john j m

I am building a 1/10 Subaru Impreza electric kit the model comes from the range of kits made by Bycmo, the parts are being supplied on a weekly basis with a magazine called Radio Control published by De Agostini UK Ltd.

The kit is suposed to be compleated in 45 parts that is on the road with a radio control transmitter that is part of the kit, to date 34 issues have been received so there are 11 to go, the parts so far are .... chassis, wheels, suspension arms, struts,shock absorbers,transmission, electric motor, speed controller and a set of resistors.

As you can see if it has taken 34 issues to get this far, I am begining to wonder how the model and the radio control transmitter are going to get compleated in the next 11 issues.

Is there anyone else out there constructing this model ? if there is what are your thoughts ?

JOHN

frailcow

I picked up the first issue to see if the wheels/shock springs would fit any of my cars, because it would've been a good deal to get a few at the introductory price.

Its a really expensive way to build a car, which you probably are noticing by now.

I assume they will give you an assembled receiver at least, the transmitter will probably also be assembled. Does the kit require anything (eg. battery, charger)? They may give you a cheap battery and charge leads in one issue.

john j m

Hi Frailcow,

Thanks for your responce, you are sure right about one thing this sure is an expensive way to build a model ! but I did not know a lot about modeling when I started, the battery and charger have to be purchaced separatly and I am beginging to worry about if the transmitter is included as there are only eleven issues to go and at the rate the parts have been comming I just can't see it, however I think that the receiver is included.

Yes the total out lay less battery and charger is ÂŁ225 thats stirling [British] so I reckon the term rip off comes to mind, but there you are no one forced me into it, all I can say is that if anyone out there is silly enough to think about building a car in this way is forget it !

But hey having said all that I am realy into model cars now and am saving up hard for a nitro model.

Best wishes ,
JOHN

frailcow

Building a kit is a great way to get started, so the experience you get may be worth it.

They won't leave you high and dry without a transmitter, I'm sure of it!

You'll get a heap of fun out of your first car, the speed will probably be plenty fast for the first while, and if you choose to get a nitro later on you'll already have some driving under you belt. I hope the car is durable for your sake, I never thought about how parts replacement would work if anything breaks once its running.

steve_b9

im also building the bycmo subaru impreza from deagostini

as far as i know the servos and the receiver all come ready assembled, but the transmitter you build your self.

you do get the battery and charger in special issues which cost more than the normal issues, but i wont bother with the charger id just get a peak charger and a new battery cos the one supplied dosent last that long for 12-14 hours charging

it is a bit of a rip off but im a beginer and cant afford ÂŁ100-ÂŁ200 in one go and the books are good and tell you good information to get you started and gives you experience when your building it.

ps i got a spair motor by complaining about the packaging because the screws got in side the motor but i got them out, and they sent me a new because they dont read there emails properly

john j m

Steve b9
How is your Subaru running ? the gears in the differential distorted on mine after just a few runs ! also the resistor melted the radio mounting plate. I have e mailed Agostini and sent the diff back arround six weeks ago but have heard nothing.
Does anyone know if spares are avaiable for this Bycmo model ? now that I have read a few model mags it looks as if the design is very dated

Karl the Mechan

WHAT A SPLENDID WAY TO BUILD A CAR!

Hi guys I started reading this thread and it took a while until I realized what the concept was.... then I nearly laughed myself silly!
A really really good marketing sceeme
Never mind the car not being the most competitive and technically advanced thing on the marked, I just loved the idea.

Having built and driven one of those, you're soon ready for a kit from one of the more established companies (Tamiya,Kyosho,Associated,etc)
In the mean time, ENJOY!

john j m

Hey Karl,
You don't just happen to work for Agostini [the bunch of crooks who distributed this load of junk] its not a good way to build a car and I would advise anyone not to have anything to do with them.
I am still hoping to find spares for the car its a 1/10 Impreza made by Bycmo a Spanish firm I think ? Or mayby one of you clever guys out there have some idea as to how the drive train could be modified and updated.
John

Karl the Mechan

HEHE, NO I DONT
But even if YOU'RE not happy with it, I still think it's a good idea.

This particular car may not be much to speek of, what I'm intrigued by is THE CONCEPT. What a brilliant marketing idea!
Ok, I got curious and checked out the Bycmo.com webpage. Quite frankly I think those cars were ..........basic.

BUT, is the mag any good???

john j m

Hi Karl
Good to find someone interested in my problems, yes you are right it is a brilliant marketing concept or maybe confidence trick it depends on how you look at it. Agostini operate by taking out television advertising the advertising stated and I quote “Build and drive a real champion rally car with components of the highest quality a spectacular electric rally car The Subaru Impreza WRC”
The components for the car were posted to me in 45 instalments together with a basic instructional magazine the total cost amounted to ÂŁ225 Stirling, a battery and charger I purchased separately, so as you can see this was not a low cost venture.
The car started to disintegrate almost as soon as I started to use it., by now I had started to subscribe to Radio Control Racer Magazine and had also attended several meeting at the local model car club circuit, I soon realised what dated design my car was, I feel perhaps that Agostini had purchased a job lot of end of the line obsolete models and unloaded them on an unsuspecting public.
It has all been a steep learning curve to me I can tell you, and one more thing my next car will be a KYSHO..LOSI..SCHUMACHER..TAMIYA…. Anything but a BYCMO

john j m

I am still hoping to find spares for the car it’s a 1/10 Impreza made by Bycmo a Spanish firm I think? Or maybe one of you clever guys out there has some idea as to how the drive train could be modified and updated. [end quote]


Been doing some digging around on the Web and I can now answer the questions myself, Bycmo is indeed a Spanish outfit they specialize in large 1/7 scale models, they also make 1/10 scale but the design is not exactly state of the art. Spares in the UK are available from www.sbc.gb.com also on e-mail at Bycmo @ sbc.gb.com

steve_b9

hi john j m
my differential broke aswell about 2 months ago, the other day i phoned them up and they are still waiting for the new ones to come in , im asuming that lots of differentials broke and that they have improved them.
there is no point in looking around for spairs because ive been looking for ages and i cant find a single differential the same. i took the differential to a rc car specialist and he said that hes never seen one that small.
my resistors do get hot aswell but i didnt get a chance to melt them. but for soon i will be getting a no-limit foward and reverse electronic speed control from www.anticsonline.co.uk for only ÂŁ45, so i guess ur gonna have to wait like me
!!!it sucks!!!

steve_b9

i think i might have found a differential which might fit
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXD329&P=7

john j m

Hi Steve........I have a web site www.sbc.gb.com and a contact phone number 02302 830708 for spare parts, I have not tried to phone them yet as I am still hoping Agostini will replace the diff but as I sent it back on the 26 Aug it doesent look good !!

Thanks for the responce, but as you say the whole thing sucks..... the car is a dog


John

john j m

Thanks Steve.........Had a look at that Dura Trax diff, it does look something like the Bycmo one but the chances of it fitting are a bit slim.

What happend to your diff ? my one stripped the satellite gears

steve_b9

my diff broke on the plastic in side, the plasic all wore away and the gears inside would slip which wore the metal gears down. i would show you a picture but i cant upload it and its a poor photo.
hopefully de agostini should get ther finger out of there arse and send us the new differentials.
im never ever going to subscribe to one of these stupid magasines again because there all a total rip-off.
also i havent received issue 41, the body. so i complained about 2 months ago and they only ordered me a new one a month after i they said that they would send me a new one. they take the piss.

rfoley

Hi John and Co.

I am also collecting this series. Down here in australia we are up to issue 31( the speed controller issue). The speed controller supplied with issue 31 is almost totally assembled, unlike the instructions that come with the magazine, which shows how to assemble the controller. I assume there were so many problems with the speed controller they supplied in other parts of the word that they have either choosen to pre-assemble it or have supplied a better controller. One question I do have is that the car was advertised here in Austalia as having a top speed of 60 kph (45 mph) , aothought there web site states 45 kph. When I enquired they said the manufacturer was trying to improve the performance. I received the motor with part 30 and again asked the distributer about the perfromace of this engine but they didn't exactly provide a beleiveable answer. I noticed that they advertised the car in England as having a speed of 45 mph and were found to have missled people because the car could only do 45 kph(28mph) Can anyone who has a completed subaru comment on the speed performance of this. I am very skeptical that it will perform as well as they claimed.

Rodney

steve_b9

i think they are trying to improve the speed because over here in england ive just received the new gears for the transmition which will make it faster but i dont think it will do 45mph because ours are made from so much plastic that it would brake within seconds

john j m

Hi Rodney,
Welcome to the forum, it will be good to hear how you are getting along with the construction and running of the Bycmo WRC model from time to time, as you have read Steve and me have had a few problems, we still have come to that!
I see that you are up to issue 31 the speed controller [mechanical] as with yours our ones came assembled, after my car was completed and running it was one of the first things to fail, the plastic disc that contains the brass contacts overheated and melted , I rebuilt it using two part epoxy resin but I think it will have to be replaced with an electronic controller that is if I ever get the car to run again, you see the next thing that went was the differential that was way back in August I am still waiting to see if Agostini are going to replace it.
You ask about the speed of the finished car, my one when it ran could hit about 25 to 28 MPH the guys at the track laughed their cxxxks off! But quite frankly I don’t think that the chassis would handle any more speed, like Steve said it would fall to bits. So I reckon that you are right to be sceptical about the cars performance, but you will have good fun building it and even more fun getting Agostini to replace the faulty parts.

John

john j m

Hey Steve B,

Do I read your post right have “AGO” sent you a new differential?? Is it better than the old one ?

John

steve_b9

hi
no they havent sent any yet but i phoned them up and there waiting for new ones which i think are going to be improved

Mr.Sticky

Parts for this model are available at SBC.GB.COM. Seems they only became involved when the De agostini collection was finished in the UK and they started importing production ones. They have a web site, www.sbc.gb.com with a section on the BYCMO electric car. The model is actually inexpensive, it is the cost of the magazine that made it dear. There is an e-mail link, ( [email protected],) to the company from the site. People are asked to telephone STEVE on 02392-830708.Spares are received usually the next day. They actually mail spares everywhere. They also have a range of upgrades:- tyres, wheels, bodies, speed controllers, bigger motors, etc
IT IS A PITY THEY WERE NOT INVOLVED WITH THIS VENTURE IN THE BEGINNING!!

Mr.Sticky

john j m

Welcome to the forum Mr Sticky, the info you give about spares was in fact posted on the thread 5th Oct.. But that’s cool, thanks. The De Agostini part work collection is still up and running distributing upgrades also a new series this time it’s the nitro version of the Bycmo kit, hope that its going well for the subscribers.
I and I think that I speak for the other constructors of the electric Bycmo kit feel that the distributor must/should have a legal/moral liability to replace parts that have become faulty within a reasonable time of the completion of the kit.
In the meantime thank you for your input, I am sure that we will be making use of SBC.GM.COM in order to keep our models running in the future.

John

john j m

Hi Steve
Had this email from “ AGO” this morning,

Dear Customer

Thank you for your email. We are sorry to say that we have no
differentials gears(issue 19) left in stock. We (DeAgostini) are
currently in contact with the manufacturer, Bycmo to get hold of these.
Bycmo have told us that there is a problem in supplying these in the
next few weeks and they are looking into this. They will be responding
back to DeAgostini soon with an answer about when they can supply these.
Until this time we would appreciate if customers could hold on just that
bit longer until we can satisfy the request. We sincerely apologise for
the inconvenience this has caused and may cause and would like to ensure
that your request will be dealt with. Thank you for your co-operation.

Kind Regards
DeAgostini


Aint that just cool!!!!
John

steve_b9

hi
well i hope that the new diffs are in aluminium because otherwise they can have the peice of **** back,
because if it brakes under only a 27 or 30 turn motor, then i might aswell forget about gettin an 18 turn motor and an electronic speed controll.
and today i phoned them up about my body shell which hasnt been delivered they said i have to wait till the 29th but when i phoned them up a week ago they said the 14th which is today.
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