Frag

B,

I didn't talk about HPI price at all !? Where did you get that idea from?

If you read my original post, the first one, I am just asking if both car have the same average maintaining/upgrading price. That's it...

I do not prefer one more than the other. Just want to know the experience of owners of both cars when we are talking about price of upgrades and maintenance.

Solara

iTrader: (17)

Look FRAG....obviously, we have the Mugen, Serpent and HPI ppl here defending their car performacne............so, take notes from them and figure out what you are going to get...
And here is mine...(I have had Serpent S710 and R40 and NTC3)
#1..........YOUR TRACK........who are the fastest guys there? I mean top 5 (A1-A5).....what are they driving....? Take a look...and see what they have....the best car to get is what they have, cause if you are a NICE enough guys, these ppl will help you a lot.

#2...Parts support...easy, in CA, I don't think you have any problem of any MFR (compare here in CHICAGO, Mugen parts is only ONLINE orders...)

#3.........How much money you want to invest...? YES, INVEST, not WASTE....HPI parts are cheaper (compare to MUGEN) but HPI OPTIONS are nothing but cheap...just like any other OPTION parts from MUGEN or SERPENT....then, do not tell me you will NOT option your car, because YOU WILL...........and compare to MTX3, yes, R40 will have more AREA that CAN BE UPGRADE...but again, it is up to you.......if you can run the stock R40 the frist time and get to the A-main...you don't really need UPGRADE then.

#4....release date.........R40 released about 6-8 months later then MUGEN MTX3.......if you really need to FIND a way to decide your car, considered the release day, later release car (the same level car, don't tell me HPI RTR release in 2004 is better then S710...LOL) MIGHT be better.......but that is only if you have nothing to compare....which I would not recomment.

If you have to ask me this minute....I would say Mugen, because, it is MUGEN....yes, I am one of those follow the NAME BRAND, but if you have to tell me am I GARANTEE I drive the MUGEN faster and BETTER then R40.......I would not say NO.
I built one R40.........it is NOT TYPICAL HPI, it is a TOP LEVEL race car, and definitely CHEAP PARTS (I mean the cost) and you can find parts everywhere......which I love the most.

P.S...Forget about the R40 2004 spec upgrade kit or the 2004 spec R40 kit, it won't be here in USA unless you order from Japan direct.

It is very simple......you want to race a car BY YOUSELF (no need any help from others), or you want to learn from others and race with others....(like at your track, Team Mugen or Team HPI...etc)

One last advise..........FACTORY TEAM NTC3. Best bang for the buck....

B

iTrader: (13)

Not really,

I have a Mugen, but I still encourage him to get the R40 as well.
There is really nothing to defend. No car is that bad, and each don't need defending.

Frag

Thanks for the informations guys, very helpfull!

But since I get a lot of experienced racers around here, I got two questions for you.

1. What would be the basic mod to do on a R40? (If you just had bought one)

2. What would be the basic mod to do on a MTX3? (If you just had bought one)

B

iTrader: (13)

For me, basic mods for me on the R40 would be:

1) Ti screw set (to get down the weight)
2) Option Lightented chassis
3) Front and rear carbon shock towers (heard the rear one makes a big difference)
4) Lightened 0.8 Transmission

Thats pretty much it for basic mods.

MTX-3:

1) Front universals (I didnt buy any and my car ran great)
2) Maybe a Ti screw set
3) Maybe an optional chassis
4) Teflon brake pads

Thats about it.

If one were to full tune, then both cars will have almost equally many parts to upgrade (pretty much EVERY part!)

InitialD

Is that basic mods? I wonder what you consider as extensive mods on the R40...

What about rear adjustable sway bar? The aluminum wheel hex adaptor?

Perhaps a estimated list of prices that go along with the individual hop ups would be helpful. That way, Frag can add it up with the price of the original kit...

B

iTrader: (13)

the rear adjustable sway bar from Kawahara is not a necessity at all. Many racers don't use it and still do fantastic. Same goes for the aluminum wheel hex adapter. Even if one were to buy it, it costs about $10.

The price of each item varies drastically, depending on where you purchase them from, and it is really depeding on Frag to decide where he wants to buy his parts.

By basic mods, I am referring to the parts that i will get first. They are not listed in the order of elementary to drastic in mind.

InitialD

I would think the aluminum wheel hex adapter and the rear adjustable sway bar would be better things to get besides getting the titanium screw set... Would you agree?

Perhaps some generic ball park prices would give a good indication.

Taylor-Racing

In that case I'd think it's extremely unlikely the engine was stock.

Solara

iTrader: (17)

HPI said his engine was picked up at a LHS a day before the race...it was a NOVA ROSSI NS3 3 port turbo....
That engine is stock or mod or TEAM DRIVE special that you can "PICK UP" from LHS..............that I really don't know.

jeffreylin

That's what I read as well. I can believe it because the NS12 S3 kicks butt. It is FAST!!!

Solara

iTrader: (17)

I don't know anything about the MTX3, so I rather not giving any input......but I have my own standard (my own first to get options before the R40 hit the track) modificaiton that you can take a look...

1) Front and rear Carbon shock towers ($15 and $25)
2) Lightened weight 2-speed shaft ($15)
3) Light weight middle shaft ($18)
4) R40 4 Bevel Gear set (front and rear, someone said use the KYOSHO Bevel does work...and they are like $6, and you need extra gears for rear, let say $15 +/-)
5) Bearing for the steering ($14)

I think if I would run the R40 this season for racing, that is the absolutely minimum upgrades that I will put on the R40...I did not add in the 0.8 transmission cause no one can get that in USA, or never will be available in USA, no Titanium screws cause that will be the LAST thing that you will need to save extra 10g (or even mode) or so for $70....no lightweight chassis cause I think the stock chassis is fine for now...after you ruin the stock one, then go get the ligthweight or 7075 one...

Let say if R40 is $250....the option I added is $102 more, total is $352, and that is the Tower price...let say $102 take another 10% off for typical online store or LHS price...the R40 ready to race is still $342.

Now...try to find a Mugen MTX3 for $342.......then you can do a comparison.....

At the end, you will find out they are exactly the SAME....R40 is not any cheaper or MTX3 is not that expensive, but THEY BOTH are great car and I still think R40 is my pick cause I know I break a lot of parts...and I can find R40 parts almost everywhere (including LOCAL) and their parts are 20-30% cheaper...

Francis M.

iTrader: (2)

I was at the nats to see hara's run. He did run an off the shelf
motor that had decent performance. I would say burch and
cyrul had the fastest engines.

Solara

iTrader: (17)

Well, since you are metioning....I still want to find out...

When HPI said he was using NS3..there is a engine from Nova Rossi named NS3? I heard also NS5, and of course, the NS12 that I knew...

But NS3? Is that a short term of NS12 3 port? Just like NS5 = NS12 5 port...

I can't find any info on Nova Rossi webpage about NS3 and NS5 as well...

I believed HARA can run a LHS pick up engine and still win, cause he is HARA, and R40 is a good car, but from what I see, the WINTER NATIONAL 04....no one can get a faster engine then the MTX3 guy (Mike I believed)...and that, is NOT a stock engine for sure.

Francis M.

iTrader: (2)

i don't know if they modified the engine but it's not a hand
picked factory engine for sure.


rookie the ns3 i believe is the same as ns12