Losi 8ight E. Thoughts?
 

I am looking for a new RC. I already have a Slash 4x4 and a Revo 3.3. I'm looking for something to bash around with. Maybe get into racing? I like the look of the 1/8 scale buggies. Does anyone have any experience with the 1/8 Losi 8ight-e? If so, can you give me your thoughts on this buggy. How fast have you got it to go? How does it perform? Is it durable? Any responses would be greatly appreciated. Also, are there any other buggies you would recommend? Thanks.

I think Losi would be an excellent first race buggy, though I would caution getting the RTR version, it might be more cost effective buying the kit and then installing proper race equipment, not that you need to buy high end stuff, but the RTR electronics will really hold you back. Do you know what other brands are supported with spare parts at the track in your area? If you can list them out, I'd be happy to provide my opinion on which one I would select if I was going to race at your club. I think it's very important to only race a brand that has on-site parts at the track so your race day doesn't prematurely end.

If you decide to go with a kit, let me know and I'd be happy to help select equipment for it once you set your budget.

Yeah my local track mainly carries Losi parts so that's why I'm looking to get a Losi. In what way would the RTR electronics hold me back? Speed wise? Also, what kind of upgrades would the kit come with that the RTR doesn't?

1) Servo is weak and slow, ideally you want servo that is over 200oz-in of torque and between .08-.12 sec/60°
2) Radio lacks computer controls, ideally you want a system that includes exponential steering as a bare minimum for a novice driver, this will vastly improve the handling of the car making it easier to drive
3) ESC/motor combo is over powered at 2500kV, plus it's a sensorless system which won't be as smooth when driving in more technical sections of the track, ideally you want a 1900kV motor for optimal efficiency, there is a saying in racing, "slower is faster", you gotta trust me on this, a 1900kV motor will be easier to drive, smoother to clear jumps more consistently and offer 2500/1900 = 32% longer run time
4) Tires that come with RTR's are too hard of a compound, most race tracks will use a soft compound tire for best performance, plus you'll want to punch vented holes in your tires before you mount them, that's a short cut most RTR's lack.

I'm not an expert on the Losi, but in general, most RTR's will cut costs by reducing some upgrades, I would visit your local track and have them go over each item, but at a quick glance from the product pics, this is what I'm seeing on the RTR:
1) Plastic shocks, kit should have aluminum shocks
2) Plastic non-adjustable links, kit should have aluminum turnbuckles... this is VERY important for setup changes
3) Plastic pivot blocks, kit should have all aluminum blocks... this will be a durability concern

RTR = Ready To Reassemble, most RTR's take short cuts in the building process, the assemblers rarely put grease on the rubber seals which are the root cause for leaky diffs and shocks, plus they rarely put the right fluids that you will need for your track conditions anyway. They also fail to use thread lock on any metal to metal fasteners. When you assemble the kit yourself (typically 4-8 hours) you will learn how everything goes together so when a part breaks, you'll easily be able to make quick repairs yourself.

If you're super intimidated and just want to get the RTR, that's cool, but be prepared to have to buy twice and spend a lot more money than if you just bought the kit in the first place. This is one of those things that patience will go a long way in saving you time and frustration later.

Best of luck on your decision, Losi is a solid choice for both durability and performance.

If you need help selecting low budget electronics,middle of the road, or the highest quality, let me know and I can make some more suggestions for you to consider.

Thanks for the detailed response. I totally agree with you on the electronics. I would love a kit to build and piece together and choose my motor and esc combo and all that, but the only thing holding me back is the price. The kit ALONE is more than the RTR. Once I get all the electronics it will be a very expensive rig. I don't think I want to spend that much money on one. Is it really worth buying the kit? I mean, it looks pretty sweet.

In that case I would consider a used kit, some pretty good deals out there, just a quick search found this one here, it's an older 2.0 version, I think the current version is 4.0:
https://www.rctech.net/forum/r-c-ite...8-losi-8e.html