WheelNut

iTrader: (5)

I work in a large hobby store in Edmonton Alberta, I love racing touring, and I really like getting new people out to the track. Our local on-road club is boom and has huge turnouts for club races indoors throughout the winter. Tamiya Mini is a good place for people to start, but touring is the next frontier, so what if it wasn't so hard to get into the class? What in the world is out there for new people to run that is actually good?

TC4 RTR- Discontinued: Formerly the only good RTR chassis out there, but the motor and ESC are garbage and as of a few weeks ago it's not available any more. It was hard to move anyway because of the motor/ESC/body.

HPI Sprint 2 RTR- Available: Horribly outdated chassis, belt drive limits parking lot ability. Great bodies and also has a brushless option. If this car just swapped chassis with the Cyclone S it would be really good- I have no idea why HPI still pushes the Sprint chassis.

Vaterra VX-100- Available: Chassis looks great for beginners, but it doesn't have oil filled shocks and the price is quite high for a brushed car. Nice bodies. This one is sooo close- it just needs a cheap brushless option and better shocks (but they are almost passable).

Associated Apex- New: Great electronics and price point, ugly body, and freakish ackermann angle. Tough sell with the hideous body. Has anyone driven this car? Is it something a new guy could be happy with for their first year and a half?

Points to consider:
- Parking lots in Alberta are really dirty so belts are a tough sell.
- Having a chassis that is capable to handle decently without to much work would make getting into racing much easier.
- A nice body sells a car. No one cares that a blob body generates downforce all they want is something that looks great and can inspire them.
- Cost is important. It's really tough to swallow a $500 bill to set up a TC4 Racer chassis.

Why can't AE just release the TC4 RTR with a Hobbywing cheap stock sensored ESC + motor (the same one Durango uses for RTRs), with a cool GTR body or something, and some battery to get people started. Retail could be around $320. I could get people into racing with that setup.

Does anyone know of something in the pipeline that can be a way in for new guys? Or is there some option I'm missing? (it needs to be RTR and be supported by a big distributor) Or are these cars actually better than I think they are?

vr6cj

iTrader: (124)

yeah for rtr the tc4 is where I would start them. Then bump them to a tc6.1 once the desire is there.

OFNA JL 10e GT Electric Sedan Kit is brushless and shaft driven. Cheap too. They have a pro kit to bump too.

Just be honost with people too. TC is expenvise to start but can be very expensive to get the top stuff if thats what they want.

The Schumacher Mi1 is an ideal first “Race Car” that is still made. Could be first Kit for them. Amain is like 165 for it

egalsim

iTrader: (44)

Ban dish wheels. They look like crap. Use the VTA and RCGT rules, they have gotten many people back into TC racing (like me, couldn't stand the ugly "custom" paintjobs on car bodies that I care nothing about and those hideous dish wheels).

WheelNut

iTrader: (5)

TC4 is discontinued. I've got a JL10e drift...not the best car to work on and Ofna parts support is always spotty, but I'll check it out further at work tomorrow.

vr6cj

iTrader: (124)

yeah, well....let them work on it. lol Redcat is another option. Not alot of deamed "good" tc cars come rtr. IMHO

personally I love dish wheels.

vr6cj

iTrader: (124)

Just looked on rc10.com and they havent discontinued the tc4 club racer. It's not rtr though. Your hobby shop could also sale a custom combo deal though. We used to do this for kits.

http://www.teamassociated.com/cars_a...C4/Club_Racer/

fivepointnine

iTrader: (15)

what about that Associated TC4 club racer that is $149? Or the Sakura's?

vr6cj

iTrader: (124)

http://www.integy.com/st_prod.html?p...6#.UcUiy_m1HdA

Also a rtr F1 kit if they have the class

http://www.integy.com/st_prod.html?p...1#.UcUjQvm1HdA

RogerDaShrubber

iTrader: (6)

How about the Serpent 411 Sports RTR. Its a great car, based on a current design, it is RTR and more chassis than any newbie will ever need. Yes it comes with a 9T which is kind of off putting, but, you can EPA the throttle down or replace the motor with a cheap alternative for under $30 like the Toro 21.5. It also comes with the Serpent version of the Mazda 6 protoblob body that we all like to use. This is the only out of the box RTR true race car there is. And is fully upgradable to the pro versions of the S411.

http://www.serpent.com/product/400007

vw addict

iTrader: (38)

I bought a TC4 a year or so ago and could just never get into putting electrics into it. Traded a buggy for a TC6.1 a week or so ago, built it up, and couldn't be happier. I never liked the "cheap" option of getting into racing, but guys at my track recommend the HPI chassis to get people started.

valk

iTrader: (13)

if your a hobby shop bring in the new sakura XI sport and speedpassion/hobbywing basic brushless. have somoene in the store build the cars and sell them as rtr using off the shelf electronics ect. touring stock is a great class. beginners get just enough speed to get a thrill, experts get very close racing.
i dont know what your suppliers cost you but you could probably just order the shit from amainhobbies/china shops, put the cars together and mark it up $50. much better than any rtr on the market because it will actually fit into the racing classes we run in the WCICS ect.

PhilippineEagle

iTrader: (4)

I agree with the Sakura XI Sport because its cheap. Another cheap kit is the Tamiya TT01. They usually come with good selection of bodies and basic electronics (brushed) but silver can motors are cheap.

Perhaps your Hobby Shop can set up a Fleet of Rental Touring Cars. All the cars would be in equal footing and you could easily set up a racing class of your own. A minimal race fee would easily generate a quick Return of Investment. Your hobby shop could earn a lot more business in the end.

RogerDaShrubber

iTrader: (6)

There is also the Team Magic rtr, its brushed, and not to bad a car for under $200.

JimmyMack12

It's not an RTR, but Spec R's S1 chassis is only $118 (US). I bought one to go VTA racing. It's my first Touring Car chassis after 26 years of racing oval. From what I understand, some XRay and Tamiya parts will work on the car if you need replacements. They (Spec R) also have the R1 (higher-end car, aluminum parts, etc.), and parts from that will also fit the S1.

For what it's worth, I bought the chassis, electronics, body, tires/wheels, and a brand-new Spektrum radio for less than what I spent just on an oval pan-car chassis.

fivepointnine

iTrader: (15)

for me, coming back into the hobby after a 10 year absence (my last TC was a new at the time HPI RS4 pro 3) its not the chassis that is off putting (well over $500 for a "competitive" chassis is a little overboard), it is the cost and complexity of electronics now. Between Lipo's (cheapest pack at my LHS is over $65) and sensored brushless combos (LHS is over $150 for the setup) you already went over the price of the chassis and you have not bought a Lipo charger yet and a 2.4 GHZ radio (I love these compared to the AM radios from back in the day) Maybe you can spec some cheaper equipment and really limit the motors. I mean the 21.5 brushless motors are way faster than the 27T stock motors from back in the day. Plus as a old school guy I have a deep hatred for RTR cars. I like to know what makes them tick and all the little idiosyncrasies that go into each chassis.
Myself, I am setting up a 21.5 spec class racer from a old Yoko chassis to get back into it, I have no interest in running mod or even 17.5 for that matter.
Rant over.