comparing apples to apples
am kyosho rtr $100-$135 am x mod $50.
The kyoshos stock control board can support much more power than an x mod.
The kyosho is hobby grade. The x mod is toy grade......
The kool thing about the x mod is it gets people hooked on RC.......
Its for people who like to experiment hop up and change things.....If you stay within the realm of x mod hop ups the results are pretty good but limited.
The guys who make the x mod really fast and reliable are using electronics from a mini z.....what does that tell us.....
The plastic quality in the x mod is inferior.
Can you find quality carbon fiber and aluminum hops for the x mod?
You can find them for the mini z and they are hobby grade.
At its best an x mod is a low grade entry level hobby toy....

+1

We've got a lot of snobs here and fwiw, yes you can get aluminium and carbon upgrades for the Xmods.

Like I said, I've got both X-mods and Mini-Zs, I see no reason to bash the X-mods. Performance wise they are not as good as the Mini-Z but $ to value ratio, they far surpass it.

This is exactly what I was getting at in the OP

xmods are a TOY, it is not hobby grade at all. Just because you can swap a few little parts doesnt make it hobby grade. Thats like saying a picco z micro heli from radioshack is hobby grade, no, its a toy.

Whatever........

How is a Mini-Z, an SC10, a TC4 or whatever NOT a toy? Is it because they're expensive?

Who cares what is hobby grade and what is toy grade?

If you like Xmods and they are fun for you and you accept them for what they are then go for it. If you feel you need a Mini-Z to really experience hobby quality then go for it. I have had both Xmods and Mini-Z and I'm not really biased towards either, they both had pros and cons but were pretty fun.

Do what you want and have fun, that is the whole point. Not fanboys arguing why one or the other is better.

I am heavy into mini-zs and was heavy into xmods and still have heavily upgraded xmods

The short: Xmods are for fun and outdoors, mini-zs are for the track

i made an xmod that is competitive against mediocre drivers but it is too heavy to ever be competitive with a mini-z. it also lacks tuning and there were issues i was never able to overcome...i could write a lot, but souping an xmod up to race is not worth it but they are fun for just bashing around and speed runs outside.

The best car for speed runs is the micro-t. Put a lipo in it and you got a whole lot of fun goin on

LOL dude I did that today..... OMG!! LOL

I told ya. Dunchadoit!!! Kick ass isn't it? Now do your self a favor and put a pair of mini-z wheels up front with plus 2 off set and 20deg slicks and see what happens. That's right you heard it here first. The bearing is the same ID as the Losi bolts right up!!

Now go have fun!!

I've always wondered about the Xmods, glad I found this thread...

I can understand a few of the comments from ppl between them.
I have a few xmods and they are a blast around the house or on the driveway with friends.
To say they arent hobby grade is a bit off.. to me the difference between Toy/Hobby grade is the fact you can do something with it aside from maybe repaint the body like most toys r us rc.
hopping it up is what the HOBBY is all about.. customizing and making it your own style.
NO the performance of the xmods isnt going to trash a true race prepped rc from traxxas or kyosho but its still a blast to drive around.
saying that the body on the xmods isnt as good as a mini-z is stupid.
changing the body panels to make it your own is part of the fun.. cant do that on 1/10 scale rc cars.

Can't upgrade the radio! Thus in the words of Woody ( Toy Story ) "You are a tooyyee"!