Why does everyone not like traxxas

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I think it's great that we can speak freely about any brand of RC here. I just hope we are keeping down any vindictive thoughts to keep it informative. I may use advice from here to buy my next non-Traxxas, but would be put off on ever buying anything again if I read mostly rant based posts. No accusations intended, I think this is a great thread. Thanks to Brushlessdude for bringing it.
 
My first RC is a Tekno MT410 I purchased on Ebay. It came with all the M2C racing goodies money can buy, plus a bit more. Mind you, I think it required quite a bit of work to bring it to where it is now and you can check my opening thread to see how all that went. There was more that happened that I haven't shared here.

I have never owned a Traxxas and therefor my impressions are that of a non owner hobbyist and enthusiast. I do have a friend who likes them, and I have driven one, a 2wd rustler. From a driving dynamics standpoint my experience was very positive, that stabilizer unit works wonders. The Rustler was also highly modified with all around RPM arms and a lot of other goodies.

As an outsider I'm not privy to the decision tree Traxxas was faced with. I really did not like their actions against Arrma. To me, it would make more sense to compete with Arrma by upping their game. Maybe from a operational standpoint that would mean revising their business model and specifically the parts/support aspects of it.

Regardless, to me, their legal decisions says something quite distinctly. In my reckonings, they only have a "toy" level view of their own product lines; they don't believe in the loyalty of their own customers. The teknorc I have is absolutely also a toy, especially the way I use it, but the efforts invested in a robust design, durable and quality material, their customer service and the 3rd party support clearly shows that Teknorc and a significant part of the RC community views the tekno offerings as much more than a mere toy.

I suppose my line of reasoning would suggest the following question when deciding whether a Traxxas is right for you: Do you intend to buy a toy or do you want something more? That is essentially what the manufacturers I'm comparing view in their own offerings.

I don't have real experience with Axial, Kyosho or other manufacturers though I have heard of Arrma and the quality of their products.
 
Traxxas is like the Walmart of hobby grade vehicles. You can find them everywhere, they sell crap, and if if you make a superior product they'll try to sue you out of existence. I still own some Traxxas vehicles but only because I dumped my kids college fund into them. They hold up now but there are better RTR brands out there. Arrma fans are super haters because of the b.s. lawsuit against them. Traxxas put a patent on a suspension that's been around for decades. In the hobby world, all brands are supposed to get along. When you become a bully, you lose respect. I personally own 5 different brands and Traxxas is the only one that I thought of getting rid of due to the bad karma they left behind.
AMEN!
 
I always thought of Traxxas as the brand that will bring someone into the hobby. They advertised to a different audience than those of us already in the hobby it seemed. It seemed like 1:20 new Traxxas owners would get the bug and start racing. Eventually they would move up into a Losi or AE. (More like 1 out of 2,000)

My biggest issue was parts availability, so I stuck with what my LHS stocked.
 
People hate traxxas because they sued arrma over a bs copyright law loophole over the nero. The bottom line is that arrma has knocked traxxas and their old outdated product off of the top of the food chain. Traxxas had to do something to try and take them down a notch. However It backfired on them because now horizon owns them and now arrma is putting out new ideas and on the cutting edge with new fresh designs monthly. I think it's kinda funny imo. But to be honest arrma rigs 1/10 and 1/8 scale are solid out of the box and dont break. On a traxxas your going to have to do alot of upgrading before you can even run 3s or 6s.... this is why traxxas has the biggest aftermarket parts support and upgrades because they have to, and the upgrade companies push their product because of this. Arrma has now caught up to the upgrade market as well with better parts.... that's the bottom line, I own over 20 rc rigs and yes two of them are traxxas, I sold the other traxxas rigs because of the desperate ploy of a lawsuit. Its business, take out your biggest threat. That's what traxxas did to hpi years ago they sued them and look at hpi now, a ghost of a company. It didnt work this time traxxas and you need to update your whole brand and stock parts quality to stay alive I have and appreciate all rc brands but traxxas almost ruined the now most popular and best quality brand in rc. God bless
 
I have had two Traxxas and were very satisfied with them. My son
had 2/3 and really ran and lasted well. Their customer service was
great !
 
Cause I get tired of seeing Traxxas parts an not mine!.....

Who needs Traxxas support when their parts are dropping out of the sky!
 

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I own many rc cars, +70, from Tekno to chinese cars and even Traxxas cars. I own 3 differents radicator , a bandit and a slash 4WD.

When traxxas started their business they sold a car very close to a NIKKO Bison F10. Then they copied AE with their Radicator in white weak plastic (i own black plastic ones, sold by graupner in EU) and orange anodised aluminum chassis. If i compare the plastic CVD of my radicator, released in 1989 and my Bandit VXL, there isn't real difference, excepted that in 1989 motors was brushed only and nowadays it is powerfull brushless, obvioulsy the CVD need to be upgraded. Traxxas started without been innovative and they are still not. The cantiliver suspension was used by Schumacher, tenth technology, Tamiya, Bandai, way before Traxxas put a patent on something they never invented. They sued Arrma about this cantilever suspension also. Arrma didn't believe it when they were sued because so many companies used it before Traxxas. They sued HPI and Helion for a simple receiver box, sealed with rubber joint, what a proud company. So, if you want to design a car in US nowadays, take a look on patents steal by Traxxas before doing anything, otherwise Traxxas will walk on you. Traxxas don't remember that they started by making copy and the only thing they bring in the rc is the short course truck, that other brands do better than Traxxas, the losi scte, Arrma senton, Tekno SCT410 are way better.

About Traxxas durability : I won't say traxxas is crap but it is overpriced for what it is. An example, take a look on their receiver, 45$. I would say i own the first version of the Bandit, the radicator 2, pretty rare, realeased in 1995 (also sold by graupner, 24y ago), the acutal bandit isn't really different, but expensive, is there inovation? No, almost same 100% plastic car. I can even put the VLX gears in the Radicator 2 (not the rad-2), the gearbox is almost same. Traxxas sold the e-revo during years, with so many design flaw, A big 1/10 with plastic CVD!!! they really take their time to make the revo 2.0, finaly with steel CVD (wow, they really take their time), and still with problems. As already said, if you want a durable slash you will need many aftermarket upgrades, CVD, shock caps, a-arms, center shaft, spur gears...And the drivability is crap without their TQI system.

Did i like Traxxas, no, from all the cars i have it is far to be the number one imo. I love my Tekno EB48.3 and my Arrma Kraton, drivability is a pleasure on these cars (without need drive assistant), the HPI Vorza is heavy but a tank, i also like my JLB which i don't break as easily as a Traxxas slash on a BMX track. I even prefer the HPI Blitz 2WD compared to the Slash 4WD. And out of the cars, i don't like the Traxxas behaviour, the fatest name in rc for making a sad market and money. They take a-arms of this, chassis of that, and they make "innovative" chassis, how make new with old. Jang did same years ago, no need to put money in R&D with Traxxas, keep the same 20yo ideas, parts, and work on marketing.
 
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I own many rc cars, +70, from Tekno to chinese cars and even Traxxas cars. I own 3 differents radicator , a bandit and a slash 4WD.

When traxxas started their business they sold a car very close to a NIKKO Bison F10. Then they copied AE with their Radicator in white weak plastic (i own black plastic ones, sold by graupner in EU) and orange anodised aluminum chassis. If i compare the plastic CVD of my radicator, released in 1989 and my Bandit VXL, there isn't real difference, excepted that in 1989 motors was brushed only and nowadays it is powerfull brushless, obvioulsy the CVD need to be upgraded. Traxxas started without been inovative and they are still not. The cantiliver suspension was used by Schumacher, tenth technology, Tamiya, Bandai, way before Traxxas put a patent on something they never invented. They sued Arrma about this cantilever suspension also. Arrma didn't believe it when they were sued because so many companies used it before Traxxas. They sued HPI and Helion for a simple receiver box, sealed with rubber joint, what a proud company. So, if you want to design a car in US nowadays, take a look on patents steal by Traxxas before doing everything, otherwise Traxxas will walk on you.

About Traxxas durability : I won't say traxxas is crap but it is overpriced for what it is. An example, take a look on their receiver, 45$. I would say i own the first version of the Bandit, the radicator 2, pretty rare, realeased in 1995 (also sold by graupner, 24y ago), the acutal bandit isn't really different, but expensive, is there inovation? No, almost same 100% plastic car. I can even put the VLX gears in the Radicator 2 (not the rad-2), the gearbox is almost same. Traxxas sold the e-revo during years, with so many design flaw, A big 1/10 with plastic CVD!!! they really take their time to make the revo 2.0, finaly with steel CVD (wow, they really take their time), and still with problems. As already said, if you want a durable slash you will need many aftermarket upgrades, CVD, shock caps, a-arms, center shaft, spur gears...And the drivability is crap without their TQI system.

Did i like Traxxas, no, from all the cars i have it is far to be the number one imo. I love my Tekno EB48.3 and my Arrma Kraton, drivability is a pleasure on these cars (without need drive assistant), the HPI Vorza is heavy but a tank, i also like my JLB which i don't break as easily as a Traxxas slash on a BMX track. I even prefer the HPI Blitz 2WD compared to the Slash 4WD. And out of the cars, i don't like the Traxxas behaviour, the fatest name in rc for making a sad market and money. They take a-arms of this, chassis of that, and they make "inovative" chassis, how make new with old. Jang did same years ago, no need to put money in R&D with Traxxas, keep the same 20yo ideas, parts, and work on marketing.
Whoever says traxxas is innovative, has never even got a glimpse of innovation in their life. Like you said, they just reuse designs with very little to no improvment
 
I love my stampede 2wd. Bought it used. Broken the usual stuff. Caster blocks. A arms. But as far as that it’s been good. Now my slash on the other had loves to barrel roll at any given time and I broke 2 a arms on the first run and it’s not even a month old. Not sure what the means if the older ones are better or what. But I look at it in the way of if I drive it hard that I’m obviously going to break it. I’m sure that goes with any rc out there. I try not to read into a lot of crap talk and find out things for myself. It turns out that I love my stampede 2wd. Not such a fan of the slash 4wd. Such as life. You live and learn
 
I own many rc cars, +70, from Tekno to chinese cars and even Traxxas cars. I own 3 differents radicator , a bandit and a slash 4WD.

When traxxas started their business they sold a car very close to a NIKKO Bison F10. Then they copied AE with their Radicator in white weak plastic (i own black plastic ones, sold by graupner in EU) and orange anodised aluminum chassis. If i compare the plastic CVD of my radicator, released in 1989 and my Bandit VXL, there isn't real difference, excepted that in 1989 motors was brushed only and nowadays it is powerfull brushless, obvioulsy the CVD need to be upgraded. Traxxas started without been innovative and they are still not. The cantiliver suspension was used by Schumacher, tenth technology, Tamiya, Bandai, way before Traxxas put a patent on something they never invented. They sued Arrma about this cantilever suspension also. Arrma didn't believe it when they were sued because so many companies used it before Traxxas. They sued HPI and Helion for a simple receiver box, sealed with rubber joint, what a proud company. So, if you want to design a car in US nowadays, take a look on patents steal by Traxxas before doing anything, otherwise Traxxas will walk on you. Traxxas don't remember that they started by making copy and the only thing they bring in the rc is the short course truck, that other brands do better than Traxxas, the losi scte, Arrma senton, Tekno SCT410 are way better.

About Traxxas durability : I won't say traxxas is crap but it is overpriced for what it is. An example, take a look on their receiver, 45$. I would say i own the first version of the Bandit, the radicator 2, pretty rare, realeased in 1995 (also sold by graupner, 24y ago), the acutal bandit isn't really different, but expensive, is there inovation? No, almost same 100% plastic car. I can even put the VLX gears in the Radicator 2 (not the rad-2), the gearbox is almost same. Traxxas sold the e-revo during years, with so many design flaw, A big 1/10 with plastic CVD!!! they really take their time to make the revo 2.0, finaly with steel CVD (wow, they really take their time), and still with problems. As already said, if you want a durable slash you will need many aftermarket upgrades, CVD, shock caps, a-arms, center shaft, spur gears...And the drivability is crap without their TQI system.

Did i like Traxxas, no, from all the cars i have it is far to be the number one imo. I love my Tekno EB48.3 and my Arrma Kraton, drivability is a pleasure on these cars (without need drive assistant), the HPI Vorza is heavy but a tank, i also like my JLB which i don't break as easily as a Traxxas slash on a BMX track. I even prefer the HPI Blitz 2WD compared to the Slash 4WD. And out of the cars, i don't like the Traxxas behaviour, the fatest name in rc for making a sad market and money. They take a-arms of this, chassis of that, and they make "innovative" chassis, how make new with old. Jang did same years ago, no need to put money in R&D with Traxxas, keep the same 20yo ideas, parts, and work on marketing.

Traxxas first car The Cat didn't look like the Nikko F10 it was a complete rip off and copy of the Nikko F10.

Traxxas are the biggest bunch of hypocrites in the hobby industry. They started in this hobby copying everyone else's ideas and designs. And now any time someone tried to make some similar in design they toss a lawsuit at them.
These are the lawsuits I have found.


Hobbico/Arrma
  • Integrated Center Point Steering Mechanism for a model vehicle.
  • Protective Enclosure for Model Vehicle
  • Vehicle suspension for a Model Vehicle
  • Vehicle Mounted Coil Spring and Shock Assembly
  • Rotorcraft With Integrated Light Pipe Support Members
HPI Racing
  • Protective Enclosure for Model Vehicle
Redcat Racing
  • Integrated Center Point Steering Mechanism For A Model Vehicle
Vatera
  • Vehicle suspension for a model vehicle - was settled out of court
Firelands Group(aka Helion)
  • Protective Enclosure for Model Vehicle.
  • Rotorcraft With Integrated Light Pipe Support Members

Traxxas is falling behind everyone else in the industry, their 20+ year old platforms and designs are really starting to show their age and they need to do something or they will end up going the way of the dodo.
 
Traxxas is falling behind everyone else in the industry, their 20+ year old platforms and designs are really starting to show their age and they need to do something or they will end up going the way of the dodo.
Not gunna like I kind of hope they go the way of the dodo so they stop copying people and throwing lawsuits at companies for no valid reason and making people go bankrupt and go put of business, it would serve them right imho.
 
Not gunna like I kind of hope they go the way of the dodo so they stop copying people and throwing lawsuits at companies for no valid reason and making people go bankrupt and go put of business, it would serve them right imho.
agree with you on that as much as i hate to say it. in the beginning they helped people get into the hobby, not denying that, but now they seem to be doing more harm than good.
i mean look at cars, different companies mimic others innovations and improve on it to make better rigs than the next guy, causing the same to happen back to them.
creates competition to make better and better cars for the end consumer. otherwise we would still be making 100 HP max and getting 6 miles to the gallon going 30MPH in a model T. (not hating on the model T, but the cars nowadays are much better for the end consumer.)
 
agree with you on that as much as i hate to say it. in the beginning they helped people get into the hobby, not denying that, but now they seem to be doing more harm than good.
i mean look at cars, different companies mimic others innovations and improve on it to make better rigs than the next guy, causing the same to happen back to them.
creates competition to make better and better cars for the end consumer. otherwise we would still be making 100 HP max and getting 6 miles to the gallon going 30MPH in a model T. (not hating on the model T, but the cars nowadays are much better for the end consumer.)
Couldn't have said it better myself! Seams like they don't want competition, so they can be the only option so everybody has to go to them so they make all the money.
 
Losi is Horizon and way too big to mess with currently, and probably their main competitor in the states. i.e. They know they can't strongarm their laywer team, it's just as big. Glad Arrma is flying under their flag now as well. Associated is owned by Thunder Tiger and they know Chinese companies give zero you-know-whats about lawsuits anyways. They would just settle, continue to sell the product everywhere else but the US (Where traxxas has their BS patents) and change just enough that's necessary to avoid future nonsense on their AE brand and continue to be a competitor. Traxxas knows they can't win against that in the long run. :D
On a side note, I finally sold my Rustler last night so I'm Traxxas freeeee!!! Time to pre-order the new Associated Enduro crawler :D
 

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