Chris6_85

Hey guys,

so i am pretty new to the whole racing scenario of off road, however i do have a 10 scale losi drake/2 and raced it a couple of times and plan on racing it a lot more soon as this new series kicks off next month. but i would like to purchase a 1/8 scale buggy also so i can race two classes each night. i was looking at the losi 8 buggy and there are two of them, the race roller and the competition kit. i was leaning towards them since i already have a losi truck, how ever looking at the AE rc8 buggy it looks like it might me more sturdy with all the carbon fiber parts. and also the Mugen buggy looks pretty popular from what i seen at the track.

which buggy should i go for? the losi race roller, losi comp kit, associated RC8 or the Mugen? or is there something else out there i dont know of? i know the 3 i listed my local shops carry all the parts for them, which is a plus.

Thanks Chris

Warhawk 1

We just did a very similar thread to this.

MikeyLTD

In my opinion it depends on your driving style. I have a Losi 8ight and i absolutely love the car. I have NEVER broken any parts on the car, the only problem i have had is the screw that holds the piston on the shock shaft backed out, and i recently replaced both my servos because the gears were wearing. The new Rc8 also looks reallyyy good. That would be the only other 8th scale i would switch over too.

But I recommend the 8ight, its durable, and very popular , if you break somebody should have the part.

just my 2 cents.

Mikey Bustamante.

K.Copeland

iTrader: (96)

Parts for all 3 cars? If you race gas truck, you'll have no problem going fast with the Losi. The comp. kit is what they originally released, the race roller is what they offer now, same car. Its' not perfect and I'd suggest reading up on some things about the Losi to avoid DNF's, But my opinion is that if you race the Losi the same way you race your gas truck, you'll do better than most people.

Warhawk 1

Page 3, new buggy thread. My opinion its the X-ray EC buggy. The AE RC8 looks great, Kyosho 777WC is proven, Mugen MBX-5R. I'm not much of a Losi fan.

slakr

iTrader: (36)

You will find someone who favors just about each buggy on the market (and someone who hates it). I will discuss what I have had, but I agree with the previous post that it depends a lot on your driving preference.

My first buggy was the Sportwerks Mayhem. I thought it was a good buggy.

Then I had a Mugen MBX5 Prospec. Night and day difference (IMO). Hands down the Mugen was better and you can't go wrong with this purchase (again IMO).

I now have an RC8. In my hands, I feel the RC8 has better turn in than the Mugen, but the Mugen was a slighlty better jumper. But I have only run the RC8 once (today actually) and it was with the box stock setup. So far, I love the RC8 and again think it would be a good choice.

Today I also ran a buddies Jammin buggy for the first time (he went from Jammin to Losi and back to Jammin). In my hands (with my buddies setup), turn in was not quite as good as the RC8, but it jumped just as well. I think the Jammin would likely be a good choice too, at least for my driving style.

As for the Losi 8ight, even though my buddy didn't care for it; there are plenty at our local track. I have not had the opportunity to drive one yet, but I do know that I don't like the fact that it does not have metric hardware (my Mayhem, MBX5 and RC8 are all metric as is the Jammin and so is my T2R). So I already have tools and plenty of metric hardware, standard US... not so much.

Really, the best scenario would be to get a chance to drive what your interested in (if you have relationships at a local track that would allow this) and also consider parts availability and what is popular where you race. Never under-estimate the importance of parts availability or local resources for setup and trouble-shooting assistance.

$0.02 DONE!

Jason Halvorson

iTrader: (22)

yep there is a lover of every buggy and a hater...i myself like the mugen 5R...

mugenlife

iTrader: (4)

depends on your background racing and your driving style. the losi is the best jumper but leads itself to turning too much at times. if you race 10th scale 4wd or tc's you might like that. to me i like the mugen R and set it up to be very neutral. not the best jumper and turns great but when its inconsistent it can push which imo is better because all it does is change your line wider rather than hitting a pipe or having to do a donut on the track to make up for turning in too soon. (i drove a couple losi's with OTHER people's set ups might not be how i would set up mine if i had one) if it is your first car the mugen is a great car to learn with and a losi can be too again depending on your driving style. the other car would be the rc8. its lighter than the mugen and accelerates as fast if not faster than a losi. from what people tell me it is a very neutral car as well. imo a neutral car is the best to learn from but then again neutral for some is a lame handling car.....you can win/do well with all of them i don't think a hyper 8.5, jammin, 8, mbx5r,rc8, xray or whatever car you pick would ever keep you out of a high main. if you know how to set it up and drive it the car shouldnt ever be the excuse lol unless YOUR DRIVING STYLE makes you take advantage of a car's characteristic.

cwalters

iTrader: (4)

I run alot of 1/8 scale. I ran Mugens for 2 years. Then I got an R when they came out. Then I went to the Losi and it was good as well. But the dependability seemed down on the Losi. Wear and tear took a big toll and sometimes it felt like I was driving defensively to protect the car in long mains. So I went back to the Mugen. Dependable, awesome parts fit and finish and just easy to drive hard or easy if you like to pace. My $.02.

rcjunky10

iTrader: (227)

Chris, as the guys have pointed out everyone has there own flavor. The Losi is probably one of the best handling vehicles on the market today, but as one of the guys pointed out it is rather fragile and if you are not a strong technical driver you will most likely have a lot of repair after you rounds on the track. Also, it gets bounced around a lot on a rough track and tends to not like being pushed very hard in the turns (just from what I've seen) The Rc8, what can you say about this ride as it is so new. My buddy had one and hated it as there are still a good many buggs to be worked out, as you would expect with any new 1/8th scale buggy. My other buddy now has the Jammin,and after spending an additional $150.00 to add the Super Big Bores he is still more impressed with my 5R when I let him drive it....

I am new to racing as well Chris, as a matter of fact I just ran my first race yesterday at NVR, and I run an MBX5R. I will let my results speak for them self, and by the looks of it you have a lot more driving experience than I do. I ran two 5 minute heat races and then a 10 minute B and 20 minute A main. I finished 4 out of 10 in the first heat race and was in 1st during my second heat when I flamed out in the 8th lap. I won the B main and then finished 7th in the A main...all that being said, the Mugen performed flawlessly. It may not turn as tight as the Losi, but it more than makes up for it with how it handles the rough spots, carries speed into the turn, and loves hitting the big jumps. The Mugen 5R, as most guys will attest, handles a rough track like a champ, enabling you stay on power longer. It's durable as well. In the time I have owned my 5R, I have only had to replace one lower arm. Try to find a ride that matches your driving style.

AT any rate, sorry for the long winded message, but I just can't say enough about the Mugen for being a No-brainer purchase for your first ride.

HuntersDad

iTrader: (43)

ive had em' all and the Xray EC is the best by far!!

salteen

iTrader: (89)

rc8rc8rc8

no matter what you get. I would highly suggest buying a kit. I bought a RTR assuming that it would be good enough for the track and it was but after getting my RC8 I will never buy RTR ever again. There's definately a few exceptions out there, don't get me wrong. But in general, kit is the way to go.

JeremyS

well since i don't think anyone has said it yet....Jammin all the way!!!!

tonyy

iTrader: (13)

losi 8 competition kit you will love every thing about the losi get one...

rabidsquirrel

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, you'll fall in love with your Losi up until the minute a track buddy let's you wheel his/her Hyper 8.5...

Then you will curse the Losi out loud, add another "Selling my Losi 8" post in the For Sale section of this site, and pick up a Hyper 8.5 with full spares/upgrades for about the same $$$ as you paid for that Losi 8...

Don't follow the herd! Get a highly competitive kit that has got to be the most cost effective to run outside of an XRay (Cause they don't break) or Jammin (Cheap Spares on Ebay - not as cheap as 8.5 spares though), IMHO...



Ho Bao for Life!!!



Just kidding a little with the Ho Bao 'hard sell', but the Hyper 8.5 and ST are the best bang's for you bucks out there, IMHO. They have and still do win a heap of races all over the world (8.5 is Euro World Champ, baby! ). Just not many factory supported drivers in the States, unfortunately, so you don't hear about their successes as much.