burnineyes

iTrader: (17)

I must reinforce the fact that I believe RTRs have a place in this hobby. But, I have to disagree with your points about the competence it takes to build one of these cars.

RTR does little to build the skills and confidence it takes. It is too easy for something to go wrong and then it sits until the kid can go to the hobby shop, or it sits indefinitely, often to be put on a shelf in the garage for 20 years or so. Back in the day when you got a RC car, there was a commitment you had to make in order to play with it. Sometimes it took a few trips to the hobbyshop to get that diff outdrive you keep stripping when trying to assemble it, or that mount that keeps getting cross threaded when you are trying to install a ballstud. It can be frustrating to a kid that just wants to run it into things and not be stuck building it. But that takes commitment, anything we do in life that takes commitment usually makes us feel great when we have success. Of course the occasional materialistic jerk may not feel a difference in driving a car he just built from tiny little screws scattered across his desk, and driving a RTR, but most of us do feel a big difference. RTRs get people into this hobby that might not give it a chance otherwise, there is no doubt about that. Many of them go on to build and rebuild many RCs throughout their life, but many get out as fast as they got in, simply because there is no commitment. In my opinion, if you take a step back when you decide to start a hobby like this one, and you realize that you do not know everything about it, and you make the commitment to making sure everything is perfect the way YOU would do it, you come out not only with the much better feeling, but also with skills and knowledge that the other kids whose parents just bough them T-Maxx's will not have. And if something breaks, instead of having to rely on someone to help you and possibly confuse you, you will know exactly what to do and you will be much more likely to fix it and race again.

tc3team

I would love to put an RTR car on the track and see if I could still put it in the A main.

And if a new guy comes to me with problems, I don't treat him any differently to someone who has much more knowledge!

I think the only people who hate on RTR are the people that have had an issue with them in the past with lower quality materials than a full on race going version of the same car.

Not everyone needs the latest and best car with all the extras on it to race.

Those lightweight parts found on team spec cars are of no use to guys who find the barriers more often than the pro's...

burnineyes

iTrader: (17)

Many RTRs are very capable machines that can win a race easily with the right driver.

I don't treat them differently either, except that I may not suggest tricks to getting your pinion mesh right to the experienced guy. Its the twenty-something guy that has been there for weeks and he still relies on us to fix his truck for him. Thats a pain in the arse, I will help anyone anytime, but I want to race too! I have literally told a guy once that he needed to go home and take his car apart down to the diff balls and once he can get it around the track reliably he should come back to race. Maybe this sounds a little harsh to some of you, but it wasn't a kid, it was an adult that could not change his battery without help. Some guys simply do not belong in this hobby, I think anyone could agree on that. RTRs give them a free ticket to come crash into me at the track for a few weeks until there is noone else to fix it for them.

armourbl

iTrader: (44)

I'm sure all hobbies or sports have their own version of this. I see it a lot at the MX track or even out in the desert doing trail rides. To me, this is the real extreme because these guys who don't know anything about their bike are actually putting their own life in danger everytime they get on the bike. It is poorly maintained, and sometimes barely functional. In the sportbike scene, you had to pass tech to get on the track. Sometimes I think the MX world needs the same, even for practice days.

ben

sthai95123

iTrader: (9)

If you like building kits buy kits and build it , if you like RTR then buy RTR . It's that simple no need to hate ..the more people get into this hobby the merrier..i got my cousin and newphew hook on it cause of RTR LOL
They each have 5 RTR and they still upgrading brushless system ..

Cisco904

iTrader: (2)

Never underestimate the number of stupid people :P , I'm saying from a point of not overall competence but mechanical competence, I grew up in a house full of auto tech's so I understood the way these things worked. Now if I were to take someone who is totally green to this an gave them a kit, they would probably need more help then with a RTR. I do agree that there are those people with no commitment to this that just crash it an either have someone else fix it, or just shelf it, [keep in mind 20 yrs from now when buying a almost new vintage car you will be happy because of that person ] But with a RTR the learning curve [to a average person] is much less steep then a kit, a RTR you fix as your break stuff, learning overtime. With the current trend of "insto gratification" a hobby with a easy learning curve is fair more likly to draw more people, an keep them around. I will reinforce the fact that RTR's are here to stay an have there place. Personally I would LOVE if manufacturers offered everything in both RTR an kit form, for those of us who are more expierienced kits are a great commitment, Because we have already expierienced the rewards this hobby has, wether it be having a cop radar your car, or just hanging out an making friends at the LHS or track, So of course we are willing to pour time an money into this. Someone who doesn't know the rewards will probably be far less willing.
-Greg

burnineyes

iTrader: (17)

I agree for the most part. The idea I am trying to stress is that if you get that learning curve out of they way before you break something, the hobby is much more gratifying and you are much more likely to race again. Sure, it may take you two months to build your first kit, but how long will it take you to fix that grinding differential? If this is the first time you have ever seen a diff then it might just take you a month, or you might pay someone to do it, or you might just hang it up and go play frisbee golf.....

Cisco904

iTrader: (2)

Ah, Now I get what your saying, yeah I'm in total agreement then. That makes total sense, that way someone is less likly to become discouraged an quit because they cant fix something, an ironic you used a grinding differential, I just made my maxx 2wd last week bc I tore up the rear diff lol. Burnin you seem to be on the up n up with kits, tamiya yay or nay?? I'm thinking of picking up a car, or a slash that I found a badass deal on. PM me so we dont jack this discussion thread.
-Greg

Toh WL

iTrader: (6)

i do believe rtr are here for various reasons. the same like pro kits eventually where there are a no. of people just tell the LHS to assemble for them. making them pro kit rtr. it's a matter of preference.

the thing about rtr it does not give u the full documentation on the assembly. in case if u do crash real hard. for novice it can be real hard time for asemble again. cause u have no clue which parts goes where. not forgetting the correct measurements as well.

i have no doubt there are people willingly want to learn the hard way. they just take it to their LHS & learned how to fix.