What Tamiya should I get next?

[Marchie]

Hi Folks,

Have recently jumped back into the Tamiya RC scene (at the very bottom) with a Grashopper and Grasshopper 2. Having a whole lot of fun racing those with the boy, but I can't help looking forward already to the next steps. I'd love to get something a bit more controllable off-road (our nearest RC track is dirt and quite slippery, even for experienced drivers I'm told) so I'm looking at 4wd buggies. Really enjoying doing the vintage Tamiya thing, and don't want to jump straight into brushless competition-level cars (after all, the journey is half the fun!) but would like to find a solid next-level-up car.

Is an Avante or Top Force Evo, or VQS a wise choice for a car to bash around? Would anyone suggest another 4wd buggy that's more durable, or easier to find parts for (I don't mind repairing stuff - that's half the fun too, but scouring Ebay for specific out-of-production, pieces is not my idea of a good time).

Have a super week all!

-M

[Twinfan]

I think a Top Force Evo, while it's still around, would be a great way to go if you have the £300 to buy one. Although they are a bit "posh" looking to get all dirty and tatty?

Alternatively, a TD4 Super Avante plus two diff nut Hop-Ups would be something different to try and a little cheaper.

I'd avoid the Avante and VQS due to parts supply issues.

I'd also recommend the Fire Dragon. Cheap to buy, just add bearings, an A5 part brace and a faster brushed motor. Plenty of parts available, easy to work on, proper CVAs etc.

[Elbowloh]

How about a Boomerang?

[Marchie]

Thanks for the suggestions, I’ve just seen the Egress - that’s one crazy good-looking buggy.

 

Is it any more durable than the Avante? And/or would it have all the same parts problems as the other re-release kits?

[Twinfan]

Still a bit of an issue with parts I think as several are unique to the model?

The benefit of the Dragons/Shots and Top Force are that they're used elsewhere and in the case of the Top Force aftermarket alloy parts are available.

[Willy iine]

Yeah, I would suggest Egress since it's Tamiya's legendary car, but if parts is going to be an issue, TopForceEvo for sure.

I have a TT02B since forever and it's been a great basher for driving in front of my house.  The only thing to watch out for (at least for me) has been ground clearance as it's pretty low to the ground for a buggy and so more like a rally car.  But it's fine if you dont mind scratches on the undercarriage (I don't care).

I suppose another angle is if you like rally, the XV02-Pro is a great car, XV01 still is a nice car to drive even today (was a weird car to build for me with all sorts of plastic shims everywhere).

GL with your decisions @Marchie!  

[gkatz]

1 hour ago, Willy iine said:

Yeah, I would suggest Egress since it's Tamiya's legendary car, but if parts is going to be an issue, TopForceEvo for sure.

I have a TT02B since forever and it's been a great basher for driving in front of my house.  The only thing to watch out for (at least for me) has been ground clearance as it's pretty low to the ground for a buggy and so more like a rally car.  But it's fine if you dont mind scratches on the undercarriage (I don't care).

I suppose another angle is if you like rally, the XV02-Pro is a great car, XV01 still is a nice car to drive even today (was a weird car to build for me with all sorts of plastic shims everywhere).

GL with your decisions @Marchie!  

@Willy iine you are killing us with these pics

[Willy iine]

22 minutes ago, gkatz said:

@Willy iine you are killing us with these pics

Thanks.. yeah I hope to return some sort of inspiration as many of you have given me here at TC.  👍

[F-150]

Kyosho Optima, if it doesn't have to be a Tamiya.

For Tamiya, a TD4 Avante super. I have one, never driving it, but they say they drive really good. Parts are not a problem, they still make these.

 

[markbt73]

Honestly, none of those are a good choice for casual driving. I think you need an intermediate step, something 4WD, more complicated than the Grasshopper but not as complex or fragile as those others.

My suggestion: Boomerang/Super Sabre or Thundershot/Thunder Dragon/Fire Dragon/etc. Any of these will drive rings around your Grasshopper, and since they're all still sporadically in production, parts aren't hard to find. Any of them will need a set of bearings added (thanks a bunch, Tamiya, get with the times, will ya?), but at least that isn't nearly as expensive of an upgrade as it once was.

If you really have your heart set on one of the cars you mentioned, go for the Top Force. It's by far the most durable design, and because it shares parts with a lot of other Tamiya vehicles, replacements or upgrades are easy to find.

[Cephas]

I had this dilemma when I built my top force, it turned out so nice I shelf queened it.

managed to get hold of a Manta Ray, this has TA02 gearboxes same as the top force, and therefore as mentioned above has many aftermarket options available.

It has the benefit of being more of a basher than a shelf queen in my opinion due to it being a tub type chassis.

you can get top force evo bodies from eBay already done for a reasonable price, so this is what I opted for 😀

[Sogogi]

24 minutes ago, Cephas said:

I had this dilemma when I built my top force, it turned out so nice I shelf queened it.

managed to get hold of a Manta Ray, this has TA02 gearboxes same as the top force, and therefore as mentioned above has many aftermarket options available.

It has the benefit of being more of a basher than a shelf queen in my opinion due to it being a tub type chassis.

you can get top force evo bodies from eBay already done for a reasonable price, so this is what I opted for 😀

Whoa why i’ve never thought of that…. I do have manta ray.. but liked the look of top force.. i just need to get the body!

[Kowalski86]

For just bashing around outside the TT-02B is good enough, just get some dual block tires if it's going to see asphalt.

The "Dragon"/Thundershot buggies are cool and normally what Id reccomend, but they seem to be suffering from quality control issues as of late.

Some important parts for the Boomerang/Super Sabre are hard to get, like the chassis. Tamiyausa lists the chassis as "discontinued". So I can't reccomend them.

I don't know anything about the Avante/Top Force, but I'm not entirely sure if they'll be $200-$400 more fun than a cheaper model.

If you plan on hitting the track, skip any of the "rally" cars. They get knocked around by anything bigger than a pebble.

If I were in the market for a 4wd buggy (especially for casual track use), I'd consider a TT-02B. Then (instead of dumping money into hop ups), I'd get something nicer if you like 4wd buggies.

[Jonathon Gillham]

For around the backyard or in the street, you can't go past the TT02B as its cheap, durable (its made of rubber) and parts are cheap and easy to get.  Just don't expect much from it, and don't upgrade it at all except for bearings.

If you are going to the track, then avoid the TT02B as its the worst performer on track than all the others listed (probably even worse than the Grasshopper).  Its heavy and the battery placement means you have no control when its jumping.  Also it becomes a lot less durable when landing jumps (rear gears will die quickly and the front arms will split and come off). 

I've run the Boomerang and Top Force at the track and they actually go pretty well.  The Fire Dragon is very similar to the Boomerang so that will be fine too.  I've heard horror stories of the Avante from BiTD but haven't run one (have a Black Special which needs building) but also know someone who used to run an Egress in Vintage and it did ok (he could win with a Grasshopper, so that probably helped).  Funnily enough while the vintage scene has taken off here, you don't see Egress/Avante being run but you do see Top Force and Boomerang (variants) being run.  Of course with the Kyosho, Associated, Schumacher and Yokomo rere's available now they are more popular than Tamiya.

I don't have the TD4 and haven't seen one, but hear good things.  They'd no doubt be good too.

Now the obvious answer which totally ignores your original criteria - pick up a second hand B74.1 or B64 variant (B74.2 just out) or HB D418 (EVO is out) etc and run that.  Will be much cheaper in the long run and outperform the Tamiya's (and other brand rere) mentioned above.  The main advantage really is the durability though as they just don't break like a Tamiya would.  Keep the motor sensible and you probably won't need any spares.

[Saito2]

I agree with Mark's suggestion of a Boomerang/Super Sabre or Thundershot/Dragon. 

Edit: Sorry!  @Elbowloh said Boomerang first!

[Elbowloh]

It's like I'm invisible..😉

[Marchie]

7 minutes ago, Elbowloh said:

It's like I'm invisible..😉

Credit where it's due - you said it early!

Can't deny there's practicality to a $300 car over an $800 one...

[Jonathon Gillham]

@Marchie where are you based?  Those prices sound like NZD...and those tracks could be Counties or West Auckland...

[Big Jon]

The TD4 has the perfect balance of vintage Tamiya eccentricity and modern materials, design, and performance. Shame about the body.

It (and the TD2 and BBX) is the chassis Tamiya fans have been begging for - a modern classic with all of the things we love about Tamiya, and lacking most of the annoyances . Modern reinforced plastics, hex hardware, full bearings, excellent DB01 based suspension, excellent durability and performance. It’s very, very Tamiya. 

[Marchie]

@Jonathon Gillham I'm in Australia, so you're not far off!

 

@Big Jon You're making a compelling case - I'm going to start looking up reviews of the TD4. It's a shame it looks so ordinary (especially those hubs over the front wheels, what's with that?)

[Big Jon]

2 minutes ago, Marchie said:

@Jonathon Gillham I'm in Australia, so you're not far off!

 

@Big Jon You're making a compelling case - I'm going to start looking up reviews of the TD4. It's a shame it looks so ordinary (especially those hubs over the front wheels, what's with that?)

Ordinary?!? The thing is about as unique as it gets, and dog ugly! I scored a Revive RC body for mine and left the fenders off, much better. I kept waiting for the body to grow on me, instead it kept looking worse. Tamiya sure did miss on that one. Brilliant chassis, though.

[Marchie]

Yeah, I was being too polite,  would definitely have to get an after-market body for it (and leave the fenders off!).

Would love to see a pic if you have one!

[Kowalski86]

4 hours ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

The obvious answer which totally ignores your original criteria - pick up a second hand B74.1 or B64 variant (B74.2 just out) or HB D418 (EVO is out) etc and run that.  Will be much cheaper in the long run and outperform the Tamiya's (and other brand rere) mentioned above. 

This is what I'd do too, but I've never had good luck finding parts for used Team Associated RCs.

[Jonathon Gillham]

3 hours ago, Kowalski86 said:

This is what I'd do too, but I've never had good luck finding parts for used Team Associated RCs.

Funnily enough I've just rebuilt a RC10B6D (2014ish i think?) today (yep, flood was a year ago, race meet this Sunday so figured I should rebuild it!) and needed a few bits and found all locally, although admittedly 2 different shops. And there are places like Bezerk RC that make things like shock towers too, so if keeping it all Ae isn't an issue I expect these should keep going for a while yet.

You raise a good point though, it would make sense to get the B74 rather than a B64 if going Ae as they are a lot newer so should have parts support for longer.

Just picked up a Yokomo YZ2 DTM3.0 with 1 meeting old electronics (HW XR10 Pro, G4 17.5T and Savox 1267) for NZD580, definitely the best way to buy!

[Kowalski86]

4 hours ago, Jonathon Gillham said:

You raise a good point though, it would make sense to get the B74 rather than a B64 if going Ae as they are a lot newer so should have parts support for longer.

Thanks, you can get RPM and aftermarket parts for past AE models, but it's more specific parts like gears and drivetrain that concern me.

I do think that diving into 4wd buggies with a cheaper, minimum hop-up TT-02B would be best, in case if the OP ends up not liking 4wd buggies. Plus, an expensive "race-grade" buggy would be overkill as a basher.

As for AE parts locally, I really feel like some of you guys over seas have it good. Here in the States, if it's not "T-word" or "Horrible Hobbies", you can't get parts locally.