Debating: TC3 Nitro or Electric?
 

Trying to decide which to get.. Will the nitro version with a OS .18tz n racing pipe be as fast? or faster? than a good electric setup?

Thanks for your opinions

nitro vs electric
 

nitro is fun if you can keep up with the maintence of the motor but as far as electric and nitro goes they are both the same price overall its pretty much personal preference

IMHO, nitro can be a pain in the a## but when you got that thing tuned and dialed in you can run with the best electric cars.

I like the fact when you are on a track and running practice laps and the electric guy has to pit for a battery change all you need to do is a 4-5 second pit stop and continue for an hour if you wish while the electric guy is changing a battery and plugging stuff back together. I started in electric and migrated to nitro.

AAhhhh, the smell if exhaust burning my nose........

What is your budget like for both cars?

*BBB* ^^ This is something you should consider. Also, what is your goal - to race or to bash? If you want to bash then a used TC3 and a mamba BL system will do the trick. Power that combo with a nice Lipo battery pack and you have it made. Brushless motors have infinite torque and have full torque from 0mph. I've raced my MTX4 against a BL TC3 and if I went off so much as half a second or went a little to wide on a turn he'd catch up. Nitro is only a pain if you lack tuning skills and have no patience. Most people always blame the product for fault when in reality it's 95% of the time user error.:D With that being said you should go with the E TC3 being you're after power and speed. The BL Mamba setup will get you there. The NTC3 you'd want a hotter .12 engine and there is no point in buying one just to bash with.

Ha I,d go nitro, but go electric you aren't experienced. a 18TZ with good gearing your set, The O.S carb holds a tune forever.!

............Putting a .18TZ in your NitroTC-3 would make it very fast but your problem would be getting parts in the future because Associated has discontinued the TC3.

If you enjoy driving more than tuning or building, then electric all the way.
I enjoy the process of tuning and building as much as driving, therefore I went from electric to nitro.

It really comes down to this:

Are you willing to invest the time and effort to learn how nitro works, and to maintain the engine so it keeps working properly, in exchange for the cool sounds and the satisfaction of knowing that it runs well because you *made* it run well?

- or -

Do you want to be able to take the car off the shelf and start using it immediately, with no learning curve and no pre-run or post-run maintenance, even if the car has been sitting around for months?

- - -

Other than that:

Electric has more torque and sometimes more top speed, whereas nitro is more water-resistant and doesn't need to cool down between runs.

- and -

Electric requires a larger investment up-front to get a good charger, good batteries, and a good motor/ESC (the stockers are usually okay-at-best), whereas nitro requires a larger ongoing investment in fuel and replacement engine parts.

Oops, I forgot one:

Nitro has virtually no chance of bursting into flames, whereas electric does have at least a marginal chance of bursting into flames, at least if you use LiPo batteries.

Really ???? Parts are all over the net, son !!! Please, don't waist your time buying a .18tz either, since it's illegal for racing everywhere !!! Get a .12(legal) motor to race and bash !!! Wow, some people just love to give bad advice !!! No electric conversion either please!!! It's a waist of money !!!
PS: you can put some diff lock lube on the clutch bell for a snappier clutch feel....

Nitro TC3 in my opinion is only good for parking lot bashing not competitive club racing. No one has won a major 1/10 scale onroad race with one in years.:) I put a .18, .21 and a .28 in mine and went outlaw with it.:nod: And BBB was the one who said he was thinking about putting a .18tz in it I just shared my experience when I dropped a .18tz in my Nitro TC3. BBB, Bertransv87 is right a .18tz would make you illegal for roar sanction races if your goal is to run in roar events I figured you were talking about parking lot bashing. Sorry if I mislead you.

I don't expect the Ntc3 to beat everybody in a club race, but it will depend on your driving skills more than anything else... Putting a .12motor in there will give you the opportunity to have fun in all circumstances, not just bashing... I know I was faster with my ntc3 than alot of guys with newer chassis, and more experience than me... I hope the OP understands that it's best to not spend money in vain, and if he chooses to get another car, he won't have to get another motor too....

You are faster because you have talent and superior driving skills.:) And to get a .12 size motor that can compete with a .18TZ it is going to cost you more than what you can get the .18 TZ for. A race OS .12 is going to set you back for $400.00 plus.

LOL for club racing a RB speed 12 is as good as any I ran one last season with the midwest series and had no issues running with the guys and for a club level at 135 threw a-main you cannot go wrong if you need more have it modded