b-man777

Hey all: Was just thinking about all the choices out there these days for competition level 1/10th electric off road vehicles not only for types of vehicles ,but also brands such as: Team Associated ,TLR ,Kyosho ,Durango ,Xray ,Tamiya ,Yokomo ,Schumacher Hot Bodies Team C ,Xfactory and a few others. They all make quality products and have their good and bad points. so what it comes down to for me when buying a kit is value which doesn't simply mean cheapest ,but what you get for the price. Also availability because no matter how good a vehicle is if you can't easily find their kits or spare and after market parts for them then what good are they. I do think that the internet has closed the gap on my last point. Any thoughts thanks

the incubus

iTrader: (17)

You really need to go to your local tracks and see what people are running. I'm sure there is variety but chances are most will be running AE & TLR as those are the most readily supported brands across the U.S. and many places around the world.

Having said that, today is a far cry from 1992 and the vast majority of "competition" kits are quite closely matched so if you see one that catches your eye due to features or systems, do a bit of research to find out from people running them what they feel is lacking or what are its best attributes and certainly find out how easy people feel it drives.

I got back into racing RC after an almost 20 year hiatus and went with TLR and quickly found the 22 didn't suit my preferences in both how it drove and the steering system, so I traded it for a 4.2 and instantly I was comfortable. Having run that car for 2 years, I was looking to change/upgrade to something newer and certainly something that was much more precise, as the 4.2's achilles heel is all the excessive slop throughout the car, much of which, through my OCD obsessive compulsivity to have things function to my standards, I was able to remedy.

So after about a year of looking and reading up on the PRS1 I decided to take the leap and got myself one. The car is as precise as anything and the quality is superb throughout. Fit and finish are 2nd to none and it is the most stable vehicle under braking I have ever driven which allows me to brake much deeper than I could with my 4.2 and it stays straight and I can maintain my lines through turns and get on the gas sooner too. It's only flaw is its on power steering but placement of components remedy this quite well and having the right front tires helps quite a bit as well.

The 22's achilles heel was the crap slide rack system and since they switched tot eh bell cranks, the car is now where it should have been from he start, but TLR's pricing is absurdly high for what you get.

The new AE offerings are superb in what you get period and their price point is the best by far.

The Serpent kits are excellent as well.

HB kits perform excellently, but the slop is something I cannot be paid to deal with.

Schumacher make great vehicles and are among the very best, but again, too expensive for what you get when cars like the B5, PRS1 and the like perform similarly for considerably less.

X-Ray, same deal.


In the end, you have to go out and physically see these cars in person and ask questions in order to make an informed decision.


Hope this helps, good luck.


There's also an excellent thread on 4WD Buggies here: http://www.rctech.net/forum/electric...buggy-kit.html

BradB1

I would suggest anything Associated. It is the best of the best and I never have any problems with their stuff and it never breaks and I am never in the pits while all the other guys are wrenching and getting mad at their stuff. It is pretty hilarious though to watch.

symmetricon

iTrader: (27)

Best thing you can do is try to drive them all, if possible...
I've owned the dex, the b5m (sloppy as hell), 22.2 and the RB6 ( expensive as he'll with all the hop ups)

The best value in terms of what you get in the kit and quality of materials has to be the Yokomo.

For me, the RB6 drives the best... lots of grip and steering, high precision parts. ( suck ass build, parts all over different parts trees, crappy instructions, but fitment is perfect)

rcgod

iTrader: (33)

B5m factory light $245 shipped from tower with coupon. Rb6 may be better but not for an extra $150 imo.

losicorey

iTrader: (7)

I've driven just about everything and keep coming back to the 22 2.0. I know it needs a few things (bellcranks being #1) but when I got it dialed in, it's an amazing buggy. I've had a few diehard we guys drive my buggy and said that it was better in some aspects then theirs. We quality control is very lacking lately and I've seen more as cars break than the tlr's. Just my opinion but hey, that's what you're asking for!
Oh, you might take a look at the new Sworkz 2wd buggy. Looks super nice

Kings Kid

iTrader: (35)

I see so many guys with four or five different cars running multiple classes and so saving the most on a kit or kits is pretty important. I was one of those a few years back. On the other hand five years ago I started running an sc r and found for me it was an easy fast drive. So when I decided to upgrade this past winter it only made sense to stay with kyosho. More money, yes. Worth the extra? To me, no doubt! So when it was time to add a second truck? Why not! As for parts? The online shopping today fills in when your local shop doesn't. I still get what I can from my lhs. When you find what you really like why not stick with it. My .02$

WagwanBumba

iTrader: (1)

If your straight up priority is what you get for your money, you can't fault the B5M Factory Lite. And because the car is an AE, parts support is one of the best if not the best for standard and aftermarket options.

When it comes to vehicle tunability, I'm all for the Kyosho RB6! Its an expensive car but the number of geometry options, battery options, mid/rear out of the box etc etc is straight up there. You do need a few pieces, like the alum steering rack and I'm a fan of alum rear hubs but that's it then.