58441 Rough Rider "Buggy Champ" Re-release

[Taman 3]

RC Champ have them for 19,900 Yen

which = $208.50USD at the moment, thats a fair difference, you can get 2 from RC Champ with postage most likely covered.

Lucky we can buy from places across the globe, for me to buy one for $513USD it would equal $640AUD

Pity we have to wait till July/August to get them, still cant wait...

[Corpse Thrower 16]

RC Champ have them for 19,900 Yen

which = $208.50USD at the moment, thats a fair difference, you can get 2 from RC Champ with postage most likely covered.

Lucky we can buy from places across the globe, for me to buy one for $513USD it would equal $640AUD

Pity we have to wait till July/August to get them, still cant wait...

By the time you land them on your doorstep here in Oz I think Stellamodels may come in the same as RC Champ.....if not a smidge cheaper.

[lee1980 71]

By the time you land them on your doorstep here in Oz I think Stellamodels may come in the same as RC Champ.....if not a smidge cheaper.

Is this the website for rc champ?

http://www.rc-champ.co.jp

Is there an english version lol? has anyone from uk ordered from them?

Thanks

Lee.

[monster_beetle 2]

just drop them an email. They are really great

[Badboy 94]

Don't you guys think it's awfully quiet?

Haven't seen many shops with info and it's supposed to be released soon

When the CR-01 was to be released I saw them like 2 mounths earlyer on ebay

but with the BC nothing...

I'm scared...

Badboy

[Corpse Thrower 16]

I'm interested to know whats happening with the rear axles. Hub and axle in two pieces now?

[Badboy 94]

I'm interested to know whats happening with the rear axles. Hub and axle in two pieces now?

Ohhh.. Forgot all about it!

Would be nice if someone could tell the world what differs from original.

As my Grasshopper got pre-cut decals I really hope the BC don't!!!

Badboy

[supergreg 1]

As my Grasshopper got pre-cut decals I really hope the BC don't!!!

Badboy

Just out of interest: what's wrong with pre-cut decals?

[qatmix 794]

Just out of interest: what's wrong with pre-cut decals?

nothing, but then this is probably only going to sell to hardcore collectors. These are classic cars but just think about it in real world terms. If you were offered a new model t-ford that was worth the same as a new ford focus (both with the same residual value) which one would you honestly buy?

[loaded 4]

Nothing a good scalpel, patience and twice as much time to cut them out properly in the first place won't solve :-)

I learned from a very good source that the metal moulds were lost/damaged/destroyed after the SRBs. If this is true, then the new metal parts will be different, albeit slightly, from the originals. I intend to not further speculate until I have them next to each other and can compare them properly, which hopefully will show the differences.

Clearly there are loads of differences which are going to make vintage parts in demand :

1) Different lettering on the front tyre (this makes the front tyre sets even more desirable as ever, IMHO, as now 10 times as many people will want them, but this is just a guess.

2) Different sponsor decals, which could do the same to original and repro SRB decal sets.

3) The main FRP chassis in original colour, possibly also help people selling custom ones (although the cynics out there might consider this pure propaganda, considering who I am!)

These aren't the only ones, just the ones that first spring to mind. The way I was thinking, loads of people would be wanting to get their new Buggy Champs look like old Rough Riders and they would need the vintage original new stock to do this. The number of people suddenly building Champs will rocket and the number of vintage spare parts is unlikely to increase, so this is my thinking about it anyway!

Paul.

[Mad Ax 9292]

I was talking to a friend about this re-re at the weekend, I mentioned I already had two pre-ordered with RC Champ.

Apparently, this friend has been talking to his LHS, who have said that Tamiya are cracking down on grey importers. Apparently, any Tamiya reseller who ships new Tamiya stock outside of their market area will be struck off Tamiya's list and will no longer be supplied by Tamiya.

I'm personally skeptical that:

a) Tamiya can keep track of all the HK sellers and where their stock goes.

2) Tamiya can afford to strike off major retailers like Stella, Dinball and RC Champ. After all, Tamiya are a manufacturer, not a retailer, and they rely on their retail partners to promote and distribute their product to the target audience.

This may just be a rumour started by Hobbyco or the UK LHS to dissuade people from buying overseas. However if it's true, it could have repercussions for the availability of this model in the UK. Remember that the Wrangler was a highly-sought after model, and still has yet to appear officially on UK shores. It may also see a rise in "independent distributors" who buy stock at retail price from a Hong Kong store, then ship it to overseas buyers at a minute profit and with a fraudulent customs label to avoid import duty.

Personally, I long for the day when we actually have globally synchronised releases (wasn't that supposed to happen with some earlier models..?), sensible prices around the globe, and perhaps some competition among regional distributors (like allowing a competitor to Hobbyco) so that we can actually get our stock at a sensible price. I have some great friends in the LHS business and would dearly love to give them my custom, but I have to listen to my wallet as well as my heart and I'm not going to pay over £500 for two Buggy Champs when I can probably get them for a little over half that from Hong Kong.

Admittedly, we will always get a "better deal" if we can find ways of avoiding import duty, but such fraud is always going to be a thorn in Tamiya's and their distributors' sides as long as we can keep getting away with it - but sorting out the distributors might go some way to alleviating that problem, particularly if it means that getting lumped with duty on grey imports actually means we pay more than we do for genuine UK stock (at the moment, it often still works out cheaper, AND we get our stuff two months before Hobbyco get their act together and order it!)

Just my thoughts

[loaded 4]

When these shippers ship from Hong Kong, a lot of them ship without local taxes, as they are exporting the product. Incorrectly labelling it for customs purposes is illegal in most of the countries from which the item is shipped and certainly in the home countries of the recipients. The problem is not only the distributors greed (although, they could help themselves in this regard by being more realistic) but the avoidance of tax by the purchaser and the shipping of a local (VAT etc) tax exempt product. The shipping costs for distributors are very high, when you consider the fact that they are usually paying to receive the item into their country and shipping it to the stores free of charge (this is usually the case). Shipping airmail from Hong Kong is actually pretty cheap (despite traders complaining that it isn't - just do a conversion of the price paid next time you receive a parcel on www.xe.com) . Distributors have to pay for all the local sales support and other costs, which are more than you might think. Don't get me wrong, disties, like record companies are their own worse enemies and will go to the same grave if they don't get smart (again, my opinion) but local purchasing is important and there is nothing like choosing between two models that you can actually see with your own eyes and taking them away immediately :-) Of course, EMS nearly gives you this, I received a parcel 36 hours after it was shipped from Hong Kong, I am not sure I could have got there as quickly myself!

Paul.

[mcovalsk 5]

Could anyone quote the original source please. I mean I want the links to the original Tamiya posting. I could not find it!

I was expecting Tamiya to re-release an SRB but not at this time and not with die cast parts and not with a box that contains blisters! Mr. Tamiya told in february 09 that the rc industry faces strong wind and that the are prepared to attack in 2009. If the re-re of SRBs is true, did he have this mind?

The re-re of SRB might be the positive side effect of the world economic crisis. I mean these cars are a must buy, even if people are facing hard times, the true collector and tamiya fan will surely buy at least one kit.

Wonder how the japanese market is performing at the moment? Not so well, I think, so they were forced to do something.

On the other hand, how many collectors and fans are there worldwide? 7.000 - 10.000?

That's absolutely true. Tamiya never though to release the old white metal cast kits, however the crisis made they need incomes whitout the big investment a new kit needs. Retooling old mould is cheaper than to make new ones. Next ones will be probably the whole SRB series, including the SuperChamp and Ford XLT, is the Sand Scorcher the next?, I'm sure now.

[30cms 7]

I'm not going to pay over £500 for two Buggy Champs when I can probably get them for a little over half that from Hong Kong.

a little over half that? 2 buggy champs shipped from hong kong for a little over 250??

[Chain Driven 0]

Ta-dah !

[loaded 4]

'RACING BUGGY BUGGY CHAMP'?

Hmmm.

P.

[30cms 7]

'RACING BUGGY BUGGY CHAMP'?

Hmmm.

P.

i guess that tagline is paving the way for RACING BUGGY SAND SCORCHER

the name "buggy champ" makes more sense of the title "super champ" too (as it was a "super" version of the buggy champ - a la hotshot / supershot etc)

[Mad Ax 9292]

there is nothing like choosing between two models that you can actually see with your own eyes and taking them away immediately :-)

I absolutely agree - but here in the UK, I can't do that. My LHS can only afford to put a small number of items on the shelf at any one time - if I wanted to choose between models, I could choose between a Rising Fighter, a couple of TT01s, and probably an M03. Sometimes they'll have a big Tamiya nitro in, and recently they've been stocking HPI touring cars too. But it's certainly not like walking into a Tamiya catalog and having the option of walking out with any product in the current line-up.

Maybe this is different in bigger hobby stores, but the downturn in craft hobbies generally and the competition of internet stores has put lots of them out of business.

This problem is compounded by the late release of products into the UK. We STILL don't have the Wrangler. I asked Modelsport to pre-order me one ages ago; I could have ordered it from Hong Kong and got it already. Synchronizing the global release would help to alleviate the problem of impatient people like me ordering stuff from HK.

This issue is generally driving me around the bend, and not just in terms of RC. I used to love the days of going out to buy something - whether it was something I wanted or something I needed - just to look at what was available and pick the one that was right for me. Now, if I go out to buy something, I usually come home empty-handed after being told that "we don't stock that" or "that's a special-order item." So I have to order on-line based on descriptions given on the website, which are designed to sell the product and so avoid saying things like "this product is badly designed" or "we didn't bother to file off the casting flash" or "will break within 2 months." Descriptions can be so misleading - even Tamiya sellers do it; for reading the blurb on most on-line model shops, you'd be forgiven for thinking that a Grasshopper will win an RC championship.

I am so often disappointed with the stuff I buy on-line, and if I'd picked up the product in a shop and looked at it, I'd never have handed over my cash. But I can't pick it up in a shop, because nobody stocks it any more...

I agree with the issue on avoiding import taxes - no distributor will ever be able to compete while we are still able to get away with this blatant fraud. However, it is getting tougher - I'm pretty sure UK customs have stepped up their act with the recent increase in private purchases from overseas. I have been charged duty on pretty much everything I've ordered over the last two years, even little bits like shocks and hop-ups that are nigh-on impossible to source in the UK.

a little over half that? 2 buggy champs shipped from hong kong for a little over 250??

Sorry, I think my fingers got carried away while my brain wasn't paying attention. I'm not quite sure what I was trying to say there, other than that I have no actual grasp of the price of a Buggy Champ from Hong Kong

[Badboy 94]

Ta-dah !

I was just about to ask, When are they revealing the boxart?

But now I dont!!!

Where did you get the pic?

Any chanse to get a bigger/better one for poster-printing?

Funny thing, why does it still says Sand Blaster JR on the tyresides?

Badboy

[lucasan 28]

Ta-dah !

Where did you get that?

[Chain Driven 0]

Hi Guys, I just looked at the updated page on Tamiya USA, like I do every 20 minutes

Jerome

[Wandy 1527]

Funny thing, why does it still says Sand Blaster JR on the tyresides?

Badboy

I've got my fingers (and toes) crossed that those tyres at the toy fair were just pre-production items and the SB Juniors will be provided with the full release kit.

[Badboy 94]

Wonder if the T-shirt will be included?

I really want one or two!!!

Badboy

[WW-nut 0]

Badboy, if you can't wait - and I bet you can't - speak to The Buggy Man regarding T-Shirts. He's selling some.

[tamiya monkey 243]

ive been looking at taking the plunge and ordering one, i look at rc champs prices compared to uk price quotes and what a difference, even adding import tax and postage it must still work out far cheaper, 19,900 Japanese Yen = 125.813 British Pound for the kit and 23,400 Japanese Yen = 147.941 British Pound with life battery, compared to what we pay here, or going to pay. im going to really struggle to convince myself to buy from the uk.