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Nigelr32

I need to have a rant!

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I hope someone from Tamiya will read this!!!

Having just purchased the NYK 56330 tri axle trailer and 40 foot container, I was keen to get the kit open and have a good look at it.

I would like to say how dissapointed I am that Tamiya have only supplied plastic bearings for the axles!! I mean, come on Tamiya, we pay an absolute fortune for these kits, and you put in rubbish like this!!

If I can buy 12off 1150 bearings for a couple of quid, how much would Tamiya have to pay???

A dissapointed customer!!!

Nige

Edit:- Just found a set of bearings for an M-03 which has 12off 1150's. Only £6.74 with free p+p!! RC Bearings are the supplier, find them on Ebay.

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I always wonder how much of a difference between plastic bushings and ball bearings especially for non racing or for non high performance requirements. Bearings makes everything turn more freely / less friction. For truck / trailer is it worth the upgrade? I replaced all the plastic bush with bearings for all my built regardless if is a runner or shelve queen. Maybe I've been brain washed thinking give me bearings or give me nothing. For Tamiya, it allows low entry points for buyers even for a few dollar less and once you are in and you want the upgrades thats where the money comes in for Tamiya. Is similar to other make such as Axial, the retailer will ask you do you want the metal upgrade parts, 2.2 tires and wheels, motor, lights etc...and once you buy the upgrade you find they cost almost as much as the entire kit. Then you wonder why Axial just done gave you a "complete" kit. I guess if one can affort it, likely wants all the bells and whistles, else the bear bone basic will do for teenager just getting in the hobby.

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think of it in the business sense... factory gotta leave some "upsell" for the retailer to clawback some extra margin

on the other side of the fence... ballbearings do cost T more $$$ as they have to be bought in,

they don't own a foundry to make BBs whereas plastic bushings (injection molding) are their forte

T actually sells bulk bags of white bushings... can't say i know anybody who's bought them before but surely somebody must.

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I think what Nigel is saying is the main problem is the cost of the Tri axle "40 foot trailer".

They're close to $500 here in the US, and should really include ball bearings for that price.

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You're totally right there Skottoman!!

What I'm saying is that Tamiya should at least give us decent bearings in a kit which costs nearly £500 here in the UK. That's like $800!!!!

I must say, this kit in particular is not good value. I have always loved everything that Tamiya have produced, but, in my opinion this one is way overpriced.

Just my 2p

Nige

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You're totally right there Skottoman!!

What I'm saying is that Tamiya should at least give us decent bearings in a kit which costs nearly £500 here in the UK. That's like $800!!!!

I must say, this kit in particular is not good value. I have always loved everything that Tamiya have produced, but, in my opinion this one is way overpriced.

Just my 2p

Nige

Yes, but how to pay for the N Y K decals?? I saw the prices of these -- In line with most of the others from this set, but maybe a bit more because of the licensing agreement with the global shipping giant?

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I always wonder how much of a difference between plastic bushings and ball bearings especially for non racing or for non high performance requirements.

Running on the bushings wears both the plastic bushing and the shaft. I wouldn't run even a slow model without ball bearings. Plastic bushings are for shelf displays only.

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think of it in the business sense... factory gotta leave some "upsell" for the retailer to clawback some extra margin

on the other side of the fence... ballbearings do cost T more $$$ as they have to be bought in,

they don't own a foundry to make BBs whereas plastic bushings (injection molding) are their forte

LHS had a set of those packaged Tamiya blue rubber bearings for a TL01 sitting on the wall for as long as I can remember, think it was over $100nzd for the set

owner ended up putting them in his MAN truck recently as they wouldn't sell.

Back in the day you couldn't buy cheap chinese bearings down the street for a buck each, you bought a quality set of bearings and learned to maintain them.

Now if the old ones get rusty or gritty, you just throw another set in or replace the ones that fail with another buck bearing.

Even Tamiya are including cheap bearings, well 8 of them, 'bonus' style :lol:

I think what Nigel is saying is the main problem is the cost of the Tri axle "40 foot trailer".

They're close to $500 here in the US, and should really include ball bearings for that price.

I was suprised they dont at least have the metal bushings that the tractor units have, eventhough they dont have the same reciprocating mass or weight.

Running on the bushings wears both the plastic bushing and the shaft. I wouldn't run even a slow model without ball bearings. Plastic bushings are for shelf displays only.

Wouldn't even push my RC's across the shelf with plastic bushings (or alloy pinions, aye Mark) :P

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Stella have this trailer at £274+ £66.60 postage. It is still a lot of money but where are you guys buying it at £500?

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Stella have this trailer at £274+ £66.60 postage. It is still a lot of money but where are you guys buying it at £500?

USD :P

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USD :P

The original poster is in the U.K and he said £500 UK pounds but then maybe he bought it in the U.K?

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The original poster is in the U.K and he said £500 UK pounds but then maybe he bought it in the U.K?

I was just agreeing with the prices that Skottoman quoted.. 500 pounds is crazy money :wacko:

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can say the same thing about a 1:1 skel trailer... ain't cheap to buy, even after

discounting the mass of steel involved vs technology that hasn't evolved for 50yrs

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can say the same thing about a 1:1 skel trailer... ain't cheap to buy, even after

discounting the mass of steel involved vs technology that hasn't evolved for 50yrs

I just love your reply!!! I guess containers will never change, there's just too many of em!!

To raise the £500 issue, that's the retail price in the UK. Prices here have gone silly, the shopkeepers are complaining about Ebay and the like. Is it any wonder?? Stella Models can sell cheaper than the shops can buy for!! I bought my trailer from Stella models, and will definitly buy from them again.

As an example:- The 1/16 full option Leopard tank has now gone over £1000 retail!!

Nigel

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To raise the £500 issue, that's the retail price in the UK. Prices here have gone silly, the shopkeepers are complaining about Ebay and the like. Is it any wonder?? Stella Models can sell cheaper than the shops can buy for!! I bought my trailer from Stella models, and will definitly buy from them again.

As an example:- The 1/16 full option Leopard tank has now gone over £1000 retail!!

Nigel

Yeah, I don't get this. I understand the 'island economy' thing, but how does that work considering the ubiquitous presense of the internet? Seems like a terrible business model from my American perspective, or maybe I'm missing something.. Are the import duties really that much for you in UK?

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Are the import duties really that much for you in UK?

I looked into importing a Mustang from the US, only to find the costs are massive!!

Basically, you pay for the car. Then, you have to pay for the shipping. Then you pay customs around 10% import duty on the value of the car....then you pay vat, at 20% on the whole lot, yes you pay tax on the car, the shipping and the duty!! Talk about taxing tax!!

Anyway, we've gone off track here. What i really want to say is this.... If these hobby companies keep rising prices as they are, there'll be no one left in the hobby to buy their items. How many times have we heard about kids not being into the modelling scene anymore..is it any wonder???

Regards

Nige

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I looked into importing a Mustang from the US, only to find the costs are massive!!

Basically, you pay for the car. Then, you have to pay for the shipping. Then you pay customs around 10% import duty on the value of the car....then you pay vat, at 20% on the whole lot, yes you pay tax on the car, the shipping and the duty!! Talk about taxing tax!!

Anyway, we've gone off track here. What i really want to say is this.... If these hobby companies keep rising prices as they are, there'll be no one left in the hobby to buy their items. How many times have we heard about kids not being into the modelling scene anymore..is it any wonder???

Regards

Nige

I don't think you can blame the hobby companies. Tamiya sells to wholesaler, which in turn sells to retailers and all has to make a profit and once you add on the taxes, duties VAT etc...plus shipping, it ain't cheap anymore. The Pony car you were thinking about is another 30%+ in tax alone and thats a lot of money. We haven't got into the running cost from license, parking, insurance, and gas. No wonder most people drives a 4 banger at 1.5 - 2.0 L vs V6 or V8.

Who knows maybe making things more expensive will make us more appreciative of what we have. I think the joy of owning 1 or 2 RC is much more intense than one has 100 or 200 RC.

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The way I see it is this, I don't have a playstation or an Xbox, but a decent Tamiya costs around the same as one of these consols and the games for these things can be up to £50 each when brand new.

And this hobby gets me out and about instead of sitting in front of the tele.

I still need to buy tyres and batteries and such but I think it's cheaper than a playstation.

I do agree about the U.K prices though, I have always wanted a clodbuster since I was a kid, stella have the new one at 181 uk pounds where as in the U.K it's 300uk pounds.

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The way I see it is this, I don't have a playstation or an Xbox, but a decent Tamiya costs around the same as one of these consols and the games for these things can be up to £50 each when brand new.

And this hobby gets me out and about instead of sitting in front of the tele.

I still need to buy tyres and batteries and such but I think it's cheaper than a playstation.

I do agree about the U.K prices though, I have always wanted a clodbuster since I was a kid, stella have the new one at 181 uk pounds where as in the U.K it's 300uk pounds.

Prices in the UK do sting quite considerably over the internet, although they are getting closer to parity now that the pound is not worth much abroad. The tanks are now getting closer to parity. I bought a Tiger I in 2008 delivered to my door for £300 from Hong Kong, now you are looking at closer to £500 for them, and around £600 in the UK, which they were back in 2008. I do think the 1/16th trailers are money for old rope, considering what you get in comparison to buying a tractor unit for similar money.

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