Joining the RC craze

cian1500ww

Lately I've been thinking of joining the RC craze and so far I've ordered an Esky Lama V4 Comanche Heli. I was thinking of buying a nitro rc truck in the next few months or so and I was wondering what you would recommend for a beginner and a low budget ?

workaccount

Well if you extend your budget your will be able to get a truggy or buggy that you will be able to race aswell as bash. Otherwise all you will able to do is bash which can get boring enough.

coolwings

cian1500ww wrote: »

.... I was wondering what you would recommend for a beginner and a low budget ?

If you really have a low budget stay away from mechanical nitro engine models. They break and wear out, and drink fuel on the occasions that they start. Buying it is only the beginning of the cost ....

What I am saying is they are much more advanced than you think!


If you are going it alone and money is tight :
Electric models are the most reliable.
Every other moving model is easier to use than a heli!
As windsurfers and hang-gliders are aware - engines are not necessary for fast moving models ... see sand yachts, yachts, slope soaring planes, catapult launch glider planes and ones that work like this: RC flight with no engine .
Static models don't break.
Wood models (balsa) can be repaired cheaply.
If you do get a nitro engine model ...... if you have a pal with some experience already that can offer help during the critical beginning stages it all works out far better.

Whatever you choose .. .welcome and enjoy the hobby! :-)

cian1500ww

Thanks for the advice guys. I think I'd like to go for Nitro, I don't mind any cost for fuel etc. but I don't wat to spend all my money on buying it. I'd rather buy one and have enough money to buy spares, fuel etc. I'm just starting college so money really is tight.
As for static models my Dad has a couple of hundred of those so I don't think I need to invest in static .

I was thinking of buying from the US because they seem to be cheaper but customs might make up the difference on me.

I was looking at this model: http://boyztoys.ie/index.php?subj=itemdetails&id=162 because its cheap and might be the best way for getting into the hobby. I have loads of place at home for running about with one and the reason I'd like a truck is because I should be able to use it anywhere.

AV - TEC

Hey, have a gallon of Fuel if you want to buy it,sell it too you cheap. "Had" an RC truck but made S*** OF IT!! Im frm B'more!

T-Maxx

I have no personel experience with the Goliath and I also don't know anyone that has either, BUT:

1:16 is damn small for any mechanical thing. I have a 1:18 Mini-T (which is electric BTW) and it's really tiny and tricky to work on. I can just imagine the hassle with that tiny nitro engine...

18mm ground clearance - awesome! (good for your driveway only)

Parts availability?

My honest and well intended advice would be to save up and buy a proper 1:10 or 1:8 nitro, or alternatively like Coolwings suggested get an electric 1:10 stadium/monster truck, ie Traxxas Rustler or Stampede or similar.

cian1500ww

AV - TEC wrote: »

Hey, have a gallon of Fuel if you want to buy it,sell it too you cheap. "Had" an RC truck but made S*** OF IT!! Im frm B'more!

I might take you up on that if I do get one.

cian1500ww

T-Maxx wrote: »

I have no personel experience with the Goliath and I also don't know anyone that has either, BUT:

1:16 is damn small for any mechanical thing. I have a 1:18 Mini-T (which is electric BTW) and it's really tiny and tricky to work on. I can just imagine the hassle with that tiny nitro engine...

18mm ground clearance - awesome! (good for your driveway only)

Parts availability?

My honest and well intended advice would be to save up and buy a proper 1:10 or 1:8 nitro, or alternatively like Coolwings suggested get an electric 1:10 stadium/monster truck, ie Traxxas Rustler or Stampede or similar.

Thanks for the advice mate, I suppose it makes sense. Theres a HPI MT2 on adverts.ie that I'm interested in. I'll see how it goes.

coolwings

HPI is a good make.
Also have a look at the Carsons at www.greenhobbymodel.com .

EDIT: rest of post removed due to overlapping with above post & duplication.

workaccount

AV - TEC wrote: »

Hey, have a gallon of Fuel if you want to buy it,sell it too you cheap. "Had" an RC truck but made S*** OF IT!! Im frm B'more!

Where's b'more and what kind of fuel is it?

cian1500ww

workaccount wrote: »

Where's b'more and what kind of fuel is it?

Ballinamore is in Leitrim.

What kind of money are those carsons at ?

cian1500ww

Does anyone know roughly how much the Carson Stormracer costs ?

coolwings

The RTR Stormracer Extreme €249, it used to be €335 when it was Stormracer II.

cian1500ww

Thanks for that, I'll see how I get on with the HPI MT2 on adverts.ie Can anyone tell me what would be the max price one should give for it: http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=67463&cat=500 ?

workaccount

cian1500ww wrote: »

Thanks for that, I'll see how I get on with the HPI MT2 on adverts.ie Can anyone tell me what would be the max price one should give for it: http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=67463&cat=500 ?

It's hard to know what to make of the guy selling it when he seems to think petrol and nitro are the same thing. It's most likely somebody elses - maybe he's selling it for them - who knows. You'd at least want to see that thing running before handing over any cash.

Other than that I don't know much about that particular manufacturer.

One thing I would say though is if you buy from a store sometimes it can be incredibly handy to ring them if you are having a problem - I have found it really helpful when parts have broken (and it happens more often than your ego would like) and after lots of googling cannot find them - the store always know what it is straight away if they support that model. You see on the internet, sites that sell parts and ebay don't always use the same part numbers you see in your manual - I find that to be a big problem.

Nitro tends to be problematic and unreliable - you'll be pulling your hair out! It's at times like these it's handy to give someone a call rather than racking over forums with an overload of information.

cian1500ww

workaccount wrote: »

It's hard to know what to make of the guy selling it when he seems to think petrol and nitro are the same thing. It's most likely somebody elses - maybe he's selling it for them - who knows. You'd at least want to see that thing running before handing over any cash.

Other than that I don't know much about that particular manufacturer.

Good point, can't really go and see it running unfortuately. If he takes the 180 I'll go for it but if he doesn't I'll look elsewhere.

Are the Carson Stormracer a good buggy and where can you use a buggy on-road, off-road ? Does that price include everything need to get started: glow plug, fuel etc. ?

cian1500ww

workaccount wrote: »

Nitro tends to be problematic and unreliable - you'll be pulling your hair out! It's at times like these it's handy to give someone a call rather than racking over forums with an overload of information.

I would probably enjoy working at it more than actually racing it !!

workaccount

cian1500ww wrote: »

I would probably enjoy working at it more than actually racing it !!

Fair enough but I think you may be falling into the trap of romanticizing over the joys of running a nitro vehicle. There great fun and cool but sometimes they won't start for absolutely no reason. You'll try everything with no joy....then you'll give up and come back to it an hour later and it will start first time - while having changed nothing.

The smoke and noise seem to be the only things that seperate nitro cars from electric. I love the smoke and noise but sometimes it's not worth it. An electric starts everytime and is clean. You won't destroy a whole Saturday afternoon of your precious time trying to get the damn thing working and then have no run time at all with electric.

Just saying keeping it running ain't fun when there's no reason for it not starting.

coolwings

People appreciate electric ..... after they had a nitro model !!!!
Funny how they need to do the nitro thing first :-)

cian1500ww

workaccount wrote: »

Fair enough but I think you may be falling into the trap of romanticizing over the joys of running a nitro vehicle. There great fun and cool but sometimes they won't start for absolutely no reason. You'll try everything with no joy....then you'll give up and come back to it an hour later and it will start first time - while having changed nothing.

The smoke and noise seem to be the only things that seperate nitro cars from electric. I love the smoke and noise but sometimes it's not worth it. An electric starts everytime and is clean. You won't destroy a whole Saturday afternoon of your precious time trying to get the damn thing working and then have no run time at all with electric.

Just saying keeping it running ain't fun when there's no reason for it not starting.

Yeah I understand that its not all fun and games but I'm used to yokes not starting for no reason ( I have A JCB at it at the moment). Problems like that I know are frustrating but all it requires is good patience and appreciation for what you are working at.

vectra

cian1500ww wrote: »

I would probably enjoy working at it more than actually racing it !!

That thought rings a bell or two with my own train of thought times past..:o

cian1500ww

vectra wrote: »

That thought rings a bell or two with my own train of thought times past..:o

Well I have my mind set on nitro so you'll never change me :D:D !!!!!
Thanks for the advice so far. Coolwings does that price for the stormracer include everything need to get started ?

coolwings

I have finally come to admit (to myself) that I get more out of designing and making and trouble-shooting a model, than I get out of the flying/driving/sailing it sessions later.
I still enjoy the "using it" part, but a little tingle of anticipation goes missing after it has made it's successful first trip!
I now tend to sell some of my models after the "Aaah now it works" stage, to others, so I can get started sooner on the "next interesting project".



Cian1500ww: that extreme is a new one, so i'm not sure, I guess you'd want a glowstart and fuel. Patrick at GHM would know.

lotus791

mmm lol dont know where to start really ......electric is for sissys lol ......
if your going nitro stick to 1/8 scale stuff like buggy or truggy....truggy goes any place and is forgiving to drive ..buggy is more refined and a little harder to handle ...the reason for 8th scale is size in the grass ..those little fellas only like bowling greens lol... next i wouldnt buy 2nd hand ,new stuff isnt that expensive ...for example hot bodies lightning buggy 8th scale rtr complete £220..... this is a cheap buggy that you can get parts for ...this is also an item you need to look at ...availability is everything... as for nitro tuning you either have it or you dont ,you will have to decide that ..those that dont usually go electric lol (grin).. no doubt ill get an ear bashing for insulting the scaletrix guys lol....

lotus791

workaccount wrote: »

Fair enough but I think you may be falling into the trap of romanticizing over the joys of running a nitro vehicle. There great fun and cool but sometimes they won't start for absolutely no reason. You'll try everything with no joy....then you'll give up and come back to it an hour later and it will start first time - while having changed nothing.

The smoke and noise seem to be the only things that seperate nitro cars from electric. I love the smoke and noise but sometimes it's not worth it. An electric starts everytime and is clean. You won't destroy a whole Saturday afternoon of your precious time trying to get the damn thing working and then have no run time at all with electric.

Just saying keeping it running ain't fun when there's no reason for it not starting.

there is always a reason the main ones are the plugs blew , you boiled it and when it cools down it starts,you forgot to charge the glow start ,it has no compression,an air leak ,no fuel in the tank,dead fuel thats been on the shelf for more than 2 months ,the screws are hanging out of the head the back plate or the carb,but the most popular is incorrect tune .......

cian1500ww

lotus791 wrote: »

mmm lol dont know where to start really ......electric is for sissys lol ......
if your going nitro stick to 1/8 scale stuff like buggy or truggy....truggy goes any place and is forgiving to drive ..buggy is more refined and a little harder to handle ...the reason for 8th scale is size in the grass ..those little fellas only like bowling greens lol... next i wouldnt buy 2nd hand ,new stuff isnt that expensive ...for example hot bodies lightning buggy 8th scale rtr complete £220..... this is a cheap buggy that you can get parts for ...this is also an item you need to look at ...availability is everything... as for nitro tuning you either have it or you dont ,you will have to decide that ..those that dont usually go electric lol (grin).. no doubt ill get an ear bashing for insulting the scaletrix guys lol....

Do you have a website that sells that Hot Bodies model ?

coolwings wrote: »

I have finally come to admit (to myself) that I get more out of designing and making and trouble-shooting a model, than I get out of the flying/driving/sailing it sessions later.
I still enjoy the "using it" part, but a little tingle of anticipation goes missing after it has made it's successful first trip!
I now tend to sell some of my models after the "Aaah now it works" stage, to others, so I can get started sooner on the "next interesting project".



Cian1500ww: that extreme is a new one, so i'm not sure, I guess you'd want a glowstart and fuel. Patrick at GHM would know.

Hehe I'm the same when it comes to computers, its never just right Always something that needs changing:P

Would they include a glowstart and fuel at a good price ie. can you bargain with them ?

lotus791

http://www.apexmodels.com/product-search.php?call=moreinfo&man=9&cat=kits&id=254



but try ebay etc there are also hyper 7 rtrs ets

cian1500ww

lotus791 wrote: »

http://www.apexmodels.com/product-search.php?call=moreinfo&man=9&cat=kits&id=254



but try ebay etc there are also hyper 7 rtrs ets

Thanks mate, I've emailed them for an international shipping quote. I have a VAT number so I should be able to get them ex. vat . The HPI MT2 G3 is there for a good price but the shipping may be dear.

cian1500ww

Whats everyones opinions of this truck: http://www.hbeurope.com/kit.php?partNo=66776&lang=en

I believe they are made by Hot Bodies but don't HPI own them ?

I can get it delivered for €230 ex vat.

vectra

cian1500ww wrote: »

Whats everyones opinions of this truck: http://www.hbeurope.com/kit.php?partNo=66776&lang=en

I believe they are made by Hot Bodies but don't HPI own them ?

I can get it delivered for €230 ex vat.

What about >>> THIS? <<

cian1500ww

vectra wrote: »

What about >>> THIS? <<

Me like, are they a good car ?