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-   -   mcd baja 1000?? (https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-giant-scale-cars-234/8271201-mcd-baja-1000-a.html)

kingpin123 12-22-2008 01:13 PM

mcd baja 1000??
 
is this truck any good? how do they compare with the fg line up? dont hear much people talking about these mcd

also for racing would this be faster then the fg trucks? stock to stock racing on asphalt

also what about parts to hop them up, are they alot available and easy to get parts??

Foxy 12-22-2008 01:29 PM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
The reason you don't hear many people talking about them, is because, if we're completely honest, they don't represent very good value for money. Those that can afford them are serious enough about the hobby that they don't really 'need' to talk about them.

Don't get me wrong, they're great cars, and unarguably the best 4x4 vehicles at their price point, but they are indeed expensive for what you get, which is why you only get those with cash in their pockets buying them.

You can't compare them to the FGs cos most FGs (especially those which are raced) are rear wheel drive. Even when you consider the new FG 4x4s, they're still not really comparable, as they're all alloy, the MCD is all plastic.

I'd take a 4x4 FG over an MCD any day of the week, but then again, they are nearly twice the price. The FG Baja 4x4 buggy would utterly RAPE an MCD in a drag race with comparable powerplants. The FG is lighter and the drivetrain more efficient.

The MCDs are very good for hopping up with a large amount of OEM hop ups available. Spare parts are surprisingly reasonably priced, but hopups, again, are expensive.

Once gain, if you are looking at asphalt drag racing, as I've told you before, you don't really want an MCD. Maybe a Rally, but certainly not a Baja1000 or a monster truck.

To save you a whole lot more posting, if you want a 4wd car for dragging that cannot be beat outta the hole, then your first thought of the FG Baja is absolutely ideal. You'll need a trick engine to keep the revs up with a 2wd, but it could be done (think CC Racing Engines). Also, the Smartech 4wd cars are pretty light for what they are, but they will need some drivetrain strengtheneing if you put a really strong motor in them.

speedy.d 12-22-2008 07:46 PM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
so why is every one so anti mcd?, their prices have come down, hey hold up very well, they have gears not belts and if you cant afford the mcd, imex 1/5 scale cars are a great car (they just need some finish work done to them) every person that owns a particuler brand of car is going to say its the best as long as they own it. educate yourself take in as much info as you can then get what you want, not what someone else wants you to buy,its you that you have to please. there is so much to consider when saying "which car is faster" gear ratio, weight and engine rpm, not to mention driving skill

SAVAGEJIM 12-22-2008 08:16 PM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
I think it is not because people are anti-MCD, it is because they have not participated in teh price cutting war that begun around August or September this year. Everyone else has reduced their prices of their 5th scales. Even HPI dropped their 5B to just under $1000 USD and FG has dropped their base model ARTR to just over $1000 USD. And all of the chinese cloners dropped their old prices of just under $1000 USD to closer to teh $500 mark (even less through several rogue e-Bay clone sellers). But MCD has held off and never participated in reducing (until very late in teh price war game).

clubin 12-22-2008 08:30 PM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
I have 2 MCD's a MT and a BAJA 1000 both EVO III's, a FG MB Pro, and a Redcat MT.

One thing that absolutely disgusts me about the MCD is the absolute and total lack of any sort of customer support. The manuals have not been updated to reflect the EVO III's there are many changes, I have 2 EVO III's and both have inferior EVO II diff's! MCD doesn't even know what parts are supposed to be in the cars.

I have owned my Redcat MT for a week now, and the customer support is spectacular, the quality is good, and they are nice to work on, don't get me wrong they need a few upgrades BB kit, shock shafts and afew other small things.

I have not once gone out with either of my MCD's and run out of fuel, they break every time I go out, and when they break! $$$$$ Holy they are espensive to fix! MCD needs to adress many things and customer support is a big one in my book.

If I had a issue or a question about my Redcat I would have a reply tomorrow, If I had a question about my MCD I could e-mail MCD and never get a reply. What do you want? You don't always get what you pay for somtimes you get more and it is not always good.

mooman007uk 12-22-2008 09:39 PM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
I think you just reinforced my opinion of MCD, couple of guys here had the monsters and broke every time they went out, they sold them and bought hpi bajas...i was thinking baja1000 for my next 1/5 thinking that it might be better without the big tires of the monster as far as durabilty goes, now i'm not so sure. do you think after my fgbaja and redcat i'd be pretty disappointed with one...I like my stuff to be right and don't like expensive cack so whad'ya think clubin?

clubin 12-22-2008 10:47 PM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
mooman My FG MB Pro is indestructible!

on my FG I broke a couple servo's 805's but they are crap anyway and a drive cup, that's it. My MCD's you don't even want to know. Maybe it's just me? I am scared to take my MCD's out honestly I can't justify the cost to repair them.

Just buy one of these http://www.vancouverhobbies.com/2for1rasa.html hoppups are readily available cheap parts. Excellent customer support check out http://www.redcatrampageforum.com/index.php and see for yourself, Redcat is adressing issues that I wouldn't even say are problems.

sheograth 12-22-2008 11:17 PM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
They're great cars, but like Foxy said the value is less than great.

speedy.d 12-22-2008 11:59 PM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
i have been messing around with the fs cars lately and found that with a little hand fitting and filing i hace very reliable car. one of the best things i have done is boil my suspension parts including the shock forks. as far as mcd customer support goes the guys at largescalerc can handle any issue you may have with mcd. they also take the time needed to answer whatever questions you may have wether or not you got the car from them. not to mention they ship worldwide every day.( they also happen to be my local lhs, so maybe im impatial)

mooman007uk 12-23-2008 12:02 AM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 


ORIGINAL: clubin

mooman My FG MB Pro is indestructible!

on my FG I broke a couple servo's 805's but they are crap anyway and a drive cup, that's it. My MCD's you don't even want to know. Maybe it's just me? I am scared to take my MCD's out honestly I can't justify the cost to repair them.

Just buy one of these http://www.vancouverhobbies.com/2for1rasa.html hoppups are readily available cheap parts. Excellent customer support check out http://www.redcatrampageforum.com/index.php and see for yourself, Redcat is adressing issues that I wouldn't even say are problems.
As you know I'm now a proud member of the rampage owners club got my MT couple of days ago:D, yet to run it but am totally impressed with overall build quality and design and i know the after sales is awesome, who else listened to their customers problems and then offered upgrade parts to address the issues for $49 bucks!!!!. and you get so much for so little.
i agree with fg being indestructable, my fgbaja is awesome , the abuse i've given it is huge but it takes it and it's broken very few times...99% of my many upgrades are thru personal choice not neccessity, i love my fg and would never part with it, i guess that's why fg are still by far the market leader they are durable to say the least...ok the overall design hasn't changed much since inception but why fix something that ent broke.
thanks for the input guys...my next 1/5 won't be an mcd, wont be an Hpi baja either[:'(] HMMMM wot to get next

scarletboa 12-23-2008 12:43 AM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
wait for the next big thing. the redcat rampage is revolutionary in the 5th scale world. there will be others. you just have to wait for them.;)

speedy.d 12-23-2008 01:10 AM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
preach on scarletboa, i agree i think the rampages suspension is awsome to say the least ive seen one running a 28.5 and look out it, moves out very well how long will it be before losi and associated jump on the wagon?

Foxy 12-23-2008 04:35 AM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 


ORIGINAL: speedy.d

so why is every one so anti mcd
I can only say I hope you aren't referring to me, but you must be since there was only my post above yours... I have two MCDs, a 4x4 smartech, an FG MB Pro and I had an HPI Baja with $3k in it. I'm not against MCDs, I'll tell it like it is, as an owner of quite a few models. They are the least value for money, period. They have a lot of teething issues out of the box (think fuel system and careful setup of suspension geometry if you don't want it breaking). The chassis are a bit soft as well.

Of the cars I have, by far the best is the FG which barely has more money in it than an RTR MCD Baja 1000. Then the MCDs, nothing drifts like em, great fun! Then the Smartech which is a surprisingly good little car especially considering the price. The HPI Baja was a real disappointment, even after throwing $2k more at it. So not anti-mcd, just good advice.

Regarding the rest of your post, I feel I have to retort...


ORIGINAL: speedy.d

they have gears not belts
MCD having gears vs belts...for off road, good. For efficiency and on-road, bad. It's about direction of rotation. Belt drive cars have ALL the drive forces going north south (or front to rear), there are NO power sapping right angles in th drivetrain (3 in the MCDs, one at the centre diff and two at the front and rear diffs), which allows the FGs to put a much higher percentage of it's power down.


ORIGINAL: speedy.d
every person that owns a particuler brand of car is going to say its the best as long as they own it.
I currently own FG cars, MCD cars, Smartech cars, and I have owned and driven many others in the past. I believe that entitles me to tell it how it is.


educate yourself take in as much info as you can then get what you want, not what someone else wants you to buy,its you that you have to please. there is so much to consider when saying "which car is faster" gear ratio, weight and engine rpm, not to mention driving skill
That's exactly what he's doing, posting on a forum to get opinions. I'm not telling him to buy one car, BUT, I do know what he plans to do with it, as I have been following his other threads. He is drag racing over 300ft or so on asphalt, hence my suggestion of the 4x4 baja being his only real alternative to the FG stadium (2wd) that he currently has. If I thought the MCDs would be better for his purposes (ie he is club racing on dirt), then I would not have hesitated to tell him that if he can bear the sticker price, the MCD will do very well.

Since the very first moment I have been discuccing it with him (also via pm), I have been telling him that it's all about weight and gearing. But it's funny you should be an advocate of low weight, and a fan of MCD, as there is only one word for them... Tanks. Note, that this does not make them bad, just not suitable for 'his' purpose, and this is 'his' thread.

Mooman, after your FG Baja, I honestly think you will be disappointed with the MCDs. If you go into it thinking that you need to spend a fair bit more money on alloy and drivetrain parts to bring it up to standard, then fair enough, there's nothing wrong with the MCD design, except the large number of right angles in the drivetrain.

As for Losi and Associated, well, I'm not holding my breath for Losi, but I think Associated (or should we say Thunder Tiger) is a good bet for the next 'big' thing. ;)

str8jailbird 12-23-2008 06:56 AM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
[quote]ORIGINAL: Foxy



ORIGINAL: speedy.d

so why is every one so anti mcd
I can only say I hope you aren't referring to me, but you must be since there was only my post above yours... I have two MCDs, a 4x4 smartech, an FG MB Pro and I had an HPI Baja with $3k in it. I'm not against MCDs, I'll tell it like it is, as an owner of quite a few models. They are the least value for money, period. They have a lot of teething issues out of the box (think fuel system and careful setup of suspension geometry if you don't want it breaking). The chassis are a bit soft as well.

Of the cars I have, by far the best is the FG which barely has more money in it than an RTR MCD Baja 1000. Then the MCDs, nothing drifts like em, great fun! Then the Smartech which is a surprisingly good little car especially considering the price. The HPI Baja was a real disappointment, even after throwing $2k more at it. So not anti-mcd, just good advice.
I am sorry to hear that your Baja didn't hold up. Was it the stock or SS? The only things that I have had break after a hard bashing was a front shock shaft end and CB bearings going out. I really love mine. My next is the Redcat Rampage MT. Just curious how their customer service compares to HPI's? HPI has been amazing with my questions and quick to get the shafts out to me that broke free of charge as wekk as a cracked header.

Foxy 12-23-2008 10:18 AM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
Baja wasn't breaking, just didn't like the way it drove. Nothing more, nothing less. Looked real nice, went very fast, but in my opinion, was not very interesting to drive. That's partly because I didn't have the best surfaces and areas to run it, but I don't have any complaints about the FG in that respect. It's hard to explain. Everytime I'd take them both out, I'd get through half a tank of the Baja and then play with the FG for the rest of the day... This is what it looked like just before I sold it. It was very pretty...

http://image2-6.rcuniverse.com/e1/ga.../lg-138816.jpg

mooman007uk 12-23-2008 10:35 AM

RE: mcd baja 1000??
 
Thanks foxy, you're one more multi car owner that has told it as it is without bias, I've had enough input now to be switched off on the MCD, yeah I could buy one and throw 2k + into it but for that kinda dough I'd prefer to try either the laut 4x4 or the fg baja 4x4, I'll bide my time and see what else comes out and takes my fancy.
I still reckon 2wd baja with 2speed and good wheelie bar will be kingpins best choice ...if we didn't have @#$%*ng 18" of snow i'd bolt my slicks on and vid mine going up the street...it is pretty damn quick to say the least.


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