Best Tamiya Parts Source in USA?

[RustyHunter 80]

Hi all, curious what store the American vendors use to get Tamiya spare parts? I've been looking for some re-release parts to refresh my dad's original Super Champ, mainly new wheels and tires, but I haven't had much luck finding things from the typical suppliers I've used (LHS, Amain Hobbies, Tower Hobbies). I found tires on Amain but no other spares. Maybe I'm just searching the wrong thing?

Any recommendations on stores I should give a try?

[markbt73 5850]

Ebay, unfortunately. The Hong Kong sellers and kit breakers are the easiest places to get parts these days. I hate it, but it's reality.

[Kowalski86 4274]

https://www.tamiyausa.com/parts/7380

Here are the wheels/tires on TamiyaUSA, same set as a Hornet or a Frog. They also offer modern one-piece wheels that work on older Tamiyas but accept more modern CC or Touring car tires.

Replacement parts are a toss up, you may have to go aftermarket or pay inflated kit breaker prices.

[ImALlama 1507]

Ebay is where I get almost all mine, sometimes I find small mom and pop type Canadian hobby shops with parts for older models, shipping is a bit higher but usually not bad. Occasionally you can find stuff on TamiyaUsa.com, I’ve recently gotten model specific parts for a car they discontinued 10+ years ago, and have had similar success quite a few times, and the prices were even 1/3 to 1/10 of what the eBay prices were. Though a lot of times when looking at the list of parts for a car it’ll show a part in stock, but if you go to the items page or add it to cart it will show out of stock.

[RichieRich 798]

If I need Tamiya parts, my process isn't much different that what others have mentioned. First I check the big online stores Tower, A-main, whatever. Then check some of the other online shops like Stormer and Sheldon's. I may check Amazon too because hey, why not? Next I check Tamiyausa. If you have to use that route, make it worth your while because they generally don't offer free shipping unless you hit a set limit. The last option is ebay. Sometimes, it's the only option. I should also say that for me, even though I mentioned Tower, I've essentially stopped ordering from them. I just can't anymore with the number of times they've botched my orders over the last few years.

[RustyHunter 80]

Thanks so much for the advice everyone! This is exactly like I was looking for. Time to get shopping!

[MadAnt 299]

Go to Tamiya usa and find the part you are looking for. Get the part number and then go to the other hobby big sites. Put the part number in the search with "TAM" in front of it. 

[tamiya3speed 513]

Just a couple of things I will add here.  

1. It is always worth checking Tamiya USA, their prices can be competitive on spares (not so much on hop-up options) and I think they do free shipping at $50.  Note that they are very slow to ship (3-4 days).  

2.  For eBay: Liquid RC is good for new (and go their to website to save a bit more).  RC Nitro Hobbies is a kit breaker so sometimes you can get a few combined trees for a good price. Their prices have gone up the last few years so I don’t feel the value is as good as it once was, but worth a look.

3. I have ordered form most overseas suppliers, never had a bad experience (knock on wood).  This includes Tamico, RCMart, AsiaTees, Plaza Japan, RC Jaz.  Will be a bit of a wait sometimes but really never more than two weeks or so. Plus, obsessing over each step of the tracking process is fun for me 😀

[RustyHunter 80]

7 hours ago, MadAnt said:

Go to Tamiya usa and find the part you are looking for. Get the part number and then go to the other hobby big sites. Put the part number in the search with "TAM" in front of it. 

Thanks for the detailed explanation. Somehow I had gotten an extra '1' in front of all my part numbers and also didn't know about "TAM", so no wonder nothing was showing up. Thanks for the help everyone, I was able to track down the parts I wanted and have everything on order, at least until I decide I need more.

[ADRay1000 524]

On 11/2/2024 at 9:49 PM, RichieRich said:

Then check some of the other online shops like Stormer and Sheldon's.

wow, I haven’t heard those two names since seeing their ads in RCCA a LONG time ago. 

[GTodd 1569]

It kind of depends.  Tamiya USA has been helpful for alot of my cars, heck I can still get parts for the 801Xt.  For cars that are long out of production unfortunaltley th ekit breakers on scam bay are the only source.  The LHS here in the states pretty much just stock Traxxas, and current race buggy parts.  

[Rinskie 1024]

On 11/2/2024 at 9:49 PM, RichieRich said:

 Stormer and Sheldon's. 

My first RC car was ordered from Stromer's. Blast from the past! 

[Pylon80 3684]

I tend to go with the same shopping sequence as others, however only this year I discovered that Amazon has a lot of stuff and their prices are varying to such extremes that if you add to your list and patiently wait for the right time you should get things almost half price, and free shipping.

Just as an example from today:

I purchased these dampers a few times in LHS (in Japan) and on eBay but I never paid less than 23$.

Similarly Tamiya bodysets routinely go for 35$ free shipping and are always much more expensive than that everywhere else (as a minimum there will be shipping to pay unless you place a very large order at other retail sources).

Then there's the Tamiya kits which will grotesquely drop by a hundred dollars overnight and go back to normal 3 days later 😲 which is how I jumped the gun on an XV-02 this year.

 

[skom25 2179]

11 minutes ago, Pylon80 said:

I tend to go with the same shopping sequence as others, however only this year I discovered that Amazon has a lot of stuff and their prices are varying to such extremes that if you add to your list and patiently wait for the right time you should get things almost half price, and free shipping.

Just as an example from today:

I purchased these dampers a few times in LHS (in Japan) and on eBay but I never paid less than 23$.

Similarly Tamiya bodysets routinely go for 35$ free shipping and are always much more expensive than that everywhere else (as a minimum there will be shipping to pay unless you place a very large order at other retail sources).

Then there's the Tamiya kits which will grotesquely drop by a hundred dollars overnight and go back to normal 3 days later 😲 which is how I jumped the gun on an XV-02 this year.

 

Same here in Poland. Prices are high or even really, really high but I bought/ found some exceptions over +/- last 1.5 year.

1. Plasma Edge II Gun Metal. Around 30 Euros cheaper than in other places.

2. TT-02S Steering Set. 10 Euros cheaper.

3. DT-02 Aluminium Servo Mounts. Around 30% cheaper than in other shops.

4. XV-01 Aluminium Suspension Separated Blocks. Around 40% cheaper than in other shops.

Despite prices are high, I bought few items just because they were available, despite high price.

Amazon search engine is awful. Well, not only search engine, but whole site. When I used it for the first time, I was impressed ( I am still in fact) how biggest online shop in the world, can have such bad UI. It is like journey to more or less 2010, maybe earlier.

 

[Tamiya Fan 1 346]

All good answers. .RichieRich  I agree that I don't shop Tower hobbies any more. They used to be awsome till they got bought out by Horrizan Hobbies, really not good any more. Amain is better than Tower H. tamiya3speed  All places I have used before IE: RCMART, Etc. come through no worries. Sometimes just google with part # of what you are looking for and see what pops up. And of course Ebay IE: Liquid Rc and others. 

[ADRay1000 524]

I’ve found that eBay is pretty good - not sure if there’s some sort of larger selling network, but I have bought several items from a vendor called Liquid RC. it turns out they ship from about 30 miles from my house. Can’t speak to if they ship out of the US. They have their own website, but I’ve never ordered directly from them. They seem to have good prices on harder to find pieces. 
 

https://www.liquidrc.com/index.cgi?nocache=1

[Pylon80 3684]

7 hours ago, ADRay1000 said:

I’ve found that eBay is pretty good - not sure if there’s some sort of larger selling network, but I have bought several items from a vendor called Liquid RC. it turns out they ship from about 30 miles from my house. Can’t speak to if they ship out of the US. They have their own website, but I’ve never ordered directly from them. They seem to have good prices on harder to find pieces. 
 

https://www.liquidrc.com/index.cgi?nocache=1

I always thought they were the same as Horizon. Horizon also sell in eBay under the name "Horizon Hobbies" but the listings and prices and pictures are often exactly the same as Liquid RC.

[ADRay1000 524]

yeah, I don’t totally understand it. even weirder are the multiple listings by different international sellers that are apparently selling the same used M03 Rover Mini Cooper. 

[Tamiya Fan 1 346]

9 hours ago, Pylon80 said:

I always thought they were the same as Horizon. Horizon also sell in eBay under the name "Horizon Hobbies" but the listings and prices and pictures are often exactly the same as Liquid RC.

No they are different from Horrizon H. Horizon and Tower are the same company now days (Illinois). (and since they mreged together, not the best) I shopped Tower Hobbies alot, I mean alot until the merge.(no deals anymore) On Ebay, Tower and Omni Hobbies are the same Comany. Liquid Rc is different company. (I think New Jersey) But Liquid RC does have a 2nd name on Ebay think it is Retro RC but not sure on the name. Liquid Rc is good to shop from! I have used many times with fast shipping! . As far as being same prices etc... they are all competeing for your business and are well aware of each other. Amain hobbies is also on Ebay and I think they have a secondary name also.Just trying to straighten it out.

[FromageTheDog 74]

On 11/2/2024 at 9:49 PM, RichieRich said:

...I should also say that for me, even though I mentioned Tower, I've essentially stopped ordering from them. I just can't anymore with the number of times they've botched my orders over the last few years.

Same.  Honestly, A-Main has been so good (and has the benefit of being connected to my local HobbyTown) that I don't even miss them anymore.

[isomer1 177]

On 11/5/2024 at 2:13 PM, ADRay1000 said:

yeah, I don’t totally understand it. even weirder are the multiple listings by different international sellers that are apparently selling the same used M03 Rover Mini Cooper. 

Those are often listings from Japan - because the Japanese themselves to not use Ebay. So several middlemen will find auctions on Yahoo Japan, then list them at wildly inflated prices on Ebay. If somebody bids then they buy from Yahoo and reship. If the item has sold on Yahoo they just cancel the Ebay sale and say it was unavailable.

[Kowalski86 4274]

On 11/5/2024 at 11:00 PM, Tamiya Fan 1 said:

 Liquid Rc is different company. (I think New Jersey) But Liquid RC does have a 2nd name on Ebay think it is Retro RC but not sure on the name. 

Liquid RC is the main place where I'd get most of my Tamiya parts, they're quick and usually priced well. Their eBay name is "Liquid RC", I'm not sure who "Retro RC" is but they're a good seller too.

[Saito2 7654]

I also do Liquid RC or RC Nitro Hobbies on fleabay. Nitro is where I've been getting kits lately. The boxes get beat to heck though even though its only one state over in Jersey from me.

[Rinskie 1024]

Funny I was going to mention Liquid. They seem to have things others don't. I have used them a few times and don't see any reason why I won't in the future good stuff.