FTX Edge & Vantage Cars
 

Are they just for bashing/beginners or is there any racing credentials to be found in such cheap cars?

The Vantage seems to share some DNA with the LRP Blast BX, with a few revisions and improvements. They certainly look ok for club level.

There are a few of these now available, especially 2wd ie, FTX as mentioned, Electrix Boost & now the LRP S10 Twister, all quite similar it seems (eg, all have slippers for example) Only the FTX has turnbuckles, (also has Bottom loading battery) I think the FTX is the only RTR which comes in brushless flavour too.

The Edge has recently been reviewed in a recent (latest) Radio Race Car, they seemed to like it.

Same old problem though, they're good as an introduction to racing but some will argue that your money is better spent on a 'proper' competition based secondhand set up (as well as maybe better availability of spares) if you're looking ahead to when you become quicker/more competitive etc.

A mate of mine started racing with a FTX Vantage he found that he had problems with drive shafts snapping which seemed to be caused by being brittle, the servo saver kept breaking where the big E-clip sits as the plastic was too soft and im sure the wheels kept braking, there might have been more wrong with it but in the end he kept the electrics and sold it as a rolling chassis and bought a 2nd hand B44................

That was my main question, how competitive can they be for a low cost kit, never mind being rtr for that price. Their are quite a few upgrade parts for them, I assume their is no sponsored drivers...

A mate of mines has the LRP blast and it won't make 5 mins before self destructing the steering system.

Unless i was on a seriously tight budget (if it was so tight i may not be racing anyway tbh) & you want to buy new you could do worse than buying an Ansmann Mad Rat RTR, this will get you going, cheaply, better spares availability & upgrades than the others plus it's 2.4Ghz. Looking at the other makes, either they're not 2.4Ghz, not adjustable suspension or wheels not a common fitment (ie, FTX) etc etc.

That's what i would buy for a start in racing if buying new. I would have suggested the brushless RTR but i think i'd be upgrading even the brushless further so may as well get yourself started for peanuts then go for a better ESC, 7.5/8.5T motor later on.

Dan.

I would have to say you can't much wrong than an Ansmann Mad Rat (rear motor) or better still the Mad Monkey (mid motor) - my first car was a 2nd B44 and it was a good intro into RC.

From what I have seen of the FTX cars (and it isn't much) they look too much like toys rather than something that can be tuned and raced even at club level.

I have an FTX Carnage which is basically the same chassis as the Vantage and I Love the thing. I've bashed it around a bit and only had one minor breakage which was the front bumper.

It's very tune-able and has a large selection of option parts available including alloy hubs etc, carbon fiber shock towers and chassis brace and many other hop-ups.

The overall design is also very good, better then my LRP Blast. The way the chassis and diff assemblies work together is excellent and allows for quick servicing.

In summery I've not had many issues at all with my Carnage and I find it great value and great fun. I am considering getting the Vantage to replace my LRP Blast for club racing due to how much better the car design is.

I'd certainly not class the Vantage and Carnage as toy grade, they are hobby grade for sure.

One day I might get a £300 pro car (I always buy new) but with my current skill level I'm happy with my LRP Blast for 4wd.

I've no idea what the Edge is like...but has many has said here the Ansmann Mad/X-pro's are excellent for 2wd. I have a brushed one that I love to drive :D. The only thing I hate about the Ansmann's is the thin skinny design of everything and the thrust bearing...I hate Thrust bearings so the Edge is actually quite attractive to me as it's diff is not based on a thrust bearing :)

J

The car comes with gear diffs and big bores but from the manual the gear diffs look like the pre-ball diff style and don't seem to be sealed for filling up with oil like modern day gear diffs. Just going from the pictures but their interpretation of big bores look like standard size shocks?

I'm not looking at one of these for an RTR to get me started, I'm a well seasoned racer. I was just wanting to know if a kit at this price bracket can compete with anything considered to be a real off roader on the track.

I started with a Vantage and I had nothing but problems with it, drive shaft bent, spurs would strip at a glance of a pinion even when new out of box, and teh plastic was very low quality from what i could see broke at a moments notice and as soon as I moved it from brushed to brushless (was only a 9t etronix system) it tore itself apart.

Strange,i have a vantage with a 5.5t combo in it and have had no issues whats so ever,great car and handles really well.....

Lrp blast, we have 2 that my son and myself run, we have changed the standard radio gear,both have brushless in them and rearlly had no problems with them apart from steering blocks stripping threads on my sons car(soon modified with brass inserts) but they are like anything else, treat them correctly and they will be as reliable as any thing else plus you can get carbon shock towers for them and on the LRP part of the forum there is even a guy that runs a carbon chassis which he had made at a reasonable price.:D

Update...

I've taken my Carnage around a couple of tracks now and not just bashing and it's excellent!

Could do with the anti-roll bars but it's brilliant fun and has exceptional handling for such a brute of a vehicle. I do have a slightly leaking front shock but that's it.

I was thrashing around the 1:8th scale dirt track and the Grass track at NBC last weekend and it was great... It was keeping up with and competing with a few buggies with ease :)

I'm deffo getting a Vantage for the summer and I'm pretty sure I'll get an Edge soon too. Will even race the Edge instead of my precious Ansmann X-Pro when I get one.

J

Yes,,i have been racing my vantage,,and have to say has held up really well...not sure id go quicker with a £300 car!?......these really are good value for money..FTX vantage championship anyone!!!!??????:)

I reviewed the Edge for RRCi magazine and it is a very good car for the price. Everyone will have their own opinion but it compares well to the Mad Rat (my daughter races one of those).

Some people I race with swear by second hand, others only go for new - it's a personal thing. But I'd definitely say it's not a toy and other club members who've had a go have all been impressed. It needs a faster steering servo but then all RTRs do.

It's just a question of spares - not something I've investigated so far. It's generally far easier to get hold of parts for cars like a B44 than certain others.

hi

i am stephane from france, and i can see than you arre usinf ftx carnage.

I get lrp balst TX, and i'm looking for parts.
Then do you kno witch kind of part are compatible???

I took some picture of my chassis for exemple, could you have a look with your ftx if hole in the chassis are same place??

then my last picture.

any way if you are able to help me thanks a lot.

cordially

steph 996

For what they are they are super quick and n ideal starter car :D

My son bought the ftx vantage to get him in to racing and so far its working fine, he is starting to improve and when he brakes it it is cheap to repair. Great car to start with at a fraction of the cost of others

I race one,and apsrt from changing out the front CVDs to dog bones(the cvds can break) the car has been bullet proof...in fact my spare vantage is in the for sale section as i havnt needed it!!!!