rc4wd the new old tamiya

[spdyracer]

I have been wanting a very scale car for some time. I have owned plenty of crawlers but nothing that was what I would consider a total scale based rig. After looking around and considering several different rigs I finally decided on the rc4wd gelande 2. After getting it the other day I opened it up and knew right off that I had made the correct choice for what I wanted. Everything I pulled out of the box said quality and scale from the axles to the body. I was so happy to see everything was metal. After thinking about it I starting thinking this is what tamiya use to be all about, all metal cars that are scale based. I could actually imagine that if tamiya had kept that path the truck I had in my hands could have been from them, this is where tamiya could be right now. Anyone else have thoughts or opinions on this? Almost disapoints me to think of it like that but also glad there are other companies that have come up and producing quality scale cars like this.

[mongoose1983]

Well, it all depends on what you want the car for. Tamiya still makes the most scale RC vehicles that you can find in the market, while RC4WD makes scale trucks that are great looking and much better runners.

[markbt73]

I think it's generally a mistake to say that "metal" equals "quality" and "plastic" equals "cheap." And yes, RC4WD's quality is pretty good - now. But comparing them to Tamiya is like comparing Toyota to Hyundai: one has a decades-long reputation for quality that has slipped a bit in recent years, while the other started out wretchedly and has improved a great deal in a short amount of time. But they're still not "there" yet.

[Tamiya1/10]

I am with you, spdyracer. Tamiya has the capability to make all the models, parts, hop ups out there by all these different companies, but some how choose not to do any of it, which allowed all these company to enter and set root into the market. Mind you Tamiya has tapped into most area of rc and can't expect to stand out in all areas.

I am getting into F1 and the high end from Tamiya are expensive and no too realistic. I finally settled for f113 by 3racing as the price was $30 more than Tamiya basic kit, and once you check it out, you'll see the f113 is capable and amazing value from rcmart.

i hnow we have many Tamiya loyalists here at TC, but i have been looking at the oppositions and i like what they offer and my money has been with them for the last several years. Tamiya still gets some for the re releases, else i have switched sides.

[Tamiya1/10]

Well, it all depends on what you want the car for. Tamiya still makes the most scale RC vehicles that you can find in the market, while RC4WD makes scale trucks that are great looking and much better runners.

I am not so sure about that. Tamiya's bodies are good , but other makes like hpi or abc is just as good now.

Chassis wise like for crawling for tamiya is just too busy looking and seems not as capable. road cars are god but lots of competitions out there are just as good.

The only thing i can say Tamiya is still ahead is its manuals with painting suggestion.

[Mokei Kagaku]

I am not so sure about that. Tamiya's bodies are good , but other makes like hpi or abc is just as good now.

I can only fully disagree on this. "Regular" ABC bodies are totally inferior to Tamiya bodies, whereas their mostly very expesive "Super Bodies" are almost on Tamiya's level. To me, HPI is utter garbage in terms of realism and manufacturing quality. With few exceptions, the proportions are very poor, detail far from as sharp as on Tamiya bodies and the HPI stickers can't at all be compared to Tamiya stickers, being dull, semigloss (also when they are supposed to be gloss) and often pixelated.

I have painted a lot of HPI bodies for customers and own a few myself, but wouldn't care for more of them even if I got them for free. Including the newer ones which are admittedly marginally better than the old ones.

[ChrisRx718]

Metal works for the crawlers because they're nice and slow-moving. I wouldn't want a metal racing buggy for example; metal doesn't take an impact well. There's nothing there to absorb any bumps so stuff either bends or the hardware connecting two components together will fail.

Plastic is the way forward in my opinion, there are very few items which benefit from being made of metal.

I built a TA03 with a whole bunch of hop-ups from tamiya and GPM but the whole rig is expensive and typically something breaks if ever I do use it, so it's become an expensive (but pretty to look at) shelfer. I want to build another one with a twin-deck CF chassis but black plastics - the only metal being some decent TRF shocks. I can guarantee it will be more fun to drive!

[sidewaysdave69]

My cr01 has a trail finder 2 body on it. When you compare it to the high lift body its like a knock off version of Tamiya without the Toyota badging.

saying that i would love a trail finder 2 as they look the business, there are loads of great videos on YouTube. They look very capable trucks especially up against a high lift.

[spdyracer]

Not sure where to start after a few comments here. I never said the metal says quality or anything about a race vehicle and what is better metal or plastic in that regard. The kit to me from how it was packed to to the detail of all the parts is where the quality comes from to me. The metal part of it says more to the scale realism. I have read about and watched rc4wd cars in the past and they always seemed to still be missing the engineering side of it and also the durability. I think with there last two trucks now they are there with all of it. Seeing it out of the box just made me think how tamiya started out being scale realistic models you could drive. I don't mind some of the "silly" cars like the wild willy, lunchbox or even the new tractors I just wish tamiya still produced more cars like the srb or the blazing blazer. Metal parts aren't necessary but to me add to the realism. Example of that to me is the vanquish currie axles. I want to get them just because how scale they are and build a truck around them. You can't tell me tamiya couldn't do things like the currie axles or rc4wd new yota axles. I just wish that tamiya would release more cars that I would say that are back to there roots is all.

[Sayer]

I can only fully disagree on this. "Regular" ABC bodies are totally inferior to Tamiya bodies, whereas their mostly very expesive "Super Bodies" are almost on Tamiya's level. To me, HPI is utter garbage in terms of realism and manufacturing quality. With few exceptions, the proportions are very poor, detail far from as sharp as on Tamiya bodies and the HPI stickers can't at all be compared to Tamiya stickers, being dull, semigloss (also when they are supposed to be gloss) and often pixelated.

I have painted a lot of HPI bodies for customers and own a few myself, but wouldn't care for more of them even if I got them for free. Including the newer ones which are admittedly marginally better than the old ones.

I'm going to have to assume you're not counting Genetic and Gambado bodies in your appraisal of ABC Hobby - since with the exception of chromed abs light buckets, I don't see any differences that justify a statement like "totally inferior" Likewise, I'm going to have to assume you're not referencing any of the Cup Racer/trueten series from HPI when you call their bodies utter garbage. While they're not at the level of Tamiya (yet) that kind of fervor would be more appropriate in reference to Traxxas (who can't even figure out scale)

[Mokei Kagaku]

I'm going to have to assume you're not counting Genetic and Gambado bodies in your appraisal of ABC Hobby

To a certain degree I'm guilty as charged! :-) I mentioned the ABC Superbodies as being good, but some of the "non-Superbody" bodies for the Goose, Genetic and Gambado are also very good, no question.

Likewise, I'm going to have to assume you're not referencing any of the Cup Racer/trueten series from HPI when you call their bodies utter garbage.

The 240Z and 510 admittedly don't look all that bad, but the 911, 2002 and Stratos are terrible imho. A direct comparison between the HPI and Tamiya 911RSR with reference to pics of the real car shows how badly HPI missed the proportions.

Likewise, the angles and proportions of the front on the 2002 are poor, and the same goes for the HPI E30 M3, but getting the look of the "overbite" generations of BMW's right is obviously difficult as so many model manufacturers have failed on this, including Fujimi and Minichamps. Tamiya got their E30 M3 right though, many years before the HPI M3.

As for the Stratos, the front is way too high (possibly for clearance), the roof too low (possibly "scale correct, which looks wrong, a phenomenon Tamiya deliberately compensates for), and the overall look is not a good representation of the Stratos, a car I know pretty well because my best friend owns a real one.

Maybe more than anything, what disturbs me with HPI bodies is that they look kind of "untidy" in the flesh, without the quality of the stickers and general fit and precision that are standard Tamiya features, although HPI has clearly improved from the early years, when their bodies were blobs of plastic.

Of course, also Tamiya has had a couple of bodies not worth remembering, like the Road Hawk, Overlander and Dual Hunter, but then again, I don't think Tamiya intended them to be "scale bodies", but it's still a shame they are so ugly. Worse though is the Tamiya 1/10 La Ferrari, where I think Tamiya missed badly, which is a bit strange considering that they got the 1/24 static kit of the La Ferrari right. The 1/10 La Ferrari body is one of very few Tamiya bodies that I never cared to get.

..... that kind of fervor would be more appropriate in reference to Traxxas (who can't even figure out scale)

Touché! :-)

[Carlito]

I think it boils down to price.

If I wanted a scale truck, I couldnt afford the gelande2 @ £262 in one go.

I bought my fj40 for £120 some 3 years ago, parts are plentiful and mods are as expensive as you want to pay(i made my own 4 link suspension for £7).

The issue with new comers is parts availability, the gelande2 may be a big flop and they pull production, much like the thunder tiger crawler(has any one tried to get parts?), Tamiya mass produce plastic kits, parts are cheap, available and interchangable with other kits and you have the fan base and community to help with problems.

Yes Tamiya are plastic and im glad you found a quality kit, but trying to compare plastic kit to metal is comparing a cruise ship to a speed boat.

I know tamiya also do metal kits, but majority of sales would be plastic kits, think of tamiya metal kits as a prestige branch, toyota and lexus so to speak.

[Tamiya1/10]

I can only fully disagree on this. "Regular" ABC bodies are totally inferior to Tamiya bodies, whereas their mostly very expesive "Super Bodies" are almost on Tamiya's level. To me, HPI is utter garbage in terms of realism and manufacturing quality. With few exceptions, the proportions are very poor, detail far from as sharp as on Tamiya bodies and the HPI stickers can't at all be compared to Tamiya stickers, being dull, semigloss (also when they are supposed to be gloss) and often pixelated.

I have painted a lot of HPI bodies for customers and own a few myself, but wouldn't care for more of them even if I got them for free. Including the newer ones which are admittedly marginally better than the old ones.

you disagree with me!? We'll have to put some gloves on and settle it :-D

I am not saying Tamiya has gone done hill, but there are now more selectiond to choose from. I looked at D90 from rc4wd and i like what i see, i looked at hpi cup racer series and i like what was offered, abc wise i like shell detailings for the datsun, toyota.

the big rigs, tanks would be tamiya for me.

[JeepnMike]

I had to google this truck to see what all of the fuss was about. I will say that I agree with the OP in that it looks like a heck of a build and a very quality kit. For a scaler truck, all of the metal parts scream bling and quality to me, and very true to scale (within reason). It sounds like this may be the type of kit that you build like a really freaking fine wine though.. Nice and slow, enjoy the build, and put it on a shelf. I would be worried about parts availability too and I hate shelf queens. Something this intricate, expensive, and potentially rare probably would be best on a shelf.

I agree with Mokie about aftermarket shells.. You can't get much better than Tamiya. A lot of the aftermarket more affordable shells are more affordable for a reason.. The details aren't as crisp and the decals usually suck.

Not sure why I am even replying to this really, just saying a bit of what he said I guess.. LOL

[Shodog]

RC4WD's quality is pretty good - now....they're still not "there" yet.

I would agree. I have four RC4WD vehicles, a Trailfinder 1, trailfinder 1 Jeep, trailfinder 2 and a Gelande 2. The second version of these trucks are more refined. The gears in the axles and transmissions are not as smooth as Tamiya's But all and all I like the quality and build materials of the RC4WD trucks far better.