JThiessen

iTrader: (12)

I was browsing through Tower Hobbies website yesterday, and happened upon a Tamiya Front Wheel Drive only car - yes it's low end entry level stuff, but I'm wondering if there's much opportunity for success with one of these? Or are there any higher end cars that are front wheel drive only?
Another disclaimer - I've only recently begun looking at taking up carpet racing, and I have never owned a touring or on road car. So I know NOTHING about the whys and why nots.....

axle182

iTrader: (18)

You cant beat a 4wd car. If your just starting off, Check out the new TA05 Tamiya. Its full time 4wd. You could also find yourself a TA04, or if money is an issue, the TT-01 is again full time 4wd, and VERY cheap, altho strong. Dont bother with a front wheel drive car as it simply wont perform against 4wd cars. HTH

TadehI

Have you considered the TC3 and TC4 were very good on carpet and in some cases in the east coast are still the ticket. You can find some for under $150 brand new as well as used. Very user frendly car and easy to get parts and setups for.

JThiessen

iTrader: (12)

Yes, we've looked at the TC3/4. They seem to carry a high price (used). I can afford pretty much anything I want, but my nephew cant, and I dont want to outshine him just because I can afford a better car (I've already done that with the trucks!).
I've noticed that in the world of indoor racing most cars are resold without electronics. This isnt the case with offroad. But I guess thats probably due to racing requirements, etc.,
I may look into the Tamiya line of 4WD. Locally there are a couple chassis for sale used: there are two Shumacher M2's (?). The seller wants 300 for the two of them (one is apparently a newer one). I think there is a motor with it.
THere is also a Tamiya Car - I think it was a TB Evolution III, converted to a drifter. THis one is RTR (mostly novack electronics). He's asking 200. Seems like a good buy to me, but I really dont know.

axle182

iTrader: (18)

The evo III is a good car. Its outdated, but still a great car and the parts are readily available.

I think people sell everything seperate to get more of what its worth. If you keep a keen eye on the for sale threads, you should be able to buy everything you need at a reasonable price. Ill be placing my race packs up for sale as im upgrading them in the next month or so, people always have cheap electrics for sale, and the chassis on its own can be had for cheap.

For your own info on prices, i sold a TA-04 fully upgraded (except still had the graphite tub chassis) for $100cdn. About $80 something US. So buying it bit by bit may make it easier on the pocket also. But that deal for $200 sounds pretty good. Biggest advice for buyin second hand rc... take your time, the thread is updated every minute with different deals. Some good some average, but if you take your time, you should be able to get what your after

JThiessen

iTrader: (12)

How about the Trinity T-Spec? Seems to have more/better features than the Tamiya's.

Deznuts05

iTrader: (14)

as for the t-spec its a nice car but only in the right hands (could be said with any car I know)

However, from that I've seen you might as well be better off with an old TC3 and even with the FT TC4 out you might get a TC4 for dirt...

personally I got a TC3 for dirt due to the upgrade'n route of the previous buyer... another thing with 2nd hand cars always break it down and rebuild it back to stock form no matter what.

1. it helps you under stand how the car is build and helps you later to repair it
2. its like getting a new car especially if you rebuild the diffs its like night and day.
3. well there's nothing like running a car freash out of the box so might as well get your 2nd as close to NIB form good luck..

if you're stuck on the tamiyas make sure you can get replacement parts asap... and that goes for any car you get. nothing like paying for race dues and then having to leave because you don't have a part.

GL

bdcowell

iTrader: (1)

There were (and may still be) part supply issues with it. A few guys at our track bought them last winter. By spring, mine was the only one still running. The others had all been shelved due to unavailable replacements for broken parts. I just hadn't broken anything.

I haven't seen any of them on the track this year. I jumped to a new TC4. I'd strongly recommend something used with available parts over a new T-Spec. Even if the T-Spec parts can be ordered now, getting a part from the LHS wall beats the heck out of going home early.

Brian
FT TC4
T4
T-Spec (retired)
Manta Ray (retired)

JThiessen

iTrader: (12)

Thanks for all the input. I've bought all of my R/C's used so far, and your correct - going through them is a good thing to do.
Anybody try out 1/18th scale yet? I see HPI seems to have what looks like the more advanced on-roaders so far.
I'll likely keep my eyes out for a T3/T4. I just need to decide what I should recommend to my nephew. He has a stock Electric Rustler, and he just got a bunch of gift cards to the local Hobby shop, so he's itchn' to spend it. We are going to meet (him and his dad) at the track this afternoon to see what guys are running, and to get a better feel for what this indoor stuff is all about. It will actually be my first time seeing it, so it will all be new to me.
I'm still thinking that if I just convert my Revo to brushless........!

sosidge

A little advice - buying second-hand, while cheap, can be a false economy, especially if you are inexperienced as a racer.

A frequent problem is that a part is worn or broken, or something is set up incorrectly, but you will NEVER know because you don't know enough about the cars and the way the car SHOULD drive.

I saw this a lot at one of our local clubs - people would literally end up buying 2 or 3 second hand cars in a short space of time before getting hold of one that actually worked well enough for them to start progressing. It would have been cheaper for them to buy one car new in the first place, and take the time to build it and learn it themselves. Some of these second hand cars have had REALLY strange things done to them by their previous owners - believe me, I've had to rebuild a couple!

Of course, a lot of these cars still have life left in them, but you need to know the cars pretty well to be able to get them performing well. And in the early stages of learning to race, the last thing you need is mechanical/electronic/setup issues getting in the way of your driving.

Wanting to not spend silly money is a good idea - but spend your small budget wisely!

My advice would be to pick up new cars and equipment at a reasonable price. TC4 RTR's are good value and could compete (assuming they were assembled right at the factory). Tamiyas are less competitive (unless you spend big money) , but are easy to build and offer a good way of learning about driving around a racetrack. As long as you have 2 or 3 battery packs that will last the 5 minutes, you should be good to go racing!

Deznuts05

iTrader: (14)

YES! and I must say at first I wasn't too impressed however with the new motors that are sprining out the speed and lap times they are laying down is just as fast as stock and some mod motors.

Would I recomend it. 110% YES! Why? well one they are close to indestructable I'm sure I spelt that wrong but you get the point... are they cheep. ehh well nothing in this hobby is cheep but for the price you'll feel really good when you get one. and I dont' say that much... of all the cars and trucks I have I think my micro next to my t-maxx are about as reliable as they get... even my TA02 was fun and but it had its limits...

Now what to get for the mirco; well to have real fun I'd sugesst any trinity monster motor they go for about $40-45

Chassis... well this is a but one sided however the best bet would be nothing but an Xray m18... at stock form they are great and once again in the right hands will show its potential... however an upgraded chassis is $60-100 do you need it... more likely not but why not.

depending where you run rubber or foam I only know of Foam and I would say Orange front and purple rears by TRC.

Batts well once again this is just me but RC United makes some really nice products for the price. $23 if I remember or $30

ESC well I went to my local EBAY and for an LRP AI esc for $40...

Serco Hitec 81mg $24

Atomic Springs White < Red and Blues $12

All in all I spent ehh $200 maybe lil more tops and that's with said, and remind you I already had the charger and radio so you might want to factor that in.

MICRO = rewarding... and to be honest I've been racing my TC3 for half a winter season and I could never get it figured out... Micro 4hrs at the track strapping it together... layed it on the track, and I drove it like it was a video game something I could never do with my TC3...

PM me to get more details about micro.

JThiessen

iTrader: (12)

Boy, don't I know that all too well. I started in RC only last June. I've owned 15 Trucks/cars so far, all used. Right now, I've got 10 in my garage, and only 4 of them work (I must say that recently I've been focusing on project rigs - looking to make my own hybrid). For the most part, they have been good, but there have been a few that I didnt figure out. I dont think I would have learned as much as I know now if I hadnt purchsased this way, but I know I wouldnt have spent as much. I've had two that I never could figure out how to get them to go in the right direction, even after a complete rebuild.

So having run RC's, BUT never raced (even in the dirt), should I look to start out in the stock class? I'm not totally positive that I really know what the different classes mean (does stock motor mean the motor that came with the car, or is that a type of motor?). I'm not wanting to have those questions answered here and now, just an example of my learning curve ahead...

And yes, I'm intrigued by the 1/18ths. I just want to make sure that what I get is somewhat compatible with the equipment that I already have - ie., ALL those 6 and 7 cells that I have, the different motors I have from all the project rigs. So I will probably be in touch Deznuts.

Deznuts05

iTrader: (14)

As per stock... it is the type of motor.. your best bet to find out what class to run in is to ask the track director.. stock is geared for new racers however there's a thread on there that states that most STOCK RACERS's are not so much new... but pro...

Its a double edge sword because its good to race with better than you racers so you can learn faster and know better.

However, its harder because bumping and rubbing is very fround *sp upon. And the racer ediquite spelt that wrong as well... is something to be learn and could be discouraging in that ring.

but back your question... ask the track director... what car ask him... you just want something that you can replace easily... Micro well stuff hardly breaks but don't take that they are full throttle wall proof...

Another choice of car is 12th scale... just throwing that one out there. fast and a skill builder next to Buggy.

Hatebreed

i post my vote for a second hand tc3, the car has been out more than 6 years, have a unbeatable setup history to it, and is still a competitive car that can win the worlds in the right hands. i have owned one and raced it for 1.5years. now i have retired from serious racing, cant find the motivation to spend so much money that is needed to keep up in front. but my alltime favorite car is definitive the tc3.

so go with the tc3, or a tc4 if you find one cheap, the team version is quite cheap right now when the ft version is released (as said before in this thread)

trf_racer

Tamiya makes the best entry level cars. The TA05 is highly recommended.