babagnush

are 1/8 scale the best overall for racing??? and if so does a buggy really make a difference. say a Raze vs a violator vs a 808 vs a losi? would the average joe really do better with the high end car???

youwish16

yes because you will be racing instead of fixing your broken buggy

larryf333

My Feedback: (2)

Until you've been racing for a while, anything you get, you are going to break. I'd start with something cheaper, then when you get good with it, get something more expensive and it will seem like you are one of the best. Anyone can learn to race an excellent buggy fair, but really talented people can race a fair buggy excellently!

clifton421

For a beginner I don't think it really matters that much. I would suggest the Hyper TQ Black or the Cen Matrix R2 for your first buggy if you plan on going immediately into racing. Just don't waste you money on carbon fiber, Kingz Headz stuff, CNC aluminum parts, etc. on the cheaper buggy. The only thing I would upgrade on a cheaper buggy would be the servos, radio and engine. That way once you get good and stepping up to a better buggy makes sense, all you have to do is buy the kit you want and transfer over the good servos, radio and engine. Then you can put the old servos, radio and engine (if it still runs) back into the cheap buggy and put it on ebay and get a few dollars back (probably less than 1/2 of what you paid for it new).

chrobar

Yeah, definitely true what others have said. Jumping into the hobby with a $800 kit is ridiculous, so it's good to start off with a cheaper kit, or an RTR. Two respectable buggies would be the CEN Matrix R2 rtr and the Hyper TQ black, like focus printing said. Even after you think you have mastered buggy racing, it's still not worth throwing $1000s into unless you're really serious and have lots of money to burn.

FoamyVictim

Best to get your feet wet before sinking major doe into it. Just keep in mind that some obscure cars can be tough to get parts for. So look for a brand that supports their cars well, and you should be in good shape.

youwish16

so you guys are saying it would be better to buy a $400 rtr now, break it a few times, then buy all new high dollar stuff? sounds expensive, why not just buy a good buggy to begin with and fix it when you break it or something...sounds cheaper this way

i did what you guys stated by buying a cheaper buggy at first then buying an 8ight to tell you the truth, i wish i woulda bought the 8ight to buggy with...i wasted hundreds of dollars. my cheaper buggy was nothing but problems and frustrations that made me want to quit. my 8ight has been like a rock, hardly broke a thing in over 6 months(a rod end and a shock standoff)

FoamyVictim

The new 8ight RTR is AWESOME! Comes with a starter box, DSM/telemetry, and you can steadily upgrade it to the pro level spec with ease.... when you're ready. Just ditching the rotor start, and getting such a nice radio puts it FAR ahead in the RTR game.

supertib

IMO its cheaper and better to just buy a quality product right off the bat...buying the cheap stuff just leads to breakage, frustrations and extra costs.... in RC you get what you pay for, I don't care what anyone says to the contrary....

youwish16

+1000

devilchrist

disagree,

having went the other route, I bought duratrax raze, I'm happy that I went that route, didn't have broken part, and very reliable, durable buggy.

It's actually the other way, high end card are made light and fast, easier to break lightened parts and on cars that go really fast.

Raze is plenty fast, and at tower it's ~200 will be fine for 99.9% of the beginners for, and it's good enough to keep as a basher once you get higher end, all you need is fuel, and batteries.

once you get an idea of what 1/8 buggies can do then start researching on what buggy you actually want. I just bought myself the Odonnell Z01B 2in1 kit and OS speed 21 Vspec motor for it, because I knew I was going to continue this hobby for along time.

bweiler

I started with a CEN Matrix C2. The LHS dropped it and I couldn't get parts. I also couldn't get any advice at the track. I spent alot of time searching for parts from other manufacturers that might fit. The SH .28 was a nightmare until I found a backplate from another manufacturer and was able to go to box start. It is still really hard to start and has much less snap and horsepower than a good .21 Also, the CEN buggy doesn't hold a line like a racing buggy can and it doesn't jump well because it's too heavy.

If I had to do it again I would have gotten a D8. I would have bought good servos and maybe an FM radio to save money and a "beginner" motor to learn to tune. In general D8 parts are cheaper than CEN parts too.

bajaracer1501

I'll agree with you get what you pay for! If one of my buds wanted to get into 1/8 nitro, I'd suggest a Losi 1.0 or 2.0 RTR. Parts are CHEAP on ebay and if you ever need anything at the track, the store there WILL have parts for it. As a beginner, I would occasionally break parts on my Losi but I could walk to the on-site hobby shop for replacement parts and keep on truckin'...with a lesser known car, I would've had to go home. Plus there are tons of setup info for the more popular cars and there will always be others at the track with the same car that can help you out. Customer support/warranty through Horizon Hobby/Losi/Spektrum is also TOP NOTCH.

IF you can afford a "better" quality car, why not? If for some reason, you don't like the hobby I would think that it would be easier to sell as well. It's like the guy who insists on buying the $40 cheapo servo because it should be "good enough"...after breaking 2-3 of em' the guy could have had the high quality servo and skipped the headaches.

Chris_RC

Race buggies (except RC8) are more durable than that raaze. Racing puts more stress on a car than bashing. Race kits like the 8ight, MP9, Xray, Mugen, etc. are extremely durable.

romax

That's a tough call. If you know you will stick w/ it, i would buy the higher end kit. I bought cheaper because i wasn't sure i would like racing, after racing a few times i was hooked & soon upgraded, i sold my old stuff for about half what i paid. started w/ investing 400 bucks so i only lost 200.00. I met a guy at my first race that had the best of everything, he raced a few times & just could not get the hang of it & has since quit. He had from my estimate about 1700 bucks invested now his stuff is worth about half that so he lost about 800 dollars. That's a lot more than i lost . My advice is if you don't know you will like racing go cheaper but if you're like most you will be hooked from day one.

djzachtyler

My Feedback: (4)

That would be my recommendation, I have owned a fair number of vehicles, and currently have 9. 7 of which are running... always seems there will be repairs, bt alot of it also depends on how you drive your vehicle... I just recently joined the buggy world myself and got an OFNA Ultra MBX Comp for 150 bucks that had everything... I ran it a couple of times, and it was sturdy, but a hassle to work on, so aqfter minimal research I found out that alot of 1/8 OFNA buggys are based on similar chassis and suspension/drivetrain setups, so I started tweekin, and built a hybrid OFNA that is parts of 3 different buggys, but combined are better than any one as it comes stock... all together, I have about $200 total invested and have built up a really solid buggy that can be raced, or bashed. I did of course upgrade the steering servo to a HiTec, and am going to get a different engine...

The stock OFNA is a beeeyatch to get tuned, and I have heard pretty good things about Axial engines, which is one of the only engines besides OFNA that is a .32 big block which is what I am currently running...

My point is this I guess, buggies are VERY addictive, and can get expensive quick... alot of guys have alot of great advice here, but don't be afraid to look at something used that is in good condition... when you get it tear it apart completely, and rebuild it so you know it insiide and out! then figure out what is compatible with it, and what you can do to make it better for minimal $$$... I have had more fun building my frankenOFNA that any other vehicle so far, and can't wait to get a good motor into it...

gatewayhobby

My Feedback: (5)

You can get parts from Cen directly. They usually ship USPS so figure about 2-3 days for delivery no matter what part of the country you are in.

And if the buggy shown in your avatar is the one you have, that is a C-1 model. That is the older version, Cen has a new R2 model that is lighter more responsive in my opinion....they also changed the engine to a more powerful version.

what_stanger

I'm with you and youwish.

Buy in is a bit higher, or much higher.....but its well worth it. You might not notice it right away....but soon enough it'll be clear

clifton421

First off, the "cheaper buggies" from reputable companies are pretty tough and don't break as easily as some are making it seem. The only 2 "cheaper buggies" that I suggested were the Hyper 7 TQ Black and the Cen Matrix R2. Both of these buggies are easily competitive in the club racing scene! The Hyper 7 is still a good racing platform (the TQ stands for the fact that it TQ'ed at the Worlds (back in 2004 I think)) and it is very easy to find parts for. The Cen is a little more up to date but is harder to get parts for. A beginner would would do fine with either one.

I do agree that IF you have the money or IF you KNOW that you are going to become an avid racer, a higher end buggy would be better to get. Spending $1000 + to get your feet wet without knowing is ridiculous! That is like going out and buying a brand new GSX-R 1000 motorcycle without ever having been on a bike! Yes, if you find out that you like riding crotch rockets then you made a great choice, but if you find out after you buy it that you hate riding motorcycles then you just wasted alot of money. Every racer assumes that everyone entering this hobby will become racers. That is just not true! Many people enter this hobby, try racing and don't like it. Usually because alot of racers look down at people running budget equipment and make them feel like their rides are trash because they didn't spend $1500+ on their setup. I wish everyone would quit with the "high end equipment" pissing contest! This hobby is about fun!!! If someone shows up at the track with a 1991 Kyosho buggy then we should support them and not make them feel like the ugly kid at the beauty contest.

If we keep scaring away everyone with the $1500 buy in to have a "competitive buggy" then we won't have anyone to race with! There are some good budget buggies out there that are very good at bashing and club racing. Most people are willing to drop $300 to see if they will like the hobby so why scare these people away by telling them that the "need" to spend over $900 more than what they have budgeted? If I was not into RC racing and was a noob faced with that decision, I would not enter the hobby and spend my money on something else that I KNOW I would like! Times are tough and people don't have money to gamble like that.

OK, I am through with my rant. My suggestion is to get one of the 2 buggies I mentioned earlier and go have fun! I have seen box stock Hyper 7's with an upgraded steering servo and tires whoop up on $1000+ buggies. It is all about driving skills and the only way to get good is to go throw some dirt practicing. If you come to my track while I am there with a Hyper 7 or Cen Matrix (or anything else) I will be there to help you with tuning, setup, maintenance, etc. as long as you go out there and have fun. There are many others out there like me so come on down to your local track and find a good person that will take you under their wing and show you the ropes. Let's all go have a good time!!!

{GBI}Harryball

I have to agree with focus on this one. I am a club racer and drive a himoto RXB-1. I have hi tech servos, proline tires and a nomadio react radio system. I use the go tech .21 race mill and love it. The buggy it self was 269, and is now a very competative buggy. You can always upgrade somethings and see if you like to race.

JsK

In my opinion trying to convince someone that they can get into this hobby with a
300.00 RTR kit is way more of a diservice. Serious racers don't look down there noses
at bargain equipment, many of them started the same way and are trying to save you
the frustration of going to the track multiple times and having nothing to show for it but a
bunch of DNFs and spending way more than you thought you ever would.

Heck this guy hasn't even bought his buggy yet, first trip to the LHS will go something
like this.

300.00 for the RTR kit
oops gonna need a RX battery and a decent charger 60.00
Oh yeah a battery for the drill start 40.00
Needs fuel to be fun 35.00
Couple of glow plugs 20.00
Oh your gonna race it, better pick up a decent set of tires 50.00
How do you break it in? temp gun 30.00

Now the guys in 500+ dollars has never set foot on the track and
just to rub a little salt in the wound he has to stop and pick up
8 AAs.

Over the next year he will end up replacing and upgrading
his entire setup and still be driving a 3 generation old chassis
and joy joy spent more money than if he had just bought a current
Pro Level kit and built it himself.

Been there done that got the Tshirt.

Best way right now to get into R/C racing if your track has the
class is CORR trucks. Slash/SC10 you can get setup for under
500.00 with your rig a couple of lipos and a decent charger.
Run in the Spec class and your competing with the other drivers
not there wallets. A season of spec class racing will do more for your
skill level than just about any class out there. Bye the time your move to
1/8 scale you will have a glass smooth style, line selection, throttle control,
ect will all be way better than if you started in an 1/8 scale.

Any time someone wants a REAL estimate of what it cost to get
into 1/8 scale nitro I tell them 1200.min. Maybe I'm a little
high on that estimate but I refuse to Bait and Switch people.

clifton421

You have a good point on the extra costs but you would have to buy all of those thing (plus a bump box w/battery and charger $100) with a kit as well. I have not driven the Matrix R2 but I have heard good things about it and I KNOW the Hyper 7 is built like a tank so I don't see where you are coming up with the statement that they would have a bunch of DNF's if the went with a lower cost reputable buggy.

If you read my statements earlier, I suggested NOT to upgrade the lower end buggy and just upgrade the servos, remote and engine over time. Then when you have gotten good enough to move up in equipment, all you have to buy is the kit and you will be ready to go. Then you can put all your old equipment back in the cheaper buggy and put it on ebay and get $150 of the original $300 back.

As far as the chassis being a 3 year old platform, who cares??? If you go out and practice it really doesn't matter what you drive at the club level. The driver makes the vehicle perform well, not the other way around. I bet Adam Drake could show up to any local track and whoop everyone with a MBX-4 if he wanted to and that platform is about 10 years old.

I agree that the Spec Slash class is great for new racers. Much cheaper to get into and it does not have the nitro learning curve, but there is just something about burning fuel.....

I understand that it does cost more than just $300 for an RTR kit, but not to a total of $1200. $500 sounds right including all of the extras but it is still was cheaper and easier to get into than a $1500 setup.

INTEGRA

If you have access to a local track and local racer's who will help you out....Buying BIGand buying ONCEis THEonly way to go,..,....i cant count how many new guys start out with RTRjunk to only have Pro gear within the next month or 2 as they saw what the REALrigs were capable of compared to the RTRstuff they Thought was the same....fortunaly you get what you pay for in this industry.

Buy Big and Buy once is my modow for N00bs....ESPECIALLYwhen it comes to servo's.

clifton421

I can't count how many noobs spent over $1000 on a buggy setup that they brought to the track one time and never ran again. Just look at how many people come on here and ask "what do I need to do to get this buggy that I bought 4 years ago running again? It has been in the closet for the past 3 years and I just pulled it out and decided to run it ."

Please don't misunderstand what I am saying. I believe you get what you pay for too but if someone wants to get into this hobby just to see if they like it a lower end RTR is the way to go. The best RTR package out right now is the Losi 2.0 RTR and if a jump to that is within your budget then go for it! If you just hit the lotto or have a big trust fund and have money to blow get an Xray 808 2009 Spec, M11 FHSS 3, a V-Spec Worlds Edition, and a pair of Titanium Hi-Tech servos and go to town. I would never suggest a lower end buggy to someone who knows that they will be an avid racer. I only suggest the lower end buggies to those on a tight budget or those who don't know if the RC hobby is for them. Most people don't have alot of money right now in this economy and it is crazy to expect everyone who is interested to be able to just drop $1500 on a buggy. This hobby is just too much fun to scare away people with the "you got to pay $1500+ to play" attitude. It is not only bad for them, but bad for you as a racer as well. If there is no one to race against at the track it gets very boring.

I do agree with Integra on buying servos. Buy big or keep saving. Don't waste money on $30 ebay crappy servos. Just save up and get that $120 Futaba servo and be done with it. It will last you a lifetime.

devilchrist

sorry dude.. to a new person comming in to this hobby ANYcar is gonna be easily breakable. you take a $1000+ hopped up buggy and give it to a newbie to race around a track as fast as he can, he'll break something very soon. driver skill is just as important as durability

What a lot of people here will tell you is to get expensive right away but that's false, most of these people have gone the cheap/used route and bought the nice one later, they've gotten better at control and break less, then they start thinking it's was expensive, so it must be more durable,

Rather they have become better drivers and crash less, or manage theri crash better.

It's all about experience when it comes to RCcar's breaking.

sure some definitely more durable then others, but $$ doens't mean it's more durable

Race buggies (except RC8) are more durable than that raaze. Racing puts more stress on a car than bashing. Race kits like the 8ight, MP9, Xray, Mugen, etc. are extremely durable.

there are lots of durable quality inexpensive cars out there, some have been mentioned jhere,, best is to do research here, follow the threads. if it isn't adecent thread here most likely won't be a good choise.

MYrecommendation is picking up a Losi 1.0 RTR used. They are going dirt cheap because of the release of 2.0. and parts are cheap also. MBX4/5's are also going down with rease of the 6.

only gripe about the RAZEi have say is the availability of parts. they are becomming slim. other than that it's still a solid performer. it's basically copy of Ofna hyper7 and most parts fit on the RAZE