What does racing really cost?
09-18-2003, 01:21 PM
#61
About the time before the races...
I guess that's side of the hobby that is left forgotten. RTR's don't help it a little bit...
For me is an absolute necessity, not because I want to win but mainly because I love building these incredible sophisticated machines that we run.
Sometimes I just look at them (I even take pictures and update my site the best I can to share that passion - go see what I mean, click the little house on top of this).
The racing in the beggining was terribly frustrating. But the joy of painting a new body or comtemplating the car would make that up.
All of a sudden I understood that the time spent in detail was producing results. I got better and better. I applied the same method (it's not an obession but rather my "scientific" approach to things) into driving.
The results started to appear. I coulnd't care less about the victory, but passing good driver with skill would make my day.
It was more a race againt me than against the others.
When I felt that the results were getting in front of everything else I laid back for a while.
I've seen guys too deep into the success on the races, abandon because they start to loose. Not fun anymore? They are loosing the best part of it all, I think.
They are loosing the "look at this purple car" feeling, "check this paintjob" and the "feel these shocks" part.
I guess that's side of the hobby that is left forgotten. RTR's don't help it a little bit...
For me is an absolute necessity, not because I want to win but mainly because I love building these incredible sophisticated machines that we run.
Sometimes I just look at them (I even take pictures and update my site the best I can to share that passion - go see what I mean, click the little house on top of this).
The racing in the beggining was terribly frustrating. But the joy of painting a new body or comtemplating the car would make that up.
All of a sudden I understood that the time spent in detail was producing results. I got better and better. I applied the same method (it's not an obession but rather my "scientific" approach to things) into driving.
The results started to appear. I coulnd't care less about the victory, but passing good driver with skill would make my day.
It was more a race againt me than against the others.
When I felt that the results were getting in front of everything else I laid back for a while.
I've seen guys too deep into the success on the races, abandon because they start to loose. Not fun anymore? They are loosing the best part of it all, I think.
They are loosing the "look at this purple car" feeling, "check this paintjob" and the "feel these shocks" part.
09-18-2003, 01:35 PM
#62
Cost is as much as you you want to spend. SOmehow or another you always find a way to get the the one part you think you need. Lots of time I buy it used!!! I've had great luck and raely get burned. When I had credit cards it was crazy!! Now I live on cash. Its a lot better way to live
As far as comparing to to other sports. what makes RC so expensive is you do it 4 to 5 times a month. I used to race enduro karts at a very high level up till two years ago (Baby!!!) and I spent almost as much to KEEP racing RC cars as I did on karts. Its true. RC cars add up no the checkbook.
Someone else made a great point-the cost isnt the issue here-its the unbelievable feeling you get while racing. For me-karts is the ultimate!!! Speed, heat, noise, the mental game-outbraking someone on the outside, taking that turn flat out wheneveryone says its a lift!!! Winning a race, driving the cool off lap-waving at the turn marshalls, seeing your family and friends smiling ear to ear as you pull in to the pits!!!
RC cars is even harder to describe to outsiders why its addictive.
As far as comparing to to other sports. what makes RC so expensive is you do it 4 to 5 times a month. I used to race enduro karts at a very high level up till two years ago (Baby!!!) and I spent almost as much to KEEP racing RC cars as I did on karts. Its true. RC cars add up no the checkbook.
Someone else made a great point-the cost isnt the issue here-its the unbelievable feeling you get while racing. For me-karts is the ultimate!!! Speed, heat, noise, the mental game-outbraking someone on the outside, taking that turn flat out wheneveryone says its a lift!!! Winning a race, driving the cool off lap-waving at the turn marshalls, seeing your family and friends smiling ear to ear as you pull in to the pits!!!
RC cars is even harder to describe to outsiders why its addictive.
Last edited by rayhuang; 09-18-2003 at 01:49 PM.
09-18-2003, 01:47 PM
#63
For me, it's just the thrill of competition... It's about focusing on getting every turn right, lap after lap. It's about knowing that the lap you just ran was the best one so far, then trying to repeat it. It about doing the best that you can, then raising the bar for the next time.
Of course, it takes time to become a winner, but eventually, victory comes, and at that point, it doesn't matter how much you spent, or how many hours it took to prepare the car. It also doesn't matter if it's the A Main, or the F Main. All that matters is that at the end of the day, you can say that you had fun
.
Hey, Antonio, you mind if I take a bite out of that sandwich
? I like that avatar.
Of course, it takes time to become a winner, but eventually, victory comes, and at that point, it doesn't matter how much you spent, or how many hours it took to prepare the car. It also doesn't matter if it's the A Main, or the F Main. All that matters is that at the end of the day, you can say that you had fun
.Hey, Antonio, you mind if I take a bite out of that sandwich
? I like that avatar.
09-18-2003, 02:11 PM
#64
Originally posted by MDawson
I lost touch with racing in college and a few years after. It was a lot of work to get back into it after taking those years off.
Come to think of it, it has only been 4 years since I got back into it.
I lost touch with racing in college and a few years after. It was a lot of work to get back into it after taking those years off.
Come to think of it, it has only been 4 years since I got back into it.
so far it's working out alright, other than the public transportation.
I really wish I had my stuff here though. I showed up at the track an hour early last tuesday to go through the bearings. I didn't get to go through the car as much as maybe i should have.
09-18-2003, 07:09 PM
#66
this is great
this is great guys, i was just feeling guilty for blowing $60 bucks at Tower, i blew $130 last week & the wife and i are trying to "save" to pay off some bills
Rc racing has cost me more than i had imagined. i raced jetskis for years & when i bought all my stuff to go RC racing i spend $800. i had spend that on one part for a ski motor
. we'd build a motor, pull something stupid and blow it up, throw $400 in parts for a rebuild and do it again. now days a ready to go race ski will set you back about $35,000 never mind the cost of keeping it running competitivly
karting is the same, it all $$$$$$$$$
rc racing is the only racing i can afford, and i don't gamble my health or life to do it! the wife like that
thanks for the pick-me-up guys
Rc racing has cost me more than i had imagined. i raced jetskis for years & when i bought all my stuff to go RC racing i spend $800. i had spend that on one part for a ski motor
. we'd build a motor, pull something stupid and blow it up, throw $400 in parts for a rebuild and do it again. now days a ready to go race ski will set you back about $35,000 never mind the cost of keeping it running competitivlykarting is the same, it all $$$$$$$$$
rc racing is the only racing i can afford, and i don't gamble my health or life to do it! the wife like that
thanks for the pick-me-up guys
09-18-2003, 07:20 PM
#67
HeY!!!
I prolly spent well over a grand on just one car that i have and i can't beleive i'm still in this hoby now but o-well it's alot cheaper then any other type of racing i think and it's really competitive at all levels that you race at and in all classes..
I'm 110% sure that i'm gonna be in this hobby for a long time because it's nothing but fun cept when u break part, but u fix it and ready to race again right
I prolly spent well over a grand on just one car that i have and i can't beleive i'm still in this hoby now but o-well it's alot cheaper then any other type of racing i think and it's really competitive at all levels that you race at and in all classes.
.I'm 110% sure that i'm gonna be in this hobby for a long time because it's nothing but fun cept when u break part, but u fix it and ready to race again right
09-19-2003, 12:52 AM
#68
Tech Master
trf racer - It is about fun, you said it yourself "now to some one who thinks its about fun then might not agree bcause its ruling my life but iam learning so much and it is actully fun."
what i was getting at is its a different kind of fun when you get to this kind of level.
a bigginer will have fun crasheing etc.
i have fun that i go out buy something.but when u buy it that alone cant make u faster.uve then got to tune it to make you go faster [motor,transmitter etc].
the fun for me is when your second and up with 1st and trying to get past.if you cant then after that race youve got to tune the car to get more of an advantage.
but he is also going to do something to keep the advantage.
now that is the fun.
an expensive fun but still fun.
i probably spend about 15 hours preping my car a week.
what i was getting at is its a different kind of fun when you get to this kind of level.
a bigginer will have fun crasheing etc.
i have fun that i go out buy something.but when u buy it that alone cant make u faster.uve then got to tune it to make you go faster [motor,transmitter etc].
the fun for me is when your second and up with 1st and trying to get past.if you cant then after that race youve got to tune the car to get more of an advantage.
but he is also going to do something to keep the advantage.
now that is the fun.
an expensive fun but still fun.
i probably spend about 15 hours preping my car a week.
09-20-2003, 02:19 AM
#70
Tech Master
amen TRF, i love working on my cars as long as u do. Its a needed basis to win and do well
yaeh prep is everything.
getting every detail perfect.
yaeh prep is everything.
getting every detail perfect.
09-20-2003, 01:37 PM
#71
prep time
i wish i had 15 hours a week to prep my car. i inspect it, set-it up all on friday night, clean it up after the rase before i pack it up for the week, poor baby don't get no attention
09-21-2003, 01:10 PM
#72
RC Cars is a pretty cheap hobby for the fun it offers. It has managed to had me hook for over 5 years already and I'm the type that gets bored very fast. Slowly fading though...college takes up too much time and I can't dedicate a weekend to just race with school the next day. (But I can dedicate a few hours working in the garage on my car whenever I feel like it.)
My new hobby is working with real cars. I've already spent close to a grand restoring and re-doing the interior of my car. And I still have to put another 5-6 grand into it until I consider it "done." My friend spent 7 grand already, not including the cost of his Corvette.
I've spent maybe 3-4 grand on this hobby since 5 years. I'd say it was worth every penny because of the fun I had and the new friends I made from this hobby.
My new hobby is working with real cars. I've already spent close to a grand restoring and re-doing the interior of my car. And I still have to put another 5-6 grand into it until I consider it "done." My friend spent 7 grand already, not including the cost of his Corvette.
I've spent maybe 3-4 grand on this hobby since 5 years. I'd say it was worth every penny because of the fun I had and the new friends I made from this hobby.
09-21-2003, 01:19 PM
#73
agreed
good friends, good fun
dan, i see your a rotary fan, i'm looking to back into real cars as well, build two lowriders/ imports previous. now wanting to do street rods and 50s hotrods, but it's serious $$$$$$$$$
dan, i see your a rotary fan, i'm looking to back into real cars as well, build two lowriders/ imports previous. now wanting to do street rods and 50s hotrods, but it's serious $$$$$$$$$
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