Traxxas Patents

[RCpete]

I think people are just going to have to agree to disagree. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and things are not going to be resolved on this thread lol. As i said at the start of the thread i don't like it, but i understand it from a business point of view and because of crazy American patent laws they take full advantage. 

 

When it comes to not buying models from other companies for fear of parts supply, that's daft.....if you look hard enough you can find almost anything. Also Traxxas are not the biggest player imo and are certainly not going to be the only company left in the future......I would love to see try and topple Tamiya or even Kyosho.....Tamiya will be around forever lol.

[Kpowell911]

2 minutes ago, RCpete said:

I think people are just going to have to agree to disagree. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and things are not going to be resolved on this thread lol. As i said at the start of the thread i don't like it, but i understand it from a business point of view and because of crazy American patent laws they take full advantage. 

 

When it comes to not buying models from other companies for fear of parts supply, that's daft.....if you look hard enough you can find almost anything. Also Traxxas are not the biggest player imo and are certainly not going to be the only company left in the future......I would love to see try and topple Tamiya or even Kyosho.....Tamiya will be around forever lol.

For me Tamiya havent made anything interest this decade though. 

 

Cant see how fear of parts is daft but hey feel free to buy something with poor parts supply, its your money. 

[Oh How Original]

15 minutes ago, Guns said:

Im just very selfish, Well selfish on behalf of a select few I guess, can count on 1 hand the people I genuinely care about. Don’t necessarily see it as a bad thing, but supposed it could be interpreted that way. 

 

It was only a joke anyway  

You have already expressed your views before a few times.

[RCpete]

3 minutes ago, Guns said:

For me Tamiya havent made anything interest this decade though. 

 

Cant see how fear of parts is daft but hey feel free to buy something with poor parts supply, its your money. 

 

Daft was maybe a bit harsh but i've never had any real problems tracking parts down even for Arrma, people say for years now, dont get Arrma because of parts supply, sure its not as easy to find as Traxxas or Tamiya but just look and youll find what you need. Same with Kyosho people say its hard to find parts!! Is it? I've had no problems there either. To be fair my Arrma is pretty much bulletproof and doesn't break, same with my Hyper.....Just buy a car that won't break a lot in the first place.

[Si Coe]

Its worth pointing out that sticking with a company with dubious ethics intent on crushing the opposition and maximising profits because they have 'good customer service' is decidedly shortsighted. History has shown time and time again that once they achieve dominance that service goes straight out the window.

In 2023 when Traxxas is the only RC company left in the game you can expect the release of the E-Revo 3.0. It will be basically unchanged from the E-Revo 2.0 except the all the parts are slightly changed in size so they aren't cross compatible. Spares for earlier versions will be discontinued and Traxxas will try to sue people splitting broken and irreparable E-Revos to sell the parts on ebay. Sounds a bit 1984 styles distopia? True, but its also the logical conclusion if you follow Gun's argument to its ultimate end.......

 

Oh and yes I ran an RC10 for 20 odd years before they re-re'd it never struggling to get parts. Of course the fact it rarely needed parts had something to do with that. People keep rare vintage models running, I know people 3d printing bits for 30 year old cars. Parts exist if you want to find them, its just you can't walk into the local model shop and expect them to be there. 

Edited February 22, 2018 by Si Coe

[Oh How Original]

5 minutes ago, RCpete said:

 

Daft was maybe a bit harsh but i've never had any real problems tracking parts down even for Arrma, people say for years now, dont get Arrma because of parts supply, sure its not as easy to find as Traxxas or Tamiya but just look and youll find what you need. Same with Kyosho people say its hard to find parts!! Is it? I've had no problems there either. To be fair my Arrma is pretty much bulletproof and doesn't break, same with my Hyper.....Just buy a car that won't break a lot in the first place.

 

This is what has always puzzled me about Traxxas owners.

Or at least, some of them (not being fair to tar everyone with the same brush) they rant and rave about how brilliant Traxxas are and they don't break etc... Yet they spend about the same as what the model costs on RPM parts straight away.

 

[RCpete]

6 minutes ago, Si Coe said:

Its worth pointing out that sticking with a company with dubious ethics intent on crushing the opposition and maximising profits because they have 'good customer service' is decidedly shortsighted. History has shown time and time again that once they achieve dominance that service goes straight out the window.

In 2023 when Traxxas is the only RC company left in the game you can expect the release of the E-Revo 3.0. It will be basically unchanged from the E-Revo 2.0 except the all the parts are slightly changed in size so they aren't cross compatible. Spares for earlier versions will be discontinued and Traxxas will try to sue people splitting broken and irreparable E-Revos to sell the parts on ebay. Sounds a bit 1984 styles distopia? True, but its also the logical conclusion if you follow Gun's argument to its ultimate end.......

 

I can see it now, an underground blackmarket for 2nd hand RC parts, we'll have to watch every time we go for a bash with our dodgy parts we might get arrested by the Traxxas SS.

[RCpete]

3 minutes ago, Oh How Original said:

 

This is what has always puzzled me about Traxxas owners.

Or at least, some of them (not being fair to tar everyone with the same brush) they rant and rave about how brilliant Traxxas are and they don't break etc... Yet they spend about the same as what the model costs on RPM parts straight away.

 

 

Yeah, my neighbour and guys i used to bash with all had Traxxas and they all broke every time we had a bash.... and im not joking....i just dont get it.

[Oh How Original]

4 minutes ago, RCpete said:

 

Yeah, my neighbour and guys i used to bash with all had Traxxas and they all broke every time we had a bash.... and im not joking....i just dont get it.

 

The electrics lasted long enough for them to have a bash?!  

I don't believe you  

Edited February 22, 2018 by Oh How Original

[Tug]

8 minutes ago, Oh How Original said:

 

This is what has always puzzled me about Traxxas owners.

Or at least, some of them (not being fair to tar everyone with the same brush) they rant and rave about how brilliant Traxxas are and they don't break etc... Yet they spend about the same as what the model costs on RPM parts straight away.

 

 

Because despite their flaws, they're a fun drive. The ERBE is a great basher, so much fun to drive, but of course it's let down by its wishbones, CVDs and diffs, they're all weak as a kitten. Typical Traxxarse, but that's another way to keep the tills ringing, spares! Yes, my ERBE is RPM all over, worth every penny in my book. I've still got both e-Maxxs, both have Unlimited Engineering diffs at a hundred quid each, that's four hundred sheets! Worth it! 

 

As much as I hate the current attitude of Traxxas, I will have a 2.0 ERBE. 

[Oh How Original]

8 minutes ago, Tug said:

 

Because despite their flaws, they're a fun drive. The ERBE is a great basher, so much fun to drive, but of course it's let down by its wishbones, CVDs and diffs, they're all weak as a kitten. Typical Traxxarse, but that's another way to keep the tills ringing, spares! Yes, my ERBE is RPM all over, worth every penny in my book. I've still got both e-Maxxs, both have Unlimited Engineering diffs at a hundred quid each, that's four hundred sheets! Worth it! 

 

As much as I hate the current attitude of Traxxas, I will have a 2.0 ERBE. 

 

So how much of them actually still Traxxas?

 

[Tug]

4 minutes ago, Oh How Original said:

 

So how much of them actually still Traxxas?

 

 

Ha ha, that's the really funny part! My original 3906 is barely ten percent original, yet I still look on it fondly as my old 3906! Bonkers I know, but I'm only human. The other is similar, but bought used and already highly hopped up. They're both keepers, too much time, effort and cash sunk into them. Great drives too! 

[Si Coe]

Can't blame Traxxas for that one though. I sold my old RC18 twice because I replaced so many parts I only needed some gearbox cases and a few suspension pins to make two cars. Likewise the Durango 210 my eldest has is maybe 20% original parts. Of course in both cases the upgrades weren't really necessary, just for bling. 

[mond]

4 hours ago, 300bhp/ton said:

Growth and reinvestment are the same thing though. It just isn’t respresented as the same figure. Businesses are there to make money, period. Unless you can tell me of some that don’t. 

It's not the same though. They have considerably different conotations to different people. Yes, they are there to make money, but how you go about it varies wildly. 

[mond]

39 minutes ago, Tug said:

 

Because despite their flaws, they're a fun drive. The ERBE is a great basher, so much fun to drive, but of course it's let down by its wishbones, CVDs and diffs, they're all weak as a kitten. Typical Traxxarse, but that's another way to keep the tills ringing, spares! Yes, my ERBE is RPM all over, worth every penny in my book. I've still got both e-Maxxs, both have Unlimited Engineering diffs at a hundred quid each, that's four hundred sheets! Worth it! 

 

As much as I hate the current attitude of Traxxas, I will have a 2.0 ERBE. 

So your traxxas cars are so good, you've had to use another companies parts to make them reliable?

[Oh How Original]

12 minutes ago, mond said:

So your traxxas cars are so good, you've had to use another companies parts to make them reliable?

 

This is kinda my sentiment.

By most of the owners admissions, the Xmaxx for example, was known for chewing diff gears very easily.

The electrics were slow, that's if they actually lasted long enough before bursting into flames.

And when Traxxas realised all these issues, did they correct them for the customers, or did they rip people off even further by selling them all the parts needed to make them reliable?  

The mind boggles, it really does.

[Tug]

19 minutes ago, mond said:

So your traxxas cars are so good, you've had to use another companies parts to make them reliable?

 

I said they're a fun drive, not reliable. The only Traxxas I've had that was remotely reliable was the Slash 4x4, on 2S it was very reliable, but could still use aftermarket parts to really beef it up. 

 

That's the way this industry works, if a car's fun, then it sells. If that same car has flaws, then the parts sell too because you're gonna need em! If that same car has flaws that are easily addressed by hop-ups, then it'll sell even more! People do indeed buy cars AND hop-ups at the same time and fit the hop-ups before they've even driven it! 

 

Crazy world. 

[mond]

It is. People will willing buy something that doesn't work out of the box then pay more money to fix those problems, usually when there a better value, working equivilent on the market. 

 

Hop ups are meant to increase performance, not fix basic problems. 

[Tug]

Yup, totally agree. So why do I keep buying Traxxas? For me, it's definitely not marketing, maybe it's "better the devil you know"?

 

Still got high hopes for the 2.0.

 

And yes, they most definitely are the Apple of the RC world! Apple are renowned for not inventing, just tweaking existing tech. That and suing people! 

[Oh How Original]

If you enjoy them, by all means... It just doesn't make any sense to the rest of us who don't.

Spending 50% of what a vehicle costs, simply to make it fit for purpose, when they are highly priced to begin with, seems like a no brainer to avoid the company until they start lowering prices or making better stuff.

 

[ghazghul]

Sooo... why don't Traxxas go after RPM?  Surely they are losing out on the spare parts business because of them and they are literally creating replacement parts based on Traxxas design (which it seems quite likely at this point they have a patent for?)  They are a US company too.  I'd guess the answer is to do with RPM parts costing more than original parts.

[Kpowell911]

13 minutes ago, Oh How Original said:

If you enjoy them, by all means... It just doesn't make any sense to the rest of us who don't.

Spending 50% of what a vehicle costs, simply to make it fit for purpose, when they are highly priced to begin with, seems like a no brainer to avoid the company until they start lowering prices or making better stuff.

 

You know what I genuinely agree, but What option do i have to buy over an Xmaxx for example? Thats a bit difficult, as theres rtr no electric Monster Truck that size, so How about an ERevo 2.0? I cant see anything worthwhile, in stock in the UK, with decent parts support? Cause im struggling to find something?

Edited February 22, 2018 by Guns

[Oh How Original]

2 minutes ago, Guns said:

You know what I genuinely agree, but What option do i have to buy over an Xmaxx for example? Thats a bit difficult, as theres rtr no electric Monster Truck  that size, so How about an ERevo 2.0? I cant see anything worthwhile, in stock in the UK, with decent parts support? Cause im struggling to find something?

 

I personally don't know, the Xmaxx has had appeal to me before, but it's never been something I really wanted to buy.

I really don't judge an RC based on it's size though, if I want an MT, I will look for something that is an MT, rather than a particular scale range.

If I want something big, I'll buy something big, regardless of what it actually does.

If you really really liked the Xmaxx that much, you'd have kept it surely?

It's not the be all and end all, it's just another RC, I've owned too many to even remember, the ones I really liked, I still own, the ones I could take or leave, I sold when I felt I'd got the most out of them.

If you want the Xmaxx, then it's the one for you, if you want an MT, there are loads that will be better.

Not necessarily bigger, not necessarily faster, but definitely better, as a package.

[Kpowell911]

13 minutes ago, Oh How Original said:

 

I personally don't know, the Xmaxx has had appeal to me before, but it's never been something I really wanted to buy.

I really don't judge an RC based on it's size though, if I want an MT, I will look for something that is an MT, rather than a particular scale range.

If I want something big, I'll buy something big, regardless of what it actually does.

If you really really liked the Xmaxx that much, you'd have kept it surely?

It's not the be all and end all, it's just another RC, I've owned too many to even remember, the ones I really liked, I still own, the ones I could take or leave, I sold when I felt I'd got the most out of them.

If you want the Xmaxx, then it's the one for you, if you want an MT, there are loads that will be better.

Not necessarily bigger, not necessarily faster, but definitely better, as a package.

Youre right, i should have kept it. but I wasnt using it much, and the £2,000ish I got from selling up really helped pay towards my wedding. I really like RC, Ive been into it nearly a quarter of a century, but if it all stopped existing tomorrow, Id not bat an eye lid?

 

Now, I cant quite justify what Id need to invest to get an Xmaxx and the bits id want (few upgrades, quad charged, 8x lipos etc). So Im looking at an E-Revo 2.0. Everyone is slagging off Traxxas (not saying they dont have their reasons), and youre all saying you shouldnt by one etc. Fair enough. But no ones showing me an alternative?

Edited February 22, 2018 by Guns

[Oh How Original]

1 minute ago, Guns said:

Youre right, i should have, but I wasnt using it much, and the £2,000ish I got from selling up really helped pay towards my wedding.

 

Now, I cant quite justify what Id need to invest to get an Xmaxx and the bits id want (few upgrades, quad charged, 8x lipos etc). So Im looking at an E-Revo 2.0. Everyone is slagging off Traxxas (not saying they dont have their reasons), and youre all saying you shouldnt by one etc. Fair enough. But no ones showing me an alternative?

 

Because you want an item Traxxas makes, that's personal choice.

I would take a Pro-MT 4x4, Savage, Tekno MT410, Arrma Nero etc... All over the Xmaxx.

Once you have replaced electrics, bought a bunch of 4s LiPos, enough charging equipment to actually handle them, you're at £2k I should imagine, or at least £1,500 anyway.

For that you could have 1 of each of the others  still a good strong bashable MT, just not quite as big.

But you want the size, so the Xmaxx or MT-XL are the only options for you