jumpin on the traxxas train

[CertifiedMike]

Maybe this is where the break down is.
Yes, new cars will have newer design, longer arms or bigger shocks...
Some of this will transfer to "last years model" some will not.
The ONLY reason "last years model" becomes obsolete is because the parts dry up.
I can't think of a single instance EVER where the new model was SO much better that the ONLY answer was to throw my car directly in the trash and start over.
Long arms, short arms, traing arms, gull arms, big bore, bigger bore... these 'new' improvements won't ever stop coming. There's no reason these upgrades couldn't be put on "last years model" too.
The thing is, for me, I would enjoy upgrading, building, modding and racing my 30 year old Optima EVERY BIT as much as a brand new buggy.
I am building one for that right now.
If Kyosho kept the original design for Optima Mid, I'd likely have just bought a new kit from them. Since I already have a huge box of parts, I went with the old buggy instead.
I'm not trying to win a world championship. Not likely to be that good of a driver... ever.
I want to have fun with the buggy that I ran 30 years ago.

If Kyosho outdated the Optima with each new release, ALL of my parts and cars would be LONG GONE and I'd likely be looking at a different brand entirely.

In fact, if I'd been forced to throw out all my old, outdated R/C, I prob wouldn't be here at all.

PR Racing offers an upgrade kit to brimg one of theit old designs back up to date. THAT is what I'm talking about!!!

https://www.prracingusa.com/sb401r-update-kits/

Tada! Kit is up to date, minimal parts in the trash... almost like someone who loves R/C and not just profits works here, huh???

 

[Suburban_Hooligan]

So you admit they did *somthing* right!

with a gun to my head i will begrudgingly agree if someone else says it.
and yes, I'm just as shocked as you about it.

 

[Panko75]

Yeah it's recycled platforms, but that's not a bad thing... plenty of other companies available if you want the most advanced thing today... but the most advanced thing today is not the most advanced thing tomorrow

Having bashed a handful of different, "advanced" racey models. I've found that none of that really plays a roll in whether if an RC is just fun or not. An RC10 B7 will dominate a Bandit out on a track, but you wouldn't want to beat up an expensive carpet buggy at the skate park.

 

[CertifiedMike]

Having bashed a handful of different, "advanced" racey models. I've found that none of that really plays a roll in whether if an RC is just fun or not. An RC10 B7 will dominate a Bandit out on a track, but you wouldn't want to beat up an expensive carpet buggy at the skate park.

It would be so much fun though!!!

 

[Panko75]

It would be so much fun though!!!

Unpopular take, but I'd rather bash a gold pan if given the chance. My last one was a frankenstein made out of scrap parts that I tried to turn into a gravel runner. Unfortunately tires/wheels aren't as easy to replace as something with regular 12mm hexes.

 

[CertifiedMike]

I've never been particularly popular anyways.
If I had more money than I knew what to do with, I'd LOVE to build the very best of the best r/c's and run them hard.
Theres all sorts or ways to convert an old RC10 to 12mm hex now. Maybe give it another shot!
Gold pans were build to be run on rough tracks.

 

[CJSRCLIFE]

Having bashed a handful of different, "advanced" racey models. I've found that none of that really plays a roll in whether if an RC is just fun or not. An RC10 B7 will dominate a Bandit out on a track, but you wouldn't want to beat up an expensive carpet buggy at the skate park.

I never bash my B74.1 it just sits on the shelf awaiting the next track day since i have plenty of other vehicles that are actually designed for that purpose and also my B74 does not have waterproof electronics. And you're right i wouldn't want to bash an expensive carpet build and i think most 1\10 race vehicles the plastics would probably break the second they hit the concreate.

It would be so much fun though!!!

That's why basher vehicles exist and those are way less expensive to fix vs a competition spec vehicle.

 

[CertifiedMike]

I never bash my B74.1 it just sits on the shelf awaiting the next track day since i have plenty of other vehicles that are actually designed for that purpose and also my B74 does not have waterproof electronics. And you're right i wouldn't want to bash an expensive carpet build and i think most 1\10 race vehicles the plastics would probably break the second they hit the concreate.

That's why basher vehicles exist and those are way less expensive to fix vs a competition spec vehicle.

I am less convinced of this than I once was.
I'm pretty positive I can dump every bit as much money into a basher as I could with a racer. There are TONS of aftermarket companies out there! A LOT of their prices are WAY more than I'll spend for a truck that I'm likely to slam into a tree at 40mph at least.
Aside from that, I had much greater faith that the basher I bought would be much tougher than it actually is.
I'm pretty much over that idea now.
I really feel like if I'm going to have a good "anything rc" I'm going to need to build it myself.
There are a LOT of corners cut and things left undone or MAJOR room for improvement.
I think in many cases, the room for improvement is very intentional.
Bashers can be every bit as expensive as a racer.

 

[jojobeans]

I am less convinced of this than I once was.
I'm pretty positive I can dump every bit as much money into a basher as I could with a racer. There are TONS of aftermarket companies out there! A LOT of their prices are WAY more than I'll spend for a truck that I'm likely to slam into a tree at 40mph at least.
Aside from that, I had much greater faith that the basher I bought would be much tougher than it actually is.
I'm pretty much over that idea now.
I really feel like if I'm going to have a good "anything rc" I'm going to need to build it myself.
There are a LOT of corners cut and things left undone or MAJOR room for improvement.
I think in many cases, the room for improvement is very intentional.
Bashers can be every bit as expensive as a racer.

my rule of thumb. You’ll spend more making a basher a race car, than just buying a race car. On the flip side, you’ll spend more making a race car a basher vs just buying a basher. There’s obviously exceptions to that rule, but I’m just making a generalized statement.

It’s like comparing apples to oranges. Things that play in a racers favor, don’t play into a basher the same way necessarily. Two different purposes. Price point really doesn’t change, just the use case. One isn’t inherently better than the other, unless you put one or the other in a situation it’s not designed for. Those sloppy tolerances, sponges plastics and oversized heavy parts make things durable. But it also makes them handle like an overstuffed sloppy Joe.

If I put my Tekno EB410.2 through the same hell my rustler has been through, it would be in a thousand pieces. But my rustler gets spanked by it on a track for obvious reasons. Perspective is everything.

 

[CertifiedMike]

my rule of thumb. You’ll spend more making a basher a race car, than just buying a race car. On the flip side, you’ll spend more making a race car a basher vs just buying a basher. There’s obviously exceptions to that rule, but I’m just making a generalized statement.

It’s like comparing apples to oranges. Things that play in a racers favor, don’t play into a basher the same way necessarily. Two different purposes. Price point really doesn’t change, just the use case. One isn’t inherently better than the other, unless you put one or the other in a situation it’s not designed for. Those sloppy tolerances, sponges plastics and oversized heavy parts make things durable. But it also makes them handle like an overstuffed sloppy Joe.

If I put my Tekno EB410.2 through the same hell my rustler has been through, it would be in a thousand pieces. But my rustler gets spanked by it on a track for obvious reasons. Perspective is everything.

I was talking more about upgrading a basher and the availibilty of very pricey hop up parts, chassis braces, shock caps, servos and savers, electronics... not the same stuff but every bit as pricey and in many cases, not 'optional' if you plan on running without breaking every time you take your basher out.
I see this being similar to having to buy hop up parts for a carpet racer if its going to be competitive and not break every time you race.
I honestly don't feel like my Granite is any tougher than my Optima Mid right now.
Clearly, the Mid is not an MT so its not expected to do MT things.
I do think it will last longer than 6 times out on the track before it blows itself apart tho.
It turns out I have a bent axle stub on my granite. Caused other damage too... I don't even 'bash' hard when I drive. The truck is still pretty new.
If a decent driver ripped it up at a skate park with a carpet racer or a basher, so long as its not intentional Talbot abuse, would have a blast with either r/c.
Learning to land and not cartwheel into poles and ramps should prevent a fair amount of damage with either type rc.
If Talbot took my Mid and pretty much ANY basher, my Mid wouldn't last 5 seconds against it!
I don't beat on my rcs at a track, back yard or skatepark.
Perspective.