HPI NIGHTMARE

[Mark4panzer]

I little over a month ago I decided to get back into RC. I haven’t been into the hobby in years and figured what the hell why not take a chance ? Technology has come along way & what could go wrong ? I decided to purchase a 1/8 scale HPI Buggy Flux that has been out since 2020. I thought HPI has a good name & that it would be an okay entry level 1/8 car. BOY, was I wrong. Keep in mind this is a RTR kit that only needed a 4s battery with a deans plug. The speed control had 2 power outlets with no directions on battery hook up. I order a t plug off Amazon that only caused the connection to fry in seconds. After bringing back to the HS the guy installed a simple U connection to 1 of the outlets. Problem solved. Nice of HPI to mention this in their directions. Next the servo stripped. Closes hobby shop only sells Traxxas & I ended up getting a series 600 for $175(great). Next the car went completely dead only to discover an ESC channel 1 wire broke off because it was rubbing up against the case. New HobbyWing Quicrun 150a $85. While I was at it I also decided the TF-41 radio sucks the big one so we can &$@? Can that too. New Sanwa MX6 $150. After that it was broken hubs & front control arm blocks kept breaking. Lucky for me there is a supplier in Hong Kong who supplies solid aluminum parts. New blocks, hubs, & servo saver(all aluminum) $150. This is just the main stuff not to mention stripped screws(HPI has garbage hardware), associated control arm pins with bolts(not shotty 3mm e-clips) and rear wing, wheels, and some crummy support that snapped at the track. With all the BS I am determined to make this kit decent and if I can persuade one person from not purchasing an HPI my work is done. As you can probably tell I have my work cut out for me.

 

[CreepyQuarryCrawler]

Don't you already have a few of these going?

HPI - Garbage Parts
HPI Euro Money Pit

 

[Mark4panzer]

Don't you already have a few of these going?

HPI - Garbage Parts
HPI Euro Money Pit

Yes, hopefully it will be over soon.

 

[CreepyQuarryCrawler]

@Mark4panzer
You sold it?

 

[Suburban_Hooligan]

i mean HPI is technically not a race brand. and RTR's are not race ready vehicles. so i mean the deck was stacked against you from the sound of the tone.

 

[Mark4panzer]

@Mark4panzer
You sold it?

I was very close last week to ripping out electrical and posting CL ad. Just got hubs in and had the hobby shop do a bunch of front end work (servo saver, control arm blocks/pins/all aluminum). Just had it out today, nothing crazy and it ran pretty well. Still waiting on shocks & better wheels. Stripped hardware & broken chassis stabilizer rod(easy fix). Just maybe this turd on wheels will be okay

 

[rc dump]

and if I can persuade one person from not purchasing an HPI my work is done.

If i had wrote down every time i was pissed at a rc product i would have my own encyclopedia set on rc by now.

 

[Mark4panzer]

If i had wrote down every time i was pissed at a rc product i would have my own encyclopedia set on rc by now.

I hear you, sucks chasing your tail only to find out I could have bought something way better.

 

[rc dump]

i don't own one, i did a google search and it seems the HPI Truggy Flux is more popular than the buggy.

 

[PaPeRo]

I am determined to make this kit decent and if I can persuade one person from not purchasing an HPI my work is done.

No offense, but the only people who will not consider HPI are people who can't fix their own cars. I own several HPI vehicles, and they've all been great for how I drive them, but I also don't run any of my cars HPI or otherwise at skate parks. If you're looking for something that can take abuse in stock form without breaking something, good luck finding it.

 

[RustyUs]

You, @Mark4panzer, make as many threads as you want. The forum is a mess at times. Yes, mess. Five hundred RC1/10th scale vintage buggy threads that are not even posted in the buggy category...

Before someone started using "The fastest name in radio control" as their slogan, it was the RTR ("Ready To Race") slogan for a while. Not that I agree with it... it's just funny. Of course you can race 'em.

RTR RCs can mean many things to different people. The same thing goes on the "bashing" crowd and what RCs are perceived to be bashable.

I think the majority of people who have been in the hobby for any length of time have been in a disappointing situation. I wouldn't pour stink over a brand over one bad experience. I think I stated before that some RC companies have different tiers of products. HPI used cheaper parts on the Trophy Buggy/Truggy to make the RTR platforms more... inviting. Maybe should have spent the extra $160 for the Vorza S Flux, or something comparable. I believe the older Vorza was based off the HB Racing D8

Anyway, only you can be the one to say enough is enough for your Trophy Buggy Flux. It sounds like you are coming to the point of having a reliable ride.

 

[James A. Doty]

I used to Race at the Hank Perry track in Spokane, WA. This was around 1986 until around 1990.

I started with a Tamiya Grasshopper with a mechanical speed controller. By 1990 I was driving a Tamiya fox with a fiberglass chassis, RC10 a-arms and shock, and an RC10 front end. I loved that car but it broke down all the time.

Around 2002 my co-worker bought a Traxxas Nitro Sport after I'd brought in my modified Tamiya Fox. I told him right off that he'd be spending a lot of time fixing it, and he said it's not like that these days, this isn't the late 1980s.

A few days later I bought a Traxxas Nitro Rustler used on eBay. Except for the brakes not being set up properly and the body being a bit beat up, it was in properly. My co-worker's car and mine both had the Traxxas TRX-15 engine and the Easy Start system.

Our boss, in an effort to out do us bought a Traxxas monster truck with the 2.5cc engine, I don't recall the model of truck though. The first time we went out with them I broke the rear shock tower and just watched while they played. I ordered a carbon fiber rear shock tower that night.

In summer that year my co-worker went through three steering servos, and various other parts. I never really had much trouble with my Rustler though. Our boss broke a number of suspension parts on his truck.

By the end of summer my co-worker was so angry about the constant repair work and cost of parts that he offered to sell me his car for $50. I took the deal.

In 2018 I gave the Sport to another co-worker, who took it out and broke the steering servo. I think my first co-worker was buying the cheapest servos he could find. My co-worker from 2018 repaired the car and played with it some but never really fell in love with it and gave it back to me a year later.

I still have both trucks but none of my friends play so I haven't touched them in years.

To make a long story short, and it's too late for that now, all RC vehicles break. I honestly don't mind repairing them.

 

[81exige]

Thanks for the lesson maybe you can tell me wether I should piss sitting down or standing up ???

he said all that and this is the first thing you thought of? are you sure that YOU aren't the elephant in the room that we need to address here?

in all seriousness, while i won't judge you for your decision to take your car to the shop for them to fix it (instead of buying the parts and fixing it yourself), eventually you'll need to bust out your toolkit and wrench on your own car - this helps you understand your own car better and working on your own car in your free time is a nice way to keep your brain from idling

now if you refuse to understand that, then i'd say this hobby isn't for you , although i am curious if this is your first RC car (because trust me i had the same frustration with my first hobby grade car as well)

 

[CreepyQuarryCrawler]

Thanks for the lesson maybe you can tell me wether I should piss sitting down or standing up ???

When someone extends a helping hand, do you spit in it, or simply say no thank you? Holy Heysus..

 

[Doom!]

Nope! This thread is not going to turn into a pissing match. If we can't behave civil, some of you are going to take some time off. This forum is for fun, lets keep it that way.

I don't like to clean up threads for bad behavior, while I am guilty of chuckling and some of the comments, they don't belong here. Maybe refresh yourselves with the site rules.

Yeah, yeah, I don't care who started it.

 

[Suburban_Hooligan]

but pissing matches are fun. especially when done into the wind.

 

[James A. Doty]

Yeah, yeah, I don't care who started it.

Oh no! You sound like my mom and dad when I was a kid. They just wanted some peace and quiet. LOL