The RC Car and Radio Control Racing Web Site

This is an e-mail I got from a friend of mine from RC Ontario.

Let's take off a few tenths per lap,

"PRO"

Comments:  Hey Pro...

I got a beef and I was just wondering what your opinion is.  Traxxas started this whole RTR (Ready To Run) thing when they first showed up on the R/C scene.   Then HPI went and jumped on the bandwagon with their RTR version of the Nitro RS4.   Now I see that Team Associated is releasing the RC10GT as an RTR.  I understand that the market is out there and these companies are all trying for a piece of the RTR pie, but I think they are taking something away from our hobby.  I think that building these cars is as much fun as running them and you know your car a lot better when you build it from the ground up.  I noticed a couple of people this year who were running RTR's and they didn't have a clue about their cars.

You get a certain feeling of accomplishment from knowing that you built a working R/C ride from plastic/composites and nuts & bolts that you can't get from pulling it out of a box.  I can't understand why these companies are taking their race proven R/C rides and turning them into "FAST FOOD".

I consider us to be different from people who buy "Tyco" stuff.   I realize that these RTR rides aren't like "Tyco" because they are still tunable and rebuildable and of course nitro (in some cases), but they are definitely a step in the wrong direction.  The thing that surprises me is the amount of excitement I'm seeing in places like the HPI forum about the release of a new R/C Ride.  Never mind the fact its RTR.  It's new and generating excitement because it's new.

As the proud owner of a few websites I couldn't bring myself to offer this as "news".  I couldn't imagine doing a review on something I pulled out of a box...

"I opened the box, then I took out the car... It ran very fast... end of review!

The GT hurts the most because that is a classic.  What's next?   Team Losi XXX RTR, Kyosho MP6-RTR???

Let me know what you think Pro.  Not that we can do anything about it, or that we should want to do anything about it.  Just thinking out loud.

Keep on R/Cing

The R/C Guy

Here are some responses that I received

I understand the point the R/C Guy makes about the RTR RC cars out in the market.  But, I think it is a good way of making the hobby grow, a lot of people are intimidated about having to have to build there own car.  I agree with the R/C Guy that building the car is half the fun, and knowing your car inside and out is knowledge that is essential in racing.  But once these newbies get there RTR car.... and can see the excitement and fun racing offers,  plus learn more about the hobby, and learn to work on there cars.  I am sure there next car would be the standard "box full of parts, put it together kit".

Dookie

I built a Hornet 15 years ago.  While it was fun, the real fun is running them.  As a mechanic of 15 years, I'm more than capable of building it but I'd rather just get to the thrashing and parts breakage that much sooner.  Some people just can't bring themselves to tackle an intimidating project like a nitro car.  The Traxxas Nitro Rustler I bought doesn't even come in kit form.  Cut us RTR's a break.   Judging from the condition of a local R/C racetrack I found this week, you can use all the "members" you can get.

Robert

I have to agree with r/c guy here, RTR's are ruining the hobby.  When you buy an r/c car it is because you are ready and determined to meet the challenge of building your car, tuning it to perfection, racing it and designing a really cool paint scheme.  Sure when you buy an RTR you are out on the track faster but when you start having problems with your car what are you going to do?  I purchased an RTR SUPER NITRO RS4 and sure it was fun to be out on the street within 15 minutes but when my  o.s cvx .15 started having problems, I was clueless.  I had to sell the set-up.   I am an experienced nitro racer but not with the super nitro rs4.  Then I bought a standard build it yourself super nitro rs-4 kit and the instant something happened I was out of my house within 5-10 minutes because I figured out the problem and solved it because I had actually BUILT my car and was familiar with everything.  My advice is to stick with the DO-IT-YOURSELF kits.

CHEMICAL X

I have just found your site, and for the content I have read up to now, it is the best, really.  I just bought a Traxxas nitro stampede (didn't received it yet) and I have to say I was disappointed that I could not buy it as an unassembled kit.   I think a big part of the fun we have in R/C is making adjustments, all the things you do when you are not racing or playing with it, and this includes building it.  It is good that some manufacturers make RTR's to reach more people and increase the popularity of R/C, but they should never sell a car or truck without the kit option!   They even start to sell bodies already painted!  I've built small plastic model cars since I was ten years old and I understand how fun it is to build something, and in the case of R/C, you can run what you built, it's even more exciting. Although, I can't wait to have my Stampede!

Frederik

Hey Pro, I'm new to your site but I like what I see.  About the RTR issue, I have been involved in the hobby for almost a decade, and have built both kit and scratch-built setups.  I recently picked up an RTR nitro RS4, because I just didn't feel like building it.  One thing I do think that is important to mention though, is that even a well respected company like HPI isn't perfect.  My car was missing one of the front steering block screws, and two others were loose, anyone new to the hobby would have been in a world of trouble.  While buying paint for my car the other day, I saw three people buy RTR's just because of the 'intimidation' of building one, and I think that's a shame, but for anyone who knows RC cars, this is a quick way to get going.

Greg

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