Looking to build/buy nitro basher
 

I’m looking to build or buy a nitro basher. I want it to be durable with reliable tuning, active parts support, and I’m not absolutely particular about cost, but I don’t want it to be over the top. I’ve included pricing just to keep it in mind.

I’m between the:

1. Losi 8ight RTR $410
2. Serpent srx8 RTR $460
3. Kyosho mp9 readyset $500 or mp10 readyset $530
4. finding a slider of one of those then buying either an O.S. 21XZ-B VII, alpha (not sure which particular one), or LRP ZR.32X engine in new condition for it

What should I do and why? Once again, just looking to bash a nitro buggy and have fun without getting frustrated from a non reliable engine.

I bought the mp9 tki4 v2 based on RazorRC review on youtube. Super happy with this buggy so far. Decent power and milage. 20min ish per tank when bashing. Tempted to try out a more powerfull .21 engine, but only LRP cares for pullstart, which is a must for me when dont want to carry i starterbox when driving on mtb tracks ect. I have had the LRP .32 spec4 on a HPI savage xl and it might have more power, but it will drain the fuel tank in no time. Some claim that the stock exhaust on the mp9 is holding it back power wice and recomend the dynamite 053. I will get one next week and dyno the car and post results on this forum (mp9 dyno thread)

buy the one you can find spares for in your area

does it have to be a buggy? cause hpi makes a couple nitro savages

I would go this route. Come to think about it I think I’m gonna go this route lol.

I can consider it. I have a revo 3.3 that I haven’t used much recently but I never loved the suspension on it (too soft imo given the unique design) so it doesn’t get used much. I could get stiffer springs/shock oil and mess with it but I still never loved it.

I used to have a 1/10 nitro buggy that I enjoyed so that’s part of the reason why I want another nitro buggy. Buying a new savage is $600 which is a bit more than I think that’s worth imo. I suppose I could find one used, but I have been stuck on the idea of a nitro buggy however.

• It looks like the new savage x 4.6 was released last year, are they any good? (or at least amain started stocking it last year) I’ll watch some YouTube videos on it as well.
• How’s the reliability of the new savage 4.6 engines?
• Is it worth replacing that engine straight off the rip and selling the original?

If I still want to go down the nitro buggy road, any suggestions?

I mean... 🤷‍♂️

https://youtu.be/ER5d0vqYGjc
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...c2fe3a6d0e.jpg


https://youtu.be/c7_h6wpyIiU
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...49ca07270.jpeg

I also videos on the Kyosho MP10 Readyset, LRP S8 Rebel BX3, Hobao Hyper 7, HPI Vorza 3.5...

hasn't the Hobao (formerly Ofna) Hyper 7 been on the market for like 20 years? i remember a couple Ofna buggies that were wildly popular with bashers in about 2005 because they handled well and were built like tanks.

Losi or Kyosho.
 

If you're going to buy a rtr, I'd go with the Losi. The lLosi and Kyosho both come with really user friendly engines but the Losi is the more durable of the two. I've owned both. If you're open to a used buggy, I'd buy a Tekno nb48 2.0 or 2.1. The 2.0 can be found in good condition for 150 to 200 and parts are readily available. The 2.1 can be bought for a bit more. Look up the Tekno buy sell trade Facebook page. Lot of great deals there. The Tekno is by far the toughest buggy on the market and is very nimble on the track.

Rtrs in general are a money pit. They're inexpensive because they compromise on quality. You can spend $500 in upgrades and still not have a kit quality buggy. This why buying a good used kit built buggy makes so much sense.

As I mentioned above, Tekno is the toughest buggy on the market and their used cost is relatively inexpensive.

Engines. Alpha are my favorite engine. Ryan Lutz at Lutz rc is a great guy to deal with and hes the U.S. dealer for Alpha engines. They have a nice selection of engines, from beginner or "club level", to the pro engines he uses all across the world. The Dynamite engines are extremely user friendly and are hard to beat at $130 or so for the .21. A 28 will have the same outer dimensions as a .21. Since you're bashing, you could go with the Alpha or Dynamite. 28. HAVE FUN!

I watched his two videos that he linked above and they were very informative. It looks like the neo, MP9 or 10, and Hobao hyper VS2 are the strongest contenders for what I’m looking for. Maybe the 8ight RTR would be considered. How’s the durability on the MP9?

my LHS only has Traxxas arrma and Losi, so pretty much locked into Losi based on that criteria. Not opposed to getting the 8ight RTR, but it seems like it’s just ok and I don’t want something that’ll be frustrating long-term.

From what you said, if I went RTR, I would get the Losi 8ight or Hobao hyper VS2. Do you have any experience with the hobao? Seems like a step up over the 8ight. I will definitely check out a tekno nb48 2.0/2.1 from the resource that you listed on Facebook.

• Is parts support still going to carryover for a while on the 2.0? Or do the 2.1 parts fit the 2.0? I wouldn’t want to invest in an older platform that doesn’t have parts support.
• Do you think the teknos are more durable than the hobao?
• 2.0 vs 2.1 durability?

I’ve heard great things about the alpha engines so I will definitely check those out. Sounds like I might snag one of these if I end up getting a slider. Isn’t the dynamite .21 the same one that’s in the Losi 8ight?

Rtr vs kit
 

Some 2.1 parts fit the 2.0. Parts supply for the 2.0 is still strong and will continue to be for several years. Tekno is extremely popular so even when parts are discontinued from the factory, there will still be a ton of new parts available. Tekno is good about continuing parts support for old models. The 2.0 isnt really old and parts are still readily available. The Tekno buggys are more durable by far than Hobao or the MP9. Tekno is simply the most durable buggy on the market. Comparing it to other kit built cars might be debatable to some. Comparing a Tekno to a rtr is apples and oranges. I speak from firsthand experience and I have no affiliation with any of them. The Losi is the only one thst comes closest in durability if you can find a 3.0 or 4.0 used buggy. The rtr is ok but you'll wind up replacing the servos, theyre always the first thing to fail on most rtrs. The shocks and differentials are very inferior compared to kit built cars. As far as parts supply goes, Tekno and Losi are your best bet. Of the rtrs I've had, Losi was tops for durability and parts supply. Kyosho wasn't as tough and parts always had to be ordered but amainhobbies.com ships fast. The Kyosho engine is great, very user friendly and decent power for a rtr. Sourcing parts for Hobao and Serpent is time consuming. Very frustrating.


UOTE=CrimsonTenet;16099081]I watched his two videos that he linked above and they were very informative. It looks like the neo, MP9 or 10, and Hobao hyper VS2 are the strongest contenders for what I’m looking for. Maybe the 8ight RTR would be considered. How’s the durability on the MP9?


my LHS only has Traxxas arrma and Losi, so pretty much locked into Losi based on that criteria. Not opposed to getting the 8ight RTR, but it seems like it’s just ok and I don’t want something that’ll be frustrating long-term.



From what you said, if I went RTR, I would get the Losi 8ight or Hobao hyper VS2. Do you have any experience with the hobao? Seems like a step up over the 8ight. I will definitely check out a tekno nb48 2.0/2.1 from the resource that you listed on Facebook. Is parts support still going to carryover for a while on the 2.0. Or does the 2.1 parts fit the 2.0? I wouldn’t want to invest in an older platform that doesn’t have parts support. Do you think the teknos are more durable than the hobao?

I’ve heard great things about the alpha engines so I will definitely check those out. Sounds like I might snag one of these if I end up getting a slider. Isn’t the dynamite .21 the same one that’s in the Losi 8ight?[/QUOTE]

Engine
 

Yes to the Dynamite engine in the Losi. The Hobao does look better than the Losi in a few aspects. The pipe and header are held together by springs like all racers use. The Losi pipe relies on a rubber sleeve and zip ties. They occasionally come uncoupled. Most guys wind up replacing this with style of pipe and header shown in the Hobao ad. Aluminum shocks on the Hobao compared to plastic shocks on the Losi. Adjustable upper suspension arms on the Hobao. It looks really good. If I was going to go rtr and I could find good parts supply for the Hobao, I'd look at it awful hard. I'd find a Hobao Facebook page to inquire as to the durability.

honestly, I prefer to buy a pro version second hand than an RTR new

Yep!
 

I just bought a pair of Tekno nb48 2.0 with some 2.1 upgrades and about $150 or so in parts for $300. It was local so I saved $50 in shipping and pp fees but it would have been a great deal at $350. These deals arent unusual if you keep an eye on the Tekno Facebook page and the rctech classifieds.

If you still want to go with a rtr, aliexpress has the Hobao marked down to $491. I'd replace the radio, youll need a decent radio with end point adjustments. The Spektrum DX4C for example. Several model years old so you can find them for $50 or so. A very capable radio. I'm still using mine.

Ruling out all buggies except for tekno nb48 2.0/2.1 + Hobao Hyper VS2
 

That’s a pretty great deal. I’ll have to see if I can find something like that near me. At this point, I will rule out the Losi as I don’t love the idea of having a cheaper RTR that isn’t going to be as nice as something else. I’ll keep the hobao hyper VS2 around as a potential option, but it seems like part support is going to be a frustration so I think I’ll pass on that. Thanks for the heads up on the discounted price, really appreciate it!

You’re not the first person to mention that tekno has really durable buggies. So with that, I’m going to try to track down a tekno like you mentioned because they have great quality, and I love to stand behind companies that really support their products. P.S.regarding tekno’s warranty, they don’t have a lifetime 50% off warranty on parts they don’t actively sell on their website. So the NB48 2.0 doesn’t have the 50% discount support as that’s a discontinued model, I believe (I have not verified this with the company, however).

Don't get the Losi RTR, half the parts are discontinued and it's SAE.

Hobao parts you can get anything you want at hobao-usa.com. Ships out of TX.

Any race buggy will be 2x as more durable as their RTR counterpart, the RTR's all have cheapened metals, etc. Buying used is always questionable as the previous owner may not know WTF they were doing (especially with nitro). If YOU know what you're doing, it could be OK, but it's a lot better for an experienced hobbyist.

New or used?
 

All my Tekno buggys and truggys were bought second hand so i never paid attention to the warranty. I suspect it's non-transferable but Idont know.

The key to buying used is finding a seller with good buyer feedback, asking a lot of questions and knowing what to ask. Or of course, buying local. Look for an ad with pertinent information and good pics. If theyre not well documented, ask tons of questions and ask for lots of pics. Ask for close-up pics of the drive cups and dogbones coming out of the gearboxes. Ask for pics of the pins on the center shafts as well. Ideally, you dont want to see flat spots forming on the pins. Theyre hard steel and it takes a lot of use to wear on them. Some manufacturers use softer steel than others but ive found Tekno shafts to be relatively tough. Ask for chassis bottom pics. Ask when the car was last freshened up with new fluids. Ask when the tie-rod ends were last replaced. Ask how many gallons the buggy has on it. If it's had a gallon, the fluids should have been freshened several times. Tie-rod ends are high ware items too. Look for a buggy that was raced, theyll be better maintained than a basher. A guy that knows his stuff will probably have pics and information like this in his ad. NEVER use paypal friends and family. That's probably obvious but you'd be surprised how many people still get scammed. Sorry if most of this was obvious or an information overload.lol

Tekno is going to release the 2.2(more numbers lol)late summer. That willdrivecdown the cost of used buggys even more. Youll be able to find parts for the 2.0 for 5 or 6 more years at least. The 2.2 is going to be a modified 2.1 so that takes care of that. I have a 2013 Losi truggy that I can still find any part except the ring and pinion. Even those gears pop up occasionally on here or ebay. Losi has always been incredibly popular so parts arent an issue unless you're talking about a 10 year old model. I've found that Losi is an exception. Theres a lot of guys like me that have tons of new parts for the 3.0 and 4.0 Losi stuff. They shared a lot of parts, making it pretty easy to find parts. My point is that if you can find a nice 3.0 or 4.0 Losi, parts wont dry up for several years. All told though, the Tekno 2.0 or 2.1 is the way to go in my opinion. With the 2.2 coming out, there's going to be some nice 2.1 buggys come up for sale at a good price. 2.0 buggys are already in the $150 range.

Excellent to know, i didn’t know most of that. I’ll try to track down a Tekno then. I’m eyeing up an alpha or os engine preferably. Maybe a dynamite like you suggested.

Good to know on discontinued Losi 8ight rtr parts, that sucks. Why’d they discontinue it? Isn’t it a newer buggy?