blackshark3

In the early 80s, after RC300BD, my first intermission...
In the late 80s, after Serpent Excel, second intermission...
Then in around 2005, after Kyosho Evolva, third intermission...

Now, the bug bites again...Would like to pick your brains as to the choice of chassis/engine.

For chassis, here we have Mugen, Infinity, Shepherd and Serpent, which chassis? I like more aggressive steering feeling but don't like the parts wearout rate of kyosho.

As for engine, I heard OS is now the standard?

Any suggestions welcome

1/8 IC Fan

iTrader: (102)

Its all a loaded question more or less, they are so close in performance, that its more or less a wash. Sure we all have our preferences for brands and such, yet if you go to the track they all do quite well. If anything the best advice is to run what you can get support for in your area.

Where are you located? Where is your closest track?

blackshark3

1/8 IC Fan

iTrader: (102)

I can see perhaps where one might have a preference, yet I would check with some of the Big Online retailers like rcmart, to see if they carry a broad selection of parts as well, for the chassis you are considering. Given they are based out of Hong Kong, and usually are really good to deal with.

Roelof

Basically if you have a creditcard or paypal the world is open to purchase any car.

The Serpent 988 is a good car and if it is locally well supported then why not?
The Mugen MRX6R is also a good car and very populair as also the Shepherd.
Infinity is very expensive and why would you buy a car from a brand that clearly pays the top 30 list world drivers to run that brand w/o leaving any good racers for the other brands?

The only advance of Mugen is that it still uses module 1 gears, all other brands do face some DNF's with their more fragile module 0.8 gears. A few weeks ago I made adapters for 2 ARC drivers so they can use Mugen gears on their ARC 1/8 electric pancar.

1/8 IC Fan

iTrader: (102)

Man Roelof, I did not want to say the same, but thats a great statement, at least we still have Pietsch and Kurzbuch!

blackshark3

Thanks for all the comments

My "not preferring" Serpent is because of two factors, might be bigotic: 1) they are no longer the good old Serpent of the Netherlands, they are now made in China; 2) my experience with their cars before (last was a Veteq) they were quite "lazy" comparing to the likes of Mugen and Kyosho. The current Serpent "might turn on a dime", but the first factor I frankly am unable to accept.

Before my last intermission I quite like the performance of the Kyosho Evolva, but too bad their materials wear out fast....

Quite frankly I am between Mugen and Infinity, actually leaning more to Mugen. I like Mugen cars since their 1/12 K2X, and I run their e-buggies too and found them to be keeping the same quality. However, as the local importer prefers doing other businesses then focusing on to that core business that brought rich to him, parts support for Mugen is just pathetic here. I have to order online and keep my own stock of parts for my e-buggies and that's not something I like to do.

The only unknown to me is Infinity, I know they spent big bucks to buy drivers (because of the rich owner) and that doesn't mean their car is good for a "sunday driver' like me, but I would like to hear from regular souls what they like or dislike about the Infinity to decide

Roelof

Serpent went to a more solid car with the 960 at the same moment Pieter Bervoets did leave the company. It took some time to design the right car finally with the 977. The 988 is based on the 977 with all improvements. The Infinity is a good copy of the Mugen MRX5 car.

Kevin CBR

iTrader: (11)

The Mugen MRX6 and MRX6R are the most popular 1:8 cars at my local track in Southern California (Steel City Speedway). The Mugen Distributor is in Southern California so can get part orders quick. However, what is more important is the car is very good at our track and because there are a number of people running them, there is a good core of drivers that newer Mugen owners can come to for set-up advice to help get them up to speed faster. As for local shops carrying parts, there are no local shops in Southern California you can walk into that carry a lot of parts. I order mine all online from four companies in the US from East to West Coast and always have a decent selection of spares with me because if you break a part at the track, are you going to leave the track, drive to a hobby store, buy the part, drive back to the track and replace and continue racing ? Probably not. So as long as order parts from the local HK shops that carry Mugen parts and get them in a few days, parts support should not be an issue. What is the most popular car at your track so others can help you and parts availability (online or local hobby shop) should be major factors in your decision.

Panda

Ajrcdriver

I've only had a few opportunities to test the new IF18 car and I can attest it's an amazing car hands down its probably one of the easiest cars to drive and set up very little needed to get it dialed in for numerous track conditions! The part support is great and enjoy the fact ,I'm able to test the 0.8 module system and the mugen system! I'm very pleased with it's performance!😎🤙💯

LOW ET

iTrader: (109)

just looking at the euro nitro series the majority seems to be shepherd and infinity in both 1/8 and 1/10. is this due to the market being flooded with them cars or are they a superior product?

Roelof

Over here in Europe there are not much shops selling the Infiniy cars. Most Infinity topdrivers on the ENS are payed drivers and some who did get a kit, most of the rest do get their stuff for lower prices directly from teamdrivers acting as resellers.
The Shepherd is a good car with a good support. Mugen is sometimes hard to get alhough the Italian FVSS shop seems to have anything on stock. Capricorn is just too expensive BMT has lost it, I do not see much of their car. Xray has a lack of performance and every year a new model does not help to keep customers as well.
Serpent has also a good car but rumors of how bad the company goes and no fast delivery of parts does not help to keep the brand high rated. Arc is also doing very well with performance and support.

The main problem all brands are facing is the huge toplevel drivers list at Infinity leaving less room for the other brandnames. With those drivers also their true fans do run that brand.

LOW ET

iTrader: (109)

thanks for the reply. i'm currently in the market for new 1/10 and 1/8 cars. i'm a long time serpent guy and want to try something new. right now i'm thinking mugen or shepherd. im trying to wait for the new mugen 1/10 to check it out but who knows when that will be released. i can get the mugen mrx6r right now but not sure if a newer version is coming along with the new 1/10. i can also get a shepherd 1/10 right now but the 1/8 is sold out and who knows when that will be back in stock. sigh, decisions, decisions.

jpatrick

i'm making a comeback in 1/8th, i go all the way back too the serpent impact 1/10 cars..great class, when i was deciding my wife said " go with what you know" so i almost done a 988 serpent, nice car and was delivered quick even with the border. i don't follow what the pros do. lets face it if you give a guy orange tires and he wins you have an instant market for orange tires.

blackshark3