mremtr

iTrader: (1)

Personally I just don't like anything Lousi ! Sorry I did givve the car a try and did not like it ! The thing broke the dummest things ,llike hinge pin retainers ?
WTF? I NEVER lost an Eclip on my K cars ,and to have the hinge pin poke a hole in the retainer ???? Sloppy steering just did it for me , OH YEAH, that mickey mouse steering servo saver..... allways loosened up ,and it was very hard to tighten it too ? (and it was all brand new,everything including the nut)
They have some inovative ideas and can make them work, but That thing was just not for me.
I'm going to run the AE buggy next season to give it a fair shake and then make a call as of right now all I can do is compare the Lousi to the Kyosho ,and personally there is not much to compare the K car is better in my opinion. Opinion being key here!

rezenclowd3

iTrader: (17)

BTW its Losi not Lousi Ive only broken less than $20 worth of parts for the 13 gallons I have had my car. Also, like any servo saver, threadlock it. The only servo saver that I like is the upside down one (with the nut on top, Jammin style or Mugen buggy style).

gixxerman

The Losi buggy is definately tuff as nails! I raced one last year (and will this year) for my first competitive race season! I wrecked it ALOT and never broke anything! The only problem I had was the throttle servo issue that everyone had, but once I set it up correctly I never had a problem again! I don't think either buggy is bad it just depends on how you drive and what you like to have in a race buggy! The Eight is definatley verry aggressive especially in turns and some may not like that sort of on the edge driving style you have to adopt when you drive the Eight! As far as the Associated car I have heard and read that there is a problem with them shattering the top plates that hold the steering assembly together! So I guess what I'm trying to say is it is up to personal preferance of what you like or are used to! I like the Losi buggy and will probably never switch to anything else because it is now what I'm used to!

DOMIT

iTrader: (1)

Actually I'm a LOT opinionated, but I appreciate the comment.

What he said is basically true. A new driver won't be able to tell the difference between a good car and a not-so-great one. Pick ANY "Pro-level" buggy and it will serve you well. Losi 8ight, Associated RC8, Mugen MBX5R or MBX5 Prospec (or even the "regular" MBX5) Kyosho SPII or WC, Jammin, Xray XB8 EC (although the older Xray might be too much for a new driver to handle, and the Xray has SOOOOOO many options on setup it can be overwhelming!) and I'm sure there are others too. Get help from local guys running the same car for setup.

Some cars are easier to drive than others. The Mugen and the Jammin are really stable and forgiving. The others are a little more aggressive and edgy- but ANY car at that level has a lot of tuneability for driver style.

As a new driver, parts availability is a huge consideration. You WILL break parts! Pick something that the local guys run and that parts are readily available for. And don't get frustrated. Skill takes time!

PTP Racing

iTrader: (2)

I dont know how anyone could ever complain about the slop in the RC8 and say it was more than a 8ight. My 8ight was a slop monster untill I upgraded to kingheadz parts and then even still the steering was so sloppy you could never get the left wheel to turn as far as the right.

There are things I dont like about the RC8 too though. The chassis flexed so much the clutch bell rubs the chassis. I fixed that by grinding away some material under the bell. I also dont particularly care for the way the front plate mounts to the front gear box I cant get to the screw to take it out and that means you have to take the entire front end assembly off the car to change it. The hinge pin holders are cheesy but they are on the Losi too. I bought kingheadz replacements for them too.

Other than the little nit picky stuff though I like them both. I think the RC8 is better for the indoor track I race on now. It has extremely high traction and tight turns. The layed down shocks of the RC8 help fight traction rolling and it has more steering throw than any buggy Ive ever owned.

I'm waiting for the next Kyosho car. When it comes out I'm switching. Ive owned just about every competitve car on the market and have been most pleased with the Kyosho cars Ive owned. Once you replace the screws with machine screws their kits are flawless. The parts fit perfectly and the quality of the parts seems to be second to none. They have just gotten way behind in the innovation department. I think the addition of Gil Losi Jr and Pavidis working with Kanai ought to be able to design a car that is really something exceptional. Or at least I hope so because I'm getting one.

ezveedub

iTrader: (17)

There is a bit too much flex in the RC8, IMO. The engine flexes alot with the chassis flex and if the clutch bell hits the chassis, that ain't good the for engine & clutch bearings. This car would need some more tuning parts IMO.

Shane Racer

iTrader: (4)

You can put the RTR chassis braces on it if you don't like the amount of flex it has.

PTP Racing

iTrader: (2)

I put kingheadz aluminum chassis braces on mine. There is still some flex but not too much like before. There are plenty of options AE has the originals the rtr ones and soon will offer aluminum ones.

I'm a little surpirsed 4mm chassis like the 8ights havent become the new norm. I do think a 4mm chassis with plastic braces is pretty close to the ideal amount of flex.

SkarTisu

iTrader: (8)

I would start the day on Truhe's setup, then start adjusting rear swaybars and antisquat as the track broke down. My complaint about the rough track handling is that the car would kick violently on sharp edged ruts. These are the kind of ruts that compress the suspension completely. I think the explanation is a perfect example of yin and yang. The 8ight has its mass on the chassis centralized. Very clever design, and it makes the car very responsive. The downside is that when something upsets the chassis, it gets out of shape further (because of the lower moment of inertia in the chassis) than other designs, like the Kyosho, Jammin or X-Rays.

Over rolling bumps or small choppy ruts, the car was fine. At a recent race that had a section where the track was chopped up with some sharp edged ruts, my Kyosho was gobbling up the fast Losi in the main with me. However, when we got to the hairpin corners, he'd leave me behind because is car rounded the corner a lot quicker.

Again, the 8ight is not a bad car by any means. I just didn't like that facet of the car.