Your Unpopular RC opinions

[alvinlwh]

2 hours ago, Kowalski86 said:

I've never got it myself, its like slot cars but with less driver input. Its a huge money maker for Tamiya though.

It is a bit more than slot car, it has motor, tyres, wheels, brakes and even suspension tuning options. And being a Tamiya, bearings for bushings.

[Kpowell911]

1 hour ago, Kowalski86 said:

You know, the more that I drive on-road cars on on a flat street, the less value I find in having a pretty body shell.

This resonates with me. RCs get “destroyed” so easily. I used my TL-01 for 10 minutes the other day and it obviously got some battle scars. It made me realise how “pointless” it would be for me to buy some of the models I was after as its either keep them in a box unbuilt or unused or just buy a used example

[A-Baum]

Putting period electronics in cars is ridiculous.  Period electronics absolutely sucked. Manual ESCs were terrible, servos were wonky, and crystals?  Give me a break.  Do the same people also keep black and white TVs in their home?  I feel like it'd be the same thing.

[Kpowell911]

1 minute ago, A-Baum said:

Putting period electronics in cars is ridiculous.  Period electronics absolutely sucked. Manual ESCs were terrible, servos were wonky, and crystals?  Give me a break.  Do the same people also keep black and white TVs in their home?  I feel like it'd be the same thing.

On a shelfer I get it. In use youre absolutely right. 

[A-Baum]

1 minute ago, Kpowell911 said:

On a shelfer I get it. In use youre absolutely right. 

Even then I'm not sure.  The body is on it for display. You won't even see the electronics. What's the point?  

[Kpowell911]

12 minutes ago, A-Baum said:

Even then I'm not sure.  The body is on it for display. You won't even see the electronics. What's the point?  

On the flip side to that, if youre not gonna see them why “waste” modern electronics in a shelfer?

[Pylon80]

19 minutes ago, A-Baum said:

Putting period electronics in cars is ridiculous.  Period electronics absolutely sucked. Manual ESCs were terrible, servos were wonky, and crystals?  Give me a break.  Do the same people also keep black and white TVs in their home?  I feel like it'd be the same thing.

Nothing wrong with period electronics if you also wear a mustache and 80's underwear.

[Kowalski86]

18 minutes ago, A-Baum said:

Even then I'm not sure.  The body is on it for display. You won't even see the electronics. What's the point?  

Some cars like the Grasshopper show the MSC pretty clearly, I personally don't run period electronics though. All of my MSCs get sold off.

23 minutes ago, Kpowell911 said:

This resonates with me. RCs get “destroyed” so easily. I used my TL-01 for 10 minutes the other day and it obviously got some battle scars. It made me realise how “pointless” it would be for me to buy some of the models I was after as its either keep them in a box unbuilt or unused or just buy a used example

It's why I aim for "good enough" when I paint my bodies, that means a decent 10 foot paint job, stickers/decals don't have to be perfect.

The one TT-02 that I've eyed for a time is the Quattro, that one has a decent body but it's about $30-$40 more than a cheaper TT-02.

[El Gecko]

58 minutes ago, alvinlwh said:

It is a bit more than slot car, it has motor, tyres, wheels, brakes and even suspension tuning options. And being a Tamiya, bearings for bushings.

Just FYI, slot cars all the way down to HO scale (1:64) have all of that, even suspension tuning to varying degrees. I have ball bearings in one car, and I added adjustable brakes to one of my controllers.

I think the distinction @Kowalski86 was making is that there's still an interactive component of slot cars, where you are the one holding the controller, and you decide how fast or slow it goes. Whereas with a mini 4WD it's a bit like pinewood derby or tether cars or something, it just seems a bit outdated or old-fashioned or simple without that element of control. You build something, and it's techinically pretty cool, and works well for what it is, but the fact remains that you have no control over that thing, and it's just going to follow the track or the control line or whatever until it runs out of propulsion energy. Which is cool if you like that kind of thing, but it's not what most people are after in their hobbies. Slot cars and R/C have been extremely popular all over the world for a long time because of their interactivity, but mini 4WD has never really been more than a niche.

And honestly, as a kid, I had no idea what to do with the mini 4WD I got. I had no track and didn't know anyone with one. Everyone had slot cars or R/Cs already, so mini 4WD felt like a step backwards. Sat on the shelf and it's probably ran more in my basement in the past month than ever before.

[alvinlwh]

@El Gecko the difference between Mini 4WD is all that needs to be set up for the track correctly before the start. Too much power, car goes flying off the track, too slow, well, too slow. Different approach to slot cars where speed can be adjusted dynamically. Mini 4WD is kind of a planning ahead approach when a car is released, it is all down to the preplanned setup. A side note is while slot (and RC) brakes are determined by the motor, Mini 4WD is by friction materials. Even down force is determined by roller angles and materials. There is a science element to it and you maybe aware, Tamiya has an educational line, so it kind of ties into this.

Outdated, perhaps. But back in its heyday, it is a gateway for Tamiya to get kids into bigger things. The cars are pocket money kits, and when the kids saved/worked/begged enough down the line, they can afford a Tamiya RC, which back then, was often developed off a Mini 4WD design.

It wasn't a thing in the west, probably because of the greater purchasing power and most just jump straight into RC. Excluding the track, Mini 4WD is still cheaper than slot cars to start with. BITD, in Asia, there will be at least a track outside every model shop or shopping centres so a kid can buy a car on Friday after school, build it in the evening, and race it over the weekend. In fact, getting a track in Asia is still relatively easy now.

[El Gecko]

8 minutes ago, alvinlwh said:

@El Gecko the difference between Mini 4WD is all that needs to be set up for the track correctly before the start. Too much power, car goes flying off the track, too slow, well, too slow. Different approach to slot cars where speed can be adjusted dynamically. Mini 4WD is kind of a planning ahead approach when a car is released, it is all down to the preplanned setup. A side note is while slot (and RC) brakes are determined by the motor, Mini 4WD is by friction materials. Even down force is determined by roller angles and materials. There is a science element to it and you maybe aware, Tamiya has an educational line, so it kind of ties into this.

Outdated, perhaps. But back in its heyday, it is a gateway for Tamiya to get kids into bigger things. The cars are pocket money kits, and when the kids saved/worked/begged enough down the line, they can afford a Tamiya RC, which back then, was often developed off a Mini 4WD design.

It wasn't a thing in the west, probably because of the greater purchasing power and most just jump straight into RC. Excluding the track, Mini 4WD is still cheaper than slot cars to start with. BITD, in Asia, there will be at least a track outside every model shop or shopping centres so a kid can buy a car on Friday after school, build it in the evening, and race it over the weekend. In fact, getting a track in Asia is still relatively easy now.

All of that factors into slot cars as well, and in the case of magnet cars, the varying strengths and orientations and layouts of magnets in different chassis can make or break the handling on certain tracks. So you are still planning tires and gearing and motors and magnets based on the track you're running on. I can't run the same setup on the same cars on my crap plastic sectional track at home that I can on the smooth routed tracks of an actual racetrack.

The big difference, as I mentioned, is the interactivity. Once you build and release the mini 4WD onto the track, you have no control over your creation. Whereas with slot cars, R/C, video games, etc. you have various ways to control your creation in motion. And that immediate, instant interactivity is the key to their popularity.

[Golden]

I’m not sure if this is a truly safe space or not….

but….

I HATE The Falcon. I seriously don’t get it. It is FUGLY!

There. I’ve finally said it. 

OMG I feel so much better now. 

[Kowalski86]

55 minutes ago, El Gecko said:

I think the distinction @Kowalski86 was making is that there's still an interactive component of slot cars, where you are the one holding the controller, and you decide how fast or slow it goes. Whereas with a mini 4WD it's a bit like pinewood derby or tether cars or something, it just seems a bit outdated or old-fashioned or simple without that element of control.

That's more or less what I meant, with RC4WD you have no control over it. I'm sure it's fun to tune them individual tracks, I've even seen tracks that go through water which looked neat.

[Kowalski86]

Just now, Golden said:

I’m not sure if this is a truly safe space or not….

but….

I HATE The Falcon. I seriously don’t get it. It is FUGLY!

There. I’ve finally said it. 

OMG I feel so much better now. 

Just wait until your dogbone drops out for the umpteenth time!

[Golden]

How do I delete my last post. Panic/remorse/regret. 
 

People will find out where I live and hunt me down! 

[Pylon80]

2 minutes ago, Golden said:

I’m not sure if this is a truly safe space or not….

but….

I HATE The Falcon. I seriously don’t get it. It is FUGLY!

There. I’ve finally said it. 

OMG I feel so much better now. 

Still looks better than the Frog. I would be embarrassed to own a Frog.

[El Gecko]

2 minutes ago, Pylon80 said:

Still looks better than the Frog. I would be embarrassed to own a Frog.

Ouch

As a Frog owner (albeit an owner of one which has never had a body) I would have to say the opposite

[Pylon80]

54 minutes ago, El Gecko said:

Ouch

As a Frog owner (albeit an owner of one which has never had a body) I would have to say the opposite

I think this thread is all about expressing opinions freely while retaining the TC spirit of being respectful

Seriously now these little RC cars definitely fit the "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" situation. For example I just like looking at my M05 ver.II chassis. There is some Tamiya-ness to that chassis that I love and would have a hard time explaining to anyone outside of the hobby! 

[OnTheTrail]

1 hour ago, Golden said:

How do I delete my last post. Panic/remorse/regret. 
 

People will find out where I live and hunt me down! 

Most likely too late.   

The Tamiya police are situating snippers on your neighbor's roof as we speak....

[Kowalski86]

1 hour ago, Pylon80 said:

Still looks better than the Frog. I would be embarrassed to own a Frog.

I'd be embarrassed paying $40 for a new Frog shell.

[El Gecko]

22 minutes ago, Kowalski86 said:

I'd be embarrassed paying $40 for a new Frog shell.

Erm, I might end up in that situation unless I decide to rescue a crusty Ebay stray

[El Gecko]

56 minutes ago, Pylon80 said:

I think this thread is all about expressing opinions freely while retaining the TC spirit of being respectful

Seriously now these little RC cars definitely fit the "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" situation. For example I just like looking at my M05 ver.II chassis. There is some Tamiya-ness to that chassis that I love and would have a hard time explaining to anyone outside of the hobby! 

Absolutely! In my case, beauty is in the eye of the fabricator, inasmuch as: if I made it, and it works, it's beautiful to me

[Kowalski86]

1 hour ago, El Gecko said:

Erm, I might end up in that situation unless I decide to rescue a crusty Ebay stray

Thats what I always do with my vintage restorations, buy two mostly examples, cobble together something resembling a working example, sell off the surplus.

Usually you'll fair better this way rather than nickel and diming yourself with each individual part.

[simalarion]

3 hours ago, alvinlwh said:

@El Gecko the difference between Mini 4WD is all that needs to be set up for the track correctly before the start. Too much power, car goes flying off the track, too slow, well, too slow. Different approach to slot cars where speed can be adjusted dynamically. Mini 4WD is kind of a planning ahead approach when a car is released, it is all down to the preplanned setup. A side note is while slot (and RC) brakes are determined by the motor, Mini 4WD is by friction materials. Even down force is determined by roller angles and materials. There is a science element to it and you maybe aware, Tamiya has an educational line, so it kind of ties into this.

Outdated, perhaps. But back in its heyday, it is a gateway for Tamiya to get kids into bigger things. The cars are pocket money kits, and when the kids saved/worked/begged enough down the line, they can afford a Tamiya RC, which back then, was often developed off a Mini 4WD design.

It wasn't a thing in the west, probably because of the greater purchasing power and most just jump straight into RC. Excluding the track, Mini 4WD is still cheaper than slot cars to start with. BITD, in Asia, there will be at least a track outside every model shop or shopping centres so a kid can buy a car on Friday after school, build it in the evening, and race it over the weekend. In fact, getting a track in Asia is still relatively easy now.

Did never expect that cind off speed on those, looks much cooler than i first thought:

Flying indeed

I see them cheap on PJ but then again living in a city you do not have room for a course and probably also hard to get hold off in Norway. As i wrote, it looks much cooler thsn i first thought, never saw this for sale in Norway as a kid

[alvinlwh]

1 hour ago, simalarion said:

Did never expect that cind off speed on those, looks much cooler than i first thought:

These things can go really fast, like I said, they are a gateway to RC by Tamiya in Asia. There are even tv series based on these cars. Get the kids onto them first their pocket money and when they are older, they move on to Tamiya RC. I know because I was one of those kids. Does any slot car brand also make RC cars?

1 hour ago, simalarion said:

I see them cheap on PJ but then again living in a city you do not have room for a course and probably also hard to get hold off in Norway. As i wrote, it looks much cooler thsn i first thought, never saw this for sale in Norway as a kid

I bought a ton of them from PJ last year but got them delivered to Singapore for cheaper postage and flew out there to pick them up. Also picked up two tracks while I was out there. The tracks are available for delivery from RCJ but the postage is about the same as what the tracks cost, bringing it to a total of around £130.

Space you need for a basic 2 lanes track is 2.16m X 1.2m, or the size of a single bed.