mike, why dont you sell..
 

rtr brushless trucks?


like make a completed GMAXX truck and sell it. i would think it would make some money. because you dont put the trucks together untill someoen orders it. and there are PLENTY of people that would love custom work done by you. they know it will be quality, clean, and freakin awsome to look at:lol:

i just thought id throw that out there.

Yep.. We know.. :lol:

I know that Mike is always coming up with more motor mounts and other goodies for us...

Would it help if we as customers donated our old chassis from the models that he doesn't yet sell BL motor mounts & accessories? That way he could get the dimensions and make conversion kit parts for them too.

He does build cars for people doesn't he?

I assume so...I think that is where the CRT.5 chassis kit came from...there are also a lot of posts from folks that have ordered full "kits" from Mike.

I personally like the fact that he is offering more "kit" type packages (e.g., RC8, XT8, and CRT.5). As a consumer of his products, I would like to know how we can help him....

If I am posting out of turn, I apologize, but I think it would be great if Mike offered "turn key" packages that included all the mounting hardware necessary for converting a nitro vehicle to BL...similar to what he has done with the CRT.5.

he's only one guy.. it's nice to put it together yourself.. .that's the fun part of the hobby... :) but RTR would make good business for the n()()bs... :)

He is only one guy...but we are his customers and we can help. That's why I think the conversion kits...or as I termed them..."turn key" kits could be so successful...they are a happy medium. A noobie would only need to buy a 1/8 scale RTR kit, BL motor, ESC, battery and an RC Monster "turn key" kit...

I look at RC Productions and I see a lot of potential....because they sell kits that make it easy to convert to BL power systems. Mike has greater variety....all he has to do is package it the right way and he'll dominate this evolving market.

I might have a buggy put together soon as a turn-key for sale, just to try it and get a new 1/8 out there. I'm going to talk to Mike about getting parts for it.

I think I can do it for a very good price... much better and much cheaper than FD for example. :)

Basic parts needed:
Mamba w/bec............@150
RCM hardened pinon....@10
Feigao XL w/heatsink...@25
RCM motor mount........@55
??? battery mount.......@40
total parts.................$280
plus battery 5000mah 4s @200

That's $480 so far, plus you need a buggy to put them in.

That's makes a grand total of $900-1000 depending on which buggy you buy.

Do you think many would buy a completely ready to run turn key buggy, if the cost was basicly a sum of the total parts?

How about $950 for a turn-key Caster Factory Pro buggy like this: http://casterracing.com/en/product_d...&productid=109
(full 7075 "king heads" type stuff... It's a Mugen knock-off that's actually faster than a Mugen on the track.)

How about an even $1000 complete with a very nice servo .10/150 oz or better..... just drop in a receiver and turn it on?

You need to add the cost of the actual motor don't you, or tell me where you getting them that cheap. :yes:

LOL... yeah I guess that would be good. Can you tell I was making it up as I went? ha ha

So that bumps the totals:
parts: $360
batt: $200
total: $560 plus @ $500 for a race level buggy = $1060

Now it's only missing a servo (and rx/tx of course). The Caster ZX-1R at $425 on sale direct is cheaper than most pro cars: RC8, Xray, Mugen, Losi, Kyosho etc... they are pretty much all $500-550

So throw in a nice servo and the ZX-1R is still only $500

So is $1060 too much sticker shock? I might put one together just for fun... when I have some down time this winter. (work slows and the weather sucks) I can get enough discount on a few things to cover shipping and misc costs and still probably have a few bucks left over, even selling at actual street cost of the parts. The guys at Caster are interested at this point so they are willing to work with me a bit I think. That's the only way something like this can be done.

btw, what got me thinking about this is that I saw one of the new Caster cars last week and they are pretty sweet. I was very impressed looking at it.

Also it's doing very well so far in racing. At the RC Pro Series finals in Texas there was only like 3 guys running them in expert (no top level names) and two of them including my local buddy made the B main... which is very impressive. The RC8 and 8ight didn't much better and they have "name" drivers.

If mike did rtr's, he'd be another convert company only with less rep, so by being the one who offers the best motor mounts, he can be recognized.

Also, I get so sick of seeing rtr conversions etc. where people have no creativity or building skill just a big pocket book.

ya that is true but it makes mike money. plus if they start selling lots of RTR bl conversion people will buy them more which will in turn get us our own BL classes.

i just think it would help the newer people get into the hobby. then when they realize how cool it is they would start making their own projects!

I would love to see Mike do all this but SSS is correct. :wink:Mike is only one guy. You need a couple good workers with Mike leading:whip: to get everything we all want done. :great:

You mean that someone would be able to buy a rtr conversion... rather than piece it together? I don't think money is the issue. It's not cheap either way.

We have to get used to the fact that it's coming... there are going to be more things like the Novak kits and even out of the box electric 1/8. I don't think we should fight it or think less of a guy who wants to buy something complete or drop-in, etc.

That's the way the hobby has gone... it's dominated by rtr and pre-built cars. Electric 1/8 needs the same evolution to become mainstream.

I hate to say it, but your right...I don't know about you, but I love build kits and actually learning about how its made and such instead of having to take it apart just to figure out how something is...

I do agree that 1/8 scale BL RTRs are coming...and eventually they will be part of the mainstream RC industry. However, I like building my own stuff like Sqee and many of the others here...half the fun is grinding stuff to size to make it work. For me the drop in/turn key kits (like those from RC Productions, Tekno RC, and Mikes CRT.5) are the happy medium. In all honesty I think these kits would appeal to a very large consumer base because they are a happy medium for people that don't have extensive tooling/resources at home. The extent of my tooling consists of a Dremel, drill press, solder station, heat gun, and a boat load of hand tools. One of the reasons I pestered Mike so hard about coming up with a universal battery tray for my CRT was so that I can make more conversions down the road...all I need to do is buy another tray and the applicable motor mount and I am ready to go build it. I am already planning to build an Ultra GTP or DM One

Speaking of tooling resources...as I so notably mentioned in another thread...I really would be grateful if Santa would drop off a CNC machine for me...which one to ask for...hmmm:lol:

Average Joe.
 

I do believe for the average Joe it is a little intimidating to just jump right in with a build project. Most people don't have the natural mechanical ability to be able to do that off the cuff. So that is why the RTR out of the box sells so well. A lot of the guys in the RC hobbie now started with an RTR and learned from there. Some are born with the God given gift that makes build projects so much fun just to create works of art on their own, but that is just not the norm. It is obvious to see that there are a few people on here that love the builds almost as much as the driving, if not more. I love some of the creative parts that Mike comes up with, but I would not want him to build my trucks. I am sure that he would do a great job, but my, truck my build. Most of the people who would want an capable RTR probably won't want to spend the kind of cash it will take to purchase a pro racer type of vehicle that includes parts and labor. It is just unrealistic knowing how cheap most American's are. We want it cheap and fast.:lol:

I think for most people there is also a mindset that prevents them from plunking down big cash for a complete "system". Not just in r/c but everything. Like a home entertainment system... you start with a TV... then add a DVD player, then receiver and speakers, then a gaming system to play on it. Then you start upgrading the stuff you skimped on the first time around, lol. Most of us don't just go buy the whole mess at once, cause it "costs too much". he he

It's funny... but it's much easier to "fool yourself" and buy a 1/8 car... then order a motor/esc... then get the required mounts etc... then once it's up and running you finally drop the $$ for lipos...etc. Because otherwise you can't justify spending so much for a r/c car. LOL

Correctamundo.
 

You are so right on the money glassdoctor. I am sure that most of us can look back at what we have spent to date, and realize that if we had any idea that we were going to spend that much we would have found something cheaper. I know if we had told our significant others that we were going to be spending $5k or more a year on an RC hobby some of us would have been kicked to the curb:diablo:. I saw the realization up front and knew that I would have to spend a little bit each month to get to where I want to be:whistle:. I am still working on that now. The hard part is knowing each month that I have to wait a little big longer to get the next shopping cart full of RC gear because I want to keep the spending under control and not use any credit to get there. I pay as I go, and so the finish line is paced out for months and even years for the dreams that I have. That is a huge commitment, and too much of a commitment for people with other requirements on them.:lol:

Lets put it this way. I HATE RTR's, and I think every car should be a kit. The only time I've bought rtr's is when no kit is available for the product I want.

My first ever rc (real hobby one) was a T4 team kit. Learned everything about that truck and didn't need the instruction manual after building it. The rtr newbies come on asking what a dog bone is etc., it's just ridiculous and 1/8th scale convo's are the only non rtr infested part of r/c left. I just don't want to loose that.

If i lived in NY, I'd apply for a job as an assembler

I agree with you half way. I also love kits and would never ever even think about buying a RTR in the present time because for me, building them is half the fun. However, I think having RTR's available makes it easier and less intimidating for new comers into the hobby. For example, when I first started this hobby, my first rc car was a RTR rustler. I didn't even know what a turnbuckle was, slipperclutch or anything was. After i became a little more knowledgeable on rc cars though, I was able to fix them on my own, and upgrade and install parts on my own. Granted, I was at a very young age.

But having people start with a RTR mainly gets you interested into rc cars, and then later, you will realize how much fun it is to build them and customize them.

See, but if building is half the fun (I think it's a higher percent ;)), then why only have them experience half the fun? Plus, rtr's usually use cheaper parts and they break easier or aren't as good of performers which most likely DISCOURAGES newcommers.

I dunno, I'm on the extreme end of one side.

JMO though, and I respect everyone else's.

Me too...I love building and I have bought one RTR and will NEVER buy another.

However, a lot of folks don't want to hassle of building. Just a couple of examples: young people and older professional types...

Some of my buddies want into the hobby, but they simply cannot afford to invest their most valuable resource--TIME--into building a "toy" (because for them it is a "toy" that puts a smile on their face). They spend time managing work-related business-period. In fact a couple of my buddies have asked me to build them an RTR...but my time in the hobby is also very limited.

Young people...although many are a heck of a lot brighter than me on the topic of RC...the overwhealming majority aren't yet prepared or funded to take on a sophistcated custom RC build. Some of my trucks are close to $3K+!!!!!

And then there is Joe Average...which has already been addressed.

You see, there are a lot of "special needs" in this hobby...and if one vendor doesn't fill those needs...another vendor will.
:smile:

Well, against the young, I was 11 or 10 and had no parental help, just a few birthdays of saving. I'd hardly call a T4 team kit with middle of the way gear a stretch for a youngun. Your looking at maybe, 300. And if the parents see how educational it is, they may be willing to help.

You are 100% correct...and obviously an exceptional specimen of a human being. We could only be so lucky if there were more like you among us...no BS in that statement. To that end that is why my two girls (6 and 8 yrs old) already have their own RC cars (build kits). Yeah I built them...but they charge and clean them....if they want new ones they will build them.

I did exactly what Supra did. I was in 5th grade (now in 12th) when I got my first RC and I built almost all of it. Paid for all of it as well. I spend more like $1200 though (sold my go-cart not long before). For some reason my dad suggested I get the best my first time around. Guess he figured I'd stick with it...

I got my first rc car when I was about 8 or 9 years old. It was a stock RTR Rustler, however being who I am and always wanting to know how things work... I took it apart after 2 runs, and rebuilt everything.

squee - my dad taught me to do the same thing... "Buy the best and cry only once." :smile:

Yup, got that right...

Yea...I first bought RTR's, which I really didn't mind. However, I saw and HATED the waste of replacing half the parts with better (actually more like proper) ones, and being left over with a bunch of parts (junk, really).

Now, I just build the truck with the best parts from the get go. Even certain parts that I see myself replacing in the future I'll just buy up front (like on my CRT.5, I just started out buying the CF center diff top plate and CF front plate and aluminum drag link and stuff).

The only exception to this rule, in my opinion, is motor systems. I really think its a stupid thing for someone who's buying their first RC to get a thousand watt brushless setup and have trouble keeping the truck on all 4's for more than 2 seconds. I slowly got myself trained to the power, and now I can drive just about anything without freaking out.

I started with a T-Maxx 2.5 and thought that was "really fast" and now I'm running 3S FlightPower's on a 1930 in my CRT .5 and I see it as powerful, but nothing scary...

I can't wait to run true HV hehehe...

Interested.
 

I have always had an interest in RC vehicles, but just never had the funds to do anything about it. A few years ago my wife ordered one for my birthday not knowing what my response might be. It was an EMaxx and I had never seen one up close. I had no idea of the amount of "Hop-Up" parts that were available to us then. I am a very experienced Machanical engineer and I have worked on a whole slew of industrial equipment from diesel engines, to 10 stage pumps, high and low air compressors, to rollercoasters and animatronics at Universal Studios. When I stripped that first EMaxx it was a little strainge for me, but now I have 4 SuperMaxx's that I have built from scratch. I am having a ball working on them and have invested $$$$ into my collection. that is just the way that I was brought into the hobby.

The point is that I had no idea of what was out there. The RTR's, the kits, or the "Hop-Ups". It does not matter how any of us were first introduced to the sport. Sharing the stories is great fun. The fact is that we were introduced, and now here we are today discussing how others may or may not be introduced. Everyone has a different experience in this and we should respect anyone who is here or wnats to join us. If you want to yank your own chain that is great, go right ahead, but not everyone will get to experience this the same way that you did. Lets all just be happy for them for the fact that they are involved at some level and hopefully learning from this site.:lol:

I was in 7th grade in 1983 when I bought my first RC car. I lived out in the country and did odd jobs and saved my lunch money until I had enough to buy my first kit...a Tamiya Fox...later was a Hornet. I had a Futaba Attack stick radio...jeez that was in the days of mechanical speed controls. Now I am 36 yrs old and I can't believe how much things have changed.

I saved up and got an original Kyosho Ultima in about 1986 right about the time when Joel Johnson won the ifmar worlds with it. So of course I had to get the world champ car... plus it looked sweet with the alum ladder frame chassis. Three speeds plus reverse rocked. Just don't touch the speed control resistors, lol. :D

I'm 35 now... and have too many r/c toys and have spent way too much money to even think about.

I'm 35 now... and have too many r/c toys and have spent way too much money to even think about.

That's how it should be :)

And thanks for the great but unnecessary compliment sss :).

I'm 17 now... and i think i have spent too much money for my age on them!! ive had just about every traxxas vehicle (minus the sport, Npede and E4tec)
each one ive learned alot and the MAINNNN thing ive learned is to screw any nitro vehicle.

they are just WAY to messy for me.

To all,

I have really enjoyed this thread...a lot of great ideas being shared here. On another note...somewhat similar to what we have been talking about...

Today I received my RC Monster extended Jammin CRT.5 chassis kit from Mike...I am impressed to say the least. $150 buckaroos well spent. The packaging and components are top notch quality. This is the type of kit I spoke about earlier in the forum...now all I have to do is buy the car kit (its on order) install my electronics, and I am ready to go. I still get to enjoy the building experience...but the experience doesn't eat up too much of my time. I know we talked about the other two extreme ends of the spectrum (RTR and essentially building from scratch) and they are both very good options, but for me this is a perfect happy medium.

Good job Mike.

its funny when i read that i read it as "the packaging and components are poor quality.

i had to reread it caue it was shocking to me:gasp:

i dont think mike knows how to produce any poor quality items.

No...you made a very good point that too many folks don't get now days...whether you are talking in the context of RC or some other widget...the mentality is lets buy it cheap and lets buy it already put together....and forget about the kids, we can just medicate them and put them in the basement so they don't bother us.