MP9 vs 808 quality
12-30-2008, 03:09 AM
#16
Tech Adept
Just out of curiosity do the 808 guys in here run there's as an out of the box kit or have you bought a lot of "hop-up" parts. cos i think the 808 looks like an exceptional buggy but would be hesitant if it required all those extra's to get it to be outstanding.
where as i was lead to believe that the mp9 was "dialed" straight out of the box?
where as i was lead to believe that the mp9 was "dialed" straight out of the box?
12-30-2008, 03:13 AM
#17
The 808 is dialed out of the box! No hop ups needed. You may want the adjustable hinge pin retainers but The stocker is right on IMO.
12-30-2008, 06:28 AM
#18
It is all in how you look at it....
I think this is an issue of when you compare the 808 out of the box to the rest of the field. In this case the car really shines. After the truely awesome build, the good news is this is no where near how good the car can be for your certain driving style. Small adjustments give very predictable responses that can be repeated over and over.
Having spent some time with the MP-9 as well, this car is not as good with the box setup. However, it did run well after tinkering with the adjustments a little. It was very forgiving and could be pushed hard. But even with this, I was faster and drove better in traffic with my 808. I'm more of a finess (puss) driver so the agressive 808 did not bother me.
Durability? The drive train of the MP-9 is more durable than the 808. The plastics and genral mats of the 808 outshine the MP-9 by far. I can maintain the drive train but IMO the failure of the other materials cause DNFs.
If you like to drive hard and push the MP-9 is worth a look. If you like an agressive car that goes fast the 808 might be for you.
My 2 cents.
TEX
Having spent some time with the MP-9 as well, this car is not as good with the box setup. However, it did run well after tinkering with the adjustments a little. It was very forgiving and could be pushed hard. But even with this, I was faster and drove better in traffic with my 808. I'm more of a finess (puss) driver so the agressive 808 did not bother me.
Durability? The drive train of the MP-9 is more durable than the 808. The plastics and genral mats of the 808 outshine the MP-9 by far. I can maintain the drive train but IMO the failure of the other materials cause DNFs.
If you like to drive hard and push the MP-9 is worth a look. If you like an agressive car that goes fast the 808 might be for you.
My 2 cents.
TEX
12-30-2008, 06:36 AM
#19
The pins at the end of the cvd that go into the outdrives. You need a pin removal tool though for it. I use a Bonesaver. And you need part #106050.
I also replace the pin that keys into the front, and rear pinions and the pins for the axles. Those notch out and cuase the car to feel a bit sloppy. The pin removal tool is a bit spendy but it is a tool and you only buy it once. After that the pins are like $4 for a 10 pack. That is cheap to freshen upi your drivetrain.
As for bearings, I am a bit lazy and just swap the whole lot out for new ones every 4 or 5 race days. Probably overkill but it is cheap insurance imo. Whenever I put new onwes in I just order another set to have ready. These are just estimates. I still have a ton of used bearings that I clean and regrease as backups.
I also replace the pin that keys into the front, and rear pinions and the pins for the axles. Those notch out and cuase the car to feel a bit sloppy. The pin removal tool is a bit spendy but it is a tool and you only buy it once. After that the pins are like $4 for a 10 pack. That is cheap to freshen upi your drivetrain.
As for bearings, I am a bit lazy and just swap the whole lot out for new ones every 4 or 5 race days. Probably overkill but it is cheap insurance imo. Whenever I put new onwes in I just order another set to have ready. These are just estimates. I still have a ton of used bearings that I clean and regrease as backups.
happy new year guys!!!
cheers
12-30-2008, 06:49 AM
#20
They are both really good cars. There are a lot of 808 cars in our area since one of their top driver lives here. They do break, they are not indestructable. All cars break, it just depends on a bunch of different things. I have seen more 808 cars out of races because of diff bearing issues than any other reason. They might have a solution for it but I will wait and see true results. I know someone who just switched from the 808 to the mp9 and all you will see is a big grin on his face. He personally likes how it feels on the track better than the Xray.
Whatever choice you make consider how you like a car to handle. If you like the feel of the losi then the xray will be very similar since it is so so close in design. If you are looking for a different feel try the Kyosho. I drive the new mugen, and the new losi 2.0 is supposed to be better than the original. Lots of good quality choices out there. I will say this, kyosho parts are way easier to get than xray parts.
Whatever choice you make consider how you like a car to handle. If you like the feel of the losi then the xray will be very similar since it is so so close in design. If you are looking for a different feel try the Kyosho. I drive the new mugen, and the new losi 2.0 is supposed to be better than the original. Lots of good quality choices out there. I will say this, kyosho parts are way easier to get than xray parts.
12-30-2008, 08:39 AM
#21
I think this is an issue of when you compare the 808 out of the box to the rest of the field. In this case the car really shines. After the truely awesome build, the good news is this is no where near how good the car can be for your certain driving style. Small adjustments give very predictable responses that can be repeated over and over.
Having spent some time with the MP-9 as well, this car is not as good with the box setup. However, it did run well after tinkering with the adjustments a little. It was very forgiving and could be pushed hard. But even with this, I was faster and drove better in traffic with my 808. I'm more of a finess (puss) driver so the agressive 808 did not bother me.
Durability? The drive train of the MP-9 is more durable than the 808. The plastics and genral mats of the 808 outshine the MP-9 by far. I can maintain the drive train but IMO the failure of the other materials cause DNFs.
If you like to drive hard and push the MP-9 is worth a look. If you like an agressive car that goes fast the 808 might be for you.
My 2 cents.
TEX
Having spent some time with the MP-9 as well, this car is not as good with the box setup. However, it did run well after tinkering with the adjustments a little. It was very forgiving and could be pushed hard. But even with this, I was faster and drove better in traffic with my 808. I'm more of a finess (puss) driver so the agressive 808 did not bother me.
Durability? The drive train of the MP-9 is more durable than the 808. The plastics and genral mats of the 808 outshine the MP-9 by far. I can maintain the drive train but IMO the failure of the other materials cause DNFs.
If you like to drive hard and push the MP-9 is worth a look. If you like an agressive car that goes fast the 808 might be for you.
My 2 cents.
TEX
Both cars will be durable for you, what you need to look at is which car fits your style of driving. The 808 will be better for a finesse driver, while the mp9 is made to be driven more aggressively. Both are fast in the right hands, you just need to decide what type of hands you have
personally, the kyosho fits me better.
12-30-2008, 12:38 PM
#22
Tech Addict
Since this thread is about durability I'll post this...
I finished 21 main events in a row with no DNS's running my 808 this season. While I did wear out parts,and break minor things in practice after head-on's with truggys, I have to say I am extremely impressed with my Xray. I've driven a couple MP9's recently and they handled good, but its defiantly a different buggy that the 808.
Also, I went to the 2009 US nationals with my 808 and ZERO parts in my bag, because the buggy just released a week earlier. Long story short, never even needed a part in all 5 days of racing at the NAT's. In summary if I had to say what car I thought is stronger... its the Xray, and I have the online race results to prove it. ......21 straight!
I do need to say, I did break a rear hub last Saturday night in a bad crash, I actually felt weird to walk off the stand before the race was over.... I felt ripped off.. number 22 got me. LOL!
The 808 is a great car.
The MP9 is a great car.
Just keep in mind the Xray has been out for a year, so the opinions of the 808 on here are after a whole season of racing. The MP9 crowd have less "durability testing" done... LOL!
Stock these parts for racing all season
19x13 bearings 30 pack AVID or NEW version Xray
Set replacement bearings
A bulkhead
Steering link plastics
Shock ends
Arms set (change at 6-8 gallons)
Extra Pins for drive train (Change 6-8 gallons)
Screw Kit
Rear hub
(...and it still cost way less than the MP9, even with all these parts for the whole season)
I finished 21 main events in a row with no DNS's running my 808 this season. While I did wear out parts,and break minor things in practice after head-on's with truggys, I have to say I am extremely impressed with my Xray. I've driven a couple MP9's recently and they handled good, but its defiantly a different buggy that the 808.
Also, I went to the 2009 US nationals with my 808 and ZERO parts in my bag, because the buggy just released a week earlier. Long story short, never even needed a part in all 5 days of racing at the NAT's. In summary if I had to say what car I thought is stronger... its the Xray, and I have the online race results to prove it. ......21 straight!
I do need to say, I did break a rear hub last Saturday night in a bad crash, I actually felt weird to walk off the stand before the race was over.... I felt ripped off.. number 22 got me. LOL!The 808 is a great car.
The MP9 is a great car.
Just keep in mind the Xray has been out for a year, so the opinions of the 808 on here are after a whole season of racing. The MP9 crowd have less "durability testing" done... LOL!
Stock these parts for racing all season
19x13 bearings 30 pack AVID or NEW version Xray
Set replacement bearings
A bulkhead
Steering link plastics
Shock ends
Arms set (change at 6-8 gallons)
Extra Pins for drive train (Change 6-8 gallons)
Screw Kit
Rear hub
(...and it still cost way less than the MP9, even with all these parts for the whole season)
12-30-2008, 12:57 PM
#23
FYI
The MP9's at my local track have broken every night this season.
12-30-2008, 04:22 PM
#24
A well known culprit is the rear front hinge pin holder. Some batches had them snapping like pretzels if you land on the pipes. 
Last edited by Poppin Fresh; 12-30-2008 at 04:22 PM. Reason: *
12-30-2008, 08:11 PM
#25
Tech Regular
iTrader: (18)
I will agree with most of Tex's comments but I will disagree that the plastic is that much better than Kyosho. Xray does have great plastic but their arms do bend over time and warp. I race with a Xray driver and know that car pretty well as I have driven it many of times. It drives good. In my opinion the Kyosho is a lot more agressive car. Out of the box you can set the Kyosho up to have more exit steering and more rear traction than the Xray on an outdoor track. Now, if you want to put the optional 12deg hubs on the Xray it does finish the turn nicely and is more comparable to the cornerspeed of the Kyosho. I don't think in most cases of me driving my friends car that his back end stays as planted as the Kyosho and I know he would agree with that. We do a lot of testing back and forth to make our cars faster and to find out where the other car is faster.
By the way Tex this is Trevor in OKC.
By the way Tex this is Trevor in OKC.
12-30-2008, 10:25 PM
#26
nice thread..useful stuff i might use this spring..just a little concerning that the 808's are only in race results overseas on euro tracks..mp9 or the new mugens look to me to be holding up a tad more but im only going by a few mp9's at a track that iv been going to lately..cant give details but i know for a fact of an old mugen that a freind of mine has raced for a couple years and only had 1 knuckle to replace. the few 808's iv seen look like my all beat to hell losi buggy..
12-31-2008, 05:06 AM
#27
wow good thread... lots of insight to both cars..
of course I am partial to the 808...lol but its easy to be partial to
its very durable and the only part that wear are the cvd pins in the centre,
simple cheap and easy fix and only needs done after around a case of fuel.
much better than replacing outdrives like most vehicles. as par as the pinion bearing that some people have had issues with I think its been fixed now with the metal shielded bearing..
the Kyosho also is a very competitive car, some guys have them here and I can say NOT ONE has broke at our track..... and a few guys that are running them have more than durability tested the car..lol
both nice cars both can win any race guess it just comes down to price
of course I am partial to the 808...lol but its easy to be partial to
its very durable and the only part that wear are the cvd pins in the centre,
simple cheap and easy fix and only needs done after around a case of fuel.
much better than replacing outdrives like most vehicles. as par as the pinion bearing that some people have had issues with I think its been fixed now with the metal shielded bearing..
the Kyosho also is a very competitive car, some guys have them here and I can say NOT ONE has broke at our track..... and a few guys that are running them have more than durability tested the car..lol
both nice cars both can win any race guess it just comes down to price
12-31-2008, 06:40 AM
#28
Tech Adept
They're both good cars and I wouldn't worry about spending money on either one - the Xray appears to have SLIGHTLY higher quality in some areas, while the Kyosho is higher quality in others. The only reason I will not but an Xray is that they copy the designs of other cars rather than design their own. That's usually left for the Chinese and Taiwanese knock-off artists and I won't invest a penny in a company that steals the hard work of others. Before any Xray fan buys get their panties in a bunch, I don't need the list of 10 parts that are different. It's a 99 percent copy of a Losi buggy, and changing a few parts doesn't make it OK. It's a better copy than the original, but still a copy. To answer the original question, they're both good cars.
12-31-2008, 07:27 AM
#29
They're both good cars and I wouldn't worry about spending money on either one - the Xray appears to have SLIGHTLY higher quality in some areas, while the Kyosho is higher quality in others. The only reason I will not but an Xray is that they copy the designs of other cars rather than design their own. That's usually left for the Chinese and Taiwanese knock-off artists and I won't invest a penny in a company that steals the hard work of others. Before any Xray fan buys get their panties in a bunch, I don't need the list of 10 parts that are different. It's a 99 percent copy of a Losi buggy, and changing a few parts doesn't make it OK. It's a better copy than the original, but still a copy. To answer the original question, they're both good cars.
No patent/copyright/trademark = no claim of ownership
since theft implies ownership, if someone cannot defend a claim of ownership, any talk of theft is unfounded.
In short, your argument is defective because you proceed from a defective premise... But a pre-emptive happy new year to you all the same
12-31-2008, 07:32 AM
#30
xray used alot of the losi ideas because they work, they just tweaked it to make it a easier car to drive, every manufacture has copied losi in some way or another, every brand has made there new cars narrower and the motor and electronics more centeralized