ORIGINAL: tomhugill
Firstly a Tamiya isn't $1000 unless its a leopard. Second even impact tracks (arguably the best) are $130-140 tops. So that's one thing.
I have the leopard and the only issue I had was with the idler adjusters not having fine adjustments possible. Fixed with a £30 upgrade. People who crack the suspension arms tend to have them screwed in too tight. My Leo runs great on all surfaces, has the best Tamiya sounds, nifty lighting etc. Also you can rebuild the entire tu for £20. Worst case scenario. I can understand the gripes on the plastic components on such an expensive kit, but it's also the biggest and has the bed power to weight which gives it excellent handling.
Im afraidf you are wrong there Tom...
AS I said, at mark-1-tank, Tamiya kits are 635 pounds sterling.
http://www.mark-1-tank.co.uk/tamiya-...tank-kits.html
That is, as of today, 991.76 dollars. So on that, you are wrong as Ispecifically said I was at Mark-1 tanks. At the same site, metal tarcks for these kits are 145 pounds which is about 220 dollars. So you are in error again. The leopard is actually 770 pounds or 1200 dollars.
AT Tank zone, the Tamiya kits are are 649 pounds or over 1000 dollars. As an example:
http://www.tankzone.co.uk/cart/tamiya_16.htm
Metal tracks are 129.99
http://www.tankzone.co.uk/cart/tam_t1.htm which is 204 dollars.
So...to sum up, contrary to what you assert, tamiya kits are 1000 dollars from two of teh larger retailers in the UK:
Tracks for them are in excess of 200 dolars.
And Ihavent counted VATor postage.
P