sevoblast
Posts: 87
Joined: 2/12/2008
From: jacksonville, USA
Status: offline
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Did not read all 15 pages of the posts in this thread, but here is some reality. I have, at the moment. 14 Tamiya tanks, all but Leo, 4 HL P3's, and 7 Wasan T34/85's. Bottom line. HL is a very good, inexpensive toy tank, with Sherman sound. It takes extensive work to bring it up to model standards, but it is marketed as a toy, not a scale model. Wasan is a very good model, RTR out of the box, but with a very weak trans system. OK, for less than 100 bucks for each, you get what you pay for. Tamiya sets the standard for RC tank quality and combat, period. Say what you want, reality is reality.
I can not say how many times, on various forums, new tankers buy a HL or Wasan, then ask "how do I get it Tamiya Battle System compatible? I want to go to (choose one: Danville, Texas, CA) to battle, and can not with the electronics. Answer? Buy a Tamiya tank, take the electronics, and install in your tank. What you have is basically two different ideas in marketing and the end use of the product, Tamiya's and everyone else. That said, the hobby is evolving rapidly, with new products coming or in the pipeline to assist the HL and Wasan folks to fight Tamiya tanks at a reassonable price.
With the advent of the Danville Battlefield, arguably the most challenging course in the world, things began to change in the hobby. The soil used there ate transmissions and Tiger 2 tracks like a wolf eats rabbits. Enter the after market guys, with better, stronger transmission systems, now Impact with their all steel gear trans systems, which will often fit other manufacturers than Tamiya, and earlier etoarmour with their modified steel Type 1 Tamiya trans. Metal tracks, a little crude at first, now with Impact's quality and performance, far better than before. Detail parts, Schumo and a host of other makers, to change your early T1 to a mid or late, modify or detail your Sherman or Pershing or Tiger 2, and now the Panther and JP. As an aside, one post stated that "parts fell off my Tamiya, detail parts..." OK A real tank is essentially blind when buttoned up, and believe me, everything on it can and will be peeled off in combat in anything but a desert environment. Hence also the after market producers for better, stronger, more detailed parts.
Bottom line, Tamiya and all others have a different phylosophy on the market. Tamiya is selling like mad, price point or not. HL and Wasan sell far far more, but to generally a different market. Many of us were happy to see the P3, and now the P4, as some of us can modify them to Tamiya standards, and bingo, another tank to fight with. Ditto the T 34. How many thousands of them sold? At one time at Danville, I distinctly remember fighting swarms of T34's, all modified to Tamiya compatability. Enough tankers exist out there for both markets.
As for the original question as to why to Tamiyas tanks cost more, it's the same reason some cars cost more than others. More goodies, better perceived quality, more options, better technical and warranty support, the whole gammet of reasons. However, most Tamiya tanks, 1/16, are now made in Phillipines. Wonder what they would cost if still made in Japan?
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RE: Why are Tamiya tank so expensive? - 
