Which Chassis and Why

Being a shop that sells R/C Drift exclusively, we get a lot people asking which chassis would be the best for them. Since most of this happens in store, we have the opportunity to break it down for them while taking a few factors into account. It's a little more difficult when we see this same question posted online due to many factors. There is a lot of great advice out there, and there is a lot of bad advice as well. It's up to you to decide which is credible and which is not. In fact, you should be asking yourself if I am even credible.
We encounter a few different types of buyers and each come with their own unique needs. What we first tell them is, they really need to be honest with themselves. The decision they make on their first setup can greatly affect the amount they spend in the long run. I believe right from the start, the first thing that should be looked at is what type of person are you? Are you the type that is content with just good enough, or are you the type to want all the good stuff? I fall into the later and ultimately could have saved quite a bit if I made the right choice at the start. If you are the type that will have everything upgraded in the next month or two, you should consider the kits that include some hop-ups already. You will save roughly 30% off your upgrade journey.
Although choosing the right chassis seems like a life decision, keep in mind most people seem to change chassis about once a year. Some keep them longer, some have multiple chassis throughout the year, but on average it seems to cycle around the 1 year mark.
If you are new to R/C Drift, (notice I worded it R/C Drift, NOT just R/C) Most likely even your past R/C knowledge will not be enough to get you where you want to be right away. R/C Drift is a different animal than any other discipline of R/C, so it's not easy to just start out and be the superstar of the track. The main point I always stress is:
Find out what people are running where you plan to spend most of your time drifting, and go that route. There will be a ton of help and you will spend more time drifting, and less time being frustrated. You Will Need Help.
There is plenty of time to be unique later with the ultra rare chassis, but when you are first starting out, it will benefit you to be able to share tips and setups.
When choosing your first R/C Drift chassis, you will hear a ton of advice. Some good and some really bad. Some of the common, bad ones we often come across are:
1. Any chassis can be good. Yes and No.
YES - If you REALLY know what you are doing, AND you are ok throwing a bunch of money at it.
NO - If both of those statements don't apply to you. If you're just starting out, this is a huge NO!
We have seen many people make their initial investment in a difficult chassis, struggle alone since there is nobody familiar with their chassis or how to set it up, and finally just disappear and blow out their full setup on Craigslist.
2. The clones are just as good, just cost less.
NO - We have yet to see a good performing clone, Period.
Just don't. Maybe later down the line when you are well versed in turning and you know exactly what you are after, then try to tackle a project like this, but for now, focus on a good, solid foundation.

Ready To Run (RTR)
Aimed toward the person who needs an entire setup. They don't own a remote, electronics, etc. They are also trying to start out on a budget of sub $500.
The only RTR we can recommend at this time is the MST RMX 2.0 RTR.
Things to consider:
This is intended to get you going in R/C Drift. The chassis itself is the same as the regular RMX 2.0, with only a couple small differences that can be changed to be the same for a $50-$100.
It comes pre-built and tested from the factory. This means you don't need to worry about all the small details of setting it up correctly. you just pull it out of the box and you are good to go. The tires even have a little wear on them from the test run at MST.
It comes pre-built, so you didn't build it yourself. This means when something goes wrong (and it will), you will need to learn how to fix it. If you built it yourself, you would already be familiar with how the car works and goes together.
The RTR electronics are meant to just get you going. There are a lot of electronics out there that are better quality and more pricy. There is a reason why people are willing the drop the extra cash on them. The electronics included will get you up and going, but you will be upgrading soon. This is a key point.
Reality:
You are not really saving money, you are just able to get started for a lower initial investment. It is the cheapest way to get into the hobby.
Base Kits:
Yokomo YD-2E and YD-2S
MST RMX 2.0s
These chassis kits come in "kit" form. This means you build it yourself. We always recommend this route since knowing how it all goes together is invaluable. You will need to fix it on occasion, so either you become an expert from the start, or you struggle every time something goes wrong. All 3 are mainly plastic and are considered Entry Level. All 3 drive excellent out of the box and all 3 can be fully upgraded. Also note, these are all very capable chassis out of the box. That's not to say the upgrades aren't needed or don't make a difference, because they do. It simply means in the right hands, there is no reason you wouldn't see these very chassis on the podium at your local comp.
Yokomo YD-2E and YD-2S:
Yokomo is the larger of the 2 companies and as of recent, have really been pushing the development of their YD-2 line. They have been steadily releasing new upgrades. Some feel it's too often, some like the innovation. The YD-2 line also has a lot of 3rd party support, but keep in mind, not all the 3rd party products are good or even tested. We have seen a lot of "upgrades" actually hurt performance. So buyer beware. If you like constantly changing and upgrading parts, Yokomo is really the clear choice of the two companies I am discussing.

YD-2E:
Based on the original YD-2 design, it has a Low Center of Gravity (LCG) setup, with a standard gearbox and a low mounted motor. It was intended for standard to high-traction conditions.

YD-2S:
It has introduced a tub style chassis and lay-down gearbox. The lay-down gearbox mounts the motor high, High Center of Gravity (HCG) giving it more "Weight Shift" and theoretically more traction for standard to low-traction conditions.
MST (Max Speed Technology) RMX 2.0s:
MST has been a player for a long time and has always put out high quality products. There is not a lot of 3rd party support, but MST always brings upgrades that work really well. They designed the chassis, they design the upgrades, it's a winning combination. Their upgrades are some of the nicest I've seen, but typically come with a price tag to match. If you like upgrading once and sticking with it, MST is the way to go. They typically will release a couple versions of . upgrades, and then they move on. You can count on their upgrades making a difference and also being top quality.

RMX 2.0s:
In my opinion the RMX 2.0s was MST's answer to Yokomo's YD-2. The YD-2 S appears to be Yokomo's answer to the RMX 2.0s. The RMX 2.0s comes with a bevel gear gearbox giving it a more compact design. It also allows you to chose between mounting the motor high or low, giving you a High Center of Gravity (HCG) and a Low Center of Gravity (LCG) setup in one chassis. It's nice to be able to experiment and find what fits your driving style without having to commit to an entirely different chassis.
Conclusion:
This is based on the many customers who come through our doors here at Super-G. We have worked with many people who have gone about this in so many different ways. We would just like to save you guys the frustration if possible.
For someone just getting into the hobby, the Yokomo YD-2 line and the MST RMX 2.0s are the leading choices. These are the most popular Rear Wheel Drive chassis with the most support and knowledge at the moment. I own both and can recommend them both very highly.
If you stick to these 3 or the upgraded versions, you will be on your way with a solid chassis. What you do from there is up to you, but you can feel confident it's not your chassis holding you back.
GOOD LUCK!
KEEP DRIFT FUN!
CHECK THEM ALL OUT HERE:
MST RMX 2.0 RTR
MST RMX 2.0 RTR (Bodyless)
MST RMX 2.0s (LCG/HCG)
Yokomo YD-2S (HCG)
Yokomo YD-2E (LCG)
The Full Line Up