First Nitro R/C

[TheLK7]

Hello everyone and thank you for reading my post. First off let me tell you all that this will be my first nitro car and I am very excited to get into the hobby! I had an electric on road car a few years ago which was GREAT until it met its sad end being driven into a small pond (freak accident). Since then I've became a licensed mechanic, and want to take my petroleum burning to a smaller scale.

Here goes, I've been reading lots on here and other sites trying to figure out EXACTLY what I want.

The plan is to put together a kit for a 1/10 4x4 Nitro Drift car. Can anyone recommend a particular kit at intermediate level for me to put together? I've been looking into the HPI RS4 Evo3 and it looks decent. My budget is roughly $500. I would like as much performance and aftermarket as I can find, and yes I like to tinker so this will be a great hobby for me.

Oh and, I have most of the basic starter tools, fuel bottle.. etc..

Opinions, ideas? Please let me know!

 

[hamz9561]

The Evo RS4 would work well as a drift car. You will need add some harder drift-spec tires.

Just make sure to read the instructions and follow them about the break-in of the nitro engine.

 

[TheLK7]

I've looked into a few other kits available, which one in your opinion is best.

HPI RS4 3 Evo+
Traxxas 4-Tec 3.3
Mugen MTX5

And I've found a hobby shop near me selling HPS 4wd RTR, which are fairly cheap.

 

[wwdragon]

My 2 cents, stick with a brand like Traxxas or HPI so you can get parts as needed, I see many people buying stuff like Redcat because they are cheaper but they break really fast.

 

[hamz9561]

I would recommend against the Traxxas 4-Tec as it has a bad habit of getting debris in its drive-belts.

The HPI and Mugen are very good cars and either one would do well. Check what brands your local hobby shop (lhs) carries parts for then buy.

Avoid the "cheap" brands and get a quality version. It is less likely to break under normal use and parts (both OEM and after-market) are also more available.

 

[Spyke_696]

right now i got a rs4 3 evo and i have had a few on road cars up till this car one big one was the nitro 4 tec 3.3 and it seems these 2 cars go head to head all over the net how ever i sold my 4tecs to buy this car and I'm very happy with it it has alot of parts (aftermarket) out there i even found a bunch of discontinued parts for it 3 came 2day and a few more yet to come but less about my stuff

to help you get into the rs4 it comes with everything but gas that you need to run it its perfect hell it even comes with the batteries

next off idk what your driving on but i took this thing all over it will drive of paved roads / gravle / hell even short grass with stickyer tires dirt ect.

next off a tip from having both belt vs shaft i strongly lean twords shaft like the rs4 because one like i said it will go anywhere where belt little rocks will stop it in its tracks as well as belts like to snap and pop off and u lose them i went thru 60$ in less than a week on belts for my 4tec

engine is the easyest i have ever had to tune bonus for a beginner and you can always to engine swaps i payed $299 brand new for mine in the older version just cause i likes the wheels better they are black instead of the green ones on the newest one the only differenced are the new one has a pull start vs mine with the roto start the wheels tires are the same and the body thats it ... i got it at rcplanet.com they have the newest one as well i thing $325.

if theres anything i left out ask i can give you my facts or opinions

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also if you get the rs4 ill show you where to get the discontinued parts online ill post pics of my as soon as all my parts come in and i get it together again if you would like

 

[TheLK7]

@Spyke you just conviced me to buy the rs4, thank you for your insight and detail, much appreciated.

@hamz and dragon. Thank you both for your input, I've decided on the eco and will be ordering right after this post.


Look forward to sharing once I get my car!

 

[Spyke_696]

no problem man like i said i have had nothing but the best with this car ... i have owned 4 nitro 4tecs now all got brand new and every time i put maybe a few tank thru it and it like forget it ....EBAY sell it at half the price i payed if that so ya id say no go but like i said i dont gotta hide my places any more so if you want to get some of the hpi aftermarket parts for it i can show you where i got mine

i got the
super chassis
racing fuel tank
carbonfiber upperdeck
carbonfiber front shock tower
carbonfiber rear shock tower
and motor mounts for the super chassis
again ill post pics of it after all my parts show up and i get it put together if you would like

 

[Spyke_696]

oops i forgot also the carbon graphite gear boxed

 

[TheLK7]

Excellent I'll send you a message once I get my car. I ordered it for $279 with the BMW lid, hoping to get a few different lids depending what's available.

 

[Spyke_696]

yep thats the one i got with the bmw body .... i never used the stock body i use a rare mk3 aka a70 supra body ill post pics in a sec for you with body on sence i dont have the chassis finishe

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i chose that body cause thats what i have as a real car lol i got 2 bodys 60$ each lol

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also when i post pics note the car is a 200mm car and i have a 190mm body on it they fit just fine and wheels dont over shoot realy at all

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[Spyke_696]

and just for fun heres my real car same body why i spent so much on my rc body

 

[Rolex]

@Spyke you just conviced me to buy the rs4, thank you for your insight and detail, much appreciated.

@hamz and dragon. Thank you both for your input, I've decided on the eco and will be ordering right after this post.

Unless you use their actual user name, including numbers and spaces, the @ will not give them notice.

 

[TheLK7]

Sick cars man. I work for Toyota, always nice to see an old supra.

 

[Spyke_696]

yes i love my supra the mk4 is ok but i like the older bodys look better i want the mk4s motor

 

[Spyke_696]

here is some chassis pics for you with the parts

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[wacmartin]

$274.99? Jeez it was $349.99 here in Canada, then it went up to $389.99 and last I checked it was $419.99. I've had my eye on one for awhile but wasn't sure if I would enjoy an on road car. Should've jumped on it when it was the $349.99 of course it went on sale at a one of my lhs and I didn't have the money then. It was the corvette body though.

 

[Spyke_696]

they rcplanet.com they should ship to you and its at a cheap price man and you can pick what ever starter body u want

 

[wacmartin]

Yeah but with the cost of shipping, duty, and brokerage/customs fees (to clear customs, ups is the most expensive for this) I'll probably end up near the lhs cost.

 

[Spyke_696]

shipping is free but ull have to look if it is for you and they ship fedex (personally i hate fedex but still)