WANTED: Maverick DesertWolf Centre Diff

[wintersdawn]

This is the rest, except for one more original Timberwolf body shell and my blue/black body shell in one of the boxes.

[wintersdawn]

20 hours ago, TrueBlue said:

You only have one Tamiya?? Dude.. get more. They're awesome!

Also... what the eff? So many spares! It's like Christmas has come early! You can still get TimberWolf wheels complete with tyres? Or did you already have those? Can't find the DesertWolf ones anywhere, lucky you still have the originals. The only original part I'd request are the original wheel hexes.

Man, I have to wait for Modelsport to receive my new body before they can send it out.. better come with the wing, or I'll be a little be mad, since that's the reason I bought one. 

But. can't hurt to have a butt-load of spare parts, especially for the vehicles you tend to use the most, they're more likely to get broken.

I've had lots of Tamiya's over the years, some I've built from kits and second hand built ones.  Also had a Maverick Strada SC and Maverick Phantom XT but of all the ones I've had, both Tamiya and non-Tamiya, nothing has compared to the look, durability, power and handling of the Timberwolf (my absolute favourite) and Desertwolf (which apart from the body shell has only one or two differences to the chassis).

I back-ordered the Timberwolf wheel's and tyres recently from Modelsport, the wheels and tyres were packaged separately and I just put them together and will glue them when/if I need them.  I have never seen the original Desertwolf wheels or tyres to order or backorder, not sure why certain parts, like the spur gear, disappeared earlier whilst other parts are still available, except I guess, demand or not many made.  

 

[TrueBlue]

Wait... a Desertwolf and TWO Timberwolf's? ...can I have one? Kidding, lol.

I've had nothing but Tamiya models since 2009, when i bought my first TT-01 from Japan.. no idea why I didn't buy it in the UK, but still... until 2020 when I bought my first Traxxas, a Rustler 4x4 VXL. Then last year I got hold of the Maverick Desertwolf. Then this year I bought an HPI Bullet ST 3.0 Nitro. So branching out a little. Oh, I also managed to get hold of a Maverick ION MT. Neat little truck that.

Unfortunately, I can't say much about the handling and power of my particular Desertwolf as I've only taken it out for a brief run, before the wheel tried to escape. I need a good open space to test out it's power.

Ah, so you already had them from a little while ago. Still, it's good that you can still get them. I'd like to buy some original DW wheels if I ever find them. I'm quite happy with the JetKo ones I bought for it though.

[wintersdawn]

I had a RC when I was a boy and then got back into it for a while around 2011, then nothing till COVID/lockdown when from August 2020 got back into it.  This is a list of every RC I've ever owned:

RC Models Built

Lunchbox (Modelsport)

Sand Viper (£107, Timetunnel)

Monster Beetle (£158, Timetunnel)

Rising Fighter (£58, Timetunnel)

Holiday Buggy (£81, Timetunnel)

 

RC Models Bought 2^nd Hand

Hummer x2

Monster Beetle x2 (mad max design/green white bodyshell)

Baja Champ

Sand Rover – Original

Sand Rover Re-Re x2 (red and orange)

Ansmann Rat

Mark's & Spencer's Mini x2

New Bright Hummer

Thundershot

Arrma Kraton

Maverick Phantom XT

Maverick Timberwolf x2

Maverick Desertwolf

Sand Scorcher

Nissan Titan

 

RTR RC Models Bought New

Maverick Strada SC (£114)

Shinsei/Elecon RX-83 Black Buggy (when I was about 10 years old)

[TrueBlue]

Hm, I see you've had a few.. possibly more than me. A good selection... except the Desertwolf, it seems neither of us have ever had the same models, lol. Although the Lunchbox is almost identical to the Midnight Pumpkin with the exception of the shell. 

MODELS BUILT NEW
Tamiya Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 - TT-01
Tamiya Aqroshot
Tamiya Mad Bull (Sold)
Tamiya Konghead 6x6
Tamiya Hot Shot
Tamiya Midnight Pumpkin
Tamiya Super Avante
Tamiya Ford Mustang GT4 - TT-02
Tamiya Ford Focus RS Custom - TT-02
Tamiya Ford Escort Custom - TT--02
Tamiya Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI - TT-02

MODELS RTR BOUGHT NEW
Traxxas Rustler 4x4 VXL
HPI Bullet ST 3.0 Nitro Truck

MODELS BOUGHT USED
Maverick DesertWolf
Maverick ION MT
Tamiya Grasshopper (Sold)
Tamiya Hornet (Sold)

[wintersdawn]

Nice selection, do you have a favourite RC?

[TrueBlue]

A favourite.. tricky question. I've quite a few different types of car so it' hard to pick one.

My favourite overall, out of all of them might be the Traxxas Rustler, because of how fast and tough it is.

My Favourite Tamiya is my main TT-02 with all the upgrades and hop-ups and brushless. But the Konghead 6x6 is my favourite when it comes to uniqueness.

The HPI Bullet is my favourite Nitro... because it's my only one, lol.

The Desertwolf might become a favourite of mine once I've been able to give it a proper run.

[wintersdawn]

Cool on favourites 👍

My fastest RC was my Arrma Kraton V3 6S, it was said to go up to 50mph and 60mph by changing the spur gear. 

That said, it was big and harder to lug around, another area where the Timberwolf wins, although it's not as fast but plenty fast enough for me on 3S and even 2S tbh.

The Desertwolf and Timberwolf are said to be 35% lighter than a standard 1/8 scale so maybe helping with speed.

[wintersdawn]

The Desertwolf is still available to buy, but from New Zealand and a bit pricey, not to mention the shipping, which I'm imagining would be a lot.

https://www.thehobbywarehouse.co.nz/products/18-desertwolf-bl-4wd-buggy

https://www.rchobbies.co.nz/maverick-1-8-desertwolf-brushless-4wd-buggy/

https://www.rcnz.com/categories/car-kits-and-rtr/rc-cars-rtr/18-electric-rtr/maverick-18-desert-wolf-bl-buggy-brushless-rtr/

[TrueBlue]

You can actually still buy the Desertwolf in New Zealand? Interesting...price isn't too bad at £380, considering it was like £300 when it first came out. But yeah, shipping will probably be quite high. I wonder why only New Zealand still has new stock ready for purchase, but they don't exist anywhere else...?

[wintersdawn]

You're right, the price is quite comparable to when they were first released, although now where they are still listed on stores, although out of stock, I've seen prices as low as around £250, I assume reduced to clear when they were discontinued.

The first two links have one in stock each, so maybe the last couple left. Not sure why available in New Zealand. Would love to be able to afford to order one! 

The third link, I added 25 to my cart and it let me, with no stock warning, but I'm a bit skeptical that they have that many.

One of my Timberwolves came with the original receipt and the person who bought it new paid £180 and I've always thought that was because it was reduced as not selling well. I imagine the Timberwolf was around £300 originally too.

[wintersdawn]

I've sent a message to the store in the first link to ask about the shipping cost to the UK 🙈 my benefits don't come through yet and wouldn't cover this anyway,  lol.

[wintersdawn]

Found this confirmation of the Desertwolf/Timberwolf release date:

https://www.competitionx.com/news-feed/maverick-desertwolf-4wd-offroad-buggy/

[TrueBlue]

Hm... you're not actually gonna BUY one are you?? Depending on the cost of shipping? You said your benefits wouldn't cover it.. so I guess that means no... probably a good idea, lol. My benefits wouldn't cover it either... at least not without saving for about 6 months!

So the Desertwolf and Timberwolf must have come out mid-2015 or there abouts? Not old.. under 10 years. Surprised it might not have sold well... it had a decent price point, good hardware. Nice to own a piece of (failed?) history, lol.

[wintersdawn]

I probably won't buy one, might make things a bit tricky financially if I did lol!  Would have to put quite a few things on Ebay!

I thought I would still make an enquiry regarding the shipping cost out of curiosity and also to see if it is actually in stock.  When I contacted the Hobby Warehouse it created a ticket with my question but I haven't heard back yet, still says 'being processed'.  The model shop is in Auckland, which is 11 hours in front of us.  Even if I could afford it, I wouldn't make a purchase from them or any store, if I don't get a reply. 

I also found another store in New Zealand that has one new Desertwolf in stock (weird lol!):

https://www.hobbycity.nz/products/maverick-mv12901-1-18-desert-wolf-bl-4wd-buggy

I checked the exchange rate and $770 New Zealand dollars is about £370. 

 

[TrueBlue]

Lol, same... although I've already put a few things on eBay that are gaining views, but no-one is buying!

So you haven't heard back? I'm sure whatever the answer is, it's gonna give you a heart attack, lol. Shipping cost half the price of the car! Yeah, would be nice to have one brand new, but at that price... from New Zealand... with a shipping cost that requires a small lottery win... probably never going to happen. But we already have one that's LIKE brand new.. kind of.

Actually, I'm still waiting for a reply from Modelsport about their Desertwolf body shell... when did I send that message?! They haven't got back to me at all yet! Also still waiting for them to receive and process my new shell I bought on Thursday... I forgot all about that till a few moments ago, hehe.

[TrueBlue]

Hm, well I just went to the Hobby Warehouse site, added the Desertwolf to my cart and went through the process of calculating shipping. Apparently, they don't (or can't) ship to the UK! Just says your order cannot be shipped to the selected address.

Also tried RC Hobbies, they do ship to the UK, with shipping costing $50. So the Desertwolf is AU$750, about £395 and shipping is AU$50, about £27. A total of £422 or so.

Not sure about RCNZ, as you need an account to continue.

As for Hobby City, the Desertwolf is AU$770, about £405. As for shipping... well... they don't even ship outside New Zealand!

So RC Hobbies is the only site that apparently has them in stock, brand new, and ship to the UK.

[wintersdawn]

Same here re eBay selling, views and even some watchers but no one's buying.

Yeah, at least we've got one.  That said, would also love to have the box but bit pricey for that! 

Still waiting for the reply from Modelsport ha! Not sure what happened there and I said they always reply 🙈.

Hope they receive your body shell soon so they can send it on to you. I selected the tracked option at checkout for £4.50 (the same price as their standard shipping cost). It came by a courier called DX (had never heard of them) and would have been next day but I wouldn't have been in so delayed the delivery until the day after. All good experience with their delivery.

[wintersdawn]

24 minutes ago, TrueBlue said:

Hm, well I just went to the Hobby Warehouse site, added the Desertwolf to my cart and went through the process of calculating shipping. Apparently, they don't (or can't) ship to the UK! Just says your order cannot be shipped to the selected address.

Not sure about the other sites, only tried the first link, Hobby Warehouse. But yeah, they won't ship to the UK, despite it being a destination option during checkout. A bit stupid, it gives people false hope, lol.

OK, tried RC Hobbies, they do ship to the UK, with shipping costing $50. So the Desertwolf is AU$750, about £395 and shipping is AU$50, about £27. A total of £422 or so.

Not sure about RCNZ, you need an account to continue.

As for Hobby City, the Desertwolf is AU$770, about £405. As for shipping... well... they don't even ship outside New Zealand!

So RC Hobbies is the only site that apparently has them in stock, brand new, and ship to the UK.

Great work on finding out the UK shipping from the various NZ stores, thanks. 

Maybe that's why I haven't heard back from Hobby Warehouse as they don't ship to the UK.

[wintersdawn]

Just created an account at RCNZ and the UK shipping is $45. 

They are the store that when I put 25 DW's in my cart, it accepted it, so not really sure they've got them, all the others just have one.

[wintersdawn]

This is so weird, just found another NZ store that is selling the Desertwolf new:

https://smartfox.co.nz/products/radio-control-car-maverick-18-ep-desert-wolf-bl-buggy

Got it up to 25 of them in my cart and no stock warning.

[wintersdawn]

Going back to the Desertwolf/Timberwolf release date, the post below seems to indicate when things started to be discontinued:

[TrueBlue]

So.. it's possible the DW and TW were discontinued, or at least started to be, around 2018? Only 3 years after their initial release? That's pretty bad. And a bit sad as well... if the reason they were starting to be discontinued after 3 years was due to poor sales. A very short life span indeed.

[TrueBlue]

Also, I've just checked my emails... Modelsport DID respond to me.. on the SAME day I sent the message, May 10th, lol... how did I miss that?? 

[wintersdawn]

Yes, seems they were only in production for around three years. Can only think they were discontinued because of poor sales as what company would discontinue a successful, profitable product. 

I also wonder how long they made the upgrade parts and spare parts, with maybe some or quite a few of the ones I've bought, perhaps previously sitting around in some warehouse for years. If not many bought the DW or TW they wouldn't need spares or upgrades.

It is a bit sad and so different to certain tamiya RC models that have probably been in production for years.