Is this RC car any good?
Discussion
I've been looking for a RC and found this http://www.modelsport.co.uk/tamiya-volkswagen-golf... is it any good? They sell a combo for £200 is that all I need? If not what else do I need? any advice would be much appreciated.
Are you planning to race it, or is it just going to be used for fun?
Tamiya kits are generally pretty simple to build and have good quality instructions.
The combo from Modelsport looks to include everything you would need to start from scratch, but one thing I would recommend you get is a bearing kit and that way you can include ball bearings when you build the model rather than using the Tamiya supplied bushings. These will give longer run time and better performance and a full set of bearings should be about £15 max. It's just much easier to fit them whilst building than to go back and swap them later on.
Tamiya kits are generally pretty simple to build and have good quality instructions.
The combo from Modelsport looks to include everything you would need to start from scratch, but one thing I would recommend you get is a bearing kit and that way you can include ball bearings when you build the model rather than using the Tamiya supplied bushings. These will give longer run time and better performance and a full set of bearings should be about £15 max. It's just much easier to fit them whilst building than to go back and swap them later on.
Modelsport may still list it, but I think you'll be lucky to see any. The Hobby Co have some on 'back order' but it is now a discontinued model, so it's likely that some of those back orders will not even be fulfilled.
The M-05 is a straightforward chassis, you can of course race it if you wish in the many M-chassis competitions that are run. I only have the predecessor, the M-03, so can't comment much on how well it drives, but generally FWD chassis' are 'point and squirt' and very easy to pick up.
If you want an M-05 then the more common kits would be easier to obtain, the Golf was a limited edition (of sorts). The mini Cooper is nice, there is also an Alfa Romeo MiTo. There's also a Fiat 500 (old shape) and a Renault 5 Turbo Rally car.
If it's just for messing around with then the TT02 chassis has just been released, I think you can only get it in Ferrari 458 trim at the moment. The performance is higher than the M-chassis cars due to the 4wd.
I'd steer you in the direction of TimeTunnelModels too as I used to work there
The M-05 is a straightforward chassis, you can of course race it if you wish in the many M-chassis competitions that are run. I only have the predecessor, the M-03, so can't comment much on how well it drives, but generally FWD chassis' are 'point and squirt' and very easy to pick up.
If you want an M-05 then the more common kits would be easier to obtain, the Golf was a limited edition (of sorts). The mini Cooper is nice, there is also an Alfa Romeo MiTo. There's also a Fiat 500 (old shape) and a Renault 5 Turbo Rally car.
If it's just for messing around with then the TT02 chassis has just been released, I think you can only get it in Ferrari 458 trim at the moment. The performance is higher than the M-chassis cars due to the 4wd.
I'd steer you in the direction of TimeTunnelModels too as I used to work there
+1 on the what do you want to do with it.
If you want to race then you'll want something competitive and something that is allowed in any race series you likely to attend.
If it's just for "backyard bashing..." to coin the American phrase. Were and on what sort of surface?
Personally I've never been a Tamyia fan. Sure there kits look nice, but historically have been massively under performing and often over priced.
If you don't a large tarmac area to use such a car on, then you may find an off road biased truck/buggy a better bet. You can still use these on tarmac, but you'll find you have many more places to run them.
Also consider performance and what you get in the kit. I've not used a Tamyia kit for years, but they always used to come with the crappiest ever 540 brushed core "stock" 27 turn motor with a sealed can and the crappest ever mechanical speed controller.
Low turn brushed motors are a million times better and modern brushless motors are a million times better again. You also want a proper quality ESC (electronic speed control) and some good batteries. NiMh used to be the score, but for performance and runtime it's all LiPo cells these days. So you'll want a good charger too.
Have a look here: http://traxxas.com/products
Personally I'd avoid anything nitro based unless you places to run them and a specific need for nitro. Modern electronic RC's are the way to go.
If you don't have any other RC gear (radio and such) many kits can be bought RTR (Ready to Run). This is often a good cost effective way into the hobby.
If you do plan on racing you'll need to do a lot more research first, as racing something that is uncompetative is no fun at all.
Some others you may want to look at:
http://www.losi.com/
http://www.racing-cars.com/
http://www.teamassociated.com/
If you want to race then you'll want something competitive and something that is allowed in any race series you likely to attend.
If it's just for "backyard bashing..." to coin the American phrase. Were and on what sort of surface?
Personally I've never been a Tamyia fan. Sure there kits look nice, but historically have been massively under performing and often over priced.
If you don't a large tarmac area to use such a car on, then you may find an off road biased truck/buggy a better bet. You can still use these on tarmac, but you'll find you have many more places to run them.
Also consider performance and what you get in the kit. I've not used a Tamyia kit for years, but they always used to come with the crappiest ever 540 brushed core "stock" 27 turn motor with a sealed can and the crappest ever mechanical speed controller.
Low turn brushed motors are a million times better and modern brushless motors are a million times better again. You also want a proper quality ESC (electronic speed control) and some good batteries. NiMh used to be the score, but for performance and runtime it's all LiPo cells these days. So you'll want a good charger too.
Have a look here: http://traxxas.com/products
Personally I'd avoid anything nitro based unless you places to run them and a specific need for nitro. Modern electronic RC's are the way to go.
If you don't have any other RC gear (radio and such) many kits can be bought RTR (Ready to Run). This is often a good cost effective way into the hobby.
If you do plan on racing you'll need to do a lot more research first, as racing something that is uncompetative is no fun at all.
Some others you may want to look at:
http://www.losi.com/
http://www.racing-cars.com/
http://www.teamassociated.com/
I don't know a huge amount about this one, but I'd be looking at this type of thing myself:
http://www.apexmodels.com/gbu0-prodshow/LCEMBWRCLH...
It's under your £200 budget, it's 4wd so will perform better and be easier/better to drive and make more use of it's power.
Electric speed control.
Brushless motor.
Modern 2.4Ghz radio not old hat 27Mhz.
Good spares and industry known makers.
Likely stronger and more durable than the Tamyia (based on my past experience of Tamyia's of old).
Is a complete Ready To Run kit with everything you need to get going.
http://www.apexmodels.com/gbu0-prodshow/LCEMBWRCLH...
It's under your £200 budget, it's 4wd so will perform better and be easier/better to drive and make more use of it's power.
Electric speed control.
Brushless motor.
Modern 2.4Ghz radio not old hat 27Mhz.
Good spares and industry known makers.
Likely stronger and more durable than the Tamyia (based on my past experience of Tamyia's of old).
Is a complete Ready To Run kit with everything you need to get going.
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