Why are there so many RTR cars and trucks nowadays??

[Charlie don't surf]

Instant coffee, Instant tea, Instant disbelief---------------when everybodys laughing at ya, and your not following the vast majority-------------------you may be on the right track.

[scottmac74]

IMHO, those who buy RTR's were not there in the early days of our hobby when there was no other choice but kits, and it is also a symptom of our current society (Instant gratification without having to put forth any real effort). In 1983 (@ 9 years old), I used my birthday/chore money to buy a NOS Tamiya 934 and with the help of my Dad, I put it together. Since I built it myself, I was proud of the fact I knew how to fix it when something broke or needed to be upgraded, you won't get that with a model that was put together on an assembly line in Taiwan. I am not against RTR's, they are an option for "tourists" and "kids" to learn about our hobby as a first step before becoming hobbyists. <More R/C fanatics = a good thing>.

[SmallScaleSmitty]

<More R/C fanatics = a good thing>.

I understand and agree, but at what price? Having RTR there as an option is fine. But having it as a standard, manufactures are discouraging and alienating R/C purists...what I would guess is the large part of their audience. Of course the same could be said about having kits as standard is discouraging newbs. So, the cost is higher in the kits...I would pay and I'm sure others would too to not have an assembled car with components that I may not prefer. Let little Timmy down the street buy the same car built with off the shelf, entry level electronics. So, changing over from kit to RTR is not nessisarily creating more R/C'rs, it just shifting it's core audience. Now having RTR in adition to...that's what creates more R/Cers.

[longboardnj]

i like rtr. losi bind n drive looks like another great idea....anyone ever get a kit and 1 part is missing or broke so you cant put it together ..... i have enough things to work on, atvs, atcs, dirtbikes, and alot of rcs ... if i buy a new rc i want to use it.. i think thats what most people are looking to do..so if people are buyin rtrs they will make more rtrs....its like you cant go wrong with rtrs these days i think all are full ball bearing, have escs ,and fast motors... just get them drive and have fun ..

[RC Chick]

I miss the kits. I had several kits as a kid that I saved and bought. I only had one set of electronics though a the square box remote and the old mech speed controler. I finaly saved enough money to buy a descent system. The futaba jr and the esc. I still use it today in my 10t. The RTR are great for someone getting into the hobby but I think the should still have a kit out so you can use whatever electronics you want. The problem I have seen with the kits is they are the same price as the RTR. That kinda pisses me off, if they were cheaper then I think more people would buy the kit. Some people say the RTR electronics are junk, that maybe but most people that buy them don't race them and just want to run around.

Mr Lexan I agree with both of your posts. Hobby shops should fix them if they can but also educate. As for the track thing that shop you talk about is retarded. I have one in my area that closed. The track was right behind them owned by the city. The only LHS is less than a mile away and they refuse to do anything with it or gather people to take an interest. I think they are retarded to. Another thing I noticed about Hobby Stores, the guys working there don't seem to be interested in helping you. Its like you are wasting their time asking questions. For goodness sake if you don't ask how do you learn and how do you decide what your buying if you can't get an answer. They work there, if they are crabby about it then they need a new line of work! Just my 2 cents

[mrlexan]

One of the guys I’ve raced electrics with, LOVES nitro RTR… he fixes them for a local shop. Pays for all of his electric racing, and yes, he has really nice stuff!

Larry's or P&D? Actually, P&D was the one that first put that thought/my comment in my head..... not to mention the LHS here is worse in terms of desire of doing repairs.

[mrlexan]

Racing = tires, parts, bodies, etc., etc.

Apparently our local oval track owner understands that. Somebody complained about the hard inner barrier breaking parts easily and was basically told that was the point.

Hey, it's not their fault people don't know how to drive.

[Bongo Fury]

One of the guys I’ve raced electrics with, LOVES nitro RTR… he fixes them for a local shop. Pays for all of his electric racing, and yes, he has really nice stuff!

Larry's or P&D? Actually, P&D was the one that first put that thought/my comment in my head..... not to mention the LHS here is worse in terms of desire of doing repairs.

Hehe, threw ya a curve. Planet RC in Indianapolis, site of the ROAR off road nats around ’06 I think it was, sadly since closed. My best bud lives a couple miles away, used to get there occasionally. The gent was always helpful to our little team, helped us with tire setup, let my son drive his 4 wheeler, something we’ve never had.

But you’ve got me back, where/what is P&D???

Don’t know details, but I see the guys at Larry’s working on stuff all the time, they have a fully equipped workbench set up right out in the open. Maybe one of the reasons they are one of the largest & best priced shops I’ve seen, and have been around for quite a while. Perhaps us net pundits do know a thing or two about successful business…while acknowledging it’s easier to say than actually do it I’m sure.

[Bongo Fury]

Instant disbelief--------

That's a good one... I sense a little plagiarism in my future, hope you don’t mind too much.

[vwjuice]

I don't get the lhs things either. We have a few in my area also. We had the only indoor offroad track w ith a shop close this year. Those guys were always willing to help people and work on anything that came through the door. Plus as racers if one of the kids had a problem with their rtr truck we jumped in and HELPED them fix their own truck. They learned a lot and were happy that they did it themselves. Now one of those kids is out there beating a lot of us older guys. We have a couple lhs's that don't want to help you with anything. My wife went in with $500 last christmas, she told them she wanted to get me a clodbuster and was looking for upgraded motors/esc, shocks, and bearings. They told her "HE DOESN'T WANT THAT." They tried to sell her an axail ax-10. I have no desire to have a rock crawler. My wife asked what's it for and how fast does it go? They said slow and rock crawling. She knew that wasn't for me. Got my clodbuster and couldn't have been happier putting it together. It was a really fun build, and takes a long time. During the rainy winter what else is there to do?


The last couple rtr's I bought weren't assembled very well. Screws were loose all over the chassis, no thread lock anywhere, gear mesh was off, and missing parts. I had so many problems with them and they were all nitro. I can't remember ever getting a kit that had missing parts. Usually I have extra peices, especially if it's a tamiya.



Only kits anymore are tamiya anything, and race vehicles like t4, b4, rb5, xxx series.

[mrlexan]

But you’ve got me back, where/what is P&D???

On the east side of Groesbeck between 13 and 14 mile (I think.... it might be 14 and 15 mile, I always can't remember).

[longboardnj]

[quote="[email protected]"] she told them she wanted to get me a clodbuster and was looking for upgraded motors/esc, shocks, and bearings. They told her "HE DOESN'T WANT THAT." They tried to sell her an axail ax-10. I have no desire to have a rock crawler. quote]
thats why are there so many RTR cars and trucks nowadays, people want to tell you what you want!!!! i can relate to this..i had a guy try to sell me on a rtr axial ax-10..he was tryin to tell me its the new hip thing and i gotta get 1. i cant stand people trying to tell me what i want...i said no thanks.. now if they set them up for Formula Off-Road i may have to get 1...maybe that will be the next axial rtr (brushless) [youtube]EetUh57PV_I&feature[/youtube]

[RABIDFOX50]

I have been into RC for over 20 years and the one thing that hooked me into it was the build aspect of the models. My one and only RTR was the MGT 4.60SE. I had to tear it allhe way down and rebuild it due to several things incorrectly built / installed. I hate RTRs with all my heart and soul. I understand the companies want to hook new sales but how are kids today going to learn anything if they can't figure out how to build a model? If it breaks, they aregoing to shlep on down to the LHS and say to the guy at the counter, "Fix it!".

God, I must be getting old. I sound like my father.

[slotcarrod]

People are lazy and want quick gratification! I work at a hobby shop and these guys come in with a broken suspension arm and say "fix my truck, you sold it to me!" They are ignorant, rude, lazy, lack any form of intelligence, have no mechanical inclination, will not read instructions (if they can read?). Many of these people are "so called professionals" . They are the worst! I could tell some stories but I think I will save them for my book! STUPID RTR NOOBS!

[longboardnj]

People are lazy and want quick gratification! I work at a hobby shop and these guys come in with a broken suspension arm and say "fix my truck, you sold it to me!" They are ignorant, rude, lazy, lack any form of intelligence, have no mechanical inclination, will not read instructions (if they can read?). Many of these people are "so called professionals" . They are the worst! I could tell some stories but I think I will save them for my book! STUPID RTR NOOBS!

i never understand it .. there are people making over $100,000 a year and they cant even work on a rc car..