alias_neo

Hey there, i have a question for anyone in the UK. I'm in the UK and lookingto buy some RC equipment but I want to buy it from america because the price is massively cheaper.

I'm after a Futaba 3PM radio kit with 1 servo, and a certain extra servo (specific one) the pair come to £230 here in the UK.

I priced the exact same item up in America and they come to only $200!! The price difference is rediculous.

Anyway, what i would like to know is if anyone here has bought items from america and if so which sites/shops would you recommend. I have never bought online from outside the UK before so I am a bit (read: extremely) hesitent about just going and buying off some modelshop i find online.

Suggestions welcome, thanks.

snowbl!nd

I've ordered from [link=http://www.amainhobbies.com/]a-main[/link] in the past with no problems. Everything has been well packaged and delivered quickly. Most reputable US compaines (try and stick to the larger ones if possible) should be the same. Remember that with larger orders you WILL be charged for customs entering the UK which can easily add anything from a couple of quid up to tens of pounds depending on the value of the stuff you've bought.

Ordering from Hong Kong (again much cheaper than the UK) you'll usually manage to avoid customs as they label the package as a "gift" - but it's your choice whether or not to risk it. Personally i've never had a problem ordering from [link=http://www.rcxshop.com/]here[/link] and delivery and customer service has been on a par, if not better than larger US stores.

alias_neo

Hmm ok, that's interesting, I'll have to speak to my bank and find out what security I have.

Do you know what the customs percentage is for import? I'm looking at about a $200 value.

snowbl!nd

I was hit with a £25 customs charge for a $200 package a while ago - then again it was a very large package if that makes any difference.

alias_neo

Well, as i said, it's 3 times more expensive in the UK, so £25 customs charge would still leave me paying over £100 less. It's rediculous how we are treated here in the UK. I don't mind when it's a few quid more but $130(dollars) compared to £180(pounds) that's a huuuge difference.

ross_jsy

erm, all well and good, but if you buy a radio from the us it will be illegal.

turn it on and you are in for a very hefty fine due to the way frequency allocation works. we are allowed 27mhz for land a water based applications (or 2.4ghz which i use). the us use 72mhz. that is the same frequency as police radio over here i believe. you will have to order from the uk, or get a uk system from the us/hk and that could be hard

alias_neo

Well, i'm getting a Futaba 3PM which is 2.4GHz anyway so that doesn't apply. That is an absolute pain though, had the one i wanted not been 2,4GHz anyway i would be very angry that i had no choice but to pay 3 times the amount americans would.

ross_jsy

argh sorry, thinking of a diff radio.

yep its a pain. annoying for people who want a rtr car from the us aswell

alias_neo

I don't seem to be able to find the FM version in the UK with 1 servo. Any ideas how much that would cost?

ross_jsy

afraid not, you tried ebay? also you considered the dx3 (i use it) can be had very cheap now on ebay

and woo 900 posts ph3ar m3 n00bs!!!1!!1!!!

alias_neo

Yeh just saw a couple of those on ebay bids where around £80. I'm debating whether t just go for a 2Chan. I wante a 3 channel so I can add lights to my car or other upgrades as it's going to be mostly for fun rather than racing. But i might scratch that idea because i'v seen that in america you can get the 3PM for about £80 when here it's £180 rediculous!

ross_jsy

well, if you want a good radio, look into the nomadio sensorfrom the us. not sure on proce though

alias_neo

Nah, i'm not looking for anything hard core, just something with 3 Channels that is good and reliable for not too much over £50 i know i could iport a 3PM 2.4GHz from america for $150 since it's £180 here, big difference, i'm just worried about orderin stuff from that far away.

ross_jsy

yeah, i have ordered things from the us before. all came through ok (after a long time). i think your best bet might be to order a second hand dx3 off ebay. i have never had a glitch and the only run away i have had in a year and a half of use was caused by water in the throttle servo

alias_neo

So would i better with a dx3 or a 2 Chan Futaba 2PL AM? Which is better, aside from the extra chanel?

ross_jsy

both probs equally good. just depends if you want that extra channel. for cars with reverse its good but all my cars have focs in them besides the genesis

alias_neo

Well, I don't think the Xray Xb8R has reverse? I wanted the third channel for mods like lights but i can do without. It's not the end of the world.

EDIT: Oh yeh, what's an FOC?

ross_jsy

forward only conversion, takes out reverse so you get better acceleration and a bit more top end. if you want lights, you can buy lighting kits, the headlights are always on and you position a pressure switch so when you activate the break, the servo touches it and turns on the brakes. no extra channels needed

alias_neo

That's brake lights I was thinkin headlights! but i'll certainly be doing that mod now i know it exists, thanks!

Now to decide which radio. Are AM ones OK? Or is FM preferrential?

ross_jsy

am ok, fm better, 2,4 ghz best.

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=685]rcu review of the product![/link]

SpikeX

You haven't seen anything yet...

Come to Germany.

alias_neo

Is germany even more expensive?

ross_jsy

oh, they have some crazy taxes over there

alias_neo

I didn't think it was possible to be worse than the UK, we get well and truly ripped over here.

So, any suggestions? Pay the whole price and get teh 2,4GHz Futaba for £180, or get it from America for half the price but the hassle of ordering from America and possibly customs duty, or just go for a cheaper model with only 2 channels like the 2PL or go for a different one al together like the Spektrum dx3?

If only i knew someone in America.

ross_jsy

if i were you, go for a cheap but nice dx3