What should I do?

[ICONIC]

Im thinking of getting me a new ride. Got a contact in the Us who will send me a brand new HPI Baja SS. He told me that he could lower the value on the package to 150$. With shipping and taxes it will cost me the same money as if I bought a new FTX Punisher from Modelsport... Im a little bit into 4WD but it would

[R46]

their in two different leagues? if where me hpi won't be in equation at all ftx punisher feel u'll get a good bit of use at of it before breakages unlike a baja.

[sonic2810]

i have both and are great fun it all depends what u want the baja can be more fun to drive as 2wd and get the back end flying out etc . the punisher is alot easier to drive than baja ... the baja does need some bits added straght away as plastic clutch holder not the best apart from that should be ok just breakages as u go . Parts for bajas are more expensive but easier to come across as a lot of ss breakers in the usa etc wheres as the punisher looking at mmr or freeprawn for your parts..... another think to think about is where are u running car if sand the baja is top class and can get a enclosed clutch which stops the sand eating the clutch not avalible as of yet for punisher ... hope some of this helps u

[ICONIC]

Hard to decide! Have to think about it. Is there any weak parts on the Punisher that need to be fixed from the start? I know some people owning the Hpi Baja and theyre really caught in the hopup circus... I often wonder if the Original Baja is that bad from the start or is it that people just love to pimp them?

[Josh1A1H]

bajas are a kl 1/5 truck!

I personally think that 1/5 are slow, heavy and not really worth the money.

But the Baja with the correct engine mods and other little things carried out is a monster!

Look at this bad boy! Sounds epic too!

you know you want too... if you want i can get the full price list and parts for what was carried out!

[Mini the minx]

If you have a contact in the u.s - i'll throw the Redcat Racing TT 4wd

http://www.redcatracing.com/RC-Cars/1-5-Scale-Gas/Rampage-TT-V3;jsessionid=0a0101441f43a8966d32bbc646e4938c8ae73f066d42.e3eSc3uNaNuTe34Pa38Ta38SaN50

or the dune runner 4wd

http://www.redcatracing.com/RC-Cars/1-5-Scale-Gas/Rampage-DR-4X4;jsessionid=0a0101441f43a8966d32bbc646e4938c8ae73f066d42.e3eSc3uNaNuTe34Pa38Ta38SaN50

I've got the monster truck pro - and its blows me away its awesome fun and as tough as hell even i cant break it and for all those who know me i can kill a car just by looking at it

[Mrp]

A lot of these replies sound like fanboy comments or no actual real world experience with either car.

Like has been mentioned though it really is down to what you want from a largescale... if its the flat out drifting and jumping a 2wd can give you or the more simplistic point and squirt ride that the 4wd gives you.

Really down to personal taste and where and how you run a car.

Please though dont be paying too much attention to anyone who doesnt own or run a largescale and thinks their a waste of money, for someone who only owns a small scale electric im sure they look at a largescale with contempt most of the time and wonder how the hell parts cost as much as they do. Once you own a largescale youll know why parts are the cost they are, unless of course you throw your money away on pointless bits of bling, but avoid the hype and youll appreciate it all that much more.

Like also said, theres really no main reason to upgrade lots on the baja out the box, its a solid car.

Also remember, you can break anything... really down to driving style and being a little sensible with your car.

I rarely take mine home with a breakage and ill have as much fun or more than the guy next to me whos tumbling and jumping.

The FTX is a great car, ive had a play around with one and im almost tempted to get one myself, storage is the issue at the moment, if i do go FTX the MCD will have to go as its taking up shelving space.

If your really that undecided you need to have a go with both cars, get yourself to a bash and get chatty with someone.... i would happily let someone have a go if their looking to buy a model but cant decide.

Hope that helps.

Mrp

[keenan]

i would go for the ftx only because ive had a hpi baja didnt think they were all that too much hype about them

so i would got for the ftx just because its diff

ant

[delsol]

just to throw fuel into the fire largescale look slower than 1/10th but they are infact just as quick if not quicker, we run all in races for fun at our local track and my harm bx2 will beat souped up 1/10th and 1/8th rallycross buggys, there is very little differance in speeds etc its jsut because one is large it looks slower. if you see a plane take off how fast do you think its going? they look slow because they are huge, compared to a car passing at the same speed would look incredby fast.

people run both the ftx and hpi at our local track, both break just as much as each other , the only downside i can see with the ftx is the limited number of aftermarket parts avaliable compared to an hpi (though i see lots of alloy hop-ups coming into out local model shop)so you might have to go further to get the spares or find people that stock them and parts for them.

also BE VERY aware that if they declare your parcel at $150 it will only be insured for $150. trust me on this one (been stung myself but on car parts)

[Simon123]

I would personally go for a Baja. But it's totally up to you

[aidensere07]

ok. iv got a punisher, theses are the main problems i have come across in the 2months of owning it:

the ankerman plate bolts sometimes come loose after a lot of use, these can be modded and details can be found on the nutech forum so thats not such a problem.

i keep loosing the rubber bend from the stock exhaust, its held on tightly with a hose clip but it gets hot and falls off, gunna find some way of fixing this as it makes the bodyshell melt slightly and loose shape.

it uses screws into steering knuckles and these sometimes come loose, to fix this i drilled through my chubs just under the screws and put a bolt through to stop it (from nutech forum)

the battery box is a squeeze to get a failsafe in BUT it can be done with a little patience.

be prepared to change the servos, the rtr ones will work fine but they will need upgrading at some point like all rtr cars

the 23cc is not the best for bottom end, but it will open up nicely if the baffles are removed from the stock exhaust i have found

other than the above i have found no problems with it, im afraid i cant comment on the baja as iv never had one but there is a lot more hopups available for the baja at the moment, spares for the punisher are a little harder to come by but freeprawnracing has just opened and the service and advice from nigel is top notch. as more people buy these more hopups will become available or simply mod your own bits if thats your thing. on a final note im glad i got it, for the price it sells at theres nothing else compares to it imho even with the niggles it has i wouldnt swap it. but at the end of the day its also upto your driving style as well 2wd is very backend happy whereas the punisher is a lot more conserved and planted as i found out at TM bash 3 hey MR T :whistling: lol. i hope that helps a little. iv tried to be ass honest as possible, now the hard decision is yours

all the best

Aiden

Edited May 18, 2010 by aidensere07

[Merlin]

What are you planning on doing? Bashing / Racing etc??

I have both and they are completely different vechicles.. I love both TBH..

Both have plus and negatives.. Nutech is fantasticly priced, handles brilliantly and seems pretty durable, but you cant ignore the backing and supportd the baja has. The hop ups are endless!! I would say the nutech still has its teething problems, so be prepared to spend a little on it, but what car is perfect out of the box?

I think the baja is more of a fun rc and the nutech a little more serious if that makes sense, if your planning on racing at all, you will struggle to beat a 4x4 round the track.

What ever you choose, i dont think you will go wrong.

[ICONIC]

Thanks for al your inputs! My biggest concern with the Nutech is parts and hopups. If I go for the Baja this wouldn

[aidensere07]

parts arnt so much of a problem, mmr and freeprawn both stock most parts and as more people buy the cars spares availability will grow and i know uber rc have punisher parts in the pipeline, if you compare the price differences of MCD and FTX theres is really no comparison imho. also i found nutech in the netherlands are very happy to send parts from overseas and have been very helpful before freeprawn opened.

btw i just realised you live in sweden, i knew i remembered that name somewhere, the stock radio gear lol

Edited May 19, 2010 by aidensere07

[TerrorTrooper]

After owning a Baja, To be honest, its not the be-all and end-all that most Baja owners make it out to be.

It really depends what you want to do with it.

The Baja Really is an impressive looking motor, To be honest, theres Few that can compare to a Baja for eye candy, its Beutifull.

After running it however, I found it somewhat limited. Its great fun on loose dirt and on flats, But in the air and when it rolls, i found it to be far more susceptable to damage.

Mainly because its legnth and most weight at the rear means it really takes a massive knock when it cartwheels, especialy on the front.

After bashing it alongsides shorther wheelbase cars like the Marder and Punisher, (whitch also have much more even weight distribution than a baja) i can honestly say if a bit of "rough and tumble" is your thing, dont get a Baja.

again though, it comes down to driving style, if your content on the flats, A Baja will serve you well, if you want to treat it like a 1/8, then something else.

Mini the Minx is onto a winner with her suggestions.

Have used a Redcat Rampage buggy and they are awesome! Far superior to many flat chassis designs.

[Merlin]

I disagree, i find my baja very very tough. It could have something to do with what i have done to it, but i hardly broke a thing all last year, only a couple of rod ends. Anyone at who seen me at any of the bashes will tell you my driving style

[ICONIC]

I´ll have me a loooong god thinking of all this now. And the fact that Rossmod sells the Punisher for £549,99...

Damn, out of stock...

Edited May 19, 2010 by ICONIC

[BORO-ROB]

ask modelsport to match the price