Help buying a used RC car

[ripgroove37]

Hi all,

I have been following RC cars for a long time, I've come to a point that I want a RC car and be part of this great hobby. However I don't have a RC car currently that I can use. I have spent some time going through all the various types of RC cars and came to a conclusion the Losi Tenacity DB Pro ticks alot of the boxes I am looking for in a RC. However budget is a bit tight as this car brand new with all the trimings come close to £600. What I am looking for is a used Losi Tenacity DB Pro, in red blue. This is why I am reaching out to all, can some please help me find a very good conditioned Losi Tenacity DB Pro. I have come across a few out there on the internet, but I don't know what bad looks like or what good example of a used RC good should look like, inside out/components etc. I have had a year of health issues and treatment, not a great time, but this RC car I see as a mini project for me to focus on and it does make me feel happy. I just need a good start! my budget can be between £300-400 if it includes all I need.

Any help much appreciated

 

[ahr43]

Welcome to the forum. Good to read you are recovering and re-gaining your health.

Using the current exchange rate, that would be about $405-$541 USD. Seems a reasonable budget to get a start in the hobby. Good luck. Cheers. 'AC'

 

[WickedFog]

Welcome to the forum.

What I would look for first of all is a seller with good feedback.

From there, I would read the description. Any reference to not having any idea what may be wrong with the car, plan on something being wrong with it.

If you look at the plastic parts, look for any scrapes or crack to show any abuse. Look for rusted screws and other metal hardware. Pay attention to the mechanic as l parts. Ask for more pics if needed.

The one thing to consider, pics won't show the differentials, and in some RC's the diffs can be pricey to replace. So look up parts and exploded views of the car and check prices of parts you can't see in the pics.

Electronics are another thing that aren't cheap. So getting a guarantee that the car runs is important, but most will be sold as is. Just be careful.

Other than that, just use your best judgement.

 

[The_RC_Dude]

Hi all,

I have been following RC cars for a long time, I've come to a point that I want a RC car and be part of this great hobby. However I don't have a RC car currently that I can use. I have spent some time going through all the various types of RC cars and came to a conclusion the Losi Tenacity DB Pro ticks alot of the boxes I am looking for in a RC. However budget is a bit tight as this car brand new with all the trimings come close to £600. What I am looking for is a used Losi Tenacity DB Pro, in red blue. This is why I am reaching out to all, can some please help me find a very good conditioned Losi Tenacity DB Pro. I have come across a few out there on the internet, but I don't know what bad looks like or what good example of a used RC good should look like, inside out/components etc. I have had a year of health issues and treatment, not a great time, but this RC car I see as a mini project for me to focus on and it does make me feel happy. I just need a good start! my budget can be between £300-400 if it includes all I need.

Any help much appreciated

Welcome to the forum, and RC (to some extent)

Your budget will get you some good stuff! 2nd hand RCs can be a hit or miss, for a beginner, it might be best to get a new RTR, as 2nd hand it could have all sorts of things that need to be fixed/repaired, and that could overwhelm a newbie. Check out the Arrma 3s off-road line, lots of options, and they are either $370 or $400. That will leave you room for batteries, a charger, LiPo bag, and LiPo alarm. Might be tight, but doable. Also take a look at the Traxxas VXL (brushless) 2s-3s line, which is between $270 and $430.

Most of them are RTR, but you will need a battery and charger for most. There are also other brands to consider, but consider this a start.

What kind of RC are you looking, what terrain are you going to be driving on, on road, off road, gravel, ect.?
If off road, do you want a 1/10 scale?
Electric or Nitro (I assume electric, that would be best)
2wd or 4wd?
Brushed, or brushless?
What type of vehicle? SCT (Short Course Truck), Dessert Buggy, Dessert Truck, MT (Monster Truck), buggy, truggy, or stadium truck?
RTR, or kit?

Shameless plug, if you haven't check out my RCT Member Location Map thread!

 

[ground_zero298]

Welcome! If doing eBay make sure to ask any unanswered questions to your satisfaction. If it arrives any different ebay can see the messages and take care of it from there. I’ve gotten good cars off eBay and ones the plain just lied about. More good than bad. I’d also look for a rtr (ready to run) or one that list what it needs, tires, body and such. Let us know what you find!

 

[Doom!]

Welcome aboard, good luck in finding your first RC, the guys have already given you some good advice. Just remember there will be unexpected costs, so budget accordingly. Replacement parts are a common expense.

 

[PoppinCaps]

Hi all,

I have been following RC cars for a long time, I've come to a point that I want a RC car and be part of this great hobby. However I don't have a RC car currently that I can use. I have spent some time going through all the various types of RC cars and came to a conclusion the Losi Tenacity DB Pro ticks alot of the boxes I am looking for in a RC. However budget is a bit tight as this car brand new with all the trimings come close to £600. What I am looking for is a used Losi Tenacity DB Pro, in red blue. This is why I am reaching out to all, can some please help me find a very good conditioned Losi Tenacity DB Pro. I have come across a few out there on the internet, but I don't know what bad looks like or what good example of a used RC good should look like, inside out/components etc. I have had a year of health issues and treatment, not a great time, but this RC car I see as a mini project for me to focus on and it does make me feel happy. I just need a good start! my budget can be between £300-400 if it includes all I need.

Any help much appreciated

I just got back into RC after a 16yr hiatus from surface models. I was looking for a SCT (short course truck) on budget similar to yours. I know your fears and constraints. Take your time and also check with your LHS. Make sure they stock parts for the model you want to run. Did you budget for batteries/charger? Assume if you buy used that all the gears will need to be replaced within the 1st months of ownership. If not, you will be pleasantly surprised. Have fun and welcome to the hobby.

 

[The_RC_Dude]

Welcome aboard, good luck in finding your first RC, the guys have already given you some good advice. Just remember there will be unexpected costs, so budget accordingly. Replacement parts are a common expense.

As well as tools, consumables like grease, lube, Loctite, ect., LiPo charge bag, LiPo alarm (to be fair, those are under $4!), and like you said, spare/replacement parts.

 

[biggman100]

Something that wasn't mentioned. Did you look through the classifieds on here? You might even get lucky on the classifieds on the Arrma forum: https://www.arrmaforum.com/forums/classifieds/ You can also post a WTB thread as well. For a first RC, going used, i would start there, because then, if you do find something, the chances of it coming from someone that knows RC cars is a lot higher than just some random internet purchase.

 

[Penguin Fart Racing]

Hi all,

I have been following RC cars for a long time, I've come to a point that I want a RC car and be part of this great hobby. However I don't have a RC car currently that I can use. I have spent some time going through all the various types of RC cars and came to a conclusion the Losi Tenacity DB Pro ticks alot of the boxes I am looking for in a RC. However budget is a bit tight as this car brand new with all the trimings come close to £600. What I am looking for is a used Losi Tenacity DB Pro, in red blue. This is why I am reaching out to all, can some please help me find a very good conditioned Losi Tenacity DB Pro. I have come across a few out there on the internet, but I don't know what bad looks like or what good example of a used RC good should look like, inside out/components etc. I have had a year of health issues and treatment, not a great time, but this RC car I see as a mini project for me to focus on and it does make me feel happy. I just need a good start! my budget can be between £300-400 if it includes all I need.

Any help much appreciated

Can I assume you are in the UK ? The only UK supplier I use is CORNWALL MODEL BOATS. As far as ground vehicles, visit hobby shops that have used and/or consignment sales areas. Watch for news postings about RC Vehicle Jumbles. Lastly, check out reputable pawn and consignment shops. I picked up a TRAXXAS brushless SLASH that was filled with MANY opgrades. Main accumulator for the truck was deeply discharged. This was easy to remedy. Price ? I paid the equivalent of £30.00 for the SLASH. Am content. Runs well. What more can I say. If you find something not in a reputable hobby shop ask a friend to evaluate the vehicle you are purchasing before you lay down your money. If you find a vehicle you are interested in ask about warranty and return policies. Ask the shop to charge the vehicle batteries, take your RC savvy friend with you and run the vehicle. Would not recommend paying any more than 50% assuming it was almost N.I.B. See if you can find anyone else who has purchased from the seller. Have cash in hand. Make an offer with your money SHOWING.

 

[The_RC_Dude]

Can I assume you are in the UK ? The only UK supplier I use is CORNWALL MODEL BOATS. As far as ground vehicles, visit hobby shops that have used and/or consignment sales areas. Watch for news postings about RC Vehicle Jumbles. Lastly, check out reputable pawn and consignment shops. I picked up a TRAXXAS brushless SLASH that was filled with MANY opgrades. Main accumulator for the truck was deeply discharged. This was easy to remedy. Price ? I paid the equivalent of £30.00 for the SLASH. Am content. Runs well. What more can I say. If you find something not in a reputable hobby shop ask a friend to evaluate the vehicle you are purchasing before you lay down your money.

So you picked up an upgraded Slash for real cheap, and it only needed a new LiPo? Sweet!