I just had a quick question that hopefully will bring alot of insight. First off, This is the car im looking at, (I know the brand isnt the best, I know they have bad reviews, But im not looking to race them or do big high jumps, I have a basher for that.) http://www.nitrorcx.com/1scexrcma28e.html

Next part of the question, Can anybody tell me why (Aside from reviews) this car would not be worth the money? It looks like its mainly aluminum parts and has a nice sized motor on it.

Last part, If there are any other truggies that are within the $0-350 range that would be this truggies trump card then please let me know. I want to get the best possible rc for my money. Im not really looking for a stadium truck/truck/car. I want to get a truggie/buggy so that i can run it through grass without much hesitation. I would also like it to be bigger than .18 cuz i already have a .18 and it isnt really all that fast. Any help is greatly appreciated!

I just found this too, Im not sure if it would be better but its reputation is alot better! And its a little cheaper! http://www.shopatron.com/product/par....49233.0.0.0.0

Duratrax Raze- Tower Hobbies
-$20 off 150$
-$30 Mail in Rebate

Total= $200 for a decent rtr buggy

All you will find in that price range, is Junk and Used Junk. Don't buy yourself an expensive head ache, save a while and get something of higher quality, that you can actually get PARTS for.

See, Ive been trying to save up a little to get a better brand name car but my only problem is the wife.. lol Between her, My son, and bills, Its very difficult to save a little money up. I have 300 right now and i will have another 50 tomorrow BUT, If i held onto it for much longer she might find something we *NEED* and id be back at square one. Breaking parts isnt a big deal for me tho, I can always come up with $10-$30 whenever its needed, I just cant come up with a lump sum quick enough. How is that Cen Matrix R2 tho? Is it a good buggy?

matrix is a good, solid buggy. excellent for a beginner and can be raced if you choose! do some google searche's if you don't beleive....

99% of people are going to tell you to spend DBL what you want to spend because the sub $500-$600 ride's are lesser car's, to a degree they are right but for the most part that mentallity is WRONG IMO

maybe in the case of that nitrorcx or w/e they have a point but if you are buying from a known manufacturer (like CEN or an older model used buggy from LOSI,Xray,OFNA...) you will be OK. nothing wrong with the used market either, i find LOT's of deal's and have saved hundred's if not thousand's doing it! just have to be carefull with what you buy, check it out REAL good! when shopping for used item's i deal locally so that i can inspect before i purchase [8D]

just my $0.02

If he knew enough about the hobby to know when he's getting ripped off for a used car, then he wouldn't have posted here. Many noobs give up because they buy Junk at the suggestion of people online. They spend $300+ on junk, it breaks, there's hardly any parts or support from them, they get frustrated and it ends up at a garage sale for $50.

He stands a much better chance at happiness/success with a better car. Get a Losi, Ofna(not the ultracomp) or something of quality. It's a MUCH BETTER place to be when the worst of your problems is learning to tune a nitro motor, rather than waiting for some obscure part to come from Timbuktu...

Save your money, HIDE IT WELL(I have a wife too) and spend more for a good, name brand vehicle. You won't regret it.

P.S. The CEN isn't bad.

Id like to get a losi but like i said the problem is the wife.. lol The bigger problem is that SHE is the one that works and i watch our son etc, (She has a better education than i do) So she knows how much we have and how much i spend.. lol Plus we are still young so she has a attitude about "her working for the money" so she basically gets everything she wants, Meantime i have to scavenge.. lol Im embarassed enough about her working and not me but eh, What can ya do? What i was trying to do was get her kinda some-what interested in the sport so that she might want to put something into it. Meaning more money for cars later on xD Until then tho i have to basically stick to the lower range. I seen the 8ight 2.0 and that thing is MEAN! lol I think i might have to stick to the CEN as i have already shown it to her and she said it looked "cute" She probably thinks i have my mind made up. I appreciate all the advice tho, And Foamy your right, I am new to the sport so i wouldnt know a good or bad deal if it hit me like a train. lol

+1 there is alot of truth here, I went with a used OFNA MBX ultra buggy, and have not been too disappointed, couple of issues, but for 150.00 I got a working comp level buggy and the guy threw in the aluminum arm upgrades, and another 60 on a spare chassis with the arms, and full suspension... what was awesome is it has a huge big block.32 engine, so I got a deal! granted I have a few more things to do before I can seriously run it, which is the drawback with a used vehicle, but if you are a gearhead of sorts, the savings versus the work really comes out in the wash and gives you the opportunity to learn your vehicle from top to bottom, while saving a buck or 2 at the same time!

The plus is witha vehicle like this you can usually turn around and sell it for the money you spent and generally break even, then combine that money with say some more money you ferreted away and get a new rig later on...

Just my opinion to add to the one quoted, and also as an experienced RC driver with a wide variety of vehicles...

oh, and the last bonus to a cheaper used vehicle is this, you do not feel such a sense of loss if you total the vehicle learning how to drive it....

This hobby siphons money. I work and my wife works part time with a baby on the way. She has been bugging me ever since I bought my CEN. I told her I didn't want to race, but then I did. I spent tons. The good news I have tools and things and can race once a month spending around $100.

I may get a part-time job on a weekend when the baby comes, this has been so rewarding and so much fun.

The CEN is a good buggy. The cheapest price is eBay. Also, there is a guy on eBay who disassembles them and sells the parts dirt cheap. The available hop-ups indicate what will break.

lol I like the term "ferreted away" lol That shoe fits me pretty well actually. Anyway... Is CEN a top name in the rc game or just mediocre? I was also looking here on rcuniverse's classifieds and found a bunch of higher end cars that needed a little work or people just wanted to get rid of them for dirt cheap. If you directly buy them from here is there some kind of guarantee for your money? Im not looking to trade anything as ive seen ALOT of people complain that they got ripped off. As far as the Matrix R2 goes, Im not really into racing and like i said i am new to the sport so my main driving is done in my yard or in the street in front of my house. I just want a nitro that isnt going to break apart like my volcano after a few days of running it. The Matrix looks like it is made of some good parts so i shouldnt have ALOT of trouble, But i guess trouble is basically a givin in this sport. lol, So im not too concerned about that. For the $300 ill spend the CEN is a good buggy then?

Put it this way. CEN was a Sponsor for one of our local racers. In his hands, that car was faster than many more expensive brands.

Really, the ones I'd try to steer you away from, are the "Off Brands" that litter the net. They are typically a knock off, made with sub standard materials and quality control. You DON'T want them, TRUST ME. Nobody wants a $300+ paper weight. That's how many of them end up in the hands of a new guy just trying to get started on a tight budget. Don't shoot yourself in the foot, get a name brand car that the company will stand behind and support with parts, info, etc...

any one consider the [link=http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/products_id/17279]ST-1[/link]? good and sturdy, raceable, proven. it's only $299.99, and is a runner for the price.

Consider the [link=http://cgi.ebay.com/Hot-Bodies-Lightning-Stadium-2-Pro-RTR-Red-TRUGGY-66861_W0QQitemZ360138368321QQcmdZViewItem]Hot Bodies Lighting Stadium 2 RTR[/link]. It is a good all around truck, and you can get parts from hotbodiesonline.

Ive been reading alot about the hot bodies D8 and im seriously considering it over the Matrix. According to everyone else they are running mainly stock and giving other more expensive brands a hell of a run for their money. Like i said tho, Im not extremely big on racing, I MIGHT consider running a few races to see how it does but mainly it will be just something to have fun with. Id really like to get a Losi 2.0 but i have to find a better price for it or else im stuck with the Matrix or a D8. lol Oh well, Either of the two would probably work out pretty well.

EDIT: BTW, I dont think i ever specified, but i already have a Redcat Volcano SV Truck. I know its not a good example of how other trucks might be but im looking for something a little lower to the ground. Meant more for racing. So im pretty much in the market for a buggy.

SECOND EDIT: Does anybody know if the D8 comes with a engine in it? Everywhere ive seen it online does not say what engine is in it so that leads me to believe it does not. If somebody knows a site hosting the car WITH a engine please send me a link! Thanks

The D8 is an exceptional deal. Drop in a decent 3 port Top or Rossi, some decent servos; you'll have a race car. [8D]

The d8 is a good buggy but it comes as a kit, meaning you have to assemble it, then you have to buy an engine, radio system, & servos. If you went cheap on it you would still be over $800.00 . The cen matrix would be a good car for what you want to do within your budget.

i dont know why you people rag on exceed, redcat and himoto. the part that sucks and i will admit is the radio system. but the buggies are fast and durable. why pay $500+ for a buggy. most people get into 1/8 buggies because they are durable, fast and fun. i dont need some crazy twitchy buggy that is super light but also super weak. all of those 500+ buggies are meant for races so they are light and aprts are weaker. there is a reason these buggies are so ppular...keep in mind these brands didnt exist 5yrs ago and now theyve taken the hobby by storm

Yeah i found a manual for the D8 on their site. Tells you that the motor, servos's, and radio are NOT included. I was kinda wondering why it was that cheap if people have been killing more expensive cars with it. lol Figured maybe it was due to people upgrading the D8 but i was wrong. It looks like a great car that i might have to look into next tax season but as of now i think the Matrix is my best bet. Even with it i could still save up another few hundred and buy some upgrades for it. Might even be able to make it run as good as a D8. xD Now i just need a good site to order it from. lol Thanks for all the help everyone! Alot of usefulness to this topic!

These guys recommending high priced stuff make up a fraction of people in the hobby. Most people like me and you dont have $1000 for a total setup. We are out there driving instead of posting and doing "Setup" on $1000+ buggies.

Lol Exactly wowreallyfast, Im pretty much looking for a really good car to show off to all my buddys and to have fun with my son. Like i said i might take it to a local track and see what it can do but 3/4 of the life of the buggy i get will be running laps in my backyard against my Volcano SV and whatever else i might get in the future. I dont want to spend less and buy something cheap tho, I want a really good name and a really well built car, I just cant afford to put alot of money into one.

Seems to me most of us are recommending the matrix r2 which is a $300.00 buggy. I was stating that the d8 was a kit & would cost at least 800 to get going . Just giving destruktiveone the pros & cons.

I have a 1/8 RedCat buggy thats been put through hell and has come out clean. It the Hurricane XP with .28 sh motor and she screams. I have a buddy with a Ofna Worlds and he's had more issues and broke more parts than me since we started running together. Plus parts for these brands are super cheap. I have to admit though, the 1/10's are pretty crappy and can't take much abuse. But the 1/8 are like a difference between night and day. I understand you can find "better" brands out there around the same price range but you also have to look into the parts for them as well. You'll find that they are more expensive and at that point I feel its not worth it. Well, to each his own. As long as you have fun, who gives a damn hahaha

take a look at the Kyosho Inferno US Sports 2 (I think there might be a newer 3 out)

It comes with everything you need to get started (except batteries and fuel).

It's competitive and parts are available everywhere, and there are a lot of Hop up parts too to make the car a 'top racer'... you can find it for a bit over your budget (the US Sport 2 is for $379 at Amain).

My advice for a good dependable buggy with great parts availability are the Raze or the Ofna Hyper 7 Black. Either one will give you what you are looking for in the buggy you want to use, in the fashion you've described. Both are in your price range and well supported with parts availability should you need them.