Redcat Durability
 

It looks like this forum is monitored by Redcat employees, so I wanted to post my experience with the Mirage Pro. I've been running RC cars for about 25 years now, but haven't had time to play since kids came along. I decided to get back in and try brushless and lipos. I've owned Tamiya, Kyosho, Duratrax, Associated, Traxxas, and Nylint. Most of those cars still run. I had read the reviews on the Mirage and understood that it was a bit fragile. At the same time, I noticed they had some V2 parts and it looked like they were trying to improve on their products. My Mirage came with a bad charger, which they made good on. I had a new one within a week. My first run was on the street so I could see how fast the Mirage was. Wow, I couldn't believe how fast such a heavy car could go! My second run was at a baseball field. I was running the bases with it when I hit the grass on a turn and rolled it. It rolled once: tires, roof, tires. I figured I was good to go, but quickly found out something had broken. The upper rear ball stud had ripped out of the rear hub and the linkage. It was gone! I know they don't warranty suspension, but I sent a claim anyway since the car is only a couple weeks old and halfway through its second run. It was turned down. Moral of the story is you get what you pay for. From my experience, this car would be good on a smooth dirt track but will most likely break if rolled or jumped. If this was my first car, I would have been turned off of the hobby completely. I will fix my Mirage, but most likely never buy Redcat again. I think Redcat could make a name for itself if they used a better quality plastic and gave some kind of warranty on the car, not just the electronics. For now, however, I would not recommend them.

Ive got 2 redcats. The tornado s30 and rs10, the only problem ive had with them is the grub screws on my tornado and servos on the rs10. Other than that ive rolled, jumped, fliped crashed, hit a curb, and the tornado just gets fliped back over and drives off
Is it possible that with it had only been ur second run that u didnt understand how the car really handled??
Any car breaks, my axial exo terra has broke more than my tornado and the exo has probably 2lbs on the tornado it.goes a bit slower, 40mph right now, but still.
I think its understandable that it broke, I dont think its redcats fault either.

I dont work for redcat nor am I sponsered by them, ive just got 2 redcats :)

I understand that breakage happens, but what has to happen for the ball stud to be gone? It has to strip itself out of the hub and pop out of the linkage. My guess is that it was stripped at the factory. The buggy handles pretty well, but I'll probably put a higher weight oil in the shocks. The buggy was drifting sideways and doing maybe 10mph. Given the forces involved in the rollover, I don't see how that would strip the ball stud out of the hub. The hub itself didn't crack, so my fix will be to find a ball stud long enough to got through the stripped hole and put a nut on it to hold it in place.

It's good to hear your models are holding up. Gives me a bit of faith in the plastics. I was hoping Redcat would stand behind their product and entertain the possibility that the ball stud hole in the hub was stripped during assembly. Perhaps after some mods this will be a decent truck. Thanks for all the other help you've given me BTW.

Oh ok I get what u mean now.
I was going to get the mirage b4 I got the exo terra, I got the exo cuz I had the extra cash and it came with a lipo and 8th scale electronis so I just went for it, id still like to get the green mirage, that looks sick. My exo is orange :p
Redcat has been good to me, my first nitro as well as my first large scale. Ive been messing with xmods since they first came out when I was like 8? 8ish. So redcat fueled my addiction even more lol.
Glad to gear ur not tottaly put off towards redcat though!

I've had the Mirage out about 6 times now and lost something every time. I think a gorilla must have built mine because I lose screws or clips almost every time out. So far every one that fell out seems to be stripped. I've learned to bring parts, a toolbox, and a magnet (to find parts) on my runs. The Mirage is now part Tamiya Boomerang, Traxxas Sledgehammer, and AE B3. I am thankful that most RC parts seem to be the same size or close enough. I think if they offered this model in a kit, I could have built it much better from the start. Perhaps I need to look at the Mirage like my 1:1 Jeep - built, not bought.

Wow that seems like a lot of trouble.
Havve u talked to redcat and see what they say?

Wow that seems like a lot of trouble.
Havve u talked to redcat and see what they say?

Yeah, I send a warranty request each time. Here's the last one: "we apologize for the issues, unfortunately we do not cover replacement parts such as the battery door. The warranty is more intended towards the electronics in the vehicle, not damage caused from running the vehicle."

I knew Redcat wasn't the most durable RC out there (see YouTube), I am disappointed with all breakage. The battery door broke while removing the battery door, not driving. Since it has been driven, it seems that all plastic damage is on me.

yeah, that sucks.
Is there aluminum parts to replace plastic with?

it is soo sad that the plastics used on the mirage are brittle. I ran my mirage many times before I sold it. It was crazy fast, handled decent and looked awesome. and the driveline is as tough as any big name brand RC company! I took mine apart after 10 packs and couldn't find any wear at all. I loved the bottom loading tray (didn't buy and exo cause of how the battery mounts) and the mirage was really nuts on a 4s!

but sadly, the suspension pin holders, suspension arms and plastic parts of the shocks as well as some parts of the roll cage are made of a brittle plastic. one time they would hold up perfect to a truly nasty crash....the next I would break a suspension arm on a small jump. the plastics would build up micro fractures in them....I could tell by they way they broke....it wasn't a clean break....edges looked like broken charcoal.

it is really a shame. for the same money as a RTR axial exo you can buy a similar buggy that is MUCH fast (35mph on 3s for a RTR exo, 45 for the mirage and the mirage can even do 4s for nearly 60mph) and the mirage has a much better battery tray.

one thing to note about redcats...if you have a bad experience with one, don't right off the brand. redcat has multiple suppliers...meaning their different models come from different places. the epx and 1/10 nitros don't come from the same place as the mirage. the epx models use a flexable plastic. I have had nearly all the redcat electric models (except for the terromoto, XTE and 1/5 electric buggy) and the difference in design and materials between them is big. thus, some are more durable than others.