PaulW Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Another noob, ready to launch countless questions about radio controlled cars, buggies and maybe boats. Let me tell you about myself: When I was a boy I always wanted a Tamiya RC Car. My favourites were the Porsche 959 (surprise surprise) and the Celica GT4. Alas in those days times were hard. Crippling unempoyment, especially in our part of the East Midland coal fields were mines were closing faster than doors at the job centre and spiralling interest rates were cripling home buyers. My parents worked all hours to make the mortgage repayments, luxuries such as expensive "toys" were not an option. I never got my Tamiya. Put away the hankies and paper tissues. Nowadays I still complain about much the same things, but now interest rates are so low that my savings earn next to nothing! During a recent holiday I bought my little boy a radio controlled car, cheap and nasty but envisaged as a throw away toy that would keep him occupied whilst on holiday and off his tablet for a few minutes, but! He has really taken to it, so an idea is forming in my head. Maybe now is the time to buy myself that Tamiya, for me to build and maintain and as something we can play with together. The problem is I am now so out of touch and decent model shops are few and far between. Hence my arrival here. I'll spend some time browsing the forum this evening but if anyone can point me in the direction of threads that might help I would be most grateful. I guess from the top my questions include things like Decent quality radio kit that can handle cars, buggies and boats. Ideally one decent handset with model memory. Alternatives to Tamiya Is nitro an alternative? Best models in the range. Something I can get my teeth into building gearboxes and suspensions but are fairly rugged so my lad can jump them over obstacles and through sand and gravel without them siezing up or falling apart. On the boat front, that's something that more interests me. Any kind of advice most welcome. Best regards Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Hi. Tamiya are a bit dated now. Suspension & chassis design has moved on. What're you planning on doing with It? Jumping & general bashing about? On gravel/loose dirt? Car parks? Also what sort of budget? & finally ? how olds the little un? Our 6 year old has a hobbyking mini monster truck that tops out at about 30mph. He can sort of control it in a wide open space, but keeps hitting things when there are things to hit?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulW Posted October 28, 2018 Author Share Posted October 28, 2018 I'd rather gathered that about Tamiya from the little research I have done so far. They don't seem to have changed much since my time thirty (and then some) years ago. Useage exactly as you describe, and the lad is 8. My choice of Tamiya is largely down to nostalgia and I might accept their outdated tech. Originally I had anticipated paying around 150 for the kit and another 100 for radio gear, batteries, tools and paint but the budget is flexible. If Jamie really gets interested then more advanced cars could follow as future christmas presents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 If you go Lipo, buy them from hobbyking.Not sure on a 150 quid kit, but someone'll chip in soon. Xvpilots the tamiya God on here. If you don't mind used, there's the used section on here. Most folks on here look after their trucks, to the point of obsession ?. So when they're sold on they've been properly serviced. The ftx viper ain't a kit, but it's pretty capable & 125 for the brushed one. & when little un gets the hang of it, it's about 40 quid for a brushless combo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone-wolf Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 Paul, welcome to this forum, Re Tamiya,when i recently got back into cars i was advised to get a Tam lunchbox monster van, seems its a pretty good fun truck, but would need a bit of upgrades, but nicely in budget Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mond Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 I bought a Lunchbox and Kyosho Beetle purely for nostalgia and both are great fun. You'll eventually itch that Lunchbox scratch and not regret it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 Yes, many Tamiya kits are a bit outdated, but that's not really the point of them. They are well engineered kits (in terms of assembly) that are easy and fun to put together with an enthusiastic youngster, relatively cheap, and in the case of Lunchbox/Wild Willy etc, a laugh a minute. Dynamic handling prowess and sensational speed... No, but ear to ear grin... Yes. When most Tamiya kits were conceived, huge air jumps in RC were unheard of, so its a little unfair to criticise them for not being as robust as say a Hyper ST or Outcast when hitting the ground from 20 feet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulW Posted October 29, 2018 Author Share Posted October 29, 2018 Thank you for the welcome and the input. After browing through just a small section of this forum and watching some build videos on YT for the Avante and TT-02B based models I think it's likely that I'll go for one of the entry level 4WD Tamiya buggies based on that chassis, though if it were purely for me then I would be tempted with the Avente. Maybe that will come later. One thing that I have established from this forum is that the radio gear shouldn't cost quite as much as I had anticipated so there's a little bit of change to begin the avante fund. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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