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Saito2

The safety of buying Tamiya

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I'm in the market for a Fender guitar amp. Like any purchase (for me, anyway), you go down a long rabbit hole of research and review-reading. Most people like the amp I'm considering but then you look at the negative reviews. There's a small group with a consistent complaint that gives me pause. The consistent part bothers me. Will I be one of those few who suffer noise on the effects side of the amp? Roll the dice? I generally overthink it and lock up with indecision.

Tamiya is not like that in my case. I know what to expect from Tamiya (aside from the Juggernaut fiasco) and that's comforting. I love the looks of the MST CFX Jimny kit. But who is MST? For that matter, who is Arrma? who is CEN? How long are they going to be around? I'm so stodgy,  I'm just coming around to thinking Axial might be here to stay and that my '88 Mustang 5.0 isn't exactly a "late model" car anymore, lol. So, despite not liking the body, I'll probably being getting a CC02 (shockingly my first non-rerelease purchase in years) because its safe. It might not be the "best" for the money, but its safe. Tamiya will be here down the road. Anyone else feel this way?

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I agree completely. The main reason I went to Tamiya when I jumped back onto to the RC bandwagon after a 25 year hiatus is that I know it will be around after another 25 years if I want to share the hobby with kids/nephews/etc.

As silly as it sounds, Tamiya is the Rolex of RC :lol:

With a few exceptions, I don't imagine many other RC brands would actually be worth more than new as they age.

Edited by DeadMeat666
fixing grammatical error
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I think Tamiya will be here for the long haul. However, I don' think the quality is what it used to be. The Jagdpanther tank I bought nearly 10 years ago now had a warped bodyshell, and they'd got the holes in the hull for sprocket drives in the wrong place and I had to file the hull to get clearance for the drive shafts. I've also heard people complaining about the quality of the gears in some of the thundershot series re-releases (I'm wondering what my terra scorcher build is going to be like), and also someone on here had issues with a deformed clod buster axle housing. I've just finished building a comical hornet, and although the plastic quality was ok, I had 3 or so instructions manuals to refer to. The ESC comes with it's own setup instructions (which is fair enough), but I got a manual for building the chassis (Which included incorrect steps for building a driver figure that didn't come with kit), and then I had another manual for building the driver figure, which showed a mounting that wasn't for my chassis, and another manual for the bodyshell which didn't include the driver figure. This just smacks of penny pinching, and detracts from the general quality of the build experience. How much more effort would it be to make manuals specific for each kit ? Not much, and the owner is not going feel like they've bought something that's been botched together from several parts bins.

I think when you're buying anything you've got to be aware of looking at negative reviews on the internet. There's always people that will complain about anything, people that don't know what they're doing and then complain when they can't get something to work right. When I buy something on Ebay, I always check the seller reviews, and it's quite amusing when you see someone leave negative feedback for something saying 'It's cheap rubbish that fell apart on first use' when they've £1.60 to get it from China. What to they expect for that kind of money? I couldn't post something to China for that, let alone make it and then make money on it.

I've always bought tamiya kits, I think I bought the first one with my own money in 1985, and I've lost count of the box wrenches I've collected, so you can call me a loyal customer. I did have a brief foray into Kyosho with 2 Ultimas (Original and a Pro) in the 1990s, but other that it's always been tamiya. I've got to the point where I'm browsing Modelsport and Fusion hobbies, and not seeing anything in the Tamiya section that interests me, and I don't have a large collection of models, especially not by the standards of some of the members here. I'd have bought a FTX trail runner by now if it weren't for the the fact they don't come with differentials. The thing I guess that bugs me about Tamiya is that once they make something, it's the blanket refusal to change and improve it. It wouldn't kill them to update the clod buster with the longer TXT-1 stub axles and wheels. They improved the design from the Clod -> juggernaut -> TXT, so why not just update the clod and move on. All the bits are already in the parts bin, all they'd have to do is update the artwork and swap out a few bits in box. Bring out a Hotshot MK III. Hotshot II chassis and shell, with some Egress wheels on it and an updated sticker set.

Now I've got a clod buster, I'm not to buy another one that's the same. However, if a new clod came out with improvements such as TXT stub axles, wheels, and axle mounted servos I might think about selling the old one and then getting a new one, and they'd make the new model more attractive to prospective buyers. A quick trawl of the internet will find that the general view of the steering in the clod is that it's rubbish and needs modification to work properly. How many is that putting off. Bring out a model that attempts to rectify that and they might sell a few more.

Right, time to jump down off the soapbox before it collapses.........

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Tamiya. It’s a safe buy. Even a Poor seller goes up in value, maybe more so for rarity. Buy it, enjoy it & maybe sell it on, if you do it’ll fetch a good price. 

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8 hours ago, Saito2 said:

I'm in the market for a Fender guitar amp. Like any purchase (for me, anyway), you go down a long rabbit hole of research and review-reading. Most people like the amp I'm considering but then you look at the negative reviews. There's a small group with a consistent complaint that gives me pause. The consistent part bothers me. Will I be one of those few who suffer noise on the effects side of the amp? Roll the dice? I generally overthink it and lock up with indecision.

Tamiya is not like that in my case. I know what to expect from Tamiya (aside from the Juggernaut fiasco) and that's comforting. I love the looks of the MST CFX Jimny kit. But who is MST? For that matter, who is Arrma? who is CEN? How long are they going to be around? I'm so stodgy,  I'm just coming around to thinking Axial might be here to stay and that my '88 Mustang 5.0 isn't exactly a "late model" car anymore, lol. So, despite not liking the body, I'll probably being getting a CC02 (shockingly my first non-rerelease purchase in years) because its safe. It might not be the "best" for the money, but its safe. Tamiya will be here down the road. Anyone else feel this way?

Yep. Bought an Annsman mad rat years ago, wasnt too bad for the money couple of niggles with it`s quality but hit a kerb and smashed an arm a couple of years ago and now its knackered, spares are rarer than hens teeth. Tamiya though aside from the intial good quality theres still bits kicking about off 20 year old kits.

What amp you after? and is there a LMS that would let you use your own guitar to test an amp with? Mine does in Huddersfield if I ask nicely and drop in a packet of choccy biccies when I go

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Tamiya is safe, Xray and Schumacher too I think

Associated and Losi aren't the companies they were IMO though can still compete for now. 

Yokomo and Kyosho are probably going to be around forever as well. 

I don't like the way Tamiya abandons established classes though (e.g 1/10th off road has very little in the way of competitive stuff) 

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32 minutes ago, Wetman said:

What amp you after? and is there a LMS that would let you use your own guitar to test an amp with? Mine does in Huddersfield if I ask nicely and drop in a packet of choccy biccies when I go

Fender Champion 50XL. I love fender amps (I don't typically do the Marshall stack thing) It seems pretty well received but some of them evidently get noisy or problematic on the effects side. Must be a random flaw. In these times, I'm mail order only, so its a gamble.

8 hours ago, MadInventor said:

The thing I guess that bugs me about Tamiya is that once they make something, it's the blanket refusal to change and improve it.

Agreed. I made a post many years back about Tamiya refusing the "admit" their mistakes. The Juggernaut was a rare case. Whether its an outright flaw like the re-re Blackfoot/Monster Beetle driveshaft issues of just a subtle upgrade like the Clod you spoke of, it doesn't happen.

I do feel safe with Kyosho and probably would with Schumacher. I don't feel Associated is as good as they once were. The fact they axed all the RC10 parts left a bitter taste in my mouth too I guess.

 

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1 minute ago, Saito2 said:

Fender Champion 50XL. I love fender amps (I don't typically do the Marshall stack thing) It seems pretty well received but some of them evidently get noisy or problematic on the effects side. Must be a random flaw. In these times, I'm mail order only, so its a gamble.

Agreed. I made a post many years back about Tamiya refusing the "admit" their mistakes. The Juggernaut was a rare case. Whether its an outright flaw like the re-re Blackfoot/Monster Beetle driveshaft issues of just a subtle upgrade like the Clod you spoke of, it doesn't happen.

I do feel safe with Kyosho and probably would with Schumacher. I don't feel Associated is as good as they once were. The fact they axed all the RC10 parts left a bitter taste in my mouth too I guess.

 

Never had one so can`t comment. I actually had the champion 30  a few years ago and never had a bit bother with it. Never had an amp with the built in effects though, I`ve always prefered amp and stand alone pedals set up

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1 minute ago, Wetman said:

Never had one so can`t comment. I actually had the champion 30  a few years ago and never had a bit bother with it. Never had an amp with the built in effects though, I`ve always prefered amp and stand alone pedals set up

Generally, I do too. I currently run an old Frontman 25R. Great little amp but with my pedals and processor (I'm on a Shoegaze bend at the moment) the amp is having trouble keeping up. Even if I mainly add to the clean channel, I'd still like the rest of it to function properly for the $230 asking price. Wife probably won't go for a nice big expensive tube amp and I'm not a good enough player to deserve equipment like that anyway.

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Tamiya (for me) has always provided the most consistent build experience:

I purchase a kit, expect everything to be included, and everything will assemble together as intended.  In my experience, 100% of the time that is the case.  

Now from there..  one can make modifications or adjustments as they so desire.  One can choose options from the slight (Blitzer chassis steering arms swapped and flipped upside down)...

to genuine Tamiya hop-ups (alloy oil dampers, upgraded turnbuckles, blue alloy bits and such)...

to the more involved aftermarket things (Clodbuster servo mount on axle, carbon chassis conversions, ORV gearbox braces or MIP differential, alloy suspension arms, knuckles, etc.)

 

In most cases, there is never a need to have to custom make anything.  What you see, is what you get.  If you want to make (in my case) a DF-02 as precise and slop-free as a TRF 502.. well.. good luck, you're on your own and have to make something.

I find safety in knowing exactly what I can expect from my money spent on the hobby.

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I think we experience a little bit of groupthink on here.  The name is Tamiyaclub, after all.  There are people out there who wouldn't touch Tamiya with a bargepole.  There are those in the racing scene who think the TRF stuff is OK, but for the money you could get something else that's just as good.  And there are those in the high-speed basher world who think Tamiya just make cheap plastic toys.  While we might disagree with either, they both have their points.  I mean, it's a fair accusation that a hobby-grade RC car with a premium price tag should not have so much slop in the suspension or come with plastic bushes.

As a friend put it to me - all Tamiyas have their flaws.  Knowing about the flaws and either accepting them or finding ways to work around them is part of the joy of ownership.  A newcomer to the Tamiya brand might well consider those flaws unacceptable.

Back in the 80s we didn't have a lot of choice.  Tamiyas were flawed but so was everything else.  Toy-grade RCs came along but, although they might be more robust and less flawed, they couldn't offer the performance of Tamiya or the other hobby brands.  But the world has changed, and Tamiya haven't kept up.  They still have their hardcore fans (us) and their domestic market, who seem less concerned with all-out performance and indestructibility and more with having fun at the slower end of the scale.

For me, Tamiya is a safe bet because I know what I'm getting myself into.  At least, I know now.  I didn't know when I started out on my adult Tamiya journey fifteen years ago and I made some mistakes when buying and sold come cars that didn't deliver what I thought they were promising.  I trust that I can always get Tamiya spares.  Well, pre-Covid, anyway - last weekend I finally got some replacement uprights for my Blitzer Beetle that I've been looking for since February.  But I also buy other brands that have been around for a little while now, brands like MST and Axial, because for a comparable price tag they offer so much more performance and reliability, even if they lack just a little bit of that special something that nobody (besides possibly Kyosho) can deliver.  But that's not something I can easily sell to a newcomer to the hobby.

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On 9/13/2020 at 1:00 PM, DeadMeat666 said:

As silly as it sounds, Tamiya is the Rolex of RC 

 

It`s the Casio of RC, everyone has one anywhere around him and it works no matter what, Replacements are around.

RC10 is the Rolex of RC, a lot of People want one, few have one.

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1 hour ago, whahooo said:

 

It`s the Casio of RC, everyone has one anywhere around him and it works no matter what, Replacements are around.

RC10 is the Rolex of RC, a lot of People want one, few have one.

It's Millennium Falcon of RC. To some people it's a bucket, but if you own it, you love it, and when you pull it out of storage and hit that slightly too large jump, it's case of 'hold together baby, hold together......'

 

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8 minutes ago, MadInventor said:

It's Millennium Falcon of RC. To some people it's a bucket, but if you own it, you love it, and when you pull it out of storage and hit that slightly too large jump, it's case of 'hold together baby, hold together......'

 

And every time a used package arrives from Ebay, you say "I've got a bad feeling about this."

And remember, Rico chargers and ancient MSCs are no match for a good LiPo in your tray, kid

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Potentially unpopular counterpoint: Sometimes, knowing what you're going to get inside the box is what stops me from buying Tamiya models. I see a new model and think, "That looks cool and all, but do I really need more plastic bushings I'll never use? Do I really want to deal with more self-tapping shoulder screws and pogo-stick shocks? Do I already have a real slop-free servo-saver that will fit this, or will I have to order one?"

Not that those things are inherently bad, and I have several Tamiya models that I dearly love. But I also like variety, and I like a challenge, and sometimes Tamiya kits are a little too neat and tidy for me, while at the same time being a little too primitive and entry-level. I've been there, built that, and I don't need to do it again. And the "I like this body but not the chassis it comes on" or "this chassis is cool but I hate the only body available with it" problem also stops me from wanting a lot of them, especially the newer designs.

I am very happy that their re-release program has been so backwards-compatible with the original models, even if it upsets some collectors. Because it's still the old designs that I like best, and I love the idea of being able to fix up a wrecked original with shiny new real Tamiya parts. And I hope that continues for a good long while, because I think that's where they'll keep my business for a long time to come.

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when  I started this hobby 5.5 years ago, I bought Tamiya cars because of thats was the brand I knew and was still around for years and I thought that it was a safest to go with,  I think I have owned 35 rc cars  most of them where Tamiya, now I have 10 cars, 8 of them are still tamiya.

But to honest do I think that is the safest to go with at this moment for me it is a big no,  for some models like the tt01 tt-02, dt 03 and wr and gf models parts are easy to find, but Tamiya have a lot of cars like the txt-02 agrios and egress, avante,  terra scorcher this are only a few of them where parts for them are a pain to get so it is not so safe to buy.

I wanted a txt-2 agrios never bought one because leak of parts, I wanted a terra scorcher did not buy one because of leak of parts and now I see some little parts coming then I read it had trouble with bad molded gears.

If you want to be safe then buy a Traxxas car, some of the models are more then 15 years around and parts and aftermarket parts you can almost find everywhere, and arrma parts are much easier to get then Tamiya.

For me in the netherlands it is not easy to get Tamiya parts local, because they do not sell them here, I have to order from german or china webshops.

I still like Tamiya cars but more the ones that i have at this moment, I am looking for a new car but there is no Tamiya car that I want at this moment, to many have a lot of flaws and are to expense for what they are, for example they bring the rere vanquish for 299 euro, still have ugly plastic yellow shocks, plastic chassis for me the price is to high, for 40 euro more I can buy a kyosho optima with lots of alumium parts modified drivetrain for brushless and more, so I think my next rc car is not going to be Tamiya.

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Yeah, I guess when I posted this topic, I wasn't purely thinking about parts availability, but it was somewhat in my mind at the same time. There are other "safe" brands in my mind for one thing. Traxxas is one, though I don't like to spend money with such an unscrupulous company. Associated, on the other hand, seems to constantly update their buggies to stay on top so I wonder if they keep things for the older models. They used to, but that seems to have changed. There's a lot of RC10 owners that were lucky to have some parts available for a long time that are now left out in the cold. Tamiya parts (and Kyosho for that matter) can be hit or miss depending on where you live.

I guess, in the end, that safety factor I feel is more about both an established company that will be around for decades to come as well as established design practices. I don't know MST or CEN and I don't know how long they'll be around so despite having a "better" product at times, I shy away from them. If I want a change of pace, I like Kyosho too.

Its nice to have a company's product you can pretty much just buy and be done with it. The internet opens up so many reviews and opinions that I often wonder how anybody bought anything before it. Either A. stuff was better quality back then or B. the internet just gives voice to anyone who has complaints to make even if they are unfounded. Its probably a combination of both. 

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I have a lot of different brands. Brands like HPI, Schumacher, Asso, Yankee, Kyosho, BoLink.

But, I have to say the most cars are Tamiya. I like the overall quality, the hop ups and the long time available spare parts.

I want to restore my SST'99 Pro and my TC3 but couldn't find NIB Chassis etc. It's a nightmare. 

Currently I'm collecting parts for a TA02 Racing Special replica and that's much easier than to find parts for the Asso or Schumacher. No comment about parts for the Yankee Cross Control :wacko:

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