Help!!

[Timbo84 3]

Hey guys! 

I'm new to this forum and hobby. I'm looking at buying my first RC and I'm loving the tamiya buggy style. Flashbacks from my childhood. At the moment there aren't many kits to choose from and I need your guidance. The following kits seem to be my options:

Terra scorcher

Novafox

Vanquish.

When I was younger I loved doing jumps etc and I'm hoping to get my kids into it with me. Which kit do you think would suit my need. And what are the pros / cons to these particular models.

Cheers guys, appreciate your help 👍 

[sosidge 624]

Well first thing I would say is segregate the jumping bit from the childhood memories bit. 

You're looking at kits there were first made 30+ years ago, the hobby has moved on a lot, if you are looking for something jumpable there are cars out there that are a lot better at it, while being durable and with better parts support at the same time for when you break them.

From the sentimentality perspective, I've only owned something from the Vanquish family in the past so can't comment in detail on all of them. My gut feeling is the Terra Scorcher would be the best runner because it's the simplest design and 4wd. The Vanquish is a strange design, probably better for a shelf these days. The Fox is 2wd so immediately more limited, it also wasn't much of a success in the first place which suggests it doesn't drive that well or isn't very durable (Tamiya usually spin off multiple variants of the designs that work well, but never did another Fox).

But also when it comes to childhood memories, you may as well just get the one that you like the look of. Doesn't need to be a rational decision! It's just a bit of fun at the end of the day.

[Superluminal 3750]

If you are goint to be bashing it about, jumps and kids using it etc im not sure either of those wpuld be my first choice. Id be inclined to start with a DT02 or DT03 based buggy as they will be a bit more robust with spares easier to find. You can then work your up to the more advanced /expensive models afterwards.

The Vanquish is the most complex of the three but probably offers the most enjoyment in building as theres more parts to assemble

[alvinlwh 5895]

Sounds like you already had some experiences? If so, go straight for the Vanquish if you can afford it. If you have zero experience wanting a first kit, and if you are UK based, Neo Fighter from Amazon. Just over £72.

[Timbo84 3]

15 minutes ago, alvinlwh said:

Sounds like you already had some experiences? If so, go straight for the Vanquish if you can afford it. If you have zero experience wanting a first kit, and if you are UK based, Neo Fighter from Amazon. Just over £72.

Very little experience mate. I'd really like just to get a rc that I won't want to upgrade after a few months

 

[Timbo84 3]

34 minutes ago, sosidge said:

Well first thing I would say is segregate the jumping bit from the childhood memories bit. 

You're looking at kits there were first made 30+ years ago, the hobby has moved on a lot, if you are looking for something jumpable there are cars out there that are a lot better at it, while being durable and with better parts support at the same time for when you break them.

From the sentimentality perspective, I've only owned something from the Vanquish family in the past so can't comment in detail on all of them. My gut feeling is the Terra Scorcher would be the best runner because it's the simplest design and 4wd. The Vanquish is a strange design, probably better for a shelf these days. The Fox is 2wd so immediately more limited, it also wasn't much of a success in the first place which suggests it doesn't drive that well or isn't very durable (Tamiya usually spin off multiple variants of the designs that work well, but never did another Fox).

But also when it comes to childhood memories, you may as well just get the one that you like the look of. Doesn't need to be a rational decision! It's just a bit of fun at the end of the day.

Cheers for your input mate. I guess I just want something really fun! There's so much to choose from nowadays... brands I've never heard of. That's why I'm thinking of sticking with tamiya.

[Timbo84 3]

33 minutes ago, Superluminal said:

If you are goint to be bashing it about, jumps and kids using it etc im not sure either of those wpuld be my first choice. Id be inclined to start with a DT02 or DT03 based buggy as they will be a bit more robust with spares easier to find. You can then work your up to the more advanced /expensive models afterwards.

The Vanquish is the most complex of the three but probably offers the most enjoyment in building as theres more parts to assemble

Yeah I'm sort of trying to avoid upgrading after 12 month  which is why I'm thinking of spending a little more cash to start it.

[alvinlwh 5895]

Just now, Timbo84 said:

Very little experience mate. I'd really like just to get a rc that I won't want to upgrade after a few months

 

Just to clarify some points.

If you are talking about not wanting to upgrade parts, that is usually not possible with a Tamiya. You can easily spend 3 or more times the kit price on optional upgrade parts, and in any case, a good amount on essential upgrades and gear right out of the box to get the car running anyway. If you want something that is good out of the box, go elsewhere, and that is from a Tamiya fan.

Now if you mean you do not want to upgrade the car after a few months, I had been pretty happy with my Thunder Dragon (same chassis as the Terra Scorcher in your list) and a recently finished Holiday Buggy, DT-02 similar to the DT-03 of the Neo Fighter from Amazon (some will argue DT-02 is better then DT-03).

The TD is a £150+ range car and I added about £100 of essentials and extras into it. It took quite a bit of tuning and adjusting to get it running the way I want it to.

The HB is a £100 car and I added about £150 of essentials and extras into it. It ran good pretty much from the get go with any tuning and adjustment just for my amusement rather than necessary.

So both cars ended up costing about the same despite the starting price being 1/3 cheaper on the HB.

[Timbo84 3]

4 minutes ago, alvinlwh said:

Just to clarify some points.

If you are talking about not wanting to upgrade parts, that is usually not possible with a Tamiya. You can easily spend 3 or more times the kit price on optional upgrade parts, and in any case, a good amount on essential upgrades and gear right out of the box to get the car running anyway. If you want something that is good out of the box, go elsewhere, and that is from a Tamiya fan.

Now if you mean you do not want to upgrade the car after a few months, I had been pretty happy with my Thunder Dragon (same chassis as the Terra Scorcher in your list) and a recently finished Holiday Buggy, DT-02 similar to the DT-03 of the Neo Fighter from Amazon (some will argue DT-02 is better then DT-03).

The TD is a £150+ range car and I added about £100 of essentials and extras into it. It took quite a bit of tuning and adjusting to get it running the way I want it to.

The HB is a £100 car and I added about £150 of essentials and extras into it. It ran good pretty much from the get go with any tuning and adjustment just for my amusement rather than necessary.

So both cars ended up costing about the same despite the starting price being 1/3 cheaper on the HB.

Yeah I'm happy to spend $$$ on parts. But want to avoid updating the car itself. If that makes sense haha

[mtbkym01 4008]

I think the Terra Scorcher would suit your needs perfectly. It’s the “top of the range” for that chassis type, will be an enjoyable build and fun drive.

[DeadMeat666 1675]

1 hour ago, Timbo84 said:

Hey guys! 

I'm new to this forum and hobby. I'm looking at buying my first RC and I'm loving the tamiya buggy style. Flashbacks from my childhood. At the moment there aren't many kits to choose from and I need your guidance. The following kits seem to be my options:

Terra scorcher

Novafox

Vanquish.

When I was younger I loved doing jumps etc and I'm hoping to get my kids into it with me. Which kit do you think would suit my need. And what are the pros / cons to these particular models.

Cheers guys, appreciate your help 👍 

Welcome to the forum, and to the hobby!

I agree with what's been mentioned so far, and also suggest that of the 3 buggies you mentioned, the Terra Scorcher is most likely to fit your requirements.

If I may ask, why have you limited your options to those 3 buggies in particular? I know there are others in stock currently.

[simalarion 2196]

2 Years ago i started tis hobby again after all this time (late 80, start 90). My childhood nostalgica bombs are Grasshopper/Black Foot. I started with Grasshopper and this time i could both finance and do the paintjob well myself ;), and i liked it and went a bit over the topp with buying extra stuff for it on ebay. At the end as mentioned in this post i get much more just looking at it than driving it. This has much to do with my next kit that was a Top-Force w Hop-up alloy dampers and was then totaly blown away on how good more modern RC car handle, i was then later told on this forum that Top-Force with these hop-ups (that will be closer to Evo version) also is one off the best Tamiya Buggys when it comes to handeling.

So today my plan is to put back 380 in Grasshopper before i ruin it more because it does not handle well so its very easy to ruin that hard boddy w lights that i worked so much with, put it on a shelf and let it shine there (this forum name for it is shelfquen), the wear it has fir driving i today i think only make it look better anyway, like weathering.

I thought i would just think it was fun to drive those old Retro Queens anyway but when it comes to driving today i always pick Top-Force (or now in the snow it will be my Agrios).

I had BlackFoot as a child but now that i also started to like driving ive started to look for more modern kits. I stil not want other kits than Tamiya ones though because i also enjoy the build and like the look so much better and x-treme performance i do not care for, probably getting to old. Must admit i droole over Evo but i stopp myself from buying it several times a week as i already have Top-Force ;).

I think you should start with your Nostalgica trip and take it from there.

Off the kits you bring up i have seen from this forum that Terra scorcher seems to be a fun ride and look good. If you buy this kit you should also grab the 29009 (just search for on that number its the A5 part) part from RCmart as the stock front part can crack over time 

[Aerobert 2144]

1 hour ago, alvinlwh said:

If you want something that is good out of the box, go elsewhere, and that is from a Tamiya fan.

Why should a Tamiya not being good out of the box? It all depends on the expectations and experience of the builder / driver. Of course a car like the DT-02 Sand Viper is not high end, but it is a good car for what it is. With oil shocks and a robust gear box which takes easily a brushless system. No need for upgrading this car (maybe except for bearing which are not an upgrade but essential for me) if you don't want to race. 

Of course it also depends on what is the definition of an upgrade. A stronger motor, a 3S-Lipo? For me that are not upgrades of the car itself. If someone starting after 25 year out of the hobby a DT-02 with a silver can and 19T pinion is a good start. And to put in a stronger motor when you have some experience with the car is a normal process.

[Aerobert 2144]

 

4 hours ago, Timbo84 said:

When I was younger I loved doing jumps etc and I'm hoping to get my kids into it with me. Which kit do you think would suit my need. And what are the pros / cons to these particular models.

If jumping the car with your kids, my recommendation would be non of them. As you might read out of my previous post I'm a big fan of the DT-02 chassis, especially for kids and starters. As a beginner chassis it is very durable and if needed spare parts are easy to get.

I know it's not really the answer to your question regarding the particular models, but it's my opinion to your need.

[TurnipJF 9192]

Hard to add much to the opinions and advice already shared above, apart from lending my support to them. I am fortunate to have most of the models mentioned (or siblings thereof) in my fleet, and can confirm that you are being given sound advice.

Of the three models you mentioned, I would agree that the Terra Scorcher is indeed the best suited to the purposes you intend to put it to, being quite robust, capable and relatively easy to get parts for since it and it's siblings have been recently re-released. The only real weak point is the A5 part which is easily damaged. However if you fit an A5 brace at the outset, this shouldn't be an issue. They can also be quite noisy until the gears bed themselves in, but you can accelerate this process by carefully trimming the rough spots off the gears during assembly. 

However I would also agree that the newer DT-02 Sand Viper or Desert Gator would be even better suited to your purposes. Robust, capable, easy to work on and easy to get spares for, they retain the looks and layout of a classic 2WD buggy, but with newer, more resilient plastics, no issues fitting modern power systems, etc. And being 2WD, they are also easier to work on and quicker to fix than an equivalent 4WD.

[Nobbi1977 1793]

9 hours ago, Timbo84 said:

Yeah I'm sort of trying to avoid upgrading after 12 month  which is why I'm thinking of spending a little more cash to start it.

Good luck with that. If you have not got a second kit on order before you have finished the first you will be in the bottom 10% of this site 😂

[Juggular 4964]

Out of your list, I only have the Fox.  

If you have never driven RC offroad before, 4WD is better.  Simply because it has more wheels that have power, it's more capable.  Pack diffs with diff clay, it'll just go everywhere.  After the Grasshopper in the 80s, I insisted on 4WD for like 20 years.  Somewhere along the way, I started to prefer 2WD.  

Once you know the boundaries of 1/10th buggies, 2WD becomes fun.  It's like driving on ice. (Well, in real life, that'd be very scary. But you can be daring if it's not your life on the line.)  The Novafox has gearbox integrated with the chassis. I would make sure to install ball bearings from the start.  If you want something more modern, DT02 and DT03 would be better. They have sealed diffs so you can put in diff clay.  DT02 and DT03 are a blast too.   

 

[BuggyDad 4475]

I'm another very new re-entrant. My aims were also around kids and bashing a car. I went DT-03 and am only about 2 months in. I had 80s Tamiya but wanting something from then wasn't a part of my criteria. Rather, I was after today's version of a similar experience. If you're OK with a 2wd buggy then a DT-02/3 (they've got largely same front and rear including most of suspension and drive train, but different chassis mid sections) gives, I think, great value. Much better layout/height/suspension layout and durability than my experience of buggies from back in the day and is cheaper than almost all re-releases. It's essentially a minimum cost entry level 2wd that can be quite easily upgraded to somewhat better performance. Not amazing performance but tremendous vs an 80s 2wd Tamiya, if you ask me. And of these the £72 Amazon one is absolutely killer value, so much so that I bought a kit just for spares. The build experience is almost exactly what I remember. The Neo Fighter doesn't look anywhere near as cool as a proper retro Fox though 😉. 

[Timbo84 3]

9 hours ago, mtbkym01 said:

I think the Terra Scorcher would suit your needs perfectly. It’s the “top of the range” for that chassis type, will be an enjoyable build and fun drive.

Thank you for you feedback mate. It does look like an awesome rc.

[Timbo84 3]

8 hours ago, DeadMeat666 said:

Welcome to the forum, and to the hobby!

I agree with what's been mentioned so far, and also suggest that of the 3 buggies you mentioned, the Terra Scorcher is most likely to fit your requirements.

If I may ask, why have you limited your options to those 3 buggies in particular? I know there are others in stock currently.

These are the 3 buggies available at my local hobby stores, everything else sold out. I could buy online, but would prefer to buy in store. Is there a current shortage on tamiya rc's atm? I know even some of their paints are hard to get atm.

[Timbo84 3]

7 hours ago, simalarion said:

2 Years ago i started tis hobby again after all this time (late 80, start 90). My childhood nostalgica bombs are Grasshopper/Black Foot. I started with Grasshopper and this time i could both finance and do the paintjob well myself ;), and i liked it and went a bit over the topp with buying extra stuff for it on ebay. At the end as mentioned in this post i get much more just looking at it than driving it. This has much to do with my next kit that was a Top-Force w Hop-up alloy dampers and was then totaly blown away on how good more modern RC car handle, i was then later told on this forum that Top-Force with these hop-ups (that will be closer to Evo version) also is one off the best Tamiya Buggys when it comes to handeling.

So today my plan is to put back 380 in Grasshopper before i ruin it more because it does not handle well so its very easy to ruin that hard boddy w lights that i worked so much with, put it on a shelf and let it shine there (this forum name for it is shelfquen), the wear it has fir driving i today i think only make it look better anyway, like weathering.

I thought i would just think it was fun to drive those old Retro Queens anyway but when it comes to driving today i always pick Top-Force (or now in the snow it will be my Agrios).

I had BlackFoot as a child but now that i also started to like driving ive started to look for more modern kits. I stil not want other kits than Tamiya ones though because i also enjoy the build and like the look so much better and x-treme performance i do not care for, probably getting to old. Must admit i droole over Evo but i stopp myself from buying it several times a week as i already have Top-Force ;).

I think you should start with your Nostalgica trip and take it from there.

Off the kits you bring up i have seen from this forum that Terra scorcher seems to be a fun ride and look good. If you buy this kit you should also grab the 29009 (just search for on that number its the A5 part) part from RCmart as the stock front part can crack over time 

Thank you for sharing your story mate  and it sounds like a good approach! I will definitely keep this mind. Cheers

[Jonathon Gillham 4606]

I think the most important thing here is expectations. If you've seen some videos of a monster truck jumping a bus then none of these cars will do. If you want to run them in the backyard like you used to run them, then any will be fine. Personally i would go for the Terra Scorcher or Novafox. The Vanquish is expensive and I doubt any better in the real world.

I have quite a few rere buggies and a couple of modern ones and avoid any upgrades other than the basics like bearings. If you get carried away you will end up spending more than a new modern race kit would cost and it still won't perform as well. The race kits will always outperform these cars and are far more durable. You could jump busses with them if thats your thing.

You could probably get the novafox and terra scorcher for the price of the vanquish...just saying...

[Timbo84 3]

17 minutes ago, BuggyDad said:

I'm another very new re-entrant. My aims were also around kids and bashing a car. I went DT-03 and am only about 2 months in. I had 80s Tamiya but wanting something from then wasn't a part of my criteria. Rather, I was after today's version of a similar experience. If you're OK with a 2wd buggy then a DT-02/3 (they've got largely same front and rear including most of suspension and drive train, but different chassis mid sections) gives, I think, great value. Much better layout/height/suspension layout and durability than my experience of buggies from back in the day and is cheaper than almost all re-releases. It's essentially a minimum cost entry level 2wd that can be quite easily upgraded to somewhat better performance. Not amazing performance but tremendous vs an 80s 2wd Tamiya, if you ask me. And of these the £72 Amazon one is absolutely killer value, so much so that I bought a kit just for spares. The build experience is almost exactly what I remember. The Neo Fighter doesn't look anywhere near as cool as a proper retro Fox though 😉. 

The kids for your thoughts mate I'll look into the the 02/3

[Timbo84 3]

2 minutes ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

I think the most important thing here is expectations. If you've seen some videos of a monster truck jumping a bus then none of these cars will do. If you want to run them in the backyard like you used to run them, then any will be fine. Personally i would go for the Terra Scorcher or Novafox. The Vanquish is expensive and I doubt any better in the real world.

I have quite a few rere buggies and a couple of modern ones and avoid any upgrades other than the basics like bearings. If you get carried away you will end up spending more than a new modern race kit would cost and it still won't perform as well. The race kits will always outperform these cars and are far more durable. You could jump busses with them if thats your thing.

You could probably get the novafox and terra scorcher for the price of the vanquish...just saying...

Awesome mate. Sounds like I'm staying away from the Vanquish.