rayhuang

iTrader: (5)

RandomFellow-part of your decision might come down to if your local racing programs are on foam or rubber tires. Now-I am not saying that a Tamiya car cannot work on foam tires, but that they are designed for rubber tires. In some applications, it can actuallu be almost impossible to mount a standard 28mm foma tire on the front (EvoIV for example).

Also-depending on the competition level at your local racing scene-you might find it hard to be the lone gunman finding a fast set-up for them on foams-compared ot the RDX, JRXS, TC3's. Not that they are a better car-just that they have established set-ups readily downloadable on all surfaces. Try and find a foam tire set-up on the web for a Tamiya!!

and yes-Tamiyas are a joy to build and maintain. And as for eye candy-they are VERY pretty to look at-which has some value!!! I cannot tell you how repulsive a TC3 on a tub chassis looks to me-but hey-they are fast.

ttso

iTrader: (1)

I'm pretty much stand at the same point with Hebiki. All company has good car, they all great. Some of them have great quality, some don't. Some got lots parts, some don't.

As for Tamiya, the quality is quite consistent, design is very up-to-date, tons of hopup. But probably the best thing is: Tamiya is the only company which cover whole range of RC car, all the way from novice car to pro car. Although TCS doesn't exist where I lived, but I know TCS is the only true racing series which going to help this hobby expand. For that, I support Tamiya.

And beside, since Tokyo is just something like 1,000 miles away from me, shipping via air is very acceptable....

aoizip

iTrader: (1)

My first Tamiya car was the TL-01, man... all i can say is that it handles like a champ, well... at least on the budget for a drift machine. I think the only part i broke was probably the chassis itself as i ran into and under my brother's 18'' tire. Nothing else broke, not an A-arm, not a dog bone(it pops out so it doesn't count). not even the center drive shaft.

Tamiya has you cover for all your addiction and most of your RC money.


I was so temped to buy the TA-05 but my hard earn green has left my pocket and into yokomo's LCG already... guess i have to wait till next month~

patrick

iTrader: (72)

I raced a 415 MS in modified for 5 months, are here are my findings.
When the car is new or completely rebuilt it works great. After the first night of racing, the suspension had a lot of slop, the belts stretched or frayed, the diff wanted to loosen up every run, the front belt kept flipping over, the rear diff becomes gritty real fast, and the wheel bearings go bad very often. Many of these things may not happen if you just run stock.
Most of these wouldn't be so bad if the car was easy to work on, but it's not, takes a little time to remove the belt/diff.
The final straw for me was the worst parts availability of any car I've ever run. The 5 months I had my car, suspension arms were not available the entire time unless you bought the lightweight suspension kit for $80.00.
I just thought you should hear the other side of the story, as most of the replies have only had positive things to say about Tamiya, not exactly the way things really are.

Turtlemaster

i'm trying to figure out whats makes a 05 ford a "american" car.
i drive a yokomo, but have/had tamiyas in the past, TCS guys are the most fun to be around, win or lose. when i go to a tcs race, winning is the last thing on my mind, fun is the first.

ChadCapece

edit

ChadCapece

Do you just give away your car when you are ready for a new one?

vi3tishduy

lol....

mwcet8k

I can't say I agree that the build quality on Tamiya cars is good. Based on my own experience, they are not as durable as the American brands I've owned (multiple Losi, AE and Traxxas). In the 15+ years I've been in R/C, I've owned two Tamiyas - a King Cab and a Super Blackfoot. Both had basic flaws in their design that have convinced me to stick with American or European cars from now on. For example, the King Cab had more play in it's steering and suspension linkage (particularly the steering) than any R/C I've ever seen. And yes, it was assembled correctly (I'm absolutely meticulous with everything I own R/C related). And the Super Blackfoot developed minor "stress fractures" in the chassis after only a few runs (using the stock 540 motor!).

Obviously, my experience was not with Tamiya's touring cars, but after giving their other vehicles a shot (twice), I can't say I'm a fan.

Thai3g_Eclipse

iTrader: (10)

Maybe perhaps you should give their touring cars a shot. I had a Dirt Thrasher when I was 14 and it was pretty crappy. Their on-road and off-road cars are like black and white.

vi3tishduy

Note to self, no one buy Traxxas 4-tec RTR. IT SUCKS my cousin wasted 200 on it. The cars crap don't buy it even if your new to the hobby!

Thai3g_Eclipse

iTrader: (10)

Bwahaha. That's probably the only hobby-level touring car worst than the TT-01.

mtveten

iTrader: (29)

First start off my saying that although I have had several Tamiya cars in the past including a 415, I currently do not race a tamiya sedan.

From your post it seens as though you percieve Tamiya cars as being priced higher and/or having poorly available parts supply. I have no idead what he Tamiya parts supply at your LHS is like but TamiyaUSA does a far better job ensuring parts availibility to the hobby shops than any other chassis distributor I ever worked with.

Now is the 415 worth a $100.- or so more than the other competative pro level cars, NO, but true cost of these cars is all about the same.
For example: the 415MS comes with required tuning parts that must be purchases seperatly with cars. The 415 buyer needs only to buy a set of springs and throw in his electronics and he is ready to go racing. A buyer for TC4 Factory Team / or Yok BD/SD has to buy the same set of tuning springs for his car AND the optional toe blocks @ 12-17ea or about ( 70-100 ) that are included in the 415ms putting all three cars @ the $450-475 marker.
Now if that makes you think the X-Ray is all the sudden the cheap choice @ its $380-400 price tag, you would be wrong. With the FK-05 the only tuning part you really are the lowered roll center holders that sell for a whopping $5.75 but you will also need to replace the front aluminum stib axles with spring steel ones to prevent them from bending putting you right back @ that $450-475 price point. From my experience just about every pro level sedan cost about the same when you add all the required tuning parts and hop-up left out of the kit, the american cars might be a few bucks less but in fit and material quality is not up to the same level of European and Japanese cars available.

Mark

Ghostfit

Talking about Tamiya, anyone else here collects Tamiya Plastic scale models ? .....I've got a room full of them ! Armour, Ships, Aircrafts

I kinda grew up with Tamiya back in the 1970s as a teenager ....No, actually I did'nt, I'm still that kid, how else could I explain my Tamiya 4x4 racer collection .....And I'm also ready to go battle with my latest Tamiya Dangun Evo fighting gear racer - the Giga Spear ! any time, any where !

I guess I'm not really a Tamiya'holic as I also have cars from HPI, Kyosho, Picco, Yokomo, AE, Losi, etc ....

A-Ko

iTrader: (2)

If I am an adopted filipino does that count? Surprised you guys don't make rice at the track...

When I first started racing. One of my friends had an Avante and other guys had some of the other Tamiya trucks. I always thought of Tamiya as a joke because of the lack of quality at that time and the trail of screws it would leave behind during a race. At that point and time they were great scale vehicles and not very race worthy. This was late 80s early 90s.

Everybody I am sure has a cool story to how and why they are hooked on Tamiya's. For me it was a very hard sell from what I saw before the TCS series. My first TCS race I borrowed a TA02 because I refused to buy one. Well I got hooked after that.

What I like about the Tamiya Sedans is the common parts between vehicles, quality and TCS Racing. Even if you don't TCS race the current crop of cars are competitive locally. Even if they are 3 or more years old.