Originally Posted by
fleetmaster
If a car is A: More durable
B: More easily setup
C: Easier to drive fast
D: Used commonly at your track
You are more likely to be successful.
E.G : I had an old TC3.I was unable to keep up with the competition due to my inabitlity to get it handling right,being older it broke more easily & because it didn't drive well,I crashed it more and broke it more.
Vicious cycle.
I bought a 2nd hand Losi,it was fast,but i had setup trouble and no one else ran the same car.People tried to help,but their advice didn't translate.
I was fast one run,handled like crap the next.
So i sold that and bought and '07 Xray.
Handled terribly too,until i tore it down and reset everything by the book.
WOW !! What a difference !!
I smashed my p.b each time i ran the car.
It is smooth,consistent and VERY easy to drive.Almost runs on auto pilot.
My p.b is .6 sec faster than the Losi running on the ragged edge, and 1 sec faster than the TC3.
Because the car is so easy to drive and well built anyway, i have yet to break anything in 4 months of weekly racing with it and i wish i had known this earlier.
I just finished second in our 540 championship over 14 rounds , to another '07.Once the car is setup,you just charge your packs and race.
Most of what you said relates to set up and could be said about even a TA05 or any other car.
rcdude8
Key here is getting a car that you can help with at YOUR local track. If you get a car that no one else runs, much harder to get advice.
Personally I have 2 TA05Rs. But I bought them used. If I were spending 230-250 on a new TA05R I would spent the $315 at Tamiya for the 415.
I had an Xray 008 more car then I needed at my current driving skill, maybe when I'm better and driving consistent lap times and can't get any faster with my current car, then I'll set up to a top shelf car.
Equipment can make a difference, but you need to get your driving to that point.