Machine’s appearance in the cartoon.

The van not only looks great from the outside but has a fantastic interior filled with cool little details that fit the overall theme of Scooby Doo.

For a $50 set, getting 3 minifigures and Scooby Doo is yet another win since nearly all of them look great and are collectable. Fred being exclusive to this set is also another huge motivation to not miss out on this set.

The Spooky Tree while looking a little barebones does serve its job of giving the entire set some context and playability. To be honest, even if LEGO completely excluded the Spooky Tree, the Mystery Machine would still be a decent buy.

The number of stickers might be a deterrent for LEGO fans who absolutely detest applying them to sets and when you’re dealing with so many, there risk that you muck some of them up dramatically increases but if you can overcome this minor speedbump, the set is pretty much perfect.

The Mystery Machine is an outstanding set, radiating with the warmth of nostalgia that’s enhanced by its great design and execution. I highly recommend picking this set up if you’re a fan of the Scooby Doo cartoons or if you love LEGO in general.

The Mystery Machine is right up there in the best sets of 2015. Don’t miss out on it.

Rating: 5/5

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out the Review Hub for more LEGO reviews!

Filed Under: LEGO Reviews, Scooby Doo Tagged With: 2015, 75902, fred, lego, mystery machine, review, scooby doo, shaggy, spooky tree, zeke, zombie

« Review: DK Great LEGO Sets
Weekend Wrap I »

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. spudbud01 says

    October 16, 2015 at 11:08 AM

    Awesome set but it does have one fault, and that is that Velma does not have any place in the Mystery Machine! :O

    Reply
  2. Michael says

    October 16, 2015 at 2:23 AM

    Nice review Jay. In the end I bought the Mummy set for Scooby, which was cool too. It’s a cheap way to get Scooby and Shaggy ($20), has the mummy, who is a classic villain (the rear side of the face is hilarious – dude in a mask), and has a cool mechanism where Shaggy pulls down a burger on a chain, which lifts the sarcophagus lid.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      October 16, 2015 at 10:00 AM

      Thanks Michael! I haven’t got the Mummy Set yet. Been distracted by just about everything else. Sounds like a lot of fun from what you said, looks like I’ll have to add it to my shopping cart this weekend 🙂

      Reply
  3. Mark says

    October 15, 2015 at 6:58 PM

    Awesome review Jay! The amount of detail they’ve managed to achieve for the scale in the mystery machine is impressive. I loved Scooby-Doo as a kid and now my kids do to. Damn you Lego for tempting me out my hard earned with so many great sets this year!

    Reply
    • Jay says

      October 16, 2015 at 9:58 AM

      Thanks Mark! It’s seriously a worthwhile investment, you and your kids are going to enjoy every bit of it!

      Reply

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to Jay's Brick Blog. In here, you'll find independent LEGO set reviews, commentary on LEGO trends & news, bargain hunting tips and an inside look into the life of an average LEGO fan. Find out more about me here

Subscribe for updates

Enter your email address here to receive updates about new posts from Jay's Brick Blog - straight to your inbox!

Join 4,732 other subscribers

Site Search

Buy LEGO

Buy LEGO

jayong28

Jay Ong | Jay's Brick Blog
Here's a look at 40634 Icons of Play, which I've j Here's a look at 40634 Icons of Play, which I've just reviewed on the blog! Check out the minifigures and play features!

The set celebrates of Icons of women's football with minifigures of @samanthakerr20, @mrapinoe, @yuki_nagasato and @asisat_oshoala

One of its strongest selling point is the diverse number of minifigures. You get 15 minifigures in a whole range of skin-tones, football jerseys and regular clothes, which is quite a rarity as non-yellow minifigures are typically reserved for licensed sets like Star Wars/Marvel. 

At its core, Icons of Play feels like a LEGO City set, and is a fun little minifigure-scale Sports-themed addition, which is quite a rarity these days. 

But trying to be both a hybrid display and play model, it unfortunately also compromises on complete-ness with the half-pitch, and play features with the knock about system leave much to be desired.

If you’re excited for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and have young football-loving fans at home, this would be an enjoyable set, but if you’re content with watching on the sidelines, I also think it’s worth waiting for a discount, especially after the Women’s World Cup has concluded.

That said, with the LEGO world dominated by pop culture licensed sets, endless Star Wars sets, and hugely expensive sets, I’m more than glad that a set like this exists to help inspire and develop the future builders and footballers of the world.

#lego #lego2023 #matildas #legoicons #afol #legoleaks #legonews #rlfm #womensworldcup #womensfootball #samkerr #minifigures #minifigs #LEGOminifigures #legoreview  #PlayUnstoppable
To celebrate the release of @lego Ninjago Dragons To celebrate the release of @lego Ninjago Dragons Rising sets and animated series, here's a look at the exclusive Build-a-Minifigure selection that will be rolling out from 1 June 2023 onwards!

Ninjago fans can look forward to an exclusive Sora and Arin, as well as Core Lloyd, Kai and Nya for a really cost-effective way to get your hands on these minifigs!

There's also a female football player which ties in with Icons of Play.

Special thanks to @hanobrix for sharing these photos!

Hit the link in bio to see and read more on the blog!

#lego #LEGOminifigures #Dragonsrising #LEGONinjago #ninjago #legoleaks #legos #minifigures #minifigs #buildaminifigure #legostore #afol
Here's an official look at the newly announced 762 Here's an official look at the newly announced 76262 Captain America's Shield, coming 1 September 2023! 

It joins the other collection of large Marvel things like Mjolnir, Black Panther Bust, Nano/Infinity Gauntlet and Iron Man helmet.

Unfortunately, the lack of utility with this means that it's mostly a display piece, albeit a very large one.

Looking at the back of the shield, and having gotten an opportunity to see this set a few months ago, it's really not recommended to carry it.

And it also looks like you can't hang it up, so it's meant to just sit in it's stand.

But... It's big, I guess? 🤷‍♂️

Hit the link in bio to see more!

#lego #legonews #lego2023 #legomarvel #captainamerica #mcu #marvel #legoleaks #legos #afol #rlfm #reveal #76262
Happy 1st of June @lego Release Day for all those Happy 1st of June @lego Release Day for all those who celebrate!

Picked up the Disney Villains Icons set and will wait for 2x VIP for the Batcave!

What are you picking up today?

#lego #disney100 #legodisney #rlfm
Sneak peek at some new @lego sets releasing in Aug Sneak peek at some new @lego sets releasing in August, September and October onwards via the Second Half of 2023 Catalogue!

First looks at the Microscale Hogwarts Castle, Captain America Shield, Yavin 4 Rebel Base, 2023 Advent Calendars and more!

Hit the link in bio to see more!

#lego #legonews #legos #legoleaks #afol #minifigures #legotechnic #harrypotter #legoharrypotter #legostarwars #starwars
🙀🦈 Your next LEGO Ideas sets will be Jaws an 🙀🦈 Your next LEGO Ideas sets will be Jaws and Cat!

Yes, an actual buildable LEGO Cat! I love how out of left-field the Cat pick is and I'm feline really good about this one!

Hit the link in bio to learn more!

Are you excited for either of these picks? Let me know what you think! 

#lego #legoideas #legonews #afol #jaws #cat #cats #legoleaks #rlfm #reveal #legos
LEGO have officially unveiled 40634 Icons of Play, LEGO have officially unveiled 40634 Icons of Play, as part of their new #PlayUnstoppable campaign!

Here's a closer look at the minifigures in the set, and how they stack up against their real-life counterparts! 

The set celebrates these Icons of women's football, @samanthakerr20, @mrapinoe, @yuki_nagasato and @asisat_oshoala, and is set to be released on 6 June 2023!

Hit the link in bio to see more! 

For those in Melbourne, there will be a special event at Marvel Stadium on Friday, 14 July for the @matildas send off match!

There'll be a Sports Field Zone as well as a life-sized Sam Kerr minifigure build on show, along other immersive experiences!

#lego #lego2023 #matildas #legoicons #afol #legoleaks #legonews #rlfm #womensworldcup #womensfootball #samkerr #minifigures #minifigs #LEGOminifigures
Here's my review of 41757 Botanical Garden, hands Here's my review of 41757 Botanical Garden, hands down one of THE best sets of 2023 and a gleaming beacon of just how far the LEGO Friends theme has matured. 

When you see the LEGO Friends Botanical Garden, it quickly becomes apparent that LEGO have something special on their hands with a design that's simply beautiful.

Hit the link in bio to read my full review!

It's truly a mark of a mature theme, that LEGO could debut a tasteful design like this into LEGO Friends, but crafted in such a way that it will also have broad appeal to City builders, or even fans who want a stunning architectural masterpiece to display their minifigures or minidolls in.

With so many amazing designs and sets being produced by Billund, 41757 Botanical Garden deservedly takes it's place as one of the best LEGO sets of 2023 and I can heartily recommend this set to everyone, and I have a gut feeling that this will be one of the best-selling LEGO Friends set of the year.

#lego #legofriends #lego2023 #legonews #legoreview #heartlakecity #legos #legoleaks #afol #rlfm #reviews #41757
Who you gonna call?? Loved this LEGO Ghostbusters Who you gonna call??

Loved this LEGO Ghostbusters MOC on display at @brickbuiltsydney!

#lego #ghostbusters #moc #legomoc #legoghostbusters #brickbuiltsydney2023 #afol
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Follow on Facebook

Jay's Brick Blog

22 hours ago

Jay's Brick Blog
Here's my review of 60398 Family House and Electric Car, one of the best-designed LEGO City Houses yet. It has everything you'd expect from a modern home - solar panels, an EV charging port, and even a greenhouse to grow your own vegetables. But just like the price of property these days... I struggle to understand who LEGO thinks can afford this set, which is priced the same as the Up House, and March 2023's Creator Cosy House. ... See MoreSee Less

Review: LEGO 60398 Family House and Electric Car - Jay's Brick Blog

jaysbrickblog.com

Detailed review of 60398 Family House and Electric Car, a modern LEGO House with all you'd expect from 2023 with solar panels, EV & more
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Jay's Brick Blog

2 days ago

Jay's Brick Blog
The LEGO 40634 Icons of Play set officially launches today, a month and a bit before the FIFA Women's World Cup kicks off! Football stars Sam Kerr, Megan Rapinoe, Yuki Nagasato, and Asisat Oshoala get immortalised as LEGO minifigures in this set that pays homage to the LEGO Football sets of the late 90s, but ultimately falls short of fun as the set tries to be too many things all at once. Great for football and women's football fans, and features 15 diverse minifigures! ... See MoreSee Less

Review: LEGO 40634 Icons of Play - Jay's Brick Blog

jaysbrickblog.com

Detailed review of 40634 Icons of Play, which celebrates women's football and features LEGO minifigures of Sam Kerr, Megan Rapinoe & more
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Jay's Brick Blog updated their profile picture.

2 days ago

Jay's Brick Blog
Jay's Brick Blog ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Recent Posts

  • Review: LEGO 60398 Family House and Electric Car
  • Review: LEGO 40634 Icons of Play
  • Reminder! LEGO Double VIP Points from 9-13 June 2023
  • These Winter-themed LEGO Friends sets can also be great additions to your Winter Village
  • 2023 LEGO Ninjago Build-a-Minifigure (BAM) selections revealed!
  • Summer 2023 LEGO Star Wars sets revealed, including Yavin 4 Rebel Base
  • LEGO reveals a 3128-piece Captain America’s Shield! (76262)

LEGO Reviews

Review: LEGO City 60033 Arctic Ice Crawler

Review: LEGO 75181 UCS Y-Wing Starfighter (2018)

Review: LEGO Build-a-Minifigure (BAM) Q2 2023 selection

Review: LEGO 5002948 – The Force Awakens C-3PO Polybag

Review: LEGO 76088 Thor vs Hulk Arena Clash

Review: LEGO 76405 Hogwarts Express Collector’s Edition (2022)

Review: LEGO 76217 I am Groot

Categories

Archives

Jay

Jay is passionate about LEGO and the endless creative adventures made possible by this complex interlocking brick system.
Learn more →

Popular Posts

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · WordPress · Log in We may earn a commission when you use one of our offers/links to make a purchase.