wood... you posted that Hara's D8 at the worlds is not the same that you buy at the store... duhhh, everybody knows that., "maybe not the new guys"... i don't care what setup those guys run at the track, and I never said that you can buy the same buggy at the shop, because you CAN'T.. as an FYI to other people, I posted what those guy run based on what they said, reports and pictures, and what they said, pics & reports are pretty damn accurate.. I've been around the rc world for a while and it is pretty simple to see what parts Tom & Jerry run when you see pics of a buggy with out the shell.. I had my D8 weeks before the worlds champ race, I don't buy a buggy because the thing wins a race... I tried a few different buggies when I went to my cousin's house up in ILL.. and the buggy a wanted to have was the 808, but I didn't have the $ to pay for one, and the D8 was a buggy that felt pretty damn good.. to be honest I see the 808 as the best buggy in the market..
having a good buggy helps but the drivers is the one that wins the race and not a million dollar buggy...
NOTE: at the worlds champ race 1/3 of the field were D8's or a lowend buggy like you said.. so the lowend buggy seems to run pretty good...
I only buy fuel,plugs and tires at the LHS, anything else I go online...
I do agree for the money, that you get a descent buggy with the D8. In direct comparison of performance with the top 4, its slightly behind. I think they will release a "Hara" edition that will be 1/2 pound lighter and have the upgrades needed to put this car near the top. For now, its a bang for the buck class of buggy, and for sportsman class racing, actually its not a bad choice.
To those who just got/decided on the Xray's,... good choice! I'm sure by the time you finish the build you will already know what we are talking about with precision and quality.
I do have some quick recommendations:
1. Go with 5000K oil in the center diff for the first build, (helps plant the rear until break in of the drive train is complete). Diffs 5K 5K 2K to start.
2. After you wear out the brakes, replace with Xray Carbon Fiber or AVID disc's.
3. Use the "new" Xray 19x13 or AVID bearings in the center bulkhead locations, and change like every two gallons.
4. Don't use liquids to clean the 808, just air it off and dry brush a little.
Thats it! Have fun and practice like crazy!
Ohh.. and the first time you launch a jump,.... watch out this buggy is light!
