What makes 1/5 scale so appealing?

hakmazter · 09-30-2009, 01:13 PM

Just wondering what the appeal actually is?

The sound of the motor?
The physical size?
The 2 stroke gas/oil?
The weight?
The price?

I am curious to see what the on road and off road people say. I like some of the scale on road cars and want to drive one. Not sure if I want to commit the $$$ though.

timmig · 09-30-2009, 01:33 PM

What I like about them is they are "real" cars!! Their motors are NOT complicated and run a LOT better than any of the Nitro stuff I've had. So tuning is not a PIA--
The cars act like real cars-- you have to DRIVE them well as well as get them setup properly to be able to run a 30 minute main! Just like Nascar-- you can "burn" the tires up till they don't work anymore-- so smooth driving is key along with proper setup.
They are relatively expensive-- but I think you could put a "budget" program together for around $1000.00-- then your largest expense will be tires! If you drive clean--the bodies will last a long time-- and then keep the car clean and you could get a whole season out if it without needing too many spares. Tires will last for a couple of races and tuning-- and their about $100 for a set of 4 mounted. Then you could mount your own after you have a selection of wheels to cut that down.
FWIW
Tim

PS-- I'm newly "HOOKED" -- got an F-1 and a sedan --both FG cars.

92 vert · 09-30-2009, 02:16 PM

I just picked up my first 1/5....a baja 5b.The size and ease of the motor is what hooked me....running for 45 min on 1 tank is also a plus.I still enjoy my electric and nitro cars but the baja is a blast

Twisted_Metal · 09-30-2009, 03:23 PM

I think what really drew me was the fact that it was so big and long and I envied the other guys at the parking lot who had them...

LuisR · 10-01-2009, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hakmazter

Just wondering what the appeal actually is?

The sound of the motor?
The physical size?
The 2 stroke gas/oil?
The weight?
The price?

I am curious to see what the on road and off road people say. I like some of the scale on road cars and want to drive one. Not sure if I want to commit the $$$ though.

the top three do it for me.
The cars handle like full scale race cars, no-4-wheel drive aids and they look so realistic. The 10th and 8th scale bodies are NOT realistic at all, so 1/5 scale to me are the best. Yes you will probably spend more on the 1/5 scale initially, but after a year of running races you will notice that a gallon of mixed fuel will last you a long, long, long time ($4.00 for 1 gallon of gas) versus the $30 a gallon for nitro fuel that last you a weekend.
The fact that they are bigger, its easier to see on track, easier to work on since the parts are bigger and you wont need a magnifying glass as you do in the smaller scales. To be honest, to me it boils down to an IQ test when determining what scale to run. Aside from that, I do understand that for a new rc guy, the 1/5 scale may be outside their budget, but other than that, to me there is nothing interesting about the other cars, unless you want UNREALISTIC speed and mosquito sound engines. Can you tell I dont like nitro cars!!!

and if you look around, specially now that the economy is not at its best you might find a good deal on a used car between $500 to $1500.

timmig · 10-01-2009, 10:58 AM

I was able to pick up 2 cars-- 1 F-1 and another Evo 3 -- both for under $2500 COMPLETE RTR--with spares and parts. All I had to do was program the radio once I installed my reciever. I spent another $500 on new tires --new F-1 body and some spare parts and I'm ready to go racing for the next season. Considering what a nice 1/8 scale car would go for--and the spare parts / radio gear etc. for it-- I'll bet the budget isn't a whole lot different.

FWIW
And 1/5 scale cars are SOO COOL to race!!

Your right--they look and sound -- and act like REAL CARS!! Plus--the motors run soo well-- tuning is not a big deal-- and driving is SOO KEY--that it isn't a horsepower battle. Learn to setup your car and drive it--and you'll do well!!

FWIW
Tim

houssta · 10-02-2009, 07:46 PM

Thanks for sharing. It's great

ppabalan · 10-14-2009, 01:52 PM

Been bouncing back and forth from different scale and genre of rc but 1/5th scale racing has a big spot in me, all you have to do is close you eyes and swipe the credit card and ran to the track , its some thing I can't just quantify all the appealing stuff about 5th scale, but one thing that is on top my list is that, it relaxes me everytime a run a 5th scale race.

timmig · 10-14-2009, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timmig

I was able to pick up 2 cars-- 1 F-1 and another Evo 3 -- both for under $2500 COMPLETE RTR--with spares and parts. All I had to do was program the radio once I installed my reciever. I spent another $500 on new tires --new F-1 body and some spare parts and I'm ready to go racing for the next season. Considering what a nice 1/8 scale car would go for--and the spare parts / radio gear etc. for it-- I'll bet the budget isn't a whole lot different.

FWIW
And 1/5 scale cars are SOO COOL to race!!

Your right--they look and sound -- and act like REAL CARS!! Plus--the motors run soo well-- tuning is not a big deal-- and driving is SOO KEY--that it isn't a horsepower battle. Learn to setup your car and drive it--and you'll do well!!

FWIW
Tim

Well-- I made my first ever race with 2 cars--- F-1 and GT. I ran two class's-- the only expense I went through-- was 1 gallon of gas-- 4oz of oil-- and 2 sets of tires -- I was able to run cast-off tires from another guy--thanks Frank-- and only 1 new set of tires. So-- total cost for a weekend--2 days of racing-- 6 qualifiers-- practice -- and 2 -- 30 minute mains.
Oil-- $3.00
Tires-- $100
entry $60
Gas-- $3.00

If you want--put in the expense of running the old tires--another $100

So-- approximate total cost AFTER acquisition of the two cars for the weekend.--
$266.00 dollars.
Not bad-- and a LOT OF FUN!!!!!!

FYI
For 1/5 scale-- actually--- BUDGET racing!!!

Oh--- I placed 3rd in the GT class -- 9 cars running
and 2nd in F-1 -- only 4 cars ran!!

HarryN · 10-22-2009, 02:02 PM

1/5 scale racing is for the budget racer. It is cheap, fun, and realistic. Now why do I say this? Simple. Sure the up front cost is close to 3K (for a very good top of the line model), but that is the bulk of the expenditure. The rest of the money is spent on fuel, bodies (depending on how badly people trash em up), and tires.

Compare that with 1/10 and 1/8 cars, 1/5 scale cars over the long haul cost a fraction of what you spend on 1/10 and 1/8 cars. Namely because of nitro engines, nitro fuel, foam tires (which get torn up FAST on asphalt), and the myriad of plastic parts that can occaisonally break. Plastic on 1/5 scale cars are a tick better and more durable, namely to support the weight of the car first off, and also to last in the event of a crash.

To prove this, test yourself. Look at your reciepts you spent on 1/10 cars and 1/8 cars. Then find yourself a 1/5 scale racer who races just as much as you do and not sponsored (obviously). You will find that the 1/5 scale racer sleeps better at night than 1/8 and 1/10 racers do after buying stuff for their cars to be competitive.

Why more budget-minded people don't go into 1/5 scale is beyond me. But then again, support is also staggering since many hobby stores don't carry parts for the car or have them on hand at the moment a person needs the parts.

For me, it was the scale realism of the cars that got me hooked. One day, I will get one. Perhaps as early as next summer. But the cars I want are not available here in the USA.

devilchrist · 10-22-2009, 03:17 PM

consider it this way.. nitro clutch shoes is 20-25 bucks and lasts what 2 galongs?

baja clutch lasts 1-2 years..

I've heard of baja guy running their cars to ground and replacing nothing.

ful is about 1/2 of nitro, 2 stroke oil is expensive for good ones.

tires also lasts a lot longer than 1/8 scales

2WD drivetrain = less maintenance

If I had space and place to run it I'd get baja SS in a heart beat.

sure it may be loud but electric guys say the same thing about nitro.

all of the data is from taking with few baja 5B folkes. no personal experience.

timmig · 10-22-2009, 07:28 PM

If you go with a standard pipe--not an expansion chamber--these 1/5 scale are quieter than the 1/8 scale cars!!
As far as budget--yes--I've been to two races now--and the total cost so far is just 2 sets of tire. That's $200.00. I've been able to keep the bodies in good shape--(no crash's)--and haven't broken anything but a rear wing on my F-1 car. I've probably had 3 hours of drive time including all qualifiers and practice-- and only gone through 2 gallons of gas. Pretty cheap racing!!!
T

hobbipro · 10-23-2009, 01:07 PM

I don't race my Baja 5B, only bash. I haven't broke a single part yet. Its about 8 months old now, and it gets treated like the black sheep of my R/C fleet. I run it hard and put it away dirty. The car simply comes back for more. Sure I spend money on it for hop up items....I guess I feel bad cause I'm always spending money on my other electrics to keep them running. There's just something about a large, fast, 2 stroke powered R/C that until you drive one for yourself you cannot explain. It is the pinnacle of radio controlled hobbies IMO.

big-al · 10-23-2009, 01:19 PM

to me this is what makes them appealing

Smokinnitro · 10-24-2009, 07:01 PM

Those cars are Bad A$$!! Where do you run them? I live in Pa and run alot of dirt oval. 5th scale sprint cars would be fun but there is no track big enough to run them.