HPI vs Tamiya

[Admin]

I’m looking at getting a 1/10 scare r/c car. The two I have come across that I like are the Tamiya TA04 chasis and the HPI Pro 3 (both electric). Has anyone got any opinions on these? which is quicker out of the box? Which is more customisable? etc, etc. At present I am leaning towards the HPI Pro 3 simply because it seems to be offered with more body shells (of course these will probably fit the Tamiya model anyway). But yeah as I don’t yet have a good enough understanding of the specs that accompany each model I’m not sure which one to get, any help would be great. If anyone could point me to a page/forum that is more applicable that would also be good, thanks.

[Admin]

ok lets look at the the kits the tamya isent even in the same class as the pro 3 the pro 3 hase the best of everything in the box. but your wrong the pro 3 dosent come with a body and i think it dosent come with rims. but any 190mm body with fit it. http://www.hpiracing.com but the hpi has cvds ball diffs the whole kittin kapoodle. hands down any racer will tell you go for the pro 3. the pro 3 can take a 2 speed trans unlike the tamya. tamya had some good cars noone of them were on road. what your thinking of with the bodys is the sport ver. what is good but the pro 3 is the best. everything is craphite and anodized purple.

[Admin]

oh yeah no electrronis for the rs4 so its however fast you want it to be outta the box. you get a trintie vis match 3000mha pack with a trinty d3 9turn tripple and your hittin 50 easy witht he right gearing. but you need a remote with 1 sero a esc a batt. and a eng. but the pro 3 is my top choice but if you really want a fast car outta the box tell me and i’ll give you some info on the shumacher mission carbon. its bad ass and so fast and kills tc3’s outta the turns and in the long run no dought the best car ever mad is the schumacher mission carbon i have the mission carbon and the hpi and i say the mission is way better its lighter than all the outher 1/10th scale cars and takes turns like a champ

[Admin]

Thanks for your post, but I think you might have slightly misunderstood me…this is the HPI version i’m looking at http://www.hpiracing.com/kits/p3-m.htmI didn’t mean “comes with a body” i just meant that HPI seems to offer more aftermarket bodies for it than Tamiya does (although they both fit each other anyway?) So yeah other than that the Pro 3 – Electronic (I’m not looking at the rs4) it’s a much better option than the Tamiya counterpart? thanks again

[Admin]

oh i see . but the hpi is way better but for the same price you can get the schumacher mission carbon

[Admin]

Ok so Pro 3 is better than Tamiya, but this Schumacher Mission Carbon is better than them both? have you got a url for this? thanks

[Admin]

What you don’t really make clear is what you want it for? If you’re after something to play around with then the HPI or Schumacher etc are overkill. Don’t forget to weigh up local availability of parts and stuff as well.

I have a car that uses a chassis layout similar tot he HPI, it’s great but small gravel chips do destroy the exposed spur and pinion gears very easily.

Aaron

[Admin]

Ok well I want this car to play around with/modify, it will be run in local carparks on the weekend, and if I get to like it enough, maybe clubs/races etc. A priority is speed/handling though I I would like possibly the quickest one of those mentioned and the best handling. From what I’ve seen so far, the HPI one fits all my needs, as it seems to be something I can learn from and race competitively if that need arises. One thing that bothers me though I went into a local hobby shop (here in Brisbane) and they only had the Tamiya TA04 and no HPI, but with this talk of the HPI one I think I would prefer that one, however if it is difficult to get, then obviously I would have to settle for something else. Hope that clears up what I want out of the car, thanks.

[Admin]

well the rc10 tc3 was the top car for speed during turns but the mission carbon takes turns even faster but you gotta order them from schumacher and the mission sst runs $250 for the kit and the carbon is $340 but worth it. the tc3 has 3 versons the racer team and factory team the best for racing is the racer. becouse the team has more alu. and the factory team is loaded with alu. next up is the losi xxxs very very nice car. my top pick last year is has titanum nitrade shock shafts threded shock bodys its mid eng. powered by 1 belt instead of 2 like the hpi and shaft like the tc3. but if you want a full blowen racer i got a micro rs4 that i raced for http://www.hardcoreracing.com last year im selling it has every hop up part on it. but heres my list of what i would buy

1 shumacher mission carbon

2 shucmacher mission sst

3 team losi xxxs

4 hpi rs4 pro 3

5 rc10 tc3 racer

but you need ta look at a few things like chassy flex over steer track type run time. tell me what shape the track is how long it ios how meny laps how hot/cold the track usualy is and is it black top concreat carpet ect. and i’ll tell you what car ta get that will proform best on the track. http://www.towerhobbies.com they have lots of hop up good deals and combos.

[PandaBear]

PRO3 comes in different specs, depending on what country you’re in. Obviously if there is a cheaper version, it won’t have all the goodies. Some versions come with a shell in the box. Some also grey-import, so you’ll need to be sure what you’re getting.

Similarly the TA04 also comes in different flavours:- TA04, TA04S, TA04R and TA04PRO. There is also the world champ TRF414M if you want to go one step further. All Tamiyas (except for the ‘chassis’ only kits) come with an excellent shell – and there is no difference to spec vs where you buy your kit.

The cars are actually designed to totally different philisophies… the TA04 is a “stiff” car with a very stiff chassis, the PRO3 is made as a “floppy” car. Its a personal choice as to which suits your driving style better; Both will perform similarly in the right hands. Considerations as to which you get should include price, your experienceand what you’re using it for.

Bodies are standard RC size 190mm (only gas cars use 200mm); they are definitely interchangeable. Imho Tamiya makes the best detailed & scaled bodies, but HPI comes pretty close (but they take a few liberties as to true car scale eg lower bonnets, roof etc).

FYI, Tamiya *are* TC World Champs this year… :smiley10:

[Admin]

um sorry dude but tamya got there ass stomped by the tc3.

if i were you i would go for the schumacher mission sst cheeper than the carbon but still kicks ass. the pro 3 is stiff as—- it barly has any flex becouse its a tub with a new upeer deack. the pro 2 flexed like hell but this year in the uk schumacher stomped team asc. losi tamya everyone. but look at it this way adjustments only the tc3 and schumacher can adj. the camber toe in anti squat. ect with out takeing about the car. as for the flex on the schumacher it has some but its not bad and they offer a kit that makes it as stiff as a two by four mid eng. is deff. better than the tamya. only prob with he tc3 is i used a fantom 9 turn dub. hand wound and keep snaping shafts. but on my schumacher i never flexed a belt. but screw tamya they suck ass to much chessy ass plastic. they handle like a big ass turd on wheels. when i see 1 i wanna kick it so damn hard. afs for most detaled bodys kyosho has it look at some of the bodys the make tamya’s like like —-.

remember racers replace parts with alu. or lighter stuff to shave off 10ths of a sec. so dont think if you get a chassy thats carbonfiber that your gonna smoke a composit chassy eletronics i used were a novak xxl fm rec. futaba 3pj remote lrp quantum competition futaba digtal servo novak cyclone tc2 trinty vis matched 3000mha fantom 9 X2 hand wound.

but useing a 14 turn quad at my hobby shop we got a tc3 clocked at 84mph when they first came out it was a factory team kit running 10 3000mha panasonic ultra metal by trinty. useing team orion deathstar brushes.

INSIDER TIP DONT LET THE JUGDGES FIND OUT

get drilled brushes with the lil hole in the biddle pack it with a small abont off sotton then soak it with com drops and it will give you 30% more power for the full race just putting com drops on the com only last about 30 sec.

[PandaBear]

Quote:

Originally posted by lancer_evo on 06November2002

um sorry dude but tamya got there ass stomped by the tc3.

Really?

Well, that ain’t how the history books record it.

Do tell, mate!

[PandaBear]

SMBro:- heh, stuff all that “insider tip” crap, only ppl who were born yesterday think its so damned new-n-wonderful. (Hollowed brushes aren’t a new trick, its been out in the 1980s.) Can’t make sense of what else he/she said.

The BEST TIP that anyone can give you, I’ll give you here… choose the car with the Best Parts Support. It don’t matter how good or how fast it is, if you can’t get spareparts when you need it – its worth squat. Find out what & where the locals race and see what they run.

I’ve been up to Brisbane earlier this year, you guys get decent support for Tamiya stuff, especially in the Toyworlds up there (its different down in VIC). Kyosho should also be pretty good, but they make no good electric cars.

HPI support has always been pretty patchy in Oz, I like their earlier NRS4 gas cars but I had major headaches getting even common parts – I won’t run HPI in Oz anymore. Schumacher stuff depends greatly on who’s bringing it in; if he’s near you then that’s good, if not then you’ll have problems too.

That said, I’ve PAID MY OWN $$$ for this, I DIDN’T STEAL IT, I DIDN’T BUY SOMETHING AND THEN RETURN THE BOX FOR REFUND WITH ALL THE GOOD BITS MISSING, I’m not ashamed to *show* this is what I run today:-http://willandjuinn.us/rcpix/TA04%2022.JPG

If your budget can allow, the TA04 series is a decent ride. Don’t forget too that you’ll also need radio gear, batteries, charger, motor, ESC, glue, paint etc. Just don’t steal from others to feed your RC habit, ok?

If you don’t wish to start off straight at the ‘top end’, also take a look at the Tamiya TB01 and TL01. TL01 is a decent ‘budget’ car and the TB01 can hold its own in stock class racing easily. Both of these are also shaft-drive cars that will avoid belts getting fouled from dirt & debris, if you run in dirtier unswept areas.

Anyone can say whatever they want, but fact is: TAMIYA won the 2002 IFMAR ISTC World Champ race. Don’t need no excuses – The best of the best cars/drivers/equipment were there; the Tamiya topped the finals with TC3 2nd and HPI in 3rd withLosi, Yokomo and Xray all running too. Hey, don’t let me keep blabbing on about it, why not read about it yourself?? http://www.rcracer.com/n00_85.htm

I have nothing against any other car out there and you’ll never catch me saying bad things about others, but I’m 110% sure I wouldn’t want to be sharing the driver’s stand with CHEATS and THIEVES.

I’ll want to win fair-n-square using my own driving skill. If I don’t win and am beaten by a better driver, I’ll congratulate him soundly and go home with my head high. I don’t need to cheat to get ahead, its only a toy car race.

If that’s the “American” way of life, then only God can save ’em.

[Admin]

Hehe thanks all for your replies, Pandabear: yes from the brief look I had at one of our major hobby shops up here Tamiya seems to be the way to go as far as parts etc. go. I might have to look up some local clubs though to see what they are using. As for my budget the Tamiya Calsonic GTR (TA40 somethinorother) that I looked at was $399 (complete kit) and I was told it was a new model from tamiya than a similar one i was looking at for $275. So yeah about 4-500 is my budget, so I’m hoping I can get a decent/competitive car for that price? I’m still really interested in the HPI stuff but they just don’t seem to be offered much up here in qld/brisbane, so i don’t know. Anyway PandaBear (and anyone else) any more experience/advice you can give me about Tamiya TA40/HPI Pro 3 (both seem to be similar in price) would be great, any comparisons on specs/speed etc would be great. I will be a “newbie” as far as this type of r/c goes but I’m looking to get pretty serious although at first the car will just be built up and enjoyed on a weekend, then I will advance the parts/engine etc, so i want something that can be customised on that front, and something with some decent speed 🙂 At the moment however it seems some sort of Tamiya TA40 varient is winning, thanks for your continuing help!

[Admin]

there is no speed on the rs4 pro 2 becouse it has no eng. or electronics. but for $500 you could set up a nice car i recamend the jp xr 1 it runs $99 or a futaba pdf for about $150 a novak cyclone tc2 due to the diff. profiles for touring cars. about $130 and a trinty sport 2000 for about $40 and a trinty speed gems 14 turn quad. for about $25. tamaya cars are junk the dog bones make some much backlash your gonna gettin killed in the turns and laughed off the track. in america the top 20 cars were all tc3 schumacher losi hpi and kyosho. tamya is junk they still use gear diff’s the shocks are like a pogo stick. get the hpi

if money is a thing get the rtr tc3 racer its about $250 with out a batt but comes with a lrp esc a 19 turn reedy eng. painted bo ta40dy pro line tires and rims. a very good beginer set up. the car handels extremly well . takes off like a missle becouse everything is composit , composit mip cvds drive shaft ect. alot of hop ups out for this car. its worth takeing a look. 8 out of 10 racers in america use the tc3 the outhers use scumacher. but schumacher is harder to tune and coust more thats why they hardly use them. but rememebr you loos alot of speed in the turns and the only car that can take a tc3 in the turns so far is the schumacher mission carbon no outher car can touch it i seen the ta40 get its ass kicked by bolth cars and in the turns the tc3 holds the turn about 2 times faster than the ta40 as for my gay lil friend up there your f**king retarted theres no eng. or speed con. in either kits no good car comes with a eng. or esc so there is not

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speed hell my pro 2 dident come with tires or rims. you suck ass for sayin the tamya is good they make —-.—- if you get a tamya your better off buyin a nikko or somthin. i raced onroad gas .15 and .21 i raced on road electric and off road gas.. i have the fastest car knowen the serpent vector 0-60 mph in 1.5 sec top speed of 90mph dont know with a well knowen name. the best car makers are schumacher corally hpi serpent.

but most bang for the buck get the tc3 rtr its the same as the racers kit but gives you a lrp esc a reedy 19 turn pinon gear lynx by hitec radio and servo. and comes with either a proline stratus 300m bodys

lets look at this years modified touring

paul lemiux 1st, tq schumacher mission carbon

brian kinwald 2nd losi xxxs

david spashett 3rd tc3

and david june 32nd ta40 that was the first ta40 on the list out of 40 racers

but smbro go to http://www.rccaraction.com and look up the review on the tc3 and look at the race standing and see what racers use.

[PandaBear]

Quote:

Originally posted by lancer_evo on 07November2002

lets see ifmar istc touring car world champ is atsushi hara you dumb f**k he dosent run a f**king ta40 he runs a tc3 by team orion get your sh*t st8 before you give a kit bad advise.

That was LAST year (2001), my friend… – its 2002 now and Hara came 3rd with his HPI this year . If you can’t face the facts and admit Tamiya took the world champs, well, then that’s your own problem. If you dare to open your eyes, the link is here:- http://www.rcracer.com/n00_85.htm, like it or lump it.

btw, you *barely* make SENSE, even before you start your foul Swearings – so piss off and let others bring some sensibility to this thread.

And hey YANKEE… A$1 =/= US$1… wish it were, but its not.

Back to busines:-

SBMPro:- A$500 might buy a basicTA04 kit + a radio set… but maybe not enough to get setup properly. Local prices in AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS (so that some eavesdroppers might Get the Hint!!) you’re approx looking at:

• TA04 kit alone… approx A$350-750
• Radio set: basic stick 2ch ~$110, wheel starts from $150 upwards
• Battery packs start from about $50 each, buying 2-3 is best.
• Charger… cheapest start from $30, but better to spend $60+

[/list]

Add the ‘lowest’ of all those numbers and its already over A$500. :smiley6:

Perhaps you could consider the TB01 chassis instead – its probably a bit easier to build and its shaftdrive will tolerate backyard-bashing better. TB01 is about $100 cheaper. One big thing to remember is that the rest of the stuff (radio, battery, charger) is transferrable to your next better car, so you might want to spend a bit more on these at the start so you don’t need to upgrade too soon.

Tamiya kits usually come with a mechanical speed control, so you don’t need an Electronic Speed Control “ESC” straightaway. Sure its better for racing, but you can live without it at first. Entry level ESCs start from about $100… someone mentioned some big names like Novak, LRP etc – hey, sure they’re all good ESCs but I dunno which hobbyshop yankeeboy STEALShisfrom, as us Aussies pay A$350+ for the CycloneTC2 down here, Keyence is ~A$500 for just for a little matchbox of electronics. ESC is not essential at the start.

You cannot just say you want a “fast” car… Electric cars will *always* go only as fast as the motor/battery that is in it, doesn’t matter what the car is. Tamiya kits come with a standard 540 motor… it isn’t flash but it does get your car moving fast enough for you to learn driving. (You can even get Tamiya’s cheapest chassis TL01, put in the option super-high gearset and the TL01 will still easily go *faster* in a straightline, but it won’t handle as well as the TB01 and TA04.)

To go faster you need a ‘hotter’ motor, which will drain your battery faster too. You can get higher capacity batteries ($$), might also want to think of an ESC at this stage. But this is *later* on, you don’t have to start off with everything… unless you’ve abudget for A$2000, that’d be nice.:smiley14:

If this is the first ‘real’ RC you’re owning, Tamiya is a pretty good way to go. I have seen/touched/driven/raced most of the other brands out there and that’s quite a few good cars out there too, but over the last 25 yrs Tamiya always given the best quality & Instructions etc – an excellent 1st car.

As for ppl who laugh at Tamiya owners?? I think they stopped laughing since May 2002… Tamiya are ISTC World Champs. Go ahead and laugh all you want, but the facts don’t lie.

I don’t & won’tbadmouth other makes… that’s waaay too childish.

Hope I make more sense to you!

[PandaBear]

Quote:

Originally posted by lancer_evo on 07November2002

…hell my pro 2 dident come with tires or rims. you suck ass for sayin the tamya is good they make sh*t. f**k if you get a tamya your better off buyin a nikko or somthin. i raced onroad gas .15 and .21 i raced on road electric and off road gas.. i have the fastest car knowen the serpent vector 0-60 mph in 1.5 sec top speed of 90mph dont know with a well knowen name. the best car makers are schumacher corally hpi serpent.

What ya tokkin’ about, bro? Youse not makkin n e sense again… you tokkin’ about the HPI Pro2 or Pro3 now?? Two totally different cars!!?!

Also it is “TA04” as in ‘tee aay Zero Four’, not TA40 ‘forty’.

And bro… I’ve been driving Serpents before you were even born. The Quattro 1/8th (world champs in ’83, 84, 85) is the granddaddy to the Vector and Impulse of today. (Betcha youse dun even kno witch kuntry Serpents come from, for that matter.)

Do you even know *where* AUSTRALIA is??

[Admin]

HPI= one of the best nitro cars(IMHO)

Tamiya=one of the best electric cars(IMHO)

the choice is yours, i’d rater get a tamiya pajero, they are good…

[Admin]

im not with you dr the best nitro car is serpant for 1/8 scale the vector and the 1/10 is the impulse and the best electric car is the tc3 just voited by rc car action

[Admin]

There’s a lot of info in this thread so I haven’t read it all but I can tell you if you’re in Oz DO NOT buy a HPI car. The support here by Bolt-On is poor at best. I’ve even had them try and sell me used parts as new.

Don’t get me wrong I like HPI cars (I’ve owned 2 and still have 1 of those) but unless you’re willing to buy parts from OS like I do Tamiya is a much better choice.

[Admin]

This thread is now CLOSED.

I few participants have really tested my patience with regards to language/attitude. I let this thread run too long.

I will not name names for the moment – I’m sure you know who you are. Consider yourself on-notice.

Thanks

Derek

[Author]

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