Opinions on Tamiya RC cars please
 

Hi. I'm new to the rc car/truck field, with a couple of years of r/c helicopter background. I have a 1/10 Traxxas Slash 2WD truck that I really like and want to stick with Traxxas for Off Road vehicles, but I am looking for a road/race car and I don't like the cartoon look of Traxxas cars, so I am considering a Tamiya F1 model such as the TAM58447 Ferrari F1 or TAM58466 Nismo GTR.

I would really appreciate some honest opinions on Tamiya quality, the availability of parts(now and long term) and the availability of custom/upgrade parts for Tamiya models. I have been told in my LHS, that HPI is bad for discontinuing models and parts on short notice or after a couple of years and I'm worried about that issue. I have had to deal with that issue in r/c helis a couple of times and I am trying to avoid it this time around.
Thanks in advance for the help
Lamadude

Re: Opinions on Tamiya RC cars please
 

Tamiya is basically the first RC company, their TT-01 chassis has been around for years and most of it is compatible with the TT-01E so parts availability is a non issue but... tamiya is not well represented in Canada.

I personally love Tamiya vehicles, building is as much fun as driving and the ability to customize the bodies is wayyy cool. If you're running it on the street though I'd suggest a TB-02/03 kit over a TA-05 kit. A shaft driven car has lower maintenance over a belt driven.

The F1 is great looking but needs a really smooth surface to run on, there is no suspension to speak of and ground clearance is virtually non existent.

I've been building and driving Tamiya vehicles for 10 years and can still find parts for my very first M04L chassis.

Re: Opinions on Tamiya RC cars please
 

I like the Tamiya products my friends have, (TT-01 & M-05 & f104). We race a little rough so we tend to break parts once in a while, yet they always find parts to get back into in the following weekend. You might also want to checkout your local hobby shop to see if they carry parts for the car you want to get.

Re: Opinions on Tamiya RC cars please
 

You've mentioned on-road racing...

First and foremost I would look at the location that you plan on racing and see what classes and rules they run.

From there, look at what the competitive kits and parts support look like.

Re: Opinions on Tamiya RC cars please
 

I buy most of my Tamiya parts off E-bay since my local hobby store doesn't carry Tamiya. Most people want RTR nowadays. I just finished building a TT-01 e last night. The kit was a breeze. Looks great and I can't wait to get the paint so I can finish it and drive it. I currently own three Tamiya's. I order for a company in Hong Kong because they get my stuff here (BC) in a week. Total cost on my car w/shipping was just under $150 and I have never once had to pay duty.

http://www.rcmart.com/index.php

Re: Opinions on Tamiya RC cars please
 

Ya, rcmart and stellamodels are the two I use the most for Tamiya. The only thing my LHS has really good stock of is Tamiya paints and plastic models. You're right that too many people want RTR, kinda sucks.

Re: Opinions on Tamiya RC cars please
 

LOL I have used both of those stores. They are both really good.

Re: Opinions on Tamiya RC cars please
 

I'd buy a 3racing Sakura Zero S or even an Associated TC4 over any low end Tamiya like a TT01.

I've never thought much of Tamiya. Their high end kits like the 417 are okay, but over priced and a bit fragile. I think all of their kits are over priced for the quality and the materials used.

Just my honest opinion.

They do make nice looking shells, but most will fit other brands' cars just fine, other than the ones that will only work for ICS shock setups.

Re: Opinions on Tamiya RC cars please
 

You can't just compare the TT-01 and 417, they have an entire line of TA and TB cars that are pretty good. They also have a very large selection of upgrades available from various manufacturers. I haven't had any issues with any of my Tamiya cars/trucks although I have had a few with some cheaper made aftermarket parts.

Re: Opinions on Tamiya RC cars please
 

I wasn't comparing tt01 to a 417. I was comparing tt01 to tc4 and Sakura zero S. They are around the same price, but better cars.

I was saying that the 417 isn't terrible, but I would still never buy one.

I'm very familiar with all the mid range models like ta-05 and tb-03 as well and I think they are all over priced. Just my opinion. I know it isn't a popular opinion and most people don't seem to think anyone should ever post anything even remotely negative about a product on RC forums, but he asked for honest opinions, so I gave mine.