Griffin

I'm just getting back into RC racing (actually trying to decide which car to buy Pro 4, XXX-S, or TC3-TF) but when looking over the results of both the Snowbirds and 2004 Novak US Touring Car Championship, I saw no HPI cars represented at all. What gives?

snoopy

No pro4's coz they were just arriving in the US that week. The only ppl with pro4's bought them from overseas.

Griffin

Right, but wouldn't there be some factory drivers competing?

tcdrvr

The reason the Pro 4 wasn't at the snowbirds was that they weren't available in the U.S. yet. I was the only one there with the Pro 4 since I had mine imported. The car did great and I highly recommend getting one. The only problem I had was breaking a piece due to my own neglegence. My setup wasn't very good and the car was still very fast and capable of winning. Unfortunately after I broke the car I had no choice but to use my Yokomo and it was nowhere near as good.

Griffin

I'm sorry to hear about your mishap, but as I said I'm a noob, and it still doesn't make sense to me. I understand why amature <sp> drivers wouldn't be racing them, that makes sense to me, but why are there no sponsered drivers driving them? Does HPI not sponser drivers in the US? Are they a European company? Does this Hara guy not race in the US ever? What are the major 'World' races?

I was told that the Pro 4 has been in development for about 2 years. I just don't understand why none have shown up in the races I've been looking at. I have no doubt that any of the top tier cars can win - it's really driver more than anything IMO.

Also, for those of you who take a look, as a newbie (raced oval and offroad - never onroad), am I better off getting the Pro 4, XXX-S (most people at my track run it from what I'm told), or a brand new TC3 FT for $190? Kinda hijacking my own thread here, but what the heck.

Thanks,
Griffin

snoopy

For out of box kit, i think the pro4 has best kit setup.

Once you start tweaking your car, then i think it's up to driver.

stumper

iTrader: (2)

I just bought a XXX-S myself and I love it. I had been running a Tamiya TB EVO III and just got tired of the parts availibility so I got the xxx-s graphite plus and am VERY satisfied by its performance so far. And I'd have to say that means alot coming from a EVO III.(i think anyways)

True R/C Racing

There was a Pro4. And only one. It was a friend of mines and he raced Regular Stock. Only pro4 i saw that whole week.

David Joor

iTrader: (1)

The US team consists of mainly Hara, other than their R&D team. Hara was at Cleveland with the car and got second, other than that Hara hasn't attended anything else here in the US. Cleveland was more than enough proof that it is a working machine. You will see it popping up at races I am sure now that it has been released, more in the stock classes though since all the mod guys are in contracts for 2004.

Rob Mincey

I fought with my XXX-S (regular and G+) for the past year and never could get it where I wanted it. I switched to an XRay Evo 2 FOC and within 2 weeks, I had picked up 2 laps and I am continuing to get faster.

Just my two cents.

Rob

morosis

iTrader: (11)

Please don't buy the PRO 4, I need someone to pass....

Here's my 2 cents, I work as a product designer for a living and can apperciate quality and craftmanship as well as spot flaws. I can say this, both the xxx-s and the TC3 are good cars, but I'll never drive another losi for one reason, they break.

Too bad Hara didn't race the birds, we wouldn't be having this conversation......

Anyway, if you really want to buy the most well designed car, look at Tamiya, HPI, or X-Ray.

My money is going into the PRO4, I've had nothing but good luck with my PRO2. My second choice would be the latest X-Ray.

done

TSR6

iTrader: (5)

I disagree with the "losi's break" comment - Every car breaks, not specificly the losi. I've been running a XXX-S ever since it was released, and a XXX-SGP+ since early Jan '03 and had been running it until today, when I switched to my Pro4.

I can say that I was definately faster with the Pro4 than I was with the XXX-S with the box setup on it's first day. I ran 3 practice packs, and then two quals. I qual'ed 3'rd, and finished 3'rd in the main ( after holding 2nd for half the race ).

I must say, I am VERY impressed with this car.

IMPACTPLAYR

iTrader: (7)

I currecntly own 2 Losi G+ cars and love them, and they are fast, I recently got a T1 evo2 FOC for a steal, let's just say when he told me the price I new I had to have it and that I would propbably get almost twice what he wanted by selling on the net, so it was a no lose situation!! However I knew I needed to at least try it once before selling, so I raced it last weekend and was very impressed. The car was very quick and easy to tune..... I believe for me easier than my Losi's, but I also had an X-ray loyal helping me out and confirming what i wanted todo would have the effects I wanted.....

I still love my Losi's, but I'm gonna keep the X-ray for a while and I can get Parts for my G+'s anywhere so they stay too.......

On the Pro 4, it sure looks nice, and if it's as durable and handles like the pro2 I had it should be awesome especially if they solved the gearing equation to make it accelerate too!!!!

As far as why there weren't any pro4 pro's at the birds....... Cleveland is "THE RACE" it's the biggest the US has, even more prestigious than the nats IMHO... so You bet your butt HPI required HARA to be at that one, had he not done well then he may have be requested to make a showing at the snowbirds, but he is probably campaining the car elsewhere to promote it now..... You must remember that HARA is a Thia racer and doesn't live in the US.. He had already done well at the Worlds (top 10) and several larger Asian races while the car was in prototype form, but also remember the car was just recently named so it would officially be listed as "HPI PROTOTYPE"....... Also take into concideration that Hara is primarily an asphalt racer, so the fact that he did so well at Cleveland speaks mounds for himself and the car......

futureal

I'd have to disagree on Cleveland being the most prestigious -- I think the ROAR Paved On-road Nationals is still the race that every manufacturer wants to win. In fact, I'd rank the annual races (in the USA) like this:

1. ROAR Paved On-Road Nationals (2003 winner: Pavidis, TC3)
2. Cleveland US Champs (2003 winner: Blackstock, TC3)
3. Reedy Race (2003 winner: Baker, TC3)
4. Snowbirds (2004 winner: Burch, Xray)
5. ROAR Carpet Nationals (2003 winner: Blackstock, TC3)

Every other year, though, the IFMAR Worlds race has to be King.

The same week of the Snowbirds, I believe Hara was overseas competing... Thailand, perhaps? I don't recall. He finished 2nd or 3rd in some big race against Surikarn, Masami, etc.

warex

I use to race FT TC3 until i took delivery of my Pro 4, the out of box set up has already beaten my previous best time with more still to come. The parts fit and quality are second to none, and would recomend anyone to get one.