Thoughts on the Re-Release Movement in RC

[Lavigna]

We appear to be in the middle of a RC re-release boom. AE in particular is hitting it hard. They are currently releasing new re-release kits faster than I can keep track. They are making it super easy for anyone to buy that AE vehicle they owned, or dreamed of owning in their younger years.

The incoming AE Kinwald RC10 kit looks great. They got a lot of the details pretty close. Anyone with $500 of disposable income can now own a Kinwald replica. What used to take months or years of hunting parts, planning, researching, and machining parts can now be accomplished with the click of a Buy It button. Many of you are likely familiar with the amazing replica builds done by member Kenooze. Just imagine the amount of skill, time, and dedication that he put into just his Kinwald RC10 build. The new re-release Kinwald kits coming from AE clearly are not on to that standard. However on the surface, they will look very close. The world will be going from a handful of Kinwald RC10 replicas, to thousands.

I have been mostly uninterested by the re-released AE kits. I don't really like how it dirties the water between what is original and new. However it can certainly be easier to buy a new part for a build that would have otherwise taken time/more money to find. Hopefully it proves to be a positive change for the hobby. I will likely continue to watch how it unfolds from the sidelines.

What do you think?

[Dangeruss]

AE should be commended on letting folks relive their childhood. You can now pour over pictures of your favorite kit and say, "That thing is awesome, man I wish I had the money", just like when you were a kid!

Unfortunately I think they're just releasing cheap Chinese junk to protect their "Intellectual Property" rights. Strong words but they're not providing parts support for their products which are of a lower standard than they were even in the 80's.

I don't think the value of a Kinwald replica built by Kenooze (or anyone to that standard) is going to be hurt by a re-release because you're talking two different buyers on two different levels of price and expectation. Even the prices of run of the mill RC10's weren't hurt as the crossover of a NIB buyer and a re-release buyer is small and the re-releases cost more than a "pre-loved" buggy or truck.

Re-release parts muddying the waters though, that's going to be a real problem for collectors as most sellers, once out of package, aren't going to know the difference. AE wants to point their pitchfork around the subject of parts that aren't "original" while their kits are the largest source of unoriginal parts in their market, which circles back to "IP" motivation.

But, those are academic arguments, on the face the kits are cool and if they create fun, joy, excitement, interest, and conversation then the hobby is richer for it... just thank your local ebay seller who's separating re-release kits one piece at a time for supporting you with spare parts.

...Maybe one day I'll tell you how I really feel.

[JosephS]

AE is late to the party for sure, other manufacturers kept kits in production, tamiya and traxxas kept parts for popular kits in production nearly continuously.

Most of those kits had little value because you could just buy parts.

AE tried doing re-re’s before and fell flat on their face, rpm lost enough money at that time they aren’t going to try again.


I’m glad to see that absolute flood of parts make my collection loose value, then again many of the new parts are selling for the cost of the original ones.

I suspect that the supply chains will be full and availability will be greater than demand for the rest of my life. A nice used rc10 can be had for less than $200 and it’s trivial to get any part you would need for a repair.


However the value for rcs was low before the re-releases. I’ve seen some users here with absolutely amazing builds have trouble selling them for much than a nice mint kit. I recall some amazing rc10ds builds going for not much at all.

The re-releases really put a cap on that. I can’t imagine almost cars selling for more than 3-400 regardless of how skilled the build is.

[Frankentruck]

If I had known all the re-re RC10 versions were coming, I probably would have gotten fewer vintage models that need rehabilitation. I haven't built my re-re RC10 kits yet so I haven't experienced their level of quality first hand. Eventually I'll get to them though.

The re-re's have definitely hurt the market value of the vintage kits/builds, even the ones that don't have a re-re. I'm not tremendously bothered by that because some things have become more affordable to me, but I understand when people are. I wish the re-re flood would result in my LHS carrying Associated again and stocking the parts, but they are content to be full of Traxxas models and parts. I'm also hoping for some local vintage related off-road events, but just like when I was a kid there just isn't the facilities for it. If I could just discover someone with a backyard track...
https://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?p=585108#p585108

[Dangeruss]

If I could just discover someone with a backyard track...
https://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?p=585108#p585108

[scr8p]

I don't think I have any particular feelings about them. I'm just glad I was into vintage r/c before it was cool.

If I had the extra spending money, I most likely would have grabbed 2 of the team car kits. I have 2 replicas in mind and I would have raced them at upcoming Vonats. The Kinwald car is probably the best one so far, but I already have a replica so I really don't need it.

I wouldn't mind a YZ10 also, since I don't have any 4wd buggies to race (except a Manta Ray).

[Charlie don't surf]

I'm just glad I was into vintage r/c before it was cool.

Vintage has always been cool, just not popular!

I wouldn't mind a YZ10 also, since I don't have any 4wd buggies to race (except a Manta Ray).

RC10Talk sponsorship for the Godfather to get a YZ10, I'll throw in $50 to get it started

[Frankentruck]

Just for giggles, I confirmed the Associated holiday discount code 2025memorialday does stack on top of the Membership price for the blue yz10....
.

[GoMachV]

Oh that's cool, it says it doesn't work on vintage kits

Edit: would have worked on the B6.4cc too. I lost $25 not thinking to try the coupon lol.

[RogueIV]

On my side of things, I do like it because it means more parts for my running cars. I do not, however, like how AE is rapid firing new kits out the window at a mind numbing pace. I'd prefer they slow down and do a better job with them.

The first release I've bought was the Kyosho Turbo Scorpion and it was one of the best kits I've built Nothing AE has put out has been anywhere close to Kyosho build quality.

[scr8p]

I'm just glad I was into vintage r/c before it was cool.

Vintage has always been cool, just not popular!

I wouldn't mind a YZ10 also, since I don't have any 4wd buggies to race (except a Manta Ray).

RC10Talk sponsorship for the Godfather to get a YZ10, I'll throw in $50 to get it started

Don't go spending money on a car for me. I have enough junk.

I know it's always been cool. But i didn't need the ease of rere kits to get into it.

[RogueIV]

I'm just glad I was into vintage r/c before it was cool.

Vintage has always been cool, just not popular!

I wouldn't mind a YZ10 also, since I don't have any 4wd buggies to race (except a Manta Ray).

RC10Talk sponsorship for the Godfather to get a YZ10, I'll throw in $50 to get it started

Don't go spending money on a car for me. I have enough junk.

I know it's always been cool. But i didn't need the ease of rere kits to get into it.

There's always Losi if you don't like the rere ease. Horizon seems to be too dumb to jump on the rere bandwagon. Still hasn't stopped me from running them though.

[scr8p]

I'm just glad I was into vintage r/c before it was cool.

Vintage has always been cool, just not popular!

I wouldn't mind a YZ10 also, since I don't have any 4wd buggies to race (except a Manta Ray).

RC10Talk sponsorship for the Godfather to get a YZ10, I'll throw in $50 to get it started

Don't go spending money on a car for me. I have enough junk.

I know it's always been cool. But i didn't need the ease of rere kits to get into it.

There's always Losi if you don't like the rere ease. Horizon seems to be too dumb to jump on the rere bandwagon. Still hasn't stopped me from running them though.

At the end of the day, it comes really down to how much stuff do I really need? At the rate that my builds get done, I have more than enough half built or new projects to keep me busy for 10+ years.

[Dadio]

What do I think of Re Re's ? Well there's definitely two ways to see them but for me it's always been about the driving experience, I want to know how the dream cars of our past actually drove and for the most part the Re Re will do that better than an old restored car with the added bonus that you can drive it like it's the 80s again without fear of breaking or wairing out a part that's unobtainium . I'm probably best known here for 3d printing RC parts and whole cars and once I have recreated one I'll rarely drive the original again for fear of damage to it , I'm not really into shelf queens or overly concerned about resale value so the Re Re cars are often a good source of parts and have no real down side for me personally , they also cut down the elitism in the hobby so it's more affordable to realize the dream for less well off hobbyists and I'm definitely in that category , I simply cannot justify £100 for a motor to "finish a build right " but a £20 Re Re motor is possible .

[Charlie don't surf]

I think that it's 1/2 good, half...something else that I can't put my finger on. Keep in mind some of the people that the first run of Re-Re's brought in drove me nuts in the 14' era. It's brought a lot more to the track for sure, which is awesome! It's killed vintage values which is both good and bad depending on the stage of your hobby...buying time is great, selling time is a joke. AE has really flooded the marketplace with stuff, it's cool to see some of the stuff out there.

I've transitioned to Losi on the track personally- 1/2 rebellion toward explaining to guys it's a original car, original parts and faster han theirs....1/2 the car works better when I drive smoother...unlike my AE RC10, B2 and T2 which really like to be thrown around.

Don't think I answered any questions lol