Anyone recommend a good nitro buggy under $250

[F22RaptorDude]

i hear ya. i totaled my stampede.......nearly totaled one of the tmaxx's.....and have crashed countless airplanes.

Trial and error right? unless its mechanical issue's. Then in that case I guess you don't have any control over that. But i'm hoping this forza or whatever I get will help me decide whether or not I want to get into this hobby.

[james]

Look for a duratrax on tower hobbies. Maybe a short track truck. Don't judge
An rc by the body. The bodies are usually made of lexan real thin stuff. Never run it
With the body off unless you are breaking in the engine. That's where you have to
be patient and slow. Burn the motor up on a duratax and it's not too expensive to fix
the motor or replace it. Kind of teaches you to break in and tune the motor. Once you
have it down how to do that stuff get a better motor like an o.s.
Bigger motors were also easier to tune for me. The .15-18's were always finicky except
for the epic I have currently in my tmaxx. That always started on 2 pulls after prime.
If you get one and need help shoot me an email.

[CAP1]

Trial and error right? unless its mechanical issue's. Then in that case I guess you don't have any control over that. But i'm hoping this forza or whatever I get will help me decide whether or not I want to get into this hobby.

no. the stamped was nothing more than sheer stupidity. i was driving it out back in the bank parking lot behind work. though i could fit between this little space.....full throttle, and full speed, i nailed the concrete head on. it's a crying shame i didn't have that on film to be honest...........i think i even said "watch this" just before parts flew in every direction. 

[F22RaptorDude]

no. the stamped was nothing more than sheer stupidity. i was driving it out back in the bank parking lot behind work. though i could fit between this little space.....full throttle, and full speed, i nailed the concrete head on. it's a crying shame i didn't have that on film to be honest...........i think i even said "watch this" just before parts flew in every direction. 

Like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyCTDsoe9d4

Look for a duratrax on tower hobbies. Maybe a short track truck. Don't judge
An rc by the body. The bodies are usually made of lexan real thin stuff. Never run it
With the body off unless you are breaking in the engine. That's where you have to
be patient and slow. Burn the motor up on a duratax and it's not too expensive to fix
the motor or replace it. Kind of teaches you to break in and tune the motor. Once you
have it down how to do that stuff get a better motor like an o.s.
Bigger motors were also easier to tune for me. The .15-18's were always finicky except
for the epic I have currently in my tmaxx. That always started on 2 pulls after prime.
If you get one and need help shoot me an email.

All they have is electrics that I can see? I looked at their website and towerhobbies

[james]

Been out of having to buy stuff for a while. i guess they got rid of their nitro stuff. Try this one. It's team associated but still a good brand so you should be able to find spare parts. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXPAC9&P=0

[CAP1]

Like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyCTDsoe9d4


All they have is electrics that I can see? I looked at their website and towerhobbies

'cept mine was a stampede, and nitro......yep. that's about what it looked like. 

[KgB]

I believe first car to brake 60 mph barrier was an electrick car.

[mtnman]

I've bought from them.  Really nice looking products at very reasonable prices...

Beyond that, I have nothing good to say about them.  They had my product "in stock" until 5 minutes after I submitted my order.  Then it was on back order, for months.  I eventually got it though, and it looked really nice, and was packaged nicely.

The quality beyond looks was, well, "el cheapo".  Crappy linkages and hardware.  I tried to use it at first, then went to town (an hour each way) to buy some "real" hardware.  The stuff they gave me with the kit was very poor.  Threaded rod that was so slightly threaded it was practically smooth.  Cheap metal, that would bend easily or just snap.  Cheap plastic with no durability.  Thin fiberglass.  Sloppy hinging, with way too much play, and play in directions that shouldn't have ANY play...

The "manual" was written in a very "creative" fashion.  I think they just asked anyone in the room if they could speak English, and took the lone volunteer's word for it with no further verification.  "Poorly written" would be a generous appraisal.  Fortunately I've been building for years, and scratch build many of my models, so it was no big deal.  Had I been new to the sport, and needed the directions though?  Ugh...  I seriously question the wisdom of some of their building/set-up decisions as well.  Simplicity is the goal, but at a real sacrifice in reliability and durability, IMO.

Durability=  very poor.   Overall satisfaction with my purchase?  Very poor.  Money well spent?  No.  I went out and bought myself a nice American-made kit two days after I received the foreign-made junk (er, kit).  I got what I paid for, in both instances.  Low cost/low quality, higher cost/higher quality.

Want to see if this hobby is for you?  My recommendation is to steer clear of these guys, and buy something that has a chance of making you happy, and lasting a little while, at least.

BTW, if you start looking at these "Nitro" companies online, I actually believe that there are 6-8 "different" companies all run by the same clan.  They're "competing" with themselves.  I even suspect if you call or email them for support you'll be talking to the same guy each time, lol.

[68ZooM]

I've been looking on-line for ya and have found several on EBay for around 159.00 to 199, free shipping included, some come with upgraded aluminum chassis's and mufflers, duel shocks all around and top out about 45 to 60 mph.
as far as EBay goes i have never been burned or had a bad experience, ( purchased a 1992 MasterCraft off EBay for 7,200) Lincoln MiG welder, etc just go check them out, PM me what you find and I'll look it over.

[CAP1]

I've been looking on-line for ya and have found several on EBay for around 159.00 to 199, free shipping included, some come with upgraded aluminum chassis's and mufflers, duel shocks all around and top out about 45 to 60 mph.
as far as EBay goes i have never been burned or had a bad experience, ( purchased a 1992 MasterCraft off EBay for 7,200) Lincoln MiG welder, etc just go check them out, PM me what you find and I'll look it over.

 also, look around on craigslist for something used?