Looking for a good kit that won't break the bank

[godale03]

Hey Guys,

Since I am laid up here for the next 10 weeks the wonderful Fiance' said that I could purchase an RC kit to build to help pass the time. The thing is, I have to purchase a kit that is within reason, ie under a grand total.(that is for everything, kit, mill, electronics) The question is, is this at all possible? I would like to stay at the 1/8 scale size but if 1/10 is all I will get for that amount of scratch I am not at all against it. I have an MT and a 1/8 scale buggy already. I would like to get something that is not exactly the next frontier, but something is fairly new and popular. I was thinking a truggy kit, or something along those lines but I am not even sure what exists in kits anymore, so many things are RTR these days. Anyway I was hoping to get some ideas from you guys out there. I would like something that would be fun on and off the track. I hope I am not starting a flame war with this post. Not looking for what is the best necessaraly, just something that is quality stuff that I can build and get a lot of use out of. Thanks in advance guys. Take care.

Tom

 

[Plaidfish]

a truggy kit would be great...but I think there's only 2 out there...LSP and CRT.......after reading UNTCHBL's CRT review it sounds like the outdrives and other driveline parts are wearing out too quickly......maybe getting a plane and just doing the main part...I know they are fairly cheap and take a long time to build.....or a boat....we have a resident expert that has been building a boat for over 2 years now.......lol....and will wear green hotpants on demand......

 

[godale03]

a truggy kit would be great...but I think there's only 2 out there...LSP and CRT.......after reading UNTCHBL's CRT review it sounds like the outdrives and other driveline parts are wearing out too quickly......maybe getting a plane and just doing the main part...I know they are fairly cheap and take a long time to build.....or a boat....we have a resident expert that has been building a boat for over 2 years now.......lol....and will wear green hotpants on demand......

I didn't know fast Ed liked to wear Hot pants! :jk: Sorry Ed, I couldn't resist.

Hey Plaid,

I have tried the plane thing and loved it, but after spending all that time on the kit and the crash it was a little hard to take. I know you are not supposed to crash them, but I couldn't resist. LOL That, and I have since gotten rid of most of the support equipment since then as well. I have a Prather Deep V and love that, but when you stall or flip you are getting wet and there is not an abundance of fresh water around here to run them in.... lots of salt water, but not a whole lot of fresh. Thank you for the ideas though. That is why I got back into ground pounders.... they are no less expensive than boats or planes, but easier to get your ride after a hard wipeout. I spoke to my LHS just a few minutes ago, and I figured since most everything now-a-days is all RTR that there would not be many kits to choose from so the choice would be easy... wrong... there are alot of kits still out there. Enough to make your head spin. Unfortunately most of them are high end kits and are almost a grand by themselves as just a roller. I don't want to buy a cheap kit just for the sake of buying a kit so I guess I have alot of homework to do.

Tom

 

[robmob]

How about the Drake 2 kit? I would also consider the CRT but you may want to read through untchbl's review.

The CRT may exceed a grand with a decent mill and electrics but the Drake would be well under.

You may also want to consider an on-road kit or even getting a RTR truggy and tearing it down completely and re-building it.

 

[godale03]

Yeah, I have looked into the Drake 2 kit as well as the RC10GT FT as well. I like the sounds of the CRT but again, it would be a very expensive investment. I would need a mill, pipe, servo's, an RX and pack. I just got finished reading untchbl's review and it sounds like it is a good truck, unless you plan on racing it much. I race just at the club level, and it would take me two months or more to run two gallons of fuel through them. I just don't get to race it much. Maybe I could do the CRT in stages? I don't know, I am still in the fact finding stage I guess. Let me know what you guys think.... I am all ears and eager to learn. Thanks again, robmob, I will look more into the Drake 2 kit.

Tom

 

[Got Nitro?]

http://www.rushrc.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=21_91&products_id=6475

you could always go with the Hpi's rs4 mt.18ss kit

Or,If you could talk your wife into spending just $85-95 over a grand,you could get hpi's new Off-road buggy,Or a monster beetle,there both rtr,but you could tear'em down and put them back together

 

[AC48]

Maybe a Hellfire? Tear it down and rebuild.

 

[Plaidfish]

for about 600 you could set up a real nice electric TC4 (not factory team unless you want to race em) and all th esupport equipment...be under your budget and give you an easier RC to drive around the street...I set mine up for drifting and found it really helps teach you throttle control....you have to use the throttle to actually ass steer the car and keep it in check.......fun to mess around w/ and alot less to worry about while you're crutching around.....and use that one as the excuse to get a nice radio w/ spektrum if you haven't done that yet.......

 

[TacRacing]

Why don't you get some electric Tamiya kits.. you could build a couple of them and you and your g/f could run them around inside when you are done.
Or.. a tank kit. That would be awesome. I do not know a lot about the tamiya kits, but they look fun.

adrian

 

[Revo Rancher]

Add GS to the truggy kit line up. I like the looks of it. I personally would bite the bullet and get the CRT. You can start out with a less expensive mill for it and that might keep under 1K.

 

[godale03]

Thanks for all the info guys, there are alot more kits out there than I had imagined. I have yet to acutally go in and price out the entire CRT deal. I spend alot of money in that store so he usually cuts me a decent break on prices. That, and if I buy everything at once, that usually cuts down on the price as well. I was looking at a TC4 last night on the web as well as the Adam Drake 2 and they look like fun kits. The only thing about the TC4 is that I now live on a 800 acre farm and asphalt is a bit hard to come by. I really like the idea of a drifter too. For the reasons Plaid mentiond.... it teaches you throttle control, and that helps your on track performance by leaps and bounds. Teaches you that you don't have to be the fastest to win. Good car control is the key. The Drake is a great kit, but it seems to be built totally for the track. It does not sound like a good basher, which is one of the things I would like to have out of this kit. The truck would see more farm time than track time more than likely. I thought about buying an RTR and then tearing it down and then putting it all back together with better hop-up parts. I am going to run that by my LHS to see if that would be more cost effective. Right now I am still leaning towards biting the bullet and getting CRT. I was talking to the LHS last night over the phone and he was saying that I could put an OS .30 in the thing cheaper than the OS .21. I don't know if I want to go that big. Untchbl said the .21 was more than enough for that truck. I just have a soft spot for OS mills I guess. I have a JR XS3 radio so I would just need another reciever. I like the spectrum, but at the time I bought the JR I could not afford it. I also thought if I bought the CRT I could do it in stages. You know, buy the truck, put it together, then get the mill, and then the electronics. Wouldn't save me any money, but at least it would not be such a heavy lump sum. I am affraid the GF would flip if she knew how much it all cost. I have the cash, but we shall see. Anybody that is married or will be married knows about the give an take deal. The deal was that I would have to stay within reason. I think I can get the CRT and come in under a grand if I get a cheaper mill to start with like you guys have suggested. Let me know what you think guys. You know... am I crazy? Take care.

Tom

 

[Revo Rancher]

You're crazy!

OK, so you narrowed it down. What does your heart tell you as to what you want to do or try next? I think you have dirt in your soul, so the truggy is natural extension of your existing collection. I like what Ed had to say about the drifter, has got me thinking, or even an oval car.

 

[godale03]

You're crazy!

OK, so you narrowed it down. What does your heart tell you as to what you want to do or try next? I think you have dirt in your soul, so the truggy is natural extension of your existing collection. I like what Ed had to say about the drifter, has got me thinking, or even an oval car.

Ok... I was going for not crazy! Thanks alot! LOL

Yeah, you are right, I do have dirt in the soul. Not that I am apposed to street cars, just no real place close to run them. They just started a RC drag racing series at our local quarter mile but drag racing RC's gets boaring to me. You get up run, it's over in like 1.2 seconds and then you wait an hour to run again. I am sure it is fun, but I need more constant action. I have a buch of dirt around, so a logical choice for me would be dirt. My heart wants that CRT or a resonable fact simaly, but my mind says that my Fiance' will blow a gasget over how much it cost. So I am torn. I could use my extreame lack of things to do for the next 10 weeks as leverage, but that would be wrong.... or would it? LOL onder2: I have posted in untchbls post asking if he thought the CRT would work as a basher/club racer so I will wait for his responce to that. Until then I will just keep doing my research. So what would you guys do with your respecitve better halvs if you were in this situation? Cuz if I were single, the truck would already be on order!LOL Take care.

Tom

 

[Revo Rancher]

Tom, I would be in the same position, it would be hard to justify it too my wife.

Just yesterday I went and bought a new Carhartt coat. It was nto that much money but I got he usual look form her, something like, "what did you need that for?".

Anyhow, I feel you might even be better off with a high end buggy kit. Sell your old one to finance the extras like a good motor and servos.

 

[godale03]

Tom, I would be in the same position, it would be hard to justify it too my wife.

Just yesterday I went and bought a new Carhartt coat. It was nto that much money but I got he usual look form her, something like, "what did you need that for?".

Anyhow, I feel you might even be better off with a high end buggy kit. Sell your old one to finance the extras like a good motor and servos.

Not a bad idea Revo.... why didn't you think of that earlier? The only thing is finding someone who would actually buy an XTerm... I love it, but trying to sell that here, would be an act of futility. I will ask around the LHS and see if he would take it in trade, or maybe let me try to sell it there. I don't know, it is an idea. Why the buggy kit? Would it be cheaper, or just a better investment? Thanks Revo!

Tom

 

[Revo Rancher]

Tom, I have the sneaky suspicion you can afford the new buggy kit while selling the X-Term in the meantime. This is just the way you can explain it to the GF. onder2:

Also, I think you might find a few takers on this forum as the X-Term Pro is a good buggy and great for a beginner or someone starting racing.

As to buggy kits, most, but no all, upper end buggies are kits, such as the TTR and Mugen.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXKAE0&P=ML

 

[Plaidfish]

get a Prospec or XB8 and do what Revo said.....you will not regret it AND you won't be just adding clutter to your collection like a few of us have done.....
or if you really like the Xterm do an offroad electric like RC10-T4 and get all the super dope radio gear/servos for your buggy and Maxx.......soo many options for you to choose......man I envy you right now but I know I'd be crying if I had to sit around for 10 weeks....that would probably be time I'd look for another job if my company did that to me....but I do sit at a dest all day so I couldn't get out of work for that........

 

[Revo Rancher]

Well, I'm headed out for a bit,...some of us have jobs to go to, ya know. Anyhow, Tom, consider it. I think you have the race bug and what better way to get more into it and still build a kit.

 

[godale03]

Tom, I have the sneaky suspicion you can afford the new buggy kit while selling the X-Term in the meantime. This is just the way you can explain it to the GF. onder2:

Also, I think you might find a few takers on this forum as the X-Term Pro is a good buggy and great for a beginner or someone starting racing.

As to buggy kits, most, but no all, upper end buggies are kits, such as the TTR and Mugen.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXKAE0&P=ML

Hey Revo,

So what gives you the sneaking suspicion? LOL I guess being able to afford something and trying to explain why you want it are two different things. I guess I am still under the mindset that it is my money, why should I have to ask for permission. Even though, it is now her money, not my money anymore. Actually she is really great with it being our money. I don't think she will really have a problem with it. With her being in Boston these last few days I guess I didn't want to tell her on the phone. Thanks for the link I will ckeck it out.

Tom

 

[godale03]

get a Prospec or XB8 and do what Revo said.....you will not regret it AND you won't be just adding clutter to your collection like a few of us have done.....
or if you really like the Xterm do an offroad electric like RC10-T4 and get all the super dope radio gear/servos for your buggy and Maxx.......soo many options for you to choose......man I envy you right now but I know I'd be crying if I had to sit around for 10 weeks....that would probably be time I'd look for another job if my company did that to me....but I do sit at a dest all day so I couldn't get out of work for that........

That is the biggest problem for me is that unfortunately I do not sit at a desk the whole day. I am out running calls and in and out of Network closets as well as up and down ladders running cable. So I guess I can see where the boss is coming from. Still sucks however.

Tom