mwilles

Hello, I've just joined the forum.
I've loved RC cars since I was young but never had the money to actually buy something.
Now that I do, I'd really like to buy something that will not be a money pit.

First of all, I do not know whether I should go with electric, nitro or gas but I really seem to like gas.
I am mostly interested in either the K&N DBXL or the Baja.
Which one is better in terms of reliability and parts availability?
The DBXL is like 80 EUR more expensive than the Baja for me.
Is the DBXL by any chance outdated?

What do you think?
I look forward to your opinions!

Thank you.

Dave_S

iTrader: (1)

I like gas, but it depends on where I'm running. My gas rc's are crazy loud.

Part of your answer on what rc to get might depend on whether you plan on using your RC. Those 2 rcs handle and drive very different.

Packfan

iTrader: (131)

DBXL is 4WD
Baja is 2WD

DBXL requires many more upgrades to be durable. The Baja will take abuse right out of the box. Upgrade as you break parts.

timjs

99% of the time the deciding factor is noise. Do you live out in the sticks, or a city with nowhere secluded to run?
I'm a diehard nitro and gas guy but due to location I recommend my friends to go electric just because people love calling the police over noise from RCs.

slackinoff

iTrader: (1)

As far as gas vs electric, one of my favorite things about electric is they run quiet. I can play on property I probably shouldn't be playing on with electric and I don't feel like I am immediately going to get in trouble. They both have their places where they shine. A dedicated track is where gas/nitro shine. You might want to see if there is a track or club in the area. RC is so much more enjoyable with others. I probably wouldn't have stayed in it had I not met a group.

Good luck and enjoy the process.

mwilles

Thanks to all who have read / replied to my post.
Noise is not much of a problem. Opposite of where I live, there's a lot of space where I can drive it (nature, fields, does not belong to anyone).

What do you think of King Motor? I've read somewhere that they used to be crap but now they're as good as the HPIs, and since they're much cheaper, I thought I'd ask you for any experiences you might have had with them.

I've managed to find an online store that sells the HPI Baja 5b 2.0 RTR for quite cheap, but I'm frustrated at the fact they do not accept PayPal, just bank transfers. The store has good reviews, but I'm not willing to send a substantial amount of money without any form of protection.

Also, if you were to choose between the Baja 5b RTR and the SS version, which one would you go for?
I do not have the commitment and money to build the SS version, but I envy those who actually manage to finish it.
They get to enjoy a faster motor and upgraded parts for slightly more money, right?

Thank you.

Packfan

iTrader: (131)

Nothing wrong with King Motors. I have built several oval cars for people and many have used a King. You will always break items when running any RC so why not go less expensive and upgrade as you break. That's my opinion.

If I were you and looking for a car/truck to play with once in a while, get a King RTR, have fun and as always, Braaaap on!

hobbipro

iTrader: (23)

I would not be sending money via bank transfers to anyone, period! Its either, pay-pal or credit card. Too many people have been ripped off wiring money. I had a King Motors 5B clone a few years ago, and it was not bad at all. I would get one again, it never gave me issues. I did have the original HPI 5B RTR as well, and honestly the KM was just as good. Now I see KM have larger engines, and nylon parts, should be as good , if not better than the HPI. As far as RTR and SS versions, I thought I had read the SS was discontinued, I could be mistaken. But anyway, the 2.0 RTR is basically a SS with all the same trimmings, just ready to go. Again, I would definitely look at KM and Rovan buggies, HPI is not even the same company it once was. It was bought out a few years ago, and parts support is somewhat lacking. I think the Savage line is really the only thing keeping HPI alive at this point.

timjs

Just go for King Motor, Rovan, ect..
HPI is a failure of a company full of empty promises and horrible customer service. Everything HPI that I own is up for sale. The last couple years have been plenty of time to get their product distribution back on track but they failed again. Or the new owner failed. Whatever.

mwilles

Is it really going that bad for HPI?
It's kinda sad, really, considering they were much more popular back then.

So basically, should I just avoid the HPI Baja?
I've managed to find the RTR for EUR880 brand new, and it's the cheapest one I've found.

hobbipro, those who buy the SS get to enjoy better parts.