Help buying a used RC car

[Ripgroove37]

Hi all,

I have been following RC cars for a long time, I've come to a point that I want a RC car and be part of this great hobby. However I don't have a RC car currently that I can use. I have spent some time going through all the various types of RC cars and came to a conclusion the Losi Tenacity DB Pro ticks alot of the boxes I am looking for in a RC. However budget is a bit tight as this car brand new with all the trimings come close to £600. What I am looking for is a used Losi Tenacity DB Pro, in red blue. This is why I am reaching out to all, can some please help me find a very good conditioned Losi Tenacity DB Pro. I have come across a few out there on the internet, but I don't know what bad looks like or what good example of a used RC good should look like, inside out/components etc. I have had a year of health issues and treatment, not a great time, but this RC car I see as a mini project for me to focus on and it does make me feel happy. I just need a good start! my budget can be between £300-400 if it includes all I need.

Any help much appreciated :)

[Nitroholic]

Down in the For Sale section there is a 'wanted' bit. Put a wanted ad up there and see if anything turns up.

 

#Personally..I would NOT point people at used examples I ran across on E-Bay etc. and recommend sopmeone to buy. If you buy a dud then that would be on me. Buying used is a minefield for the unwary. There are members on this forum that I would happily buy used vehicles from because I have seen them doing build threads etc. and know they properly maintain the things they own and repair the things they break.

 

Buying used from E-Bay etc. is a lottery. Choose something local enough that you can go see it....see it being driven, and inspect it before paying. 4

 

Lasst thing to think about .... if a new car is going for £500 ......whci the V2 does..... your £300 car with batteries and charger included is going to be in less than perfect condition and probably in need of money spending on it to sort out issues.

[Ripgroove37]

Thank you Nitroholic, I'll post on the looking for section see what it throws up, thanks for the tips too about Ebay, I see what you mean.

[Bajadre]

and dont be afraid to ask for more pics or a running video when buying Rip always best to research the model see what the weak parts or bit that need upgrades etc check the pictures over for how much maintanice its had look for rust or different bolts screws etc and remember most people will spruce there sellable rcs up a bit to get a quicker sell theres bargains out there just good timing in most cases good luck brother 👍

[Ripgroove37]

Hey thanks guy for all that information it is sinking in, made me think how much I didn’t know going in blind .  Guys if I were to find a car that I like (used) , would anybody help me by casting their eyes over the advert/ car ? As I appreciate I don’t have experienced eyes on this stuff.  If I get a second hand one I want it to be my only car so need to be sure .  I won’t be bombarding with lots of adverts .  At the moment I’m kinda looking at one .  Let me know , I can private message you .  Much thanks 

[Nitroholic]

Well...lets have a look:

 

There is this one....  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165328033324?hash=item267e51962c:g:aEwAAOSwVINiBPej

 

RUNAWAY!!!!!  Car has just been washed before the pictures were taken, only show the topside, show nothing of worth and are backed up with a picture of how much they paid and copies from the retailers website description. Or in other words, it was filthy dirty and and he washed it, but didn't dry it. Hardly used....and told you nothing about the state of the car. Please look at my other items....Nah mate....you're OK.

 

There is this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203824819782?hash=item2f74e7ee46:g:ok0AAOSwAdhiAOK3

some nice upgrades, and the guy has taken the time toi list them. Plus it;s clean.....and he photo'd all sides except underneath.....so there are probably chassis scrapes from use. This one would interest me if I was in the market. Top dollar...and no batteries....so dangerously close to the price of a new one, but you get some extra shiny bits.

 

There is this one.....gawd.... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334316637900?hash=item4dd6d30ecc:g:A~wAAOSwOudh~Oau

Don;t bother. Money pit. When Bajadre mentioned rusty fasteners and metal parts.... this is exactly what he meant..... USed in damp conditions and put away wet, or just stored in the damp. Expect to replace a lot of bearings.....

 

Lastly...we got this one:   https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125147454601?hash=item1d235e9c89:g:R0AAAOSwgOJiAuAh

dried on mud and grass, no batteries, and no signs of love. Could be a bargain......but also could be trouble. Wonder what he stuck the Go-Pro mount on with..... It's cheap, but nobody has snapped it up. My guess is the guy has had a string of low-ball offers aound the £150 mark. Its the older model so lacking whatever improvements Losi made too.

 

 

[Ripgroove37]

Hey, that is awsome, that has given me a insight to looking for used rc.  In fact funny enough I’ve just come across this one on gumtree https://www.gumtree.com/p/hobbies-collectibles/losi-ten-scbe.-upgraded.-carbon-fibre.-alloy.-proline.-rc-car-buggy/1425808606

 

it looks in good condition and he’s swapped out a lot .  A older model but I don’t think there’s much difference between old and new , apart from motor cover I think . Should a consider or pass ?

[Bajadre]

ive bought a couple of rcs from that guy rip i had my savage flux and vorza from him really nice guy knows his stuff too 👍alway has alot of rcs on gumtree 

[Ripgroove37]

Hey Nitroholic , I really liked the recommendation you made from eBay above, the one you would go for .  It’s a great car , they guy has done a lot of work on it.  One thing that stuck out to me was in image 3 the side profile of the car looks a lower than the stock version , was thinking is it because of the parts he’s put in or am I seeing things ! If there’s anymore examples of a good second hand Losi tenacity in the black you think I should inquire about please let me know . I can smell the tyre rubber lol 

[jariworsley]

My advice?

If you have a budget ... then don't spend all of it to buy the RC

 

Unless you are going to buy it and stick it on the shelf then there are ALWAYS running and upgrade costs.  Leave some money aside for that.  It is a big part of the journey and fun of owning an RC.

 

If you are not just buying it to put on a shelf then there are two big parts:

1. running it

2. upgrading, maintaining, fettling, cleaning it.

 

1, running it, ..... leads to breakages and parts wearing out, or frustration with the gear that came wiht it and upgrade-itis. and that leads to number 2 - maintenance. 

e.g. hit a curb (dont run somewhere with curbs) - break an arm and order parts.

or ... misjudge a jump and replace X, y, z.

or get fed up waiting for batteries to charge or short run times and... buy more batteries (never cheap) or a decent charger.

 

2 - upgrades, maintenance etc.

you run it you will break it.

what tools do you have? decent tools make working on an RC a pleasure. bad tools make it a total PITA.

keep breaking particular part? upgrade it

tyres dont work where you run? buy new ones

seems slower than you wanted or got used to the speed? now you are buying higher cell count batteries or better motor/ESC.

 

 

be realistic.. These are all emotional not rational purchases. That means logic and reason go out the window. My prediction? if you spend £400 buying a car you will have spent another 2-400 by the end of 12 months as part of owing that RC. (e.g. tools, batteries, chargers, wear and tear, upgrades, etc, etc).

so if you have the money go and buy it, enjoy the journey and have fun. just go in with eyes open.

 

 

 

[Ripgroove37]

9 hours ago, jariworsley said:

My advice?

If you have a budget ... then don't spend all of it to buy the RC

 

Unless you are going to buy it and stick it on the shelf then there are ALWAYS running and upgrade costs.  Leave some money aside for that.  It is a big part of the journey and fun of owning an RC.

 

If you are not just buying it to put on a shelf then there are two big parts:

1. running it

2. upgrading, maintaining, fettling, cleaning it.

 

1, running it, ..... leads to breakages and parts wearing out, or frustration with the gear that came wiht it and upgrade-itis. and that leads to number 2 - maintenance. 

e.g. hit a curb (dont run somewhere with curbs) - break an arm and order parts.

or ... misjudge a jump and replace X, y, z.

or get fed up waiting for batteries to charge or short run times and... buy more batteries (never cheap) or a decent charger.

 

2 - upgrades, maintenance etc.

you run it you will break it.

what tools do you have? decent tools make working on an RC a pleasure. bad tools make it a total PITA.

keep breaking particular part? upgrade it

tyres dont work where you run? buy new ones

seems slower than you wanted or got used to the speed? now you are buying higher cell count batteries or better motor/ESC.

 

 

be realistic.. These are all emotional not rational purchases. That means logic and reason go out the window. My prediction? if you spend £400 buying a car you will have spent another 2-400 by the end of 12 months as part of owing that RC. (e.g. tools, batteries, chargers, wear and tear, upgrades, etc, etc).

so if you have the money go and buy it, enjoy the journey and have fun. just go in with eyes open.

 

 

 

You are brilliant my man, I needed that.  I was in a tunnel going a bit ott but not realising what else I need to consider .  If things were different for me , and I had the time to invest to learn I’d love this .  Maybe in the distant future .  I value your honesty and insight , and appreciate all the help this forum has given me , thank you all.  Great forum,  you might see me in the future , thank you guys 🙂 .

[jariworsley]

Don't discount it and don't let my realism put you off.. There is a load of interest and stuff to learn in the hobby. And it does not need to be really expensive and you don't have to learn it all at once.

 

One approach is to try someone's RC. Depending where you live in the country... I bet you are close to a member on here. Or a decent hobby shop. Go and try someone else's.

 

And it does not need to be hugely expensive. Like building things?  there are plenty of Tamiya kits that are fun to build in their own right and then stick on shelf. I.e. closer to the modelling side and great scale realism. 

Like running? There are smaller scale vehicle that are cheap to buy and upgrade.

[ninjagaiden]

I'm with Jari on this one. 

 

RTR prices have gone nuts since lockdown because RC Cars are fun thing to do on your own / with family. Tenacity DB is a nice bit of kit but it's not worth £500.

 

My advice -

 

1 - Try and put money into bits that are going to last you a long time. A decent radio will last for ages and is so much niceer than the usual RTR rubbish. ESCs come and go but a decent brushless motor if looked after will also last ages too. 

 

2 - Try and get the best deal you can on the 'bendable' bits. I picked up a Losi 8ight e-buggy from a forum member few months ago for couple of hundred quid and that was with a 4S power system. Admittedly I just wanted the roller and have since popped a 6S castle system into it, but the thing is tough as nails, and I am not going to cry if I smack it into something.

 

N