Argess

I think Airplane400 was merely being facetious. And I can be too.....imagine....we give every American worker a huge raise, then also insist only buy "Made in USA".....I wonder how the RC prices will be then?

Now if we could get those Virginia moonshine lads to start running nitro fuel.......maybe there's a savings.

ThunderbirdJunkie

My Feedback: (3)

ThunderbirdJunkie would be fine with a decent RC price increase if it was made here, employing people here.

SyCo_VeNoM

That is more than I have in my car I drive to work after 3 years of owning it including the cars purchase price [sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

If that was the case I don't think any hobby shop would still be open, and if all the shops closed down the companies would stop manufacturing gear so you would be SOL too

nitrosportsandrunner

that would be nice. but the big companies are all about profit.
my father used to work for solon MFG, which made popsicle stick among other things.
but now they can cut wood in the USA...ship it to china...turn the wood into popsicle sticks and ship them back to the USA for less than it cost to make the stick here!
in short, my dad is now a plant manager for mossberg. kinda cool since they let him try out new models!

Willystylz

One example of how cheap the hobby has become is the Associated RTR 2.4 Brushless SC10 for about $260. To me it's a helluva deal.

The electronics alone are worth $220. So essentially you're getting the chassis for $40.

If somebody was brand new to the hobby they can have the truck running for another $100 after purchasing an Accucel 6 charger and a couple Turnigy 2S lipos.

Redvanmafia

Its pricey, quality name merchadise is expensive but you get what you pay for and hopefully you only have to buy it once,

basketballfan60123

My Feedback: (2)

They (Companies) also sell certain rc necessities like nitro fuel at ridiculous prices; why because people they know people are gonna pay $30 a gallon for it.

Haddi Taha

i hate it when people ask how much i paid for this car and if i tell them i paid say $200 (when in fact i payed much more) they go oh buts thats not worth it its only a toy car like the ones at the Walmart or somethng like it.

If  have ever oppened one of those kiddy $80 RC Cars u will find a small motor connected to a electronic board and a motor with some springs to make a servo sitting on a 2 cheap quality plastic panels with no ball bearings any where. furthermore the tires are made of the plastic and the car will reach a top speed of 4mph and eventually stop working in a month or 2 and u cant fix it cause there is no spare parts and u cant sell it cause who wants it.

So if kid wanted to be in RC for a year and bought these cheap kiddy cars he would pay $960 a year for slow cars cause he had to get a new one every month. With that money he can get a decent electric brushless car with lipo and have 60mph for less, and whats better, one super fast reliable car or 12 slow 4mph ones

ThunderbirdJunkie

My Feedback: (3)

Haddi...you're missing the point of the thread, good sir

But yes, you're correct on all accounts.

rcguy59

My Feedback: (8)

I haven't done cars since the mid-80's but I can give you an airplane-guy's perspective: There is a lot of stuff out there right now that's too cheap, in other words, substandard. Compared to when I first got into this hobby, almost everything has become better, less expensive and easier to use. Considering our relatively small market compared to say PC's or the automotive industry, I'd be surprised if things got a whole lot cheaper while retaining enough quality to make them worth buying. Can you buy a brand-new American RC system? Good luck. If they were still available, could they compete with the Asian offerings on price? Fat chance. I've been at this long enough to have owned several U.S. made radios. They were pretty good in their day, but since I'm not a museum curator, I wouldn't give 50 cents for one now. Our modern radios are light-years ahead of the first so-called "modern" radios from the '70's. Pretty much the same story for glow engines. In the late '70's, a gal. of glow fuel that cost less than 18-20$ couldn't always be trusted. Adjusted for inflation, fuel is a lot cheaper now. So are most other things we use. I like to remind people that there are no "good old days" in RC. Compared to today, the radios were "glitch factories", kits were pretty primitive, and the only good that could be said of the engines was that they lasted quite a while. Of course they did, because they didn't make any power! I fear that for our hobby to become much cheaper, you'll have to sacrifice enough quality to render the stuff useless. Pay a little more now, and it'll be cheaper in the long run. Pay bottom dollar and you'll end up with crap every time. It really is that simple.

sheograth

I too would be willing to pay more for certain things if I knew it was having a positive impact on jobs creation. I'm lucky enough be happily employed and paid well, but the general state of jobs in this country is lacking. Most of my friends are of the age where they recently graduated from college, and even those with good degrees are having a harder time finding work.

HerrSavage

Not with cars, IMO(@rcguy59). I think it's more complicated than "you get what you pay for".

I recently got a new Losi 454 off an ebay chop shop for $105, and believe they are to be had for $130 as a regular price. Same with the Dynamite Big Red. It's not an OS 28, but it cost a third of one, and for the money, it's a good engine.

Three or four years ago, an LRP Spec 3 cost €200 here in Germany, period. Now they go for €115 now and then. Same engine, and there's no Spec 4, so it's not like they're going cheaper because they're yesterday's engines.. And that's just bashing.

With racing, the same thing has happened with engines. You no longer need to fork out $300+ for a good race engine. Alpha, among others, has put an end to that. Good engines, good price. You see a lot of guys, especially here in Germany, that really believe that motto, so go out and buy a new RB B10 or Toro Nero.. Nevermind that they don't know how to set up their suspension, not to mention drive well...

Yeah, it'd be nice to say, "OK, I'd spend a bit more if the engines were built here". But price is really what it's all about. Well, value-for-money.. And IMO that has improved a lot just in the five years or so I've been in the hobby. It's the reason btw I have four RC's, and not just one.

And yes, I wish fuel would go down in price..

Kind of complicated in how it relates to prices and quality, but what I think is more of a problem than low prices is that the companies just have too much on offer. Truggy racing seems to have gone down in popularity for ex. in the last year or two. And no wonder.. Everybody's gone off to helis, elo this, elo that, minis, SC's, large scale lawnmowers - I mean gassers..., and on and on... And I suppose that does come back to price - and quality. If you look at what's on offer, it seems more quantity over quality.. If Asso and Losi and co were more focussed on 1/8 buggies and truggies and less so on all the other stuff, then there might be a higher quality range.. It often seems to me that in a way RC is overextended and spread too thinly. But yeah, if things were more concentrated, the "high end" quality stuff would be even more expensive, so less people would be into RC I guess.. I don't know... I need another coffee before I can think clearly about all this complicated hobby stuff...

Haddi Taha

yeah got off topic there what i am basically saying is that these days we aregetting alot for less so newbs shouldn't complain

Smiff 24

[quote]ORIGINAL: nitrosportsandrunner

Smiff 24

Woooha..... talk about a dream job, LUCKIE !!
(happy hes got a good job)

[/quote]

ThunderbirdJunkie

My Feedback: (3)

x2 Smiff, ThunderbirdJunkie is envious of nitrosportsandrunner's dad's job!

LewAshby

I want to see prices come down on the higher end stuff [:@]

Argess

I'd say this is high end...$575 and you still need:

Big Block Nitro Engine
Tuned Exhaust System
2 Channel Radio System and 8AA Batteries
High Torque Steering & Brake Servo's (2)
6V Receiver Battery
Glow Driver
Starter Box & Batteries
Nitro Fuel & Fuel Bottle
Paint for Polycarbonate Body
Charger for Receiver Pack & Starter Box Batteries

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...e-Roller-Buggy

And you could add this $530 engine:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXWDH4&P=0

And this $170 pipe:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&P=8&I=LXPGU5

Havn't even added a spread-spectrum radio with servos yet...

So...is TBJ worried there isn't enough of this type of stuff being offered? There must be other equally expensive offerings out there....maybe even more expensive.

Shenanigans

My Feedback: (12)

The rc hobby is just fine IMO.  Demand drives the supply as it always has.  It only shows the increased interest in the hobby in general.  High prices to keep the "riff raff" out as was mentioned earlier is ridiculous....financial status should not decide whether you are considered "riff raff".  There still is high dollar kits/components that the vets can turn to if need be.

The selection is broad yes, but thats only because the consumer base has grown and of course the base has grown in part because of affordability.  If you want the rc industry to flourish and advance it needs to have a large consumer base that can maintain the cost of experimentation.  Back in the day, prices had to be high to sustain this.....now prices can be dropped because of the larger consumer base and still maintain large profits while advancing the hobby.

TBJ mentioned earlier...consumers control everything.  Correct.  We have so many different models/manufacturers sustaining their products and staying in business because there are so many consumers splitting cash between them.  If we stop buying Cen racing products..Cen racing stops producing products.  If we stop buying AE products...they close shop..etc....I like where the hobby is, it shows growth and interest and can only mean good things to rc hobbyists.

Old schoolers may not like the direction and I can see the argument..it makes sense.  Not the first time, or the last time the "old school" generation of a hobby, sport, company, government, family is resistant to change to what they have grown to love.

SCALECRAFT

My Feedback: (13)

SCALECRAFT wants to know how the consumer is at fault and for what?

Steve

Argess

I didn't like the word "fault", but it is about wanting something cheap, or being able to afford something cheap. Probably way more Cavaliers than Corvettes are sold, so Chev makes more Cavaliers as they know they will sell.

If every hobbiest stopped buying the budget entry level stuff, and only bought the high end vehicles, manufacturer's would start production to cater to that demand.

SyCo_VeNoM

Yea I fell in that rut and have been working for peanuts for a couple of years. Sad thing is I made more before getting a degree....

Airplanes400

My Feedback: (349)

Argess is correct ... I was joking when I made my comment that is quoted above.

I do like the idea of those Virginia moonshine boys making R/C nitro fuel! Great idea!

ThunderbirdJunkie

My Feedback: (3)

Same reason TVs are no longer produced in the US.

The consumer is at fault for buying cheap junk.

That's why RTRs have crap components (speed controls, motors, servos, radios).

alpinestar

Back in 1982 I bought my first REAL rc... a tamiya Grasshopper with one 6-cell nicad, two channel stick, and a charger. $230!! Lot of mowing & snow shoveling for that one. Same setup today (I'm sure with better components) is $165 at Tower.

Now glow fuel on the other hand...........annoyingly expensive. Makes Lipo's look really good!