DN01 vs TRF201 pricing right now

[rwordenjr 861]

I can get a $150 NIB zahhak or a $450 NIB trf201. The latter is clearly the better version but at that current price? Which would you go for ? 

[OOZZEE 30]

Are you buying it from RC Mart lol.

depends what you want to use it for, I would go for the TRF all day long.

 

[Finnsllc 610]

im building a dn01 now. where did you find a trf201?

[rwordenjr 861]

5 minutes ago, OOZZEE said:

Are you buying it from RC Mart lol.

depends what you want to use it for, I would go for the TRF all day long.

 

No, private sellers

[rwordenjr 861]

2 minutes ago, Finnsllc said:

im building a dn01 now. where did you find a trf201?

There are a few on eBay 

[Finnsllc 610]

@rwordenjr yeah but 450 is steep

[rwordenjr 861]

1 minute ago, Finnsllc said:

@rwordenjr yeah but 450 is steep

I’ve paid more for less but it was even more rare than the trf201 lol. 

[rwordenjr 861]

2 minutes ago, Finnsllc said:

@rwordenjr yeah but 450 is steep

That’s why at those prices the dn01 + the upgrades may be cheaper ? But I’m not sure 

[Jonathon Gillham 3186]

What are you using it for? You're in the US right? Why not pick up an Ae B6.1 instead? A lot cheaper than the TRF201 and more capable. Unless you're a serious collector the TRF is mental money - thats any top level current race kit atm!

[ThunderDragonCy 4529]

Just now, Jonathon Gillham said:

What are you using it for? You're in the US right? Why not pick up an Ae B6.1 instead? A lot cheaper than the TRF201 and more capable. Unless you're a serious collector the TRF is mental money - thats any top level current race kit atm!

What he said ^

I got a DN01 and upgraded, and a lot of the hop ups that are really worth doing aren't in the 201 kit anyway, like the reinforced F parts front arms, the lipped motor mount to name bit two. Get a DN01, some nice shocks and the aluminium suspension blocks (I'm not even sure the 201 comes with these either) and you're away.

[Juggular 3433]

4 hours ago, rwordenjr said:

That’s why at those prices the dn01 + the upgrades may be cheaper ? But I’m not sure 

If you keep the upgrades to minimum, that's not a bad idea.  

If you got TRF201 for $175 two years ago, that would have been best (though I chose DN01 even when TRF201 was cheap).  If you can get TRF201 for $220 now, it would be cheaper than DN01 + all the upgrades.  But as you suspect, it's not worth $450. 

DN01 for $150 is still not bad.  About $20 more than DT02 or DT03, but whole lot better in performance.  

Tamiya Club's advice back when was to keep it minimal. I think that was wise.  I only got a slipper clutch and a motor mount.  I didn't want to make it into a bling-bling buggy.  I wanted it to be DT04. It performs like DT04 should. It costs like DT04 would.  It shouldn't cost twice as much as a CC-02 ($240). 

So, yeah, I think getting DN-01 and keeping upgrades to just 2-3 things would be sensible. But if you are going to have 7-8 upgrades, that's where the law of diminishing return bites you.  Because for that price, there are better buggies out there.  

 

[Finnsllc 610]

@rwordenjr DN01

[Howards 254]

Just picked up a DN01. Had the same dilemma but thought the Dn01 with the slipper and maybe upgraded diff parts will be good enough for general fun. Probably won’t do shocks....

...unless someone can provide a recommendation and source for budget friendly shocks that will be an improvement over the CVAs?

[ThunderDragonCy 4529]

4 minutes ago, Howards said:

Just picked up a DN01. Had the same dilemma but thought the Dn01 with the slipper and maybe upgraded diff parts will be good enough for general fun. Probably won’t do shocks....

...unless someone can provide a recommendation and source for budget friendly shocks that will be an improvement over the CVAs?

Nothing budget outdoes the CVA, especially as the set in the DN01 comes with red orings and proper pistons. They are as good as CVAs get. I woukd suggest using the 1 hole pistons instead of kit recommended 2, but they are great. Next best thing is the Buggy Aeration shocks or DF03 Alloy shocks if you can get them for sensible money from an asian vendor (i got mine from a japanese shop on ebay for about £50). Otherwise, Gmade diaphragm shocks are good and again around £50 per set. You need 75mm front, 93mm rear. 

Get some sticky full size car wheel weights and stick 30 grams worth on top of the servo to weight the front a bit. 

The rear suspension plastic blocks will get baggy eventually. If you have the means i would suggest getting 50994 steel suspension balls straight away. When/if the J5 and J1 parts get baggy, 54242 and 54243 are the aluminium replacements. Lovely things, but hard to find now unfortunately. 

[Howards 254]

Awesome, thank you!