First Chassis - 1. RTR or Not? Decisions Decisions. (Part 4)
- I'm not sure this if for me. I just want to get my feet wet for the smallest investment.
- I can't enjoy the activity if I can't be competitive, but let's keep the cost minimal.
- I'm the type who believes in investing early on, and saving in the long run.
- I'm the type who wants the best of the best.
At least one of the above statements seems to apply to most of our customers. I would suggest being honest with yourself and at least use this as a guideline. We see people come in all the time and sell themselves short, only to reinvest in the correct equipment within days or weeks of their original purchase.
Again, just be honest with yourself and you will save a lot of time and grief. We see it ALL THE TIME.
I'm not sure if this is for me. I just want to get my feet wet for the smallest investment:
Ok, so you have seen the videos online and it looks fun and exciting. Well, it is! Actually, it's not as easy as it may look. Just know the people out there do take this hobby seriously and they spend time no only practicing driving, but also spend time learning how to setup their cars correctly. Setup is a huge part of enjoying R/C Drift. You can find plenty of help at your local drift track and R/C shop.
So with that out of the way, which chassis should I be looking at?
There are a few Ready to Run (RTR) options that have been popular in the drift scene. HPI has the e10 (Shaft Drive) and also the Sprint 2 (Belt Drive). Yokomo has the Drift Racer (Shaft Drive) MST has just recently entered the RTR arena with their FXX-D RTR. (More on this later)
With both of the HPI offerings and the Yokomo Drift Racer, they come RTR which basically means they come pre-built. Just charge the batteries and start drifting. The start-up cost is minimal since HPI supplies you with EVERYTHING you need to get going. The price ranges from just under $200 to just over $300. All these will get you going in a 50/50 setup and the option to go CS in the future.
So what's the problem, why doesn't everyone go this route?
Actually, most of the veterans have owned a Sprint 2 at some point in their R/C Drift history. Many have owned multiple Sprint 2s. Any of the above listed chassis are a good choice if you are starting out and wanting to keep the investment minimal. There are some drawback you should be aware of. None of these chassis come with top quality components. Some don't even have adjustments out of the box. So if you want to fix your alignment, it's going to cost you. Right away you will be spending money to get it driving the way you want. The controller they supply you with is very very limited. Yes, they have the basic functions, but as soon as you want to do a little more, it's time for an upgrade. The motor and ESC (Electronic Speed Control) they supply you with is NEVER top-notch. It will "get your feet wet", but it's not really going past that. So if you want more out of it, it's time for an upgrade. Even the "Brushless Setup" will leave you wanting more in the smoothness department since it's NOT sensored. The servo (Part that controls your steering) is NEVER top-notch either. It will get your car around the track, but the speed and torque will be low and not very desirable once you get a little experience under your belt.
The MST FXX-D RTR:
MST has just stepped up the RTR game with their FXX-D RTR. This kit comes complete just as the above listed RTRs, but comes as a RWD set-up and includes a gyro which is needed for RWD. My information is limited at this time on this chassis, but it appears it will still need the necessary upgrades to gain any real type of adjustment. The true benefit of this chassis over the above listed chassis is the fact it is a RTR version of one of MSTs most popular chassis. It is competition proven. I am not sure just how stripped down the RTR version is, but it can be upgraded to a top level chassis. The price reflects this, as it will cost you an additional $100 over the other RTR offerings. I will go out on a limb for now and say the electronics (minus the gyro) will be on par with HPI and Yokomo RTRs.