Noob to the sport... what to buy?

[MiDGet]

Hi guys,
ive just joined up to this place and have had a good look around.
Im wanting to buy a electric car to build up from scratch, play with and maybe race for a bit and mod in the future...
Now i dont know what the hell to buy!
I want RWD as its more fun to steer than an AWD.
Any recommendations on shops to buy from?
Im in sydney and there are 3 around here... kinda that i know of.
www.wingsnthings.com.au is the closest.
www.hobbyco.com.au and
www.castlehillhobbies.com.au are both a hike but hey its all fun and games...
Help me out please.. i wanna start into this sport asap!

Thanks
MiDGet

[justo316]

How's it goin', welcome to the site.

What kind of driving do you want to do? Onroad/offroad?

And what kind of budget do you have? Do you have access to any pre-existing gear or do you need everything from scratch?

Are you partial to 2nd hand stuff or prefer new stuff (like me :D )?

[MiDGet]

mate off road... hence why i posted in the off road section...
budget... well... shit my credit card has about 20 oweing on it... im thinking of starting off spending around 500-600 for the lot and going from there.

[ellenbrook]

Gday midg...
Offroad electric really isnt my cup of tea..(Nitro savage 25 here).
Below is a site you may have seen but if not its worth a look..great prices and ive never had any problems with ordering gear from them.
cheers....stevo
http://www.rchobbies.com.au/store/

[justo316]

Sorry, yeah, just noticed that. getting confused with all the messages Im reading :P

Personally, I would get either an associated or Losi buggy/truck. They'd be less than 400 for a new one, but you might find a second hand one going a lot cheaper. Associated do rtr kits for less than 500, but I wouldn't go for those.

Just remember, while it's a big initial outlay, all the electrics can be put into new cars you buy so you don't have to pay for that again.

For esc's, you can get good ones for less than 100 new (GM, LRP, Futaba). Depends on your motor choice and future choices though.

Motors can be had for as little as $23 (Venom fireball modifieds from RMS).

I'd recommend cheap $40 Venom 3000 nimh batteries.

An LRP micro charger will charge those off a car battery for $30 odd. I'm sure someone will be able to suggest a Peak detecting wall charger for not much more though.

Radio gear will probably cost around 80 bux for a simple Sanwa twin stick job.

All up, I'd say less than $700 will get you an awesome setup that will be quality gear that you can race and bash around with. Resale value will be higher than other lesser brand stuff. The associated buggy can probably be had for $50 or so less (TEAM edition of course!). 2nd hand stuff is gonna cost about half of those prices obviously. Even cheaper if you get it all in a bundle.

[MiDGet]

thanks mate,
ill put them in my favorites...
does this place have sponsors?
Im not after a nitro... as i get sick of dealing with 2 strokes all day at work... and electric is quieter...

[justo316]

www.radiomodels.com.au for pretty much cheapest prices in australia...

Then there's always towerhobbies.com which will be even cheaper still if you're buying all at once and don't mind ordering from the US.

[justo316]

Of course, stuff is only gonna be as good as what you spend.

I'm not a fan of RTR cost cutting ;) if there is a kit available. Plus it's more fun to build it when you're starting out cos you learn so much.

I'm not cheap....when I had money I spent big baby !lmao

[MiDGet]

ok guys... thanks for the advice... but im no closer in to what to buy... if someone says... goto this website... buy this car... and this gear... ill do it! i trust you lot know what your on about so ill do it! buggy/truck... im not bothered.. i just wanna play!

[MiDGet]

ok what do you think about this http://www.ozshops.com/cgi-bin/RT_Resp.cgi?application=radio
the first truck RC10T4?

[MiDGet]

good elecs? what do you mean? what else should i buy with it...???

[justo316]

Yup, that's the one I was thinking of too. I thought it was cheaper before? They do specials every now and then, and the associated stuff is always on special. I think I grabbed my T3 (same price at the time) for 350.

GM SX3R speedie is $93. I bought one and it was faulty straight out of the box, but I'd buy one again. if I could afford it. There's a thread in the rctech section I think, that I satrted about a cheap esc recommendation. It's a futaba one that can be had for about 50bux from overseas.

Sanwa Dash Saber (I think it's called) twin stick radios are about 80bux I think from a hobby store. Also there's a Futaba Attack which does the same thing on RMS for $75. Pistol grip goes up to $103 (see RMS again).

[MiDGet]

righto... im lost. if i buy that kit... its got everything i need to get started right??? yaa or naa?

then i can upgrade from there...?
what im saying. should i buy that kit now? and do i need to get anymore to get it going... upgrades can come thick and fast later.!

[opAsx]

if your after a cheap sanway blazer pistol radio PM me :) I have one with an rx and xtals. it just needs a new antenna.

[opAsx]

the fatory kit things dont have radio gear or esc servo etc. so they are an added expense. so are batteries and all the other fun stuff :D

[MiDGet]

yeah but the kit im looking at ESC and radio... so is that electronic speed control and the radio gear??? so i only need batteries and charger?

[justo316]

Yeah, only RTR cars come with anything.

With kits, you always have to factor in a radio system + servo, speed control, motor, batteries etc.... Some onroads don't even come with a body or wheels!

[justo316]

you looking at the ready to run T4? If so, yeah, you just need batteries for the car and radio, and a charger.

[MiDGet]

rc10t4 - now upgraded with a 15-turn motor, genuine LRP "Ai" Digital Speed Control, and an "AE by Airtronics" micro-sized radio system.
i wanted to build my own... can you suggest some way i can get everything this has... but not RTR(im getting the lingo)

But as it says radio system... what does that mean(laymens terms) does it have the controller of what? all this confuses me...

[opAsx]

i think it would also depend on what you want to do with the truck. if your looking to fling it about at the local bmx track maybe invest in an electric monster truck. the ST's dont like being jumped/bumped/bounced all that much. (not as much as a MT does anyway)

if your going to rave it then thats another story for that price brakcet... the ST's fit in well. a racing MT electric wouldnt :)

[opAsx]

yes thats the controller receiver.

the Digital speed control is the ESC, whcih controls the motor.

RTR is usually that. built and ready to run when you add batteries. if you want to build your own you need a kit and they tend to not have radio included. but the benefits here are the kits can sometimes come with a few axtrs that you would have spent more on in the long run.

you buy a kit without a radio then you buy a nice radio to go with it. not suffer with the stock radio til you cant handle it any longer and then trade up and spend more money :D

[MiDGet]

no ill be mainly from the beginning mucking around with mates... racing them... but stepping up and racing at the st ives track... what do you think i should buy... show me links please....

[opAsx]

i think you need to go to a hobby shop and read some product reviews online.

i can say what i like. but im not suggesting anything. you buy a truck on someones advice and find out later you would have preferred a buggy i dont want to shoulder the guilt... !silly

[justo316]

as I said before...T4 kit 400bux, GM speedie $93, Whatever cheap radio $80 or less 2nd hand, venom 15turn motor $30 (dunno if the special is still on for $23). So about 600 will get you the same thing not including batteries.

Keep in mind that while it's 100bux more, you are getting a Team edition truck, not the basic one in the RTR package, so it should have all the hop ups you need.

[opAsx]

the T4 kit is $340 on RMS site. cheap radio 2nd hand $40, the special is still on at RMS so $22 for the venom.

"RC10T4 Truck Factory Team Kit 1/10" is for $340

buy some cheap batteries (cheap venom motor and cheap venom batteries :P) and a cheap as all hell charger ($50) and your off and away....

[MiDGet]

hey justo316. if i email rms what youve said... would they understand? and i can go faster from there???
im playing with toys rather that going turbo on my car...
SR20DET $4g plus....
toy car.. under $1g from the start...

[opAsx]

RMS will baffle you with thier intellectual prowess... then foroget to call you back.

they are a great online retailer... thats about it.

[MiDGet]

im already baffled!+

[justo316]

Yeah, RMS will understand (probably), but you probably won't get much of a "laymans" terms answer. You never know, give it a shot, but don't say we didn't warn you.

Best bet is to go to a local hobby store and bother them with all the questions you want to ask. Don't let them sell you on what they carry. Go home and start your research again with the knowledge you've gained.

[justo316]

DAMN. stupid me doesn't even look at the front page of RMS.

GET THAT FACTORY TEAM T4!!!!! $339 is a ridiculous price.

Forget about the rtr package. The factory team model is the top of the line model for that truck man. You will have a world championship level truck. How awesome is that idea?

Yeah, it will cost a little more in the end, but how can you be happy with anything but the best?
!devil I'm evil.

[justo316]

The RTR has dogbones instead of CVDs and the shocks aren't as schmick as the Team/factory team versions according to the associated site.

I'd still get the factory team though. You could buy those RTR electrics on ebay/from overseas for the difference in price (or less) and you'd end up with a better truck. The esc is $60US new (LRP AI super reverse from rcmart.com. good esc!), radio is worth $42US (airtronics blazer from tower). Motor would be about the same as a venom ($22 at RMS, just checked. Doesn't make sense getting the worse version for the same money.

Postage is a rip off from tower for one thing so would work out best if you can get both the radio and esc from the same place.

[MiDGet]

ill probably go for the RC10T4 TRUCK RTR TEAM +ESC +RADIO 1/10 AUS$ 493.05.
But ill ring rms tomorrow and organise it, and get their advice on what else i need to get it going.
Thanks for your advice guys, ill keep you updated

[MiDGet]

yeah ill talk to them about that, id prefer to build my own, but will see how it all goes.
I want my new toy now!!!lol

[MiDGet]

ok guys.... plans changed. i ordered a buggy today
The team associated RC10B4 RTR, as well as 2 batteries and a dual 240/12v charger... so ive got everything i need to start.
I decided to use sydney hobbie shops, as i figure ill need em. The castlehill shop told me theyd call me back in 10mins... that was 7 hours ago... hrmm. So i went to the closest one to me, he gave me prices(more that rms but hey its convenient) and told me what else i needed and we ordered it all..
Should be here on thursday. Thanks for the advice guys, ill post up pics when i pick her up and get it dirty!

[MiDGet]

ok, update... got the car. goes ok, not totally happy, not really quick... thinking about selling already and upgrading to a nitro or petrol powered one...

[mitchremotes]

Hmmm, NO PLEASING some people hey, would be nice to have so much money to pis up against the wall that's all I can say, want to go quicker buy a modified motor then, although by the tone of your posting that wont keep u happy, LOL hehehehe !smack

[MiDGet]

ahh shaddup, naa i was just expecting it to be quicker than what it is. hence why im looking at nitro.

[MiDGet]

ok put the 2nd battery in it... and was going heaps better... till a small door fell on it here at work and snapped the part where the strut attatches to the body... lol, we are going to glue it back up, and ill order a carbon fibre one next week... guess im not trading the car in now! lol

[opAsx]

stick with the electrics.

spend a little on motor, ESC and batteries and it will piss all over a nitro :D

once you fix it of course :P

[opAsx]

anything under 15 will be insane for someone new to it. i get scared using a 19t ffs and its brown trouser time with the hacker setup :D

[MiDGet]

mines got a 15t...
i think i gotta get better batteries... the ones i got say 3000mah on em... i got 2 for $100

[justo316]

The stock esc is great (one of the few good value things). I think it can take down to a 13urn motor. Any decently priced mod motor (>$80?) will beat that 15turn that comes stock. Don't forget to change the gearing at the same time though.

[opAsx]

batteries and the way they are chraged make a massive difference.

my intellect 3600's when i got them i charged at 4amp and they were a big improvement over my old batteries.

then i read the battery recommended instructions and it says "peak performance at 6amp" so i gave it a shot.

holy shiznat!

a noticeable improvement.

also adding a little extra capacity to one of my "test" packs made a fair freaking difference. a 6 cell with 8.6V is kind of excessive tho :)

[justo316]

I'm gonna have to get a power supply or a new charger and try that.

[opAsx]

i am currently using a PC power supply from an old ATX box. 500W of sexy power :P

i had my dad measure power through it and he said its as stable as most other power supplies i would have bought for around the $100-150 mark so im happy :)

as he is an electrical guru i will take his word on it :)

[justo316]

Yeah, I'm gonna look into the thread that covered this a while ago, when I get home... Even if I have to buy a new power supply, it'll only cost me $40. Or, I could just use my car battery to try it out once I suppose.

[Bowling Ball]

Generally a higher amp charge will yield higher voltage from the pack but less run time.

A lower amp charge will give you more run time but a lower voltage. Longer run time as at a lower amp charge the cells accept more charge than they do at higher amps.

Higher amp charging decreases the life of the cells, so its a trade off.

Alot of racers charge their packs so the pack peaks just before their race. With a warm pack they race. When the pack is warm, it will distribute its charge more efficiently, giving much better preformace.

[justo316]

It seems anything that improves performance reduces battery life... :P You can't have both.

[opAsx]

which is why i have so many batteries :P