I have a question for everyone........

[Nitroaddict]

All I ever seem to hear around here, is "order this" and "order that". Does everyone that belongs to this site live in BFE? Or do their LHS's just absolutely suck? Maybe its just me, but I have not ordered anything from any mail order company, and never will. I have 6 LHS's in the Orlando city limits and all are within a 30minute drive. Is this an exception? do you guys really not have hobby shops, even in huge cities like Buffalo, and LA???

No offense, but it just seems to me, that we outta keep our LHS full of clientle so they dont go off into the blue yonder. I cannot tell you how much of a resource my LHS has been to me. And if any local central Floridians are reading this post, thank you to Colonial Photo and Hobby, and thank you to Superior Hobbies.

Even if they dont have it in stock, they can usually get it in less time than the mail order companies can get it to my door, and I dont even have to pay shipping.

Dont tell me its about cost either, because all six of my LHS's will match whatever price the mail order companies (ie - tower, horizon) have posted on their websites.

This is just an observation - not a critizism. Am I just really that lucky?


>>>>>SUPPORT YOUR LHS!<<<<<<<

 

[mcvickj]

I have a LHS's within 40 minutes of home / 20 mintues of work. The name of the place is Riders Hobby Shop. I have no problems doing business with them if they actually kept their word to the customer.

Several times I went in for something and they didn't have it in stock. Ok no problem. I understand they can't stock everything. They were more than happy to order the part but then they said they would have to tack on shipping and handling on top of the cost. Then they took like a week to get the part in. Its quicker for me to order stuff from TowerHobbies because they have a warehouse in IL and most stuff gets to me with in 3 days or less.

I just started to go back to em for some odds and ends. This was my first time in a year and noticed that they expaned the store and gave the business a new look. It seems they have straighten up their act. Its hard to go to a place when they don't carry parts for popular RC's. They just started to carry a large amout of parts for AE, Traxxas and HPI.

I just found out from a friend that a place called HobbyWorld just opened up on the other side of the highway on 28th St. I plan on stopping by later this week just to see what they have in stock.

 

[NCNitro]

Yes, you are that lucky. I have to drive well over an hour each way to get to a hobby shop, actually closer to an hour and a half. I try to stop by one any time I am near one and pick up a few things. I agree, support your local hobby shops if you have one.

 

[FastEddy]

My LHS www.jphracing.com is an excellent place to go.
I try to get everything from them. They are usually competitive with pricing. Some things can be found for less on the internet but for the most-part I will conceder the additional cost as payment for all the great advice I get. If they don't have it in stock most everything will come within 1-3 days.

Support your LHS

 

[Nitroaddict]

yes mcvickj - eddy said it best - a week? that seems like a long time. my LHS orders every monday, and gets it on weds. so if they dont have it when i go by on the weekend, then i can stop by on weds and pick it up. there is no charge for shipping, as it was just part of there stock order.

i just refuse to buy anythign mail order, as it seems that my LHS proprieters all race, or are into the hobby, and the mail order companies are just in it for the moola.

 

[SkyMaxx]

I have yet to order anything from the internet for my addiction. I get all my RC needs serviced at my LHS.

 

[Nitroaddict]

THATS WHAT I LIKE TO HEAR, SKYMAXX!! there need to be more people like you and I, then all these LHS's wont keep going belly up.

 

[TwiZtiD25]

My nearest LHS is about an hour and a half away So needless to say I do about 90% of my shopping online. When I do my online shopping, I only have a select few that I order from. Those select few are small LHS's that care about there customers needs. No ordering from places like Tower Hobbies and franchises. They seem to be in it for the money only. I wish I had a LHS that I could go to and actually get a hands on feel and be able to look at things, but oh well. All my online transactions have been great so I am happy.:thumbup:

 

[Nitroaddict]

where do u live, that it takes an our and a half to get to civilization? i mean, i know of the OB, I've been surfing there several times, but i dont remember but a few places that were that remote.

damn hillbillies! lol - Just Kidding.,

 

[mcvickj]

Sounds like you guys are lucky to have a nice LHS near by with great people running it. I wish I had such a thing.

The more I think about this question the more I realized that I do a lot of my business on the Internet or at least I try to do most of it online. Maybe it has to do something with the generation gaps.

I just like the no muss, no fuss idea of being able to go on a site, find what I am looking for and have it shipped to my door or where I work. I imagine I would probably go to my LHS more if I never found this site for my RC questions and answers.

If you guys are having such a positive experience with your LHS's mabye I should give it a try again.

 

[robriguez]

There are about 5 LHS by me that dont service RCs at all.

They sell them and talk allot of S**T about alot of cars and trucks, but the reality is that "I" (only having been into nitro for about 3 months) know more about nitro then any of them do.

I finally found a guy 3 weeks ago two towns over that has been alot of help in working on my car but it took him 3 weeks to get the 2-speed I ordered through him. I could have gotten it in 2-3 days from www.Stormerhobbies.com .

If I need tires or arms or items I KNOW they have in stock then I go to the LHS. If its something they dont keep on hand I order online.

 

[kwong2001]

I support my LHS for things up to $100 or so...after that I just would rather mail order because it's a lot cheaper. My LHS sells the savage for 425+tax and I can get it for 390+shipping without tax online, I can save madd money online. And I felt like I get overly ripped off when I bought both my novarossi and CV-R

 

[Nitroaddict]

i guess i just am lucky. out of the 6 shops, i really only frequent 2 of them. the first being superior hobbies (www.superiorhobbies.com) which is the largest hobby shop in the southeast. and they ONLY SELL RC CARS. no planes die cast, or anything else. the owner is the team driver for corrally.
the other LHS is colonial photo and hobby, they have been in business here for 35 years. at the same location. i have become friends with the workers there ( they employ 37 people ) and even know the names of their children and dogs. Have a beer with them on fridays. they have a manager there known as DOC, that has been involved with rc hobbies for over 40 years. he hosts seminars around the country relating to rc helicopters,of which he has won the international title for 5 or 6 times now. he is also a wealth of knowlege , a professional musician, and a great guy. i just couldnt ask for a better place to shop.

i wish i could bring all u guys down here and show u what a great thing it is, to have such a wonderful LHS to visit. And i do visit, almost 3 times a week, usually buy something everytime too.

 

[mcvickj]

WOW. Both of those LHS's sound great. If I had a place like that to shop for RC stuff I would be there in a heart beat. If you have a digi cam I would love to see some pics.

 

[TwiZtiD25]

Originally posted by Nitroaddict
where do u live, that it takes an our and a half to get to civilization? i mean, i know of the OB, I've been surfing there several times, but i dont remember but a few places that were that remote.

damn hillbillies! lol - Just Kidding.,

Trust me, there are no shops around here at all. The ones that are on the beach are a BIG JOKE. I go to Debbies RC in VA Beach when I am up that way. :OT:LOL No hillbillie here, my entire family (incl. myself)was born in Cali. This is the best place to surf on the East Coast in my opinion. Any surfers out there, give the OB a visit for great surf.

 

[big kal]

There are 2 shops within 5 minutes from me. They're both good in their own way.

Shop 1-carries all the serious racer stuff. From planes, helis, and boats to touring cars, buggies, and monster trucks and everything in between. They stock all the major brands and the parts to back it up. They even carry Serpents and SMP Slides. Prices are decent, but their service blows. It takes forever for someone to help you. They also service RC's for a fee and it isn't cheap.

Shop 2-carries most of the mainstream products. They've started to carry Mugen now.:thumbsup: This shop has awesome people working there. Prices are a little lower than shop 1 on some products. They will help you fix your own car and they even let you use their tools.

Anyways, I visit both shops, depending on what I need. I tend to visit shop 2 more because of the customer service.

The only things I've bough online have been through E-Bay. I've gotten some real good deals there. I believe in supporting my LHS, I'm there at least twice a weeek and come out with something everytime.

 

[RaCinJason399]

I have I think 3 around me but the main one i go to is a 30 minutes away..:constipat

 

[medsoldier]

hmmmmm

I for one can say that my LHS is really hitting us hard on prices. I live in El Paso and theres really only one shop here in town. this place also doesz alot of business online and mail from thier shop the problem is the price increase from the net like TOwerhobbies and them is crazy. For example a Team associated Nitro TC3 I think on tower I saw it for lik $299-$319 RTR. At my LHS they have it priced (I'm not kidding either) for $499 same exact item heres the kicker I checked their internet site and its priced there for $299. So Iasked if I could get the Internet price and the guy working thier told me to get that price it would have to be through the net???????????????? It is packaged there and shipped from there I even have to send my check there? Well a few days later I called again and talked to the owner or manager and they after some disscussion decided to let me get the Internet price came out to be $327 and some cents. Now thats a big drop from the tagged $499. Since I bought mine they are now priced in thier for $399. This is not the only6 item I thinkis way over priced I dont know if they raise prices because they know they are the only shop in town or what. Now before I SUpport my local SHop they are gonna have to meet me somewhere in the middleUntil then If i dont need it for 3-5 days Its coming in my mailbox. Peace

 

[massivex]

Can your LHS get a 2.5 T Maxx for $714 CDN tax and delivery included, because thats what I paid. The closest LHS price I was quoted was $750 and tax extra (15% - for a total of $870 CDN) and even then I would have to drive to the burbs and pick it up, and I don't have access to a car so for me I would also have to pay local courrier or post shipping rates on top of that price.

My friend bought the 2.5 after I got mine. We took my receipt to the LHS and showed the guy there if he could match my price (which included shipping), so my friend could buy local instead of off the net. He took one look and said "well, I'm not going to give it away" so...no, they all can't match the order price.

AS WELL . . . If I need 5 parts (out of all 6 shops here) there isn't one of them who will have all 5 parts in stock at once. They have to order. I could do that from home and save myself the time it took to find out they don't have it. (Call ahead?......I did that as well and they had it in stock untill I showed up and then they magically didn't have any till next week! He was looking at the wrong part on the phone. 5 bucks subway fare for nothing!)

AND FINALLY . . . Buy local and I have to pay 8% Provincial tax (state) and 7% Federal Tax for a total of 15% tax. Mail order in Canada ONLY charges the 7% Federal tax which puts 8% back in my pocket.

I love to support local, and I even pay extra when the stock is there, BUT I will not pay extra and wait for them to order when I can do it cheeper.

The only major benefit LHS's have is convenience and if they don't have the product they don't even offer that. Knowledge? . . . maybe/maybe not, either way nitro talk is definately superior.

So NitroAddict, I know you don't want to hear this but the truth is . . .

I order online because of:

1 - cost (better price)
2 - cost (lower tax) and
3 - they bring it to me.

 

[medsoldier]

and another thing!

Another thing about this shop here in town is they are out just to get you to buy what they have for example they swear by the Ofna ultra LX Pro or something like that I've been looking for a buggy for awhile and they always told me no dont go offroad stay in touring cause its better(this was when they didnt have any buggies in stock) then the Ofnas came in then they were yeah these are some mean Buggies and you dont have to drive to a parking lot just run it in your back yard. Basically what they have on thier shelf in #1 just trying to get you to put down that cash. Now I've heard alot about HPI touring cars good mostly but when I walk into my LHS and ask about them they start bashing HPI. But when they brought in the Savageboy did the stories change. Damn I feel better now had to get it off my chest Peace guys.