Love Tamiya & TC but Tamiya RC interest waning

[guggles 367]

Though id just pop in her for a sec and share some thoughts Ive been having as of late. Dont get me wrong, im not going anywhere and I will still always love the classic Tamiya RC models. I also really enjoy a lot of the more modern Tamiya RC models as well. At this point im not entertaining any ideas of selling my collection, but I am really struggling to find much interest to take out the ones I have or acquire any more. 

I have a bunch of Tamiya Electric cars and kits, but I cant be really bothered to do anything with them. All of my 1/10 scale RC time has been spent on the nitro models I got from ebay and restored to run and tinker around with. I have been mastering the art of Nitro and having so much fun with that, and feeling proficient in it. I havent even thought about driving an electric 10th scale. 

The only electric cars I have been running are my Mini Z's and I just built a Mini SCX24 based crawler. This kind of fits into my other new (again) passion which is air brushing and building static models. Got pretty much setup for static model building and have built some models that actually won some awards! Which younger me would have always hoped to achieve. I am so glad that I had the RC hobby as my main hobby for many years and that I had many Tamiya RC cars. I am really appreciative of everything the company does and really look forward to doing some of their iconic car model kits up now. 

I guess what im really trying to say is I am a lifelong Tamiya fan, and have transitioned more towards the scale models at this point in time. I wanted to say that sometimes the hobby doesn't look like what you expect it to. Or you might not know where the hobby will take you but its all about the journey and the process. Also its totally okay to try one thing and not like it or to lose interest in certain faucets. Dont feel like you have to hold yourself to the standards of what other people want you to do, or whats popular, or what you have found not being quite as drawn to. This realization really hit me when I though "Maybe I should get a clearance or cheap Tamiya RC kit to get the bug again in that section of the hobby...." Went to the usual sites and Kits I always really, really wanted or dreamed about didnt really do it for me. Actually I realized I wasn't drawn to much of anything on the Tamiya RC side. I would much rather keep building ratty nitro rustlers from ebay up into little nitro rippers. And thats ok. 

Ok rant over lol, over to grab some more Tamiya Car models atm. Thanks Tamiya for the CRX re-release! I am really grateful for all of you guys in the community and the amazing interactions we have! Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas or Holiday and a Great New Year! 

Talk about your thoughts below

 

[Siclick33 240]

I have had various hobbies from marine fish to RC cars/boats/planes/helicopters and steam trains. I tend to go through phases where my energy is directed at one or the other, and rarely go full-on at multiple disciplines at the same time. At the moment for me it is RC cars, this will no doubt fade at some point BUT, I have learned that I will always come back again.

I have learned that once it starts to get to be a chore then it is time to take a break. However, whilst I might downsize a little bit, I won't ever get rid of all of my models as at some point the spark will return and I will get excited about unpacking all of my old stuff again.

Life is short and these hobbies are supposed to be fun. If it gets to the point where it's not enjoyable any more then there's no harm in taking a bit of time out, even if that is just being less fanatic rather than pausing the hobby altogether.

[mtbkym01 4893]

If your situation allows it, it’s always good to keep what you have because you will no doubt come back to it. I’ve had moments like this as well, but I’m lucky enough to have a dedicated space that doesn’t need packing up or clearing out, so my stuff can just stay in there. I go through moments of enjoying different hobbies at different times which all seem to eat up my “Pocket Money” LOL. I do find I always come back to my 1/10 scale electric Tamiyas (plus others), which barely get run, but I just enjoy having them. I do race 1/8 scale buggies nitro and electric, so they fill most of my RC driving needs.

[ADRay1000 744]

it’s alright. I started 35 years ago, and have come and gone a few times. you get interested in other stuff. thus is life. 

[lentner3 346]

I think most of us have had life get in the way and in my experience the majority of us have periods of obsession and periods that we don’t have the passion or energy or time. Then we see that model on the shelf and boom sucked back in for another 6 months of obsession. 🤣

[Kowalski86 4987]

To be honest, I've considered gravitating to static models in part because finding modeling supplies locally is much easier than RC parts.

Unless if its an a arm for a Traxxas Slash, everything needs to be ordered, then you have to hope that your parts don't get eaten up by a tipsy postal worker.

[magnumb 254]

My interest in women has always led me off my path and purpose, but my interest in hobbies has kept me sane and able to continue on!

Sometimes in life what we think is important is not important at all, my younger self was lost and looking for happiness in all the wrong places. 

[Hypoxic 812]

8 hours ago, Siclick33 said:

I have had various hobbies from marine fish to RC cars/boats/planes/helicopters and steam trains. I tend to go through phases where my energy is directed at one or the other, and rarely go full-on at multiple disciplines at the same time. At the moment for me it is RC cars, this will no doubt fade at some point BUT, I have learned that I will always come back again.

I have learned that once it starts to get to be a chore then it is time to take a break. However, whilst I might downsize a little bit, I won't ever get rid of all of my models as at some point the spark will return and I will get excited about unpacking all of my old stuff again.

Life is short and these hobbies are supposed to be fun. If it gets to the point where it's not enjoyable any more then there's no harm in taking a bit of time out, even if that is just being less fanatic rather than pausing the hobby altogether.

This.

[Rinskie 1321]

Wait hold on just a second, a CRX re?

[guggles 367]

https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/124-sports-car-series/ballade-sports-mugen-crx-kit/

[Pylon80 4281]

26 minutes ago, guggles said:

https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/124-sports-car-series/ballade-sports-mugen-crx-kit/

Cool but it wouldn't be bad either in 1/10 scale with an M-05 or M-07 underneath, what does my man @Raman36 thinks?

(Hope you've been running it buddy!)

[Rinskie 1321]

2 hours ago, Pylon80 said:

Cool but it wouldn't be bad either in 1/10 scale with an M-05 or M-07 underneath, what does my man @Raman36 thinks?

(Hope you've been running it buddy!)

Dude I'd take a MB-01 with a CRX body. 

[guggles 367]

2 hours ago, Rinskie said:

Dude I'd take a MB-01 with a CRX body. 

Oh great, look what yall done, now your gonna drag me back into the RC side before I know it.  

The 1/10 CRX shells are being repopped as well it seems. not sure what wheelbase they go on however 

[alvinlwh 8001]

I started off with static models (and Mini4WD) and Tamiya was (and still is) one of the best brands. I had been static modelling for over 30 years and had been a Tamiya fanboy all that time.

So naturally when I got my first RC 10+ years ago, I went straight to Tamiya. At first I was blinded by my fanboydom and focused so much on Tamiya that when a friend told me Tamiya sucks, I ignored him for a few months. 

However after a year of Tamiya, I got fed up of the "must upgrade" and "really should upgrade". Makes me feel like they cannot do anything right and I had to fix their problems OOB by spending more. Very unlike their static kits which are pretty good OOB. 

So after a year or so, I built a DT-02 and a LRP Twister Buggy back to back as well as a M-05 and a 3R MG Evo. A pair of cars that are the same type (2wd buggy and mini FWD) and the difference in grade are astonishing. For a similar or lower price, I get all the "must have" and "should have" OOB, without needing to spend any extra money. A typical Tamiya kit will require 1/3 to 1/2 on top of the price of the kit to get it to a half decent standard, much more to get it to great. Even after spending a load of money, the Tamiya in the examples are still no more than hobby grade. These 2 first non Tamiya cars I have opened my eyes to how crap most typical Tamiya kits are. Yes, I know Tamiya has some top tier chassis, but they are just overpriced. Basically I can spend Tamiya toy grade money and get a race, or at least sport grade one elsewhere.  To took me a few months to understand why my friend criticise Tamiya so badly but once I realised it, he was absolutely right. 

I still buy Tamiya but much lesser now and tends to buy the more usinsual ones. 

[mtbkym01 4893]

Not sure anti Tamiya bias fits the thread narrative?

[JimBear 1371]

4 hours ago, guggles said:

The 1/10 CRX shells are being repopped as well it seems. not sure what wheelbase they go on however 

225 mm - midsize M, then.

[alvinlwh 8001]

1 hour ago, mtbkym01 said:

Not sure anti Tamiya bias fits the thread narrative?

No anti Tamiya bias from me. My most recent kits. 

[Kowalski86 4987]

19 hours ago, alvinlwh said:

So after a year or so, I built a DT-02 and a LRP Twister Buggy back to back as well as a M-05 and a 3R MG Evo. A pair of cars that are the same type (2wd buggy and mini FWD) and the difference in grade are astonishing. For a similar or lower price, I get all the "must have" and "should have" OOB, without needing to spend any extra money.

I still buy Tamiya but much lesser now and tends to buy the more usinsual ones. 

When I started to try out Tamiyas, my hobby grade "benchmark" was a first generation Traxxas Rustler. It used bushings in the wheel hubs (crappy undersized bushings at that), self tappers, and it lacked any of the charisma or realism of a Tamiya.

However, after trying many Tamiyas, hunting down obscure fixes involving parts from Hong Kong, breaking parts in fairly light incidents, and growing a nice collection of nylon bushings, I took a Tamiya break.

That being said, Tamiya, Kyosho, and some of the cheaper "scale" RCs on the market are about all that interest me in the hobby at this point. I have nothing against RTRs or "bashers", it's just not my thing nor do I want to spend good money constantly repairing/upgrading my RCs.

[Raman36 1802]

On 12/16/2024 at 3:40 PM, Pylon80 said:

Cool but it wouldn't be bad either in 1/10 scale with an M-05 or M-07 underneath, what does my man @Raman36 thinks?

(Hope you've been running it buddy!)

No, its still in the box.. haven't had the chance to paint it up yet

[Carmine A 3135]

I believe we've all bounced between different hobbies... keeps things from going stale. I started with static models, then Model Railroading, which took up most of my time.... then by 2007, became way too expensive for me to continue. 🙄😭😭😭🤬🤬🤬  I still have boxes of trains, in N, HO, On30, O, and G scales. Someday........ maybe. 

In-between, in 1981, I went to my Hobby Shop (when they were plentiful, well stocked and affordable.... I passed the RC dept, and saw the Blazin Blazer.... EMPTIED my wallet, and I've been hooked ever since. 

BTW, the Blazin Blazer was one of 5 Tamiya RCs that I completely regret selling! 🤬😭😭😭😭💔  The other 4 were the Hotshot, Madcap, King Cab, and King Blackfoot... 😞 

My passion is still strong at 60.... but there's always times when I had to step back. I'm fairly sure we all have. I just built a model kit or flew (crashed) a RC airplane!