Access

If the track and rules favored it, it might be possible for the rustler VXL to have an advantage over the T4 RTR though. For instance if the track was nothing more than a big '0' with long straights and such. The more speedy car would win. The majority of tracks aren't made this way, but if a bunch of speed freaks got together they could make a track that favors speed over handling. The OP was talking about a track that doesn't actually exist yet, so anything could happen. If everyone in his area were to have only Rustlers and be speed freaks, go figure.

mufflerbearing

Traxxas's are desinged to be tough bashers, not racers. If you want a race truck, buy an ae or losi. If you want something you can jump your house with, buy a traxxas. The rustler, stampede, and especially the slash are almost bomb-proof. Serously, I can't break my XL-5 pede. It's getting boring because I want to upgrade and have no excuse to do it. I did a 5+ foot ramp over and over and that didn't break anything. I hit the ramp with only one side of the truck and it rolled a bunch of times before crashing to the ground. No damage. Even the stock titan is still going.

Every truck has it's place and neither is "better" than the other one. Although, for hard-core bashing, you can't beat a pede or rustler.[8D]

Chris_RC

Correction, Put all RPM parts on the rustler and jump a house. Alot of people always say how durable the rustler/stampede is, then they go on about how much money in hop ups they have in it. Go figure! For example, the XL5 transmission is soo poorly made that if you put a good 7 cell battery in it the titan will blow and you will strip a diff gear.

Traxxas cares about the money like most RC manafaucters (mainly the ones who sell exclusively RTRs). Their RCs are popular for noobs who dont know how to maintain a vehicle, just drive drive drive. All they care about is speed, and that is where Traxxas comes in. It is pretty sad to have a vehicle bought on how fast it goes, not by the quality or handling of it. That is why Traxxas is so popular. Traxxas made race kits back in the early 90s, but they sucked so they mvoed to RTRs. Traxxas has done more harm than good for my side of the hobby. Before Traxxas, the pioneers of RC said there was about 5-6 tracks within 30 minutes of their house (southern california). Now, there is 0 tracks within 30 miutes from me. All of them are sorted throught, 1 45 minutes away, 1 2 hours, etc. Now, the people who buy Traxxas's dont come to the track which means tracks have to close becuase not enough people are coming. BUT, to each its own.

Sorimatsu

ya my slash's titan made a nice smokebomb with my 7 cell lol, but seriusly in my opinion the slash is the first good truck they have made in ages. and the only traxxas truck ill recommend

mufflerbearing

My XL-5 pede is 100% stock other than an RPM bumper. I haven't broken a SINGLE THING. I have been jumping off a 5+ foot ramp like a siad above. It is impossible for the idler to strip because it is made of steel. In fact, the entire transmission is made of steel. It is designed to handle the VXL on a 3s lipo.

I think you hard-core racers crap up the hobby with your " if it isn't a race kit, it's junk" attitude more than anything else. It is a fact that traxxas has pulled more RC'ers into the hobby than any other mfg. They also have more innovation that makes the hobby what it is today. If it wasn't for traxxas, we would still by driving little crappy tamiyas that do a wopping 5mph and handle like a turd. Not saying that tamiyas are bad, it's just what the hobby would be if we didn't have any innovation.

Just my $0.02

transam388

OK, I still find this comment so unbelievable and have seen this a few times. This is like saying because Honda makes ready to run motorcycles, that somehow is causing MX dirt tracks to close. What causes tracks to close is not more people in the sport but RACERS NOT GOING to the tracks!!!! Let me put it this way...if all the racers who are so loyal and going to those tracks kept going regardless of how many new RTR people come into the hobby, would those tracks close? NO. If the tracks make money then they stay open but when "Racers" do not go and keep those tracks profitable they close. Quit trying to blame RTR for tracks closing as it is the lack of support from racers that closes tracks. Something could be just the best thing around but if no one likes it then it goes away. Racing is good but just because some do not "Measure Up" to your race standard, blaming them for RC tracks closing is stupid. As has been said before the RTR is helping to keep RC alive and well. If you want more tracks, try to encourage people to try racing instead of giving some condesending remarks towards RTR and those who support it. Sorry for this rant and I mean no direct insult to you but had to get this off my chest.

Anyhow, I do agree with your "To each their own".

What I think can also be said is the Rustler is a good basher with plenty of hop up parts and regardless of the nay sayers it is a strong vehicle. As another also said though both are made for a purpose and have thier good and bad points. What I have also seen is these seem to be many times one of those things where the car just fits the person and get along well. Other times for whatever reason they do not get along. I doubt with either one you will just buy it and race without having to tune or change something but granted for racing you would have to do more with the Rustler for cornering.

Chris_RC

Well I dont know if they were the most innovative. The only innovative thing was the suspension design on the revo.

Why dont the bashers go to tracks just for fun anyway?

Access

I don't think Traxxas can or has 'harmed' the hobby persay, they can't force anyone to buy their stuff and a racer is still going to be racer, a basher is still going to be a basher, with or without Traxxas. The only thing Traxxas is doing is bringing new people to the hobby, they can shift percentages but that's all. There's no net loss of racers just b'cos Traxxas exists. If you have a club of 10 expert racers, and 90 newbies join, you still have 10 expert racers in the club.

Traxxas is around today b'cos they were able to capitalize on the evolving market. I think the 'no track' thing is more of a regional issue, with urban sprawl ('suburbia'), little actual open or free land within the cities.

mufflerbearing

Some of the innovative stuff that Traxxas had done:
1.Ready to Run. Traxxas was one of the first to start RTRs. They were very sucessful and traxxas started the craze.

2.The tmaxx. It was the first "true" 4x4 MT that had a sealed 2speed gear box. It sold like no other MT.Again, traxxas started the MT craze with the t-maxx.

3.Waterproof electronics. Traxxas now has a full line of waterproof trucks. I can't think of any other brands off that has watersealed electronics as standard equipment.

4.Brushless RTR's. They weren't the first ones to but a brushless in a RTR, but they were the first ones to have their very own brushless system in their trucks. Before that, they were all package type deals. The VXL system was (and still is!) very successful considering is wasn't made by a big-name electronics mfg.

5.Monster truck racing. When the t-maxx came out, the craze started MT racing.

6.The slash. We all know about this on. Probably the hottest truck at this time. They weren't the first to make a corr truck, but they were the first to have a sucessful one that is mass-produced. Everybody else is now scrambling to jump on the corr craze that Traxxas started.

That's what I could think of off the top of my head. I am sure they are plenty more that missed. You get my point though. Saying that traxxas has no innovation is just wrong. Traxxas has started a lot of innovation that has made the hobby as popular as it is today.

Sorry for dragging this thread off-topic.