So What To Go For Next.

[sirandy]

You lose the fun of building but you get a much more capable runner.

Over the last year I've tried dozens of Tamiyas, including very heavily modified stuff, and can't find anything that offers the performance, control and reliability of Traxxas stuff.

Yes, Tamiya is great fun to build and I still have a list as long as my arm of Tamiya cars that I deeply want for the pleasure of building and putting on the shelf, but I'm now appreciating the difference between "bought to build" and "bought to run"

I wear a Tamiya T-shirt, a Tamiya cap and I would eat a Tamiya pie if they made one, but the above is true. I have never been a buggy/truggy/monster truck enthusiast, but all the Tamiya tourers, mini's and F1's are just beautiful in their crafting and awesome to build, but when it comes to simple running fun, Traxxas have it nailed! And the same hopping-up is available for them, tearing down is a mist to clean/upgrade so the tinkering factor is still there.....and then there's the price! Good value! I just wish they would do releases without all the radio gear.....I am sure they would still have a market for thos that dont want the El Cheapo gear they put in it.....The price may not change much, but I would pay US$149 as opposed to US$199, for a Slash with no radio gear....I would rather make the initial investment of a good radio , and put the saved US$50 towards another receiver...

[sirandy]

You lose the fun of building but you get a much more capable runner.

Over the last year I've tried dozens of Tamiyas, including very heavily modified stuff, and can't find anything that offers the performance, control and reliability of Traxxas stuff.

Yes, Tamiya is great fun to build and I still have a list as long as my arm of Tamiya cars that I deeply want for the pleasure of building and putting on the shelf, but I'm now appreciating the difference between "bought to build" and "bought to run"

I wear a Tamiya T-shirt, a Tamiya cap and I would eat a Tamiya pie if they made one, but the above is true. I have never been a buggy/truggy/monster truck enthusiast, but all the Tamiya tourers, mini's and F1's are just beautiful in their crafting and awesome to build, but when it comes to simple running fun, Traxxas have it nailed! And the same hopping-up is available for them, tearing down is a must to clean/upgrade so the tinkering factor is still there.....and then there's the price! Good value! I just wish they would do releases without all the radio gear.....I am sure they would still have a market for thos that dont want the El Cheapo gear they put in it.....The price may not change much, but I would pay US$149 as opposed to US$199, for a Slash with no radio gear....I would rather make the initial investment of a good radio , and put the saved US$50 towards another receiver...

[Henk4Focus]

Over the last year I've tried dozens of Tamiyas, including very heavily modified stuff, and can't find anything that offers the performance, control and reliability of Traxxas stuff.

I take it you are talking about their battery cars as there are a very anti Traxxas movement in South Africa when it comes to their nitro cars. They are noted for being extremely unreliable. Stayed close to TRAP racing circuit in Pretoria a few years ago and there where only 1 Traxxas truck ever at a race and it was almost brand new. They had a 1 hour endurance race and I remember it seized about 25min through. It was rebuild with another run in motor which also seized in a race later that day. The racer/basher crowd here are into HPI, Losi, Ofna and a mix of other makes but not Traxxas. There are always a multitude of secondhand T-maxx and E-maxx trucks for sale in our private seller newspaper and websites. Also tend to be very expensive when compared with other makes. Tamiya suffer on the count off hobbyshops saying to clients that spares are hard to come by. Biggest misconception out there as Tamiya is the only make of RC that has spares available most of the time here in SA.

That is what is keeping me from buying anything other than Tamiya at the moment. Traxxas should also think of putting cars and truck onto the market that doesn't have their cheesy prepainted shells. Quite boring to run a car that looks exactly like your neighbours.

Check out TRAP racing here: http://www.trap.co.za/trap/

Cheers

Henk

[Mad Ax]

I take it you are talking about their battery cars as there are a very anti Traxxas movement in South Africa when it comes to their nitro cars. They are noted for being extremely unreliable.

Yes, I'm talking about electric - I'm not a fan of nitro.

Parts support in the UK is very good for Traxxas, and their UK office is in the same city as me! I know a few Traxxas owners who have had no problems with their electric trucks and buggies and have always been able to get parts very quickly.

It's a real shame when manufacturers don't offer good parts support in countries where they sell their products.

Traxxas should also think of putting cars and truck onto the market that doesn't have their cheesy prepainted shells. Quite boring to run a car that looks exactly like your neighbours.

I agree entirely - I hate almost all RTR shells, but there's no reason why you can't get a lexan shell from any of the good (or not-so-good) manufacturers and throw it over an RTR truck.

[Stonemole]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

im going to stick to tamiya as i love the building side of it more than anything. heck i destroy my cars so much i find rebuilding them as much fun.

Sand viper is lookign top of the list.......just got to find a cheap one lol

[skip665]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

im going to stick to tamiya as i love the building side of it more than anything. heck i destroy my cars so much i find rebuilding them as much fun.

Sand viper is lookign top of the list.......just got to find a cheap one lol

They come ball raced too which is nice

May try and prise my bro-in-laws of him for a cheap price

[berman]

That is what is keeping me from buying anything other than Tamiya at the moment. Traxxas should also think of putting cars and truck onto the market that doesn't have their cheesy prepainted shells. Quite boring to run a car that looks exactly like your neighbours.

It's not only that, the wheels on most traxxas' are butt ugly aswell, they usually look like tacky oversized chrome blob's from a $20 r/c from walmart.

My workmate was going on about his mate's stock revo the other day and how 'fast' it was (50 billion kph apparently), Then with a smirk on his face he said "You're into Tamiya's aye?". So I told him "If my car looked like a streamlined turd, I'd want it to go fast as 'ell too." kids...

If they made them better looking, I'd consider one, but I'd probably pick a SC10 over a Slash myself. (and it would be a kitset one).

I like the DT02 suggestion, I wouldn't mind one myself, nice cheap rwd modern buggy

[Stonemole]

well hopefully i can get the cash together for the DT-02

have enough radio and motors so just need the kit.

time to go do some more sound work i reckon....£50 a night......2 nights..... im sorted

[Blacque Jacque]

There was an SC10 at our big bash at Snetterton in August.

I have to say it was very impressive, fast, well behaved, but most of all it was unbelievably quiet, it sounded like a sewing machine

[Stonemole]

why do i keep looking at bearhawks.......

[Blacque Jacque]

Aren't they related to the Blitzer Beetle et al ?

[skip665]

Just read the Bear Hawk adverts on eBay - some of the classic "ebay-isms" in there

Cost over £300 when new

is my personal favourite!

[Stonemole]

yeah the three that are on there are full of "fluff" in the discriptions.

im watching to see what happens i reckon 2 of them won't sell.

and as for the 25 mph claim............

[Blacque Jacque]

Over £300 new ?

That's not necessarily an untruth, after all you can pay £234 for a Rising Storm kit with radio, nicad & slow charger from Argos

The same deal is £145 from Goldstar !!!!

I'm sure if you tried hard enough you could pay way over the odds for a Tamiya kit.

I vaguely remember seeing a Lunchbox deal for a similar price, but I can't remember where.

[30cms]

get a Tamiya Nitrage Kit.

wicked fun to build. Huge truck too!!

[Stonemole]

im guessing its a nitro.

like zamo sang. "just say no"

[Blacque Jacque]

It would save on battery packs though.

Just like Neil, you'd spend at least 20 minutes trying to get the infernal contraption started.

[30cms]

im guessing its a nitro.

like zamo sang. "just say no"

but it's a wicked kit

and a load of fun to build!!!!

you gotta have at least one nitro in your collection.

edit:

it's a breeze to start - using the tamiya starter hex drive thingymajig. no problems at all!!

[Mad Ax]

why do i keep looking at bearhawks.......

Bearhawks are great! I sold mine to a colleague and greatly miss it.

They go quick with a Super Stock motor and they're pretty tough. 4-wheel double-wishbone suspension is surprisingly hi-tech for a "basic" buggy. Just add full bearings and you've got a good fun runner.

Looks-wise I think they're awesome. Without a wing they look a bit like a post-apocalyptic desert buggy. Scrap the toy paint scheme, fit stock DF03 oil shocks (which are black), give it a matt black paint job and some multi-spoke rims from somebody like HPI, and you've got a fantastic-looking buggy. It's easy to bodge on some turnbuckles from a more expensive buggy too for that hi-spec look and a bit more tunability.

It was a parts-bin special, so most of the parts are easy to get hold of.

The only thing against it - in your case - is that you already have a selection of older 2wd cars, and the Sand Viper is probably that bit better out of the box. Bear Hawks usually aren't too hard to find in used form, but you could have a Sand Viper as quick as you can snap your fingers and you'll get the joy of building too.

I'm sure you won't be disappointed with either - the Bear Hawk will be better if you want vintage joy and/or an ongoing upgrade project; the Sand Viper will offer better performance out of the box and be easier to source quickly.

[Stonemole]

i was the same when i saw the bearhawk thinkign i could make a mad max special. i did lots of modeling of old RPG stuff when younger and did lots of madmax post apoc stuff.

the sand viper looks nice i admit but im now thinking on the scope for me looks wise.

I don't need a nitro , i have a 50cc mini moto engine and a hair brained idea

[Stonemole]

well one of the bear hawks didn't sell for a starting bid of £50...........im not shocked