I've done a fair amount of searching and thought I'd just post up. Getting back into this and think touring car is a good option with USGT / VTA both options in my area. I'm a old school Associated fan but not sold on it and not sure I want to drop 1000 or so getting back into it.

I've looked at tc7.1 & RS4 SPORT 3 Flux but not very familiar with others. I do want to tinker with setups and would like a reliable package that has plenty of parts available.

Looking for some good suggestions. Thanks!

Well with my limited experience in TC, I will say that you don't need to buy the latest kit to be competitive in VTA/USGT. Guys are still racing with old Tamiya tub chassis and getting podiums so it's not unreasonable to get back into the swing of things without spending a million bucks. But that is about as far as my experience goes. I just have two hopped up TB03's that I picked up for cheap and they are my first proper touring cars. So I am still learning myself lol

Look into purchasing a used Xray 2014, 2015, or 2016. They are extremely durable. If in the event you do not stay with the hobby you can sell it for what you paid. Most touring cars are Xray copies.... Another thought is to go to your track and see what the guys are running. The Associated 7.1 is a good car, but I am not sure about the wearing of parts/plastics. The ARC is another good choice, but I would not get this if you are the only one at the track that has this car. I do not think the ARC is Xray compatible parts wise....

Esc. Get the hobbywing Justock XR 10 for about 50 bucks. Get the program card.i

Motor.... That will depend on what class you will run...... Check with your local track.... Just starting out you may want to purchase a used motor for less than half the price from a good racer....

Radio...check out Sanwa/Airtronics or Futaba. I like Sanwa/Airtronics. Get the best radio you can afford. Trust me here. Airtronics has MT4 to the M12s There are about 5 total models......A $200-$300 radio is in the mid range and would be a fine choice.

A good used car is better than a cheap new car. With used purchases one can often get additional parts thrown in.... Having said that there is a thread called BSR BT4. One can purchase this car new for about 145 with shipping included.....or you can possibly get a used car for less..... I do not think this car will be as durable as an XRay though...

Another consideration is as follows: does the track wher u r going to run have a hobbyshop? If so they can help u purchase the right stuff so u do not make mistakes and end up purchasing things twice....

Thank you for the information! Is the T4 the XRay model I want to look at? Interesting you mention the wearing on associated...I'm old so I was running RC10s back in the '80s and they would go through half shafts & stub axles pretty fast.

Yes to the Xray T4. What we all need to consider in this hobby is cost of ownership and satisfaction. Since my cars do not break as often, thus I save on parts. I also finish more races and have more fun. I use eBay for parts and there are after market companies that sell parts that will fit for a lot less money. The small knock on Xray is that parts are expensive, but the way I do it it is very manageable....FYI, a friend of mine TQed last race with a Xray 2014. Learn to setup your car to make it easy to drive.

Are you going to race on asphalt or carpet?

Mostly carpet but I believe there are some asphalt options as well. I'm assuming you can get longer springs,etc for changing from carpet to asphalt.

Most guys use an aluminum chassis for carpet and a graphite chassis for asphalt. The springs are the same length......u will most likely go to stiffer springs on high grip carpet...

Not sure OP should care about aluminum vs carbon at this stage in the game. I'd say find a less expensive one and spend at least a season or two on it.

I've had a few people recommend the TC4 as an inexpensive entry option. It's about $150, and the chassis is already assembled.

I would also recommend seeing what chassis your local hobby shop supports, for quick access to spare parts.

The problem with the TC4 is that the screws are imperial and not metric. Check out hobbyking.com. There is a touring car for a out a 100 bucks. It is a rebranded Team C..looks decent. I would still get a used xray though.

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/bsr-bt-4...mbled-kit.html

+1 on used decent chassis. I wouldn't buy the Hobbyking one. It may be a bit cheaper at the beginning than used chassis but will not have the durability or handling of better quality chassis. And in most cases with used chassis, ppl sell it with extra parts as well.

Been using the BT-4 for USGT this summer. No problem. Plenty of XRay parts can be used.

RS4 Sport 3 won't work for USGT. One tried last year. It's a street basher. Wasn't intended for racing.

Used is always good option. I've bought a few nice deals off eBay. More willing to take chance with a touring car.

I run TCs, I think the kits are worth it

If you want to go with a serpent project 4x I've got one for sale. The track I was going to race at is moving before winter so I will not get a chance to drive. I've got like 1000 worth of stuff I'll let go for 800. USGT electronics, tekin gen2 rs spec, Team EM 17.5, savox 1251MG, spare parts, extra springs, ball cups, transponder, tirs, glue for sidewalls, 2 bodies new in package. All you need is tx/rx