Thunder Tiger Price gouging
#1
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[&o]Bad news, Hobbico just bought out ace hobbies and became the new us distributor for Thunder Tiger. If you go to Towers site you will now see that the Thunder Tiger 40 Pro is now $65.00 more than it was yesterday.
Currant price is $139.99. Maybe we should find a Chineese engine from Hobby King for a reasonable price.
Currant price is $139.99. Maybe we should find a Chineese engine from Hobby King for a reasonable price.
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Just got off Hobby kings site and wouldn't you know they just put up a couple of new engines. A Leo 40 for $ 45.00 and a 46 for $47.
I don't know about these engines, but back in the early 90's I ran a Leo 28 and it was great. At least as good as a OS 25 FSR at the time. Nothing like competition in the market place.
I don't know about these engines, but back in the early 90's I ran a Leo 28 and it was great. At least as good as a OS 25 FSR at the time. Nothing like competition in the market place.
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Great, Tower Hobby out to screw the world again! [sm=devious.gif] Thanks Tower for screwing up the Viper, killing the Predator and now trying to take the only engine approved for racing in 424. I guess the $100 claiming rule should go bye-bye now, and the 16.6 rule
is done too. [:@]
It is time to give Tower Hobbies the collective pylon racer finger!
The cost of the engine must be below $120 (street price)
It is time to give Tower Hobbies the collective pylon racer finger!
#4

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I am with you 100% Scott!
_,!,, My version of the finger
Still buy most of my stuff from LHS and guys trying to have a go at supplying the model community.
_,!,, My version of the finger

Still buy most of my stuff from LHS and guys trying to have a go at supplying the model community.
#6

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The engine you mention is every bit of that - a very nice one. Trouble is, it makes the planes fast enough that we would lose a lot of our local racers, and going to a race with 20-30 entries is a lot of fun! The new engine has it's place, but a sport Q500 class is still needed, I think.
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I hope all have sent an email to Tower voicing you concerns or feelings or this thread is non productive except to vent how you feel to others that can't or won't take it to the appropriate venue.
Anyway the last two Pro 40's I bought from Tower listed for $94 and with the 20% off program I am in the price came to about $76 delivered to my door with the free shipping. With the price increase it will now cost me another $33 to buy another one. I have written Tower and voiced my concerns on the monopoly they are working hard to create and that their price increase is not being viewed favorably within the modeling community. If you check the other TT engine prices they have all been really jacked up and I can really see the potential for other engines to come to the front for monetary reasons.
I encourage all the voice their concerns to Tower and tell them how you feel.
Anyway the last two Pro 40's I bought from Tower listed for $94 and with the 20% off program I am in the price came to about $76 delivered to my door with the free shipping. With the price increase it will now cost me another $33 to buy another one. I have written Tower and voiced my concerns on the monopoly they are working hard to create and that their price increase is not being viewed favorably within the modeling community. If you check the other TT engine prices they have all been really jacked up and I can really see the potential for other engines to come to the front for monetary reasons.
I encourage all the voice their concerns to Tower and tell them how you feel.
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Some contact information to inform Tower of how we feel about their choice to try to eliminate the TT PRO 40: Please take the time to let them know that this is not acceptable to us. We all know that most of the .40 engines are gone due to companies like Tower pushing the .46 size, but for racing, the .40 size is what we have to use. Don't let Tower do this to us.
Tower contact page: http://www.towerhobbies.com/contact.html
email: [email protected]
phone: 800-637-6050
postal address: Tower Hobbies, PO Box 9078, Champaign, IL 61826-9078
Take a few minutes to let your voice be heard, or you will have no right to complain when they are gone.
Thanks,
Tower contact page: http://www.towerhobbies.com/contact.html
email: [email protected]
phone: 800-637-6050
postal address: Tower Hobbies, PO Box 9078, Champaign, IL 61826-9078
Take a few minutes to let your voice be heard, or you will have no right to complain when they are gone.
Thanks,
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Is there any other engine with similar performance available? I cannot imagine buying a replacement for TT Pro for $140 - that is just stupid.
At $79 the TT Pro 40 is a great value - at $140 it will kill 424. This is priced even higher than an O.S. 46!!!!
I want some of whatever those Tower folks are smoking cause they are outa their minds!!
Dan
At $79 the TT Pro 40 is a great value - at $140 it will kill 424. This is priced even higher than an O.S. 46!!!!
I want some of whatever those Tower folks are smoking cause they are outa their minds!!
Dan
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#13
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Man Thats A bummer.
The best idea would be to contact the plyon board and get them to find other affordable engines for 424. Now is a good time to expand that list
BV
The best idea would be to contact the plyon board and get them to find other affordable engines for 424. Now is a good time to expand that list

BV
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Hi!
Yes there is! The ASP (Kyosho GX .40 ) is as powerful.
I use that engine in Q-500 pylon over here in Sweden. It turns a 10x6 RAM prop at 14600-14800 rpm on 80/20 fuel using a Nova Rossi 4 or 4A glow-plug (with both the head shims removed). It's also durable as any other engine.
The only problem is the silencer ,but that is easily fixed with some screws and some high-temp silicon.
I've changed the rear bearing to a Swiss C4 WIB bearing (performance specialties).
Yes there is! The ASP (Kyosho GX .40 ) is as powerful.
I use that engine in Q-500 pylon over here in Sweden. It turns a 10x6 RAM prop at 14600-14800 rpm on 80/20 fuel using a Nova Rossi 4 or 4A glow-plug (with both the head shims removed). It's also durable as any other engine.
The only problem is the silencer ,but that is easily fixed with some screws and some high-temp silicon.
I've changed the rear bearing to a Swiss C4 WIB bearing (performance specialties).
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Here ya go ladies
https://www.thundertiger4u.com/store...idProduct=1067
Thanks Tom, I was looking this up just as you were posting.
https://www.thundertiger4u.com/store...idProduct=1067
Thanks Tom, I was looking this up just as you were posting.
#16

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Around here, the "one engine" aspect of 424 has contributed greatly to it's popularity. One doesn't have to worry about the "engine of the month" club, etc. It really would be a shame to see that go away. We need to be careful just what happens to the event.
#21

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I just received the October issue of Tower Hobbies TowerTalk ... the price of the TT 46 pro is listed as; $94.99, but Tower just bumped the price up to $149.99 on their website ... that's a 50% increase!!!
And the price of the TT Pro 61 is listed as; $129.99 in TowerTalk, but the TowerHobbies website now lists the price at 179.99 ... a 39% increase!!
YIKES !!!
I thought there was a recession/depression going on! How could prices increase so much?
I guess when Hobbico controls the market by monopoly (being the only US ThunderTiger distributor) they can dictate the price.
Isn't that nice.
For now, the only alternative is a Magnum engine ... still at low prices.
And the price of the TT Pro 61 is listed as; $129.99 in TowerTalk, but the TowerHobbies website now lists the price at 179.99 ... a 39% increase!!
YIKES !!!
I thought there was a recession/depression going on! How could prices increase so much?
I guess when Hobbico controls the market by monopoly (being the only US ThunderTiger distributor) they can dictate the price.
Isn't that nice.
For now, the only alternative is a Magnum engine ... still at low prices.
#22
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I doubt you will see the cheep prices for Thunder tiger continue much longer. Hobbico has a US monoply on the engine and Tower is Hobbico. As soon as all the old stock is used up everybody will be selling them at the new Tower price unless Hobbico sees the light.
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Aw come on guys it's as good as an OS why shouldn't it be overpriced like an OS
. I mean how could they reconcile the TT being a lot less price than an OS???[>:]
Denis

Denis