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Kit recommendation for 11 year old

Old 12-01-2019, 10:46 PM
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bline22
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Default Kit recommendation for 11 year old

My son and I went to an indoor track recently to watch some people race. He has a kit he built a few years ago that has been used well and doesnt work very well any longer. Seeing these cars in action he would like a different one for christmas. I would say all that is salvageable with the one he has is the battery and charger. The controller never really worked well either so I think this is not usable.

Any recommendations for a kit for him that is around 350? I think he is hoping maybe he could at some point go and race it with these other adults and kids and when the snow leaves back outside. It was a turf stlye track if that helps.
Thanks for the assistance
Old 12-02-2019, 05:06 PM
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bill_delong
 
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Does the track have an on site hobby shop?
If so, then I would encourage you to get a kit from them where they will stock the parts you need.

If they don't have a shop and you will need to support yourself for parts, then I would consider PR Racing, they are relatively new to the US market and offer high quality kits for extremely reasonably pricing.

Is your budget $350 for just the kit or is that figure for all the electronics too?

You say your battery/charger are a few years old... what type of battery is it? Most modern turf based buggies require Shorty LiPo packs these days and chances are your battery is long gone if it hasn't been used in over a year.

If I was going to build a car for a family member today who is on a tight budget, this is what I would get:
$168 PR S1 V3 FM Sport
$80 Radio
(I have a Radiolink RC4G that is practically new that I will sell for $50 shipped with 2 Rx's)
$82 17.5T Motor/ESC Combo
$35 2S Shorty LiPo
$40 Servo (I have a decent servo that I will sell for $20 if you buy the radio from me)
$10 Rear Tires
$3 Rear Inserts
$10 Front Tires (no foams needed)

Rough Total = $450 after shipping and accessories for paint/glue/diff/shock fluids
Old 12-03-2019, 01:04 AM
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bline22
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Thanks for the response and suggestions.

I was thinking the total would be 350 but it seems that might not be enough. Also I think you are right the batteries are different at least based on the look of it.

I​​​​ havent heard of this car but then again I am not very well versed. The one frustrating thing he didn't like about his old car was the radio we have was sporadic in how it worked for some reason. We didn't have luck figuring out why and lived with it but it made for less enjoyment. When we got it too it felt like the build was not done well. Is the radio you mention one that works well or should I consider an upgrade? Also, if he wanted could he use this car and compete to some level on a short indoor track? Last, could he also use the parts in a different car if he chooses?
Old 12-03-2019, 06:18 AM
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bill_delong
 
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PR Racing is regarded very well in Europe and South Africa, they are still establishing a presence in the North America Market. There is a good write up on the brand here worth a read:
https://www.liverc.com/news/special_...naan_Yingling/

The buggy that I linked above is 1 generation old, all the current generation parts are backward compatible so you won't have any problem getting proper support for it and yes it will be VERY competitive on a turf track! Because it's the "Sport" edition there have been some parts that are downgraded to plastic from aluminum/carbon to help keep costs down. You can always upgrade later if you break any of those parts as your budget allows. If you want the current version with all the bells and whistles, then here is the link for that which is still a really good deal if you were to add up the cost for upgrades if bought separately:
$340 - 2019 PR S1 V3R EVO

The radios I recommended are decent "mid-grade" systems that will stand the test of time and won't cause you any problems. I have raced the Radiolink system for many years and have won many races with it without a single glitch. You can certainly invest in a higher quality system, but all you will be paying for are improved ergonomics and other features such as telemetry, antenna-less Rx's and touch screens, etc... I would encourage you to read this article here:
Which surface radio system is the best?

Yes, all these parts can be moved into any other modern 2WD race buggy if you decide to switch to a different chassis later, it's very common for club racers to upgrade to the current years release of a buggy to stay current with the most recent upgrades. Not sure when the 2020 EVO will be released, but the 2019 EVO will be put on clearance at that time as the cycle repeats each year.
Old 12-03-2019, 08:27 AM
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Propworn
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Go to the track and watch the kids having the most fun and the least time on the bench repairing. The cars they are using are probably name brand with a healthy access to spare parts without having to resort to and wait for mail order. I am not a car/truck guy but I am a long term RC Aircraft flyer who has built/setup more than a few cars/trucks for the kids of friends and relatives. For ease of build and repairs as well as availability of spare parts and fantastic upgrades as the skill level gets better its hard to beat the Traxxis line of products.

https://traxxas.com/products/showroom

Dennis
Old 12-03-2019, 03:54 PM
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If there is a "Spec Slash" class at your club, then that would be an excellent way to get started for around $200, but don't be fooled into thinking that is all you will spend... plan to budget about another $300+ on hidden expenses to get a Slash that is truly race ready. The PR buggy I referenced earlier will be less expensive to get started with and be competitive. A box stock Slash will be at a huge disadvantage without necessary upgrades.

I would not recommend any Traxxas product unless it's a "Spec" class, all of the Traxxas designs are severely dated with minimal tuning options and will be more labor intensive to maintain.
Key reasons why I wouldn't race a Slash:
1) No sealed diffs limits tuning window
2) No threaded shocks
3) Limited Spring selection
4) No Sway Bars
5) No Emulsion Shocks
6) Too many upgrades needed which make it cost prohibitive
Old 12-04-2019, 11:09 AM
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Lets be serious here chances are a first timer at the track is not going to have the skills for some time before he will have the ability to use a spec class racer. The last teen I helped had a lot of fun with an off the shelf Traxxis Stampede. Getting used to racing rather than funning around on a dirt patch was challenge enough for a better part of the summer. It took a while for his skill level to come up to the point he needed upgrades to improve his driving ability. Its a waste of money and possibly a vehicle letting loose with a unit that is way above the drivers skill level. Most likely he will spend most of his time out of control, crashing and repairing rather than gaining race track experience. Take a look at the upgrades available for the Traxxis line of vehicles.

By the time he gets to needing a spec class ride he will have gained enough experience to make his own decision as to what he needs to progress to the next level. Or he may loose interest and the money spent may not be as much as jumping straight into a so called spec class ride plus needed upgrades to make it so called race worthy.

Your choice, I wish you good luck no mater which direction you choose be careful of those who recommend going all out first time round or those who recommend odd or hard to find subjects. Make sure the one you chose has spare parts readily available and a list of upgrades you might want to purchase in the future.

Dennis

Last edited by Propworn; 12-04-2019 at 11:18 AM.
Old 12-15-2019, 07:38 AM
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bill_delong
 
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Originally Posted by bill_delong
It was just brought to my attention that the link I posted above was wrong, here is the correct link to the kit
$168 PR S1 V3 FM Sport

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