which car?

was ist los? · #1 08-01-2002, 12:15 AM

Which car do you guys think I should get: the abc dtm sp, x4, or yokomo sonic racer? I plan to play and race. I'm torn because of the sp's speed and simplicity, the x4's 4wd, or the yokomo's cool design.

tinyrc · #2 08-01-2002, 10:09 AM

Where do you plan on using it? Racing or bashing? And how long can you wait (the Yokomo isn't out yet)?

was ist los? · #3 08-01-2002, 01:57 PM

i plan mostly for bashing and some racing with my friends. i can wait a few more months for the yokomo though.

tinyrc · #4 08-01-2002, 04:07 PM

What is your budget? Have you considered the Mini-X? Do you have a lot of other RCs and/or RC experience?

Btman · #5 08-01-2002, 07:11 PM

I agree with TinyRC about adding the mini-x to your list. This is an excellent car for the price. I am also curious about what the new Yokomo will be like once it is available. It depends on how you plan to use it and the type of surface you run on. I run on a relatively slippery concrete basement floor with approx. 12x24 feet useable area. A stock Mini-z or a Dynamite Rocket Racer are no match for a 4wd stock Mini-x under these conditions. On a carpet or high traction track things might be different. One nice thing about the mini-x is that it can be converted to 2wd by replacing the 4wd motor with the optional 2wd motor. I have not tried the 2wd motor so I have no idea how the car behaves with this motor.

Your final decision should be also based on what your racing buddies plan to buy or have bought. Racing will not be as fun if one person has a car that is far superior than the other cars, especially if all the cars are box stock without any modifications.

was ist los? · #6 08-01-2002, 11:00 PM

well my budget can be up to $300 and i have rc experience especially in touring cars. i would run usually on concrete and asphalt. i have looked at the mini x, but not very interested and heard some bad things from it on other message boards. i think i will buy after the yokomo comes out. oh, and what type of batteries are in the sp and x4 packs?

tinyrc · #7 08-02-2002, 09:15 AM

was ist los?, just as an FYI, the bad things you heard were about an early prototype version of the Mini-X, these are all fixed in the current version. But, given your experience, I am going to recommend that you go with the ABC DTM SP for now. It will be more satisfactory because of what you expect from a car having spent a lot of time in 1/10. You should check out the Yokomo for sure when it comes out, but I think that the SP is for you if you are going to buy right away. RE the battery packs, I personally don't use them, I have my own mini packs that actually use the slots in the chassis as they should be used, instead of the strange battery pack holder.

was ist los? · #8 08-02-2002, 11:51 PM

what size are these batteries that fit in the slots and how much do they cost? if i did purchase the sp, i would put a novak spy esc or airtronics es-01. also, would a hitec hs-225bb or hs-81mg fit? what do you think of the escs i mentioned?

tinyrc · #9 08-03-2002, 01:24 AM

They are actually the cells used in the SP pack, but you can take it apart and use it more sensibly. Now that I think about it, they might be the same as the BC-G cells, I'll have to check! I use an HI-81MG in mine, not sure about the 225. The ES-01 is a good cheap ESC, but it can't take much. I've got a Spy on the way, it's become very popular on the Micro.

was ist los? · #10 08-03-2002, 02:10 AM

will build-it-yourself rc reciever battery packs fit in the sp?

tinyrc · #11 08-03-2002, 09:19 AM

The thing about the SP is that it's a wide open pan that you can do whatever you want with. The default setup is to have the battery at the back under a lexan holder, and then another deck on top of that for electronics, but it's better to experiment with your own layout so that you can eliminate that upper deck and lower the CG. So, to answer your question, chances are high that you can fit a DIY Rx pack as the layout is very flexible.

was ist los? · #12 08-03-2002, 08:09 PM

are the cells 2/3 AAA? will hpi rs4 micro 7.2 packs fit?

usagi · #13 08-08-2002, 09:54 AM

If you can wait get the sonic, I been hearing good reviews on the proto types. I seen them in action in the shizouka show back in may. ANd the bodies! its going to be great!

tinyrc · #14 08-08-2002, 04:31 PM

usagi, you saw them in person? Cool! I have the review from June 2002 RC Magazine (Japan) but have not seen them up close - what can you tell us about them? What Mini-Z parts are compatible? Do you know anything timeline-wise? Thanks!

was ist los? · #15 08-09-2002, 12:32 AM

ill probably buy the abc dtm sp because it has 6 cells rather than they yoke's 4.