nitrohead5300

Can anyone tell me if this article about HPI is legit?? Here is the link http://www.neobuggy.net/2013/02/14/h...pi-usa-assets/ [] And if this article is true how will it effect the distribution of the Baja and parts , will it cause the price to go up or make parts hard to find??

Foxy

Legit. Neobuggy is a stalwart source of good rc news. Tell you what though, I ain't surprised. They looked like they ran out of ideas 2 years ago. Let's just hope this doesn't impact hobao negatively in the long term.

nitrohead5300

Thank you Foxy for answering my question, I appreciate it. I hope this buy out benefits us all.

mooman007uk

this in stark contrast to traxxas who are expanding and selling like crazy, have their own corr truck series, advertise on tv in a big way have new stuff in the works...

maybe now something new will actually come out of hpi's doors...talk about flogging old platforms to death...how many versions of the savage are there now...5b isn't much better....you can put lipstick on a pig but you still have a pig

bbuzzard

My Feedback: (5)

yeah, +1 to what Moo said! 

badboy2

My Feedback: (13)

@nitrohead i dont think we need to worry about parts and sales ..maybe it will benefit us hpi products owners..

nitrohead5300

I hope that it does

i8tweety

My Feedback: (11)

So Hobbico is going to be the American distributor for HPI products then (since that's pretty much all HPI USA has been doing for years now).

bbuzzard

My Feedback: (5)

Yeap, you got it...

wyattroa

I was thinking the same thing. It gets old hearing they are coming out with a baja ss, baja ss special, baja again, baja that has truck tires and truck body but is still a body, then month later slap SS on it. Nothing innovative about it. I got the first baja which was great for the 5th scale scene...but then hpi went south there...they thought they had the market cornered and got complacent.

Foxy

Guys, you realize that hpi as a company isn't going anywhere and is unlikely to change their current policy of putting more stickers on the same old **** and selling it again for outrageous prices, its just the US distributor that has gone under (EDIT: Not gone under, just doesn't want to distribute products anymore...er...ok). Now you'll get the same stuff as all other regions which is a good thing, because HPI USA might as well have been the Muppet show.

nitroexpress

It doesn't sound like the US distributorhas gone under.

http://www.hpieurope.com/news.php?la...sue=2013021901

nitrohead5300

Well I hope HPI USA has not gone under . And I hope this is a change that will benefit all of us.

Foxy

He's right. For some reason they still want to make the models, but not sell them.

OK, whatever, the muppet show will continue.

This whole incident is once again indicative of the disorganization that exists in HPI.

i8tweety

My Feedback: (11)

What products hit North America is quite often at the discretion of the distributor. If (and that's a big IF) Hobbico/Great Planes wants to expand North American offerings and carry more inventory (tie up more capital), chances are they can. However, Great Planes does have a history of doing the opposite. Kyosho stopped using them as the US distributor because they were dissatisfied with great planes promoting their own products and inflating costs/restricting models of kyosho products.

Only time will tell.

mooman007uk

i think some are getting manufacturer mixed up with distributer

HPI usa do not make anything, they are what hobbythek are to fg, they buy from manufacturer, sell to dealers who sell to us. they'll also sell direct but usually at a sligtly higher rate than their dealers,)

it would be better if hpi the manufacturer got bought out then we might see some innovation, something ...dare i say it...new!

not hard to see why HPI USA (the distributor) sales have suffered...their line up is old as the hills. the largescale industry has evolved and developed more in the last 5 than the previous 25...they brought us the 5b...compared to the fg marder platform 7yrs ago it was streets above and cheaper, it transformed the industry and made it mainstream...then they say back...thenalong come the Chinese who brought us affordable 4wd with the smartech titan and hsp rampage...hell they even gave us 2 4wd bajas that hpi refused to do (not that it was a good idea)

in any industry if you come out with a great product and then sit back eventually everyone who was chasing you will not just pass you eventually they will own you...

splcrazy

hopefully this is a good change because maybe now if we wait another 7 years we might finally get the 1/5th 4x4 we've all been waiting for and then pigs might actually fly .

GT100

My Feedback: (1)

Amen to that SPL. I was so excited when I got the call about the 4wd baja SC arriving at our shop to only find out that it was another pig with lipstick. Just an extended savage with an SC body. Can you say disappointment.

I know a way to help HPI get back on their feet. Re-release those belt driven RS4 we all know and love. I cant recall many cars that have been discontinued for almost 10 years be in so much demand. I check online all the time and see the Racer2 and SuperNitros go for prices that compare to what they were when new. I ran my racer2 a couple of weeks ago at a strip where some other people run and was offered 300 for a rolling chassis. Come on HPI, listen to the people and get those belt drivens and 4x4 Baja out. Or did KM beat you to it already?

wyattroa

I am almost positive I have one of those HPIs sitting on my shelf doing nothing in the garage...Runs to go check

mooman007uk

i think they can keep the 4wd baja to themselves, the platform doesn't lend itself to 4wd well anyhow, and it's already been done....twice.

and as hpi, the manufacturer, haven't been affected by any of this hobbico business i'd have to assume more pigs wearing lipstick are to follow, who knows we may even get one wearing lipstick, and a dress



here's a novel idea for HPI to help with sales..."how about actually designing something new!!"

bbuzzard

My Feedback: (5)

LMAO!!!!!

Foxy

Do you know this chick moo? She is HAWT! Any chance of an introduction?

Mudgy

to me it makes sense - the long tail in HPIs business is farmed out to a distributor - HPI wouldn't need as many in sales & accounts, so they can concentrate on being a manufacturer. For example ITW has done this in many of its global business units.

Therefore they can run leaner, & perhaps sink needed capital savings into R&D to give you lot the next big thing. Lots of manufacturing companies do this.

wyattroa

Hpi are pulling the same thing FG pulled with the 1/5 scale line. Throw a different body and tires on there and call it a day..People who have the 5b will drool and drink the koolaid and praise it to the sky. They will smite you if you talk bad of it, espicially if you are on the baja forum, like little nazis over there. But, honestly. I was one of the biggest supporters of HPI when the baja was in its experimental stages before release. I remember the FG guys bashing the poo out of it. I also had a FG. I kept arguing this was good for the scale but people never wanted to hear it. I have many posts arguing over this on this site. Lots of FG fan boys at that point. I bought it right when the hobby shop got it in, first one and loved it. But HPI has failed and fell into the same trap and done no innovation since. I have since left HPI and gone on to new and different models.

mooman007uk

hey now, it's my girlfriend...lol