“Money” advice

[PandaBear]

Courtesy of Team RCV…

Quote:

“Money”

R/C car racing can be a bottomless pit for your money if you let it. My advice to you is to think very carefully before you spend your hard earned bucks on new gear. It is better to be careful with your spending, enjoy your racing and stay in the sport for many years, than to spend heaps of money, become disillusioned and give up after a few months.
Don t rush out to buy every option part manufactured for your car. Good car performance is much more a case of practice and hard work, than it is a case of spending money indiscriminately. There are certainly things you should consider buying – but be sensible and approach it from a cost benefit basis. Here s a rough priority for spending money on your car:

1. Bearings will enhance run time, performance, reliability and strength. If your car doesn t have them – they are your first priority.
2. If you re racing with just one battery, you should make it a priority to get a couple more. Three is OK, but five (enough so that you have a fresh pack for each race on each race day) is ideal. You don t need high dollar matched packs. While we re on the topic of electronics – pick up a spare set of radio crystals as well. To race you ll need at least two pairs – preferably three. They re cheap – and if you look after them they ll last a long time.
3. The ability to alter gear ratio is very important. Pinions and spurs are relatively cheap – always carry a range.
4. Tires are a very important (possibly the most important) tuning tool you have. As you can afford it – try to build up a range of tire choices.
5. If you re struggling with a manual speed control – this will turn your life around. Electronics give more power, more run time, and much more reliability. Best of all, if you sell your old car, you can move your electronic speed control straight into your new one.
6. Most manufacturers offer a choice of softer, or stiffer springs for your car. Pick up some optional springs and shock oil to help you tune it. Usually it s best to get the spring/shock oil that is slightly softer, and slightly stiffer than the kit parts.
7. By reliability parts, I mean items that will make your car to be stronger, break down less, or be more consistent – not necessarily to perform better. Things like titanium turnbuckles, or captive ball joints.
8. Performance parts are items that help your car to run better or more efficiently. Lightweight transmission parts, optional graphite chassis parts, different tuning options such as anti-roll bars, or different toe/anti-squat blocks.
9. If you ve still got money left over – you might want to make your car look better. Anodized aluminum screw sets, different bodies, wings, wheels, sticker sets, etc. The options are almost endless.

Let me say one more thing on this topic. If you re running a cheap low-end buggy not specifically made for racing, it s best for you not to spend too much money trying to hop up your buggy and make it competitive. Instead you should concentrate on saving for a better car. Even a well looked after second hand racecar is a good investment. If you want to go faster – concentrate on items that you can move into another car if/when you save the $$$. Things like batteries, electronic speed controls, radio gear etc.

[trash]

or do what I do …

get a chushy job that pays lots of money combined with overseas travel to places where this stuff it cheap 🙂

[jamiekulhanek]

Or do the wrong thing like i have…..throw $750 into a kyosho mini z.

Pay packet just came in…might look at a new 1/10 car 🙂

[Star Guitar]

i did sumthing probably different to all of u…

bought a good starter car and accually saved/saving money up to get it better since it is a racing car and it can be a hell of a lot better than it is and basicly all the hop ups i get i wont even have to pay for cause ill get it for my birthday next year :>

[TallduDe]

im interested in getting started in 1:12 scale mini tamiya’s, what are the costs involved in racing them?

what would i need?

[betty.k]

some very good advice there. my method consists of spending more than i can afford!:8ball:

[PandaBear]

Same here… hideously dangerous when the silly credit card
companies think one’s good enough for ridiculous credit levels. :dead::shock:

(bugger, pmt due this wk…)

Quote:

im interested in getting started in 1:12 scale mini tamiya’s, what are the costs involved in racing them? what would i need?

If you mean the Tamiya M03 FWD Minis, they’re 1/10.
(165mm track and 210mm wheelbase.)

Probably the cheapest 1/10 racing out there; new cost:-
-M03 car kit ~$250
-bearings $30
-SportTuned motor $30
-Radio set: stick=$80, wheel=$130 and up
-ESC $80 and up
-good tyres & inserts $50-80/set
-batteries

Cheap racing as the tyres will last the whole season.
Don’t need the best top-range ESC to run the SportTuned,
motor never needs work beyond clean & oil.

Can save a little by buying some 2nd-hand gear but consumables
like motor, tyres & batteries are better ‘new’ for less headaches.
Depending on how bashed a used car is, might be cheaper sometimes
to buy a new kit than try to repair a trashed car with new parts.

[Author]

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