TRF201 discontinued

[Smartalec]

I'm looking for some front wheels for my 201 to buy from the UK quickly so I thought (for a laugh) i'd call the UK distributor, The Hobby Company in Milton Keynes, which is about 11 miles from where I live. I pretty much knew what the answer would be before phoning but I had a spare 5 minutes so I thought i'd try.

After quoting the part number the girl on the other end paused and said, "i'll have a look on the stock and if it's a part that we haven't got then we can get it from Japan in 6 - 8 weeks". To my amazement the answer I got after she checked the stock was, "i'm sorry that part is no longer being made, it's been discontinued"

I laughed and told her that i'm amazed as the car has only been out a few months but she was adamant and said that their information was not normally wrong and that the wheels were definitely no longer being made.

I'll just have to put the other axles on to accept B4 wheels then LOL

Now there's a pretty good reason why a lot of people shop onliine to our foreign friends

[Rich D]

Ive got a spare set of NIP front rims if you`re stuck Alec

[DaveG28]

Just buy the pink ones off that new Zabruda or whatever it is!?

[raymondkerr]

I've just bought my TRF201 from rcmart and got some extra front wheels coming too. I heard from someone recently that Tamiya only produce one batch of TRF kits when they are released, subject to sales and demand, depends on whether they continue to manufacture or move onto the next update. Not sure if this is true, but the TRF touring cars and 4WD buggies have always been difficult to source.

[Fabs]

That's a load of balls, I've raced TRFs since 2000 and since the 415 MSXX TRFs have been pretty easy to get from, you just need to get it from the right place... For example, end of august everyone was saying it was discontinued, but Champ told me they had them in stock

[DCM]

Originally Posted by raymondkerr

I've just bought my TRF201 from rcmart and got some extra front wheels coming too. I heard from someone recently that Tamiya only produce one batch of TRF kits when they are released, subject to sales and demand, depends on whether they continue to manufacture or move onto the next update. Not sure if this is true, but the TRF touring cars and 4WD buggies have always been difficult to source.

Maybe they produce the carbon and alloy TRF kits in batches, which allows them to upgrade them quickly, but usually 'discontinued' on current kits means 'out of stock'

[TRF_AK]

I can confirm that usually the TRF kits are produced in one big batch, and are subject to a second production run if the kit deems it necessary. I can tell you that this happened with the TRF416X and TRF416WE recently. Tamiya USA ordered a LOT of TRF201s so I would be surprised if Tamiya Inc has actually discontinued them as they do not discontinue a number until the majority of the world is out of stock.

The carbon fiber Tamiya uses is made in San Diego, CA as well which is another reason for the lag time between runs in certain TRF kits.

[Smartalec]

I'm sure the woman on the phone was reading it wrong and it was out of stock and not discontinued .............. just made me chuckle

[Smartalec]

Originally Posted by Rich D

Ive got a spare set of NIP front rims if you`re stuck Alec

Cheers Rich, I might just take you up on that offer ............. you haven't got 3 more sets as well have you?

[Rich D]

Originally Posted by Smartalec

Cheers Rich, I might just take you up on that offer ............. you haven't got 3 more sets as well have you?

Ha ! Can maybe lay my hands on 2 sets mate. Come see me at Worksop if yours dont turn up and ill sort you out.

[jiffy]

Alec, are they the same as the Hotshot wheels, I have 6 sets if so?


Jiffy

[mattybucks]

Wow,

I was going to wait to see it on the track before getting a 502 but I might have to snap one up in the four hours it'll be on sale!!!