Buying the first release.

jsw123 · #1 02-12-2013

Ooplers. Having taken up this hobby earlier in the year I started with a second hand 22. It's great but I now fancy a nice shiny new 4WD buggy. The 22-4 seems an obvious choice but I'm open to ideas.

The question is whether or not buying the first release of a car is a good idea?

For example the XB4 seemed to need an upgrade pretty quickly. Is it prudent to wait 6 months or so and see what kind of feedback the more experienced racers give it?

Thanks in advance.

dale · #2 04-12-2013

Defnitely prudent! I like to let others prove a cars worth before spending my own cash on it.

Maybe it will be fragile. Maybe it'll be useless on UK tracks. Maybe you will need world champion thumbs to drive it. And when a car first comes out it tends to be difficult to get spares (as all the production capacity is going into the kits).

TARTMAN · #3 04-12-2013

noice to have the latest when released but also good to wait a bit and see how it does., I got the XB4 within a month of it being released as it was just the best out there. the upgrades were given FREE to those who had purchased it, who else does that?

The latest 2014 spec XB4 has the best of the extras on it and requires nothing added.

Get an XB4................ simple...............

mattr · #4 04-12-2013

Get something that's been out for a while, >3 months.

Most (all?) manufacturers have some supply and/or design issues in the first few weeks/months of a new model. Even X-Ray with their upgrades, sending out free kits of upgrade parts doesn't help if there are no spares around to tide you over between breaking your first set, and them accepting there is an issue and getting the replacements to you.

Also, by the time you get it, there will be plenty of set ups for plenty of tracks that you can copy, there will be some hop ups/mods around already. And there will probably be a couple of early adopters at your local club who have had all the issues already and can help you fix them.

racingdwarf · #5 04-12-2013

i find with firms like losi they don't have to many problems with design etc,that are a total mistake. the biggest problem with 1st batch cars totally manufactured and packed in a factory is things like parts missing from kits,or wrong bits in wrong bags,instruction book errors just little things like that

Donutt · #6 04-12-2013

I suppose it depends on your priorities.

If you are buying a race car to compete; you want cutting edge, latest technologies and up-to-date handling.

To quote Colin Chapman

Quote:

A racing car has only ONE objective: to WIN motor races. If it does not do this it is nothing but a waste of time, money, and effort.
This may sound obvious but remember it does not matter how clever it is, or how inexpensive, or how easy to maintain, or even how safe, if it does not consistently win it is NOTHING!

If it's not a race car you want, then your priorities are different. You buy a car with costs, dependability, availability and/or reliability as your paramount. Then the above need not apply.

In short, it's called "horses for courses". You buy the right horse, for the right course.

Thank heavens that some manufacturers are still prepared to take risks, to win. Yes it might SEEM unfair, but any buyer who is cautious, will ask questions, and wait.

Anyone who wants the latest, in the hope of gaining an advantage (and in some cars there is an advantage, but it needs to be in the right hands) can do so.

I'm glad the choice is there.

jsw123 · #7 04-12-2013

Very interesting points guys, a few things I hadn't considered. As 2013 was my first year I was happy to race with one car. Now I feel like my second year could be a 2wd & 4wd type of affair! In an ideal world they would be sister cars to each other. But if I stick with losi and go 22-4 I would be getting a pretty early release of the car. The xray, yoke, schuey combos would be more established. As for wanting to win, obviously it would be nice, but I just want to be able to finish every meeting and not have to go home after 2 laps like I did Sunday! Only having 1 car has its limitations.

Swell · #8 04-12-2013

I run over lapped at the minute c4.1 and c4.2 the .1 is tight eg both in as new condition, i have to say i chose to run the new one first in most cases
but i also feel happy to push more safe in the knowlage i have old faithful in the box ready to go, i try both cars first in practice the go from there...