tamiya3speed

I was expecting this from the start. Since the Bruiser is such a niche item in the market i hope potential buyers will be smart enough to know the difference (and call out the items as a fake to EBAY)

I will buy one of these, just so one day they do a Fox version.

This could be completely terrible or completely awesome. At the least I am very interested in seeing it.

Curious if there is still consideration for MIP to do telescoping driveshafts for the ORV cars? Not sure how popular the Hot Shot diff turned out, but I bought two in hopes that they would do ORV driveshafts next.

Nice! Shipping can be high from him but he often combines a number of items in a single listing so for the most part good value can be had.

Check Nitro-Master on eBay. He has the whole driveshaft assembly for 10 plus shipping.

Picked up from the lhs:. Rere Optima (my second) at a great price. G6-01 clear chassis, yellow gears, red idlers. Sad part is that it needs two sets of yellow gears so I'll have to wait for another set. Ordered more Egress wheels and a Fox chassis.

An Egress!! Hong Kong to midwest USA in under seven days. Excellent packing and even better price thanks to rcmart.

Tamiya USA is alive and kicking. My LHS orders most of my Tamiya kits and parts from them. I did hear the track is closing. I think the biggest issue is what is going to incentivize a dealer from selling under MAP if all US online sources have to sell at MAP? They want the most profit they can get. I'm lucky that my shop doesn't try to gouge me with the new prices. When he retires I will most likely go Rcmart exclusive if MAP remains.

Many times (have an Egress on the way now). Not had any issues with any of them. My last order took a week to clear customs but that was no fault of theirs.

I think it was Losi that used to have a MAP and you had to add it to the cart to see the real price. Curious that none of the retailers seemed to try that method. I wonder if the communication to retailers was as bad as it was to the public and they had no time to implement the authorized work arounds.

I can't wait. Mine is passing through customs now. I have another coming locally too (I missed out the first time around and backordered as soon as the new batch was announced). I'm getting a great deal on that one but RC Mart still beat it by $50.

It looks like a black edition. One of the pics on Tamico site show the right side of the box.

Shortly after I posted this I gave in and ordered through RCMART on Ebay. I have one on order locally for $430 which I thought was a stellar price. I guess I will have two. They also have Avante 2011s for $330 on the site...do I need a second?

Speaking of cheap, they are $379 on the RCMART site, and $339 through RCMART on ebay!!!

I went for the Optima because the Javelin wasn't listed. The Kyosho rere's seem to be getting harder to come by and with Kyosho being bought out who knows what that means. I haven't built my Optima or Javelin yet but did build a Scorpion. The quality was amazing and well worth the price. Having said that, my next is an Egress because I missed it the first time around.

Exactly. The only Tamiya I see locally is what I have had ordered in for me.

I agree completely that is the case, however good luck finding a Tamiya dealer in any given US city, and then again finding one that will turn down making extra from a given sale that the MAP price allows them.

Big RC day today. Finally got the TRX4 running (had to change the battery connector out). In addition, ran the Fox, Monster Beetle, and Kumamon tractor all with my two oldest kids. Great time but the Fox may have stripped its gearbox and the Monster Beetle threw its cvd a couple of times. A bit of maintenance coming my way.

I would be more upset if it were to come out that that this company has been turning out the Bruiser rere's the whole time and Tamiya has been marking them as made in Japan. I don't think that is the case though as it sounds like this company has a history of disregarding IP.

Let me add, I have an XLS nib. I have heard the build is a nightmare (that is actually the reason I bought it). Check the manual online so you know what you are getting into. I hear they run very nice though.

I have heard similar regarding the MAP decision. The problem is, you have to find a local dealer who would be willing to sell you a kit closer to the price 3 weeks ago vs the current price. Not much incentive to the lhs with the price jacked up everywhere else unless they already had it on the shelf and need to move it. Hong Kong is a good option but shipping can be expensive. I have never had an issue with an order from the bigger Hong Kong suppliers (knock on wood).

I hate this knockoff and what it represents with every fiber of me. But...$320 to my door is going to be hard to resist forever. If I jump on it I will justify that I already have multiple reres so Tamiya wouldn't have sold me another genuine article.

I vote Lego first. I have been a builder since I was a kid. Still great fun as an adult. My son is into HO scale and Lego trains. The Lego trains are a good mix, best of both worlds really!! I agree on Tamiya, I have an Egress backordered and a Manta Ray to pick up but I think I am taking a Tamiya break for some time afterwards myself. Building an RC10T6.1 now, blows Tamiya away in terms of fit and materials to this point in the build and bonus no MAP pricing!

Made it to step 10 building my RC10T6.1. What a beauty this truck is going to be when it's all done. Fit and finish is excellent so far.