ORIGINAL: tkn0spdr
So something like this, is it a good deal or not? My wife really wants a 1/5 scale monster truck but I don't know that she really wants to spend $1500 on one of the really high-end ones.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ford-F150-1-5-RC...em230275072606
Thanks,
David
I own a Firehammer MT. I personally think that the for the Bigfoot you are seeing on Ebay is a good one. Considering the FHMT is 800+.
You will want to replace the following parts eventually (all prices are estimates, I didn't look them up):
1) metal pinion (available at innovativehobby.com) about 22 bucks
2) Alloy differential housing (available sometimes at Towerhobbies.com or as #8484 FG part) about 60 bucks at Tower or buying the FG brand it's 85 bucks. If you don't replace this, the plastic will eventually fail and you will destroy your gears (the price of the alloy diff housing)
3) Large alloy motor mount ([link=http://www.rc-car-online-shop.de/lshop,showdetail,16033,e,1217264338-16238,carson.carson_aluteile.carson_tuning_alu.hin terachse,meinbau_0001,,Tshowrubcarson.carson_alute ile.carson_tuning_alu.hinterachse,.htm]HobbyThek[/link]) The shipping from Germany will run you 40+ bucks. But as KenGentry said above, if you crank down on the smaller alloy engine mount, you should be good.
4) The radio that came with my Firehammer MT was a piece. An FM Futaba that just glitched something awful. You'll want to replace whatever radio that comes with that thing with a 2.4ghz radio (Futaba, Spektrum, Airtronics). Chalk up about 200 bucks there.
5) Tuned Pipe eventually, (davesmotors.com) about 150. Night and day with performance compared to the lawnmower muffler they put on these things.
Overall, parts are cheap for the Firehammer MT/Smartech Bigfoot/XTM Grizzly, usually in stock through Towerhobbies.com.
I also have a Baja 5b. If I had to pick between the two on which one I'd rather have.....I'd pick the Baja 5b. I like both, but the Baja has TONS of aftermarket parts. Every part on that car has a replacement. You can also fit FG tires and rims on it with conversions.
It's an expensive hobby and requires maintenance (screws vibrating loose, loctite). These are the most fun rc cars I've ever owned. Parts break, try to remember that these are 20+ pound vehicles and bashing the hell out of them is going to break parts.