buying 2nd hand

[Bagman]

Help,

I've been primed to buy a new x11 in time for my next race (13th of March) with spares and upgrades etc that I've read should be done to the car. The total price has been mounting up to bit of a hefty sum. I'm starting to get cold feet after both reading about the service/delivery times and the type of contact I've had personally with teamxtreme (no answer to my first 2 emails and only replied to my 3rd after i virtually begged them to sell me a car). After this I had second thoughts about taking what seems to be a gamble. I've more or less decided to get another type of car as my main racer but I still want to dip my toe into the water and see what happens. I thought about buying an XRS but I'm not sure if it's as good a club racer without a shedload of work, which I haven't really got the time for. I'd probably look at a 2nd hand X11 or sorted X10 or XRS. If anyone has anything for sale or advice about buying a Predator I'd more than appreciate it.

[Alfonzo]

Bit of an enigma, is the Predator. I run an X10 and still like it, and the guys were getting some good results with the X11's last season. But it's not everyone's cup of tea. If you find the thought of tinkering and experimenting with setups etc not palletable I'd suggest considering something else, but if you relish the thought of trying something a little different and enjoy the technical side of the sport then stick with it.

There's a guy called Kev Lee who was running an X11 last year with good success at top level, might be worth PM to him and have a chat.

[Bagman]

Cheers for that, I'm a bit of an engineer and like to whole idea of the car. I am wary about putting all my eggs in that basket though and would like for the first season to have one as my 2nd car to tinker around with. In the next month or so however I don't have a lot of time for that kind of project so I think I'll go for a 2nd hand one to just get me started on the Predator. It looks like I've got a decent bit of help now as through someone at my club I've got Nathan Ralls lowering himself a bit to give my some practical advice.

[Alfonzo]

Cool. Nathan was handy with the Pred.

It all sort of depends on where you get your enjoyment. Personally, I get as much pleasure from tinkering and appreciating the design etc as I do from the actual racing (but that's the Engineer in me!). However, others simply want to win and enjoy the 'sport' aspect of the hobby, and aren't fussed about the 'nerdy' side. Horses for Courses.

I thought the guys were really starting to tune the pred into quite a weapon last year, judging be the results. One thing's for sure though, the days of total superiority are well over as the standard of all the different kits available now is so good (although arguably the Durango has raised the bar somewhat).

Good luck!

[Tom3012]

A good second hand X11 with all the toppings is going to cost you £200+.

Someone at my clubs just sold his for £190 with all the mods apart from the new orange steering arms.

Ive personally run the car for 2 years now, and its been great! For more info pop over to the-pred website.

Nathan can tell you more than most about the car so your in good hands when talking to him about the car! But feel free to ask any questions and ill do my best to answer as im sure all the other guys will do!

[Bungleaio]

The pred is a great car and I had mine for about 12 months. When I was running mine I broke.

Front hubs (a fair few)
Rear hub
Ball joints
rocker posts
Rear tie rods
Chassis
Prop shaft (at the same time as the chassis)
Diff rings
Thrust washer
Bent a few front hinge pins
Bent a couple of front drive shafts

I also lost a few of the cone washers and at around £3 each it adds up.

I ended up picking up and x10 which I stripped for parts that were useable on the x11 and I bought a fair few spares. When I sold it I had the following spares:

Lower front wishbones
Upper front wishbones
Lower rear wishbones
Upper Rear wishbones
Front Hubs
Rear hubs
Rear gearbox top
Front gearbox cover
Full set of drive shafts and stub axels
Driveshaft blades
Front hinge pins
Rear hinge pins
Threaded pivot balls
Nose cone
Diff crown wheel
Spur gear
One way shaft adapter
Drive shaft pins
Chassis
Large ball joints
Small ball joints
E clips for shock pistons
Rear toe link
Front wing
One way shaft with two one way units
Hollow and x10 rocker posts (latest solid posts fitted to the car)
M4 turnbuckles
Shock shafts
Ball joints and balls
Rear rocker pivots
Motor mount posts
Steering pivot pin
Shock bush
Front wishbone hanger (modified x10 part)
Front and rear wing
Two compete diffs
Two complete diff overhaul kits including diff and thrust balls, screws, crown wheels diff plates and thrust washers

Admitidly it was a bit overboard but it wasn't all new. Quite often I was the only one running a pred so relying on others to help out wasn't a possibility. Also it can take a couple of weeks to get things from xtreme which is very frustrating especially when it prevents you from going to a race meeting.

The car can be very fast but for me not being the best driver I rarely got through a meeting without a failure of some sort.

[Bagman]

I'm still debating with myself over a Durango next month. It looks like I'm about to buy what looks like a very nice X10 and use that at the next race meeting. I'll see what happens and I'll go from there. It looks like I'll be looking into what X11 parts can fit an X10 and what I should get.

[Bagman]

Thanks Bungeaio,

That was a bit more of an eye opener than I'd bargained for. Still it looks like despite the drawbacks (and there's a few) I'm being drawn in.

[Alfonzo]

Get one!

I have the Big Bore shocks on mine, and am in the middle of carrying out the stick pack conversion. I'm after the new orange steering arms, anyone know of their availability etc?

[Alfonzo]

'ere ya go Bagman

http://www.oople.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40580

[Bagman]

He was slightly too late that X11 looks great but I went for a very tidy looking X10. I'll get myself a saddle lipo and race it as is for my first race and then go from there. I'll probably either upgrade to an x11 in the summer and use this as a doner car/parts/reserve (as it looks like I'll have the only one in Slovakia so spares will be an issue) or get completely frustrated with it and get something more straight forward. I have a small engineering firm that I use for work that could easily copy parts in an emergency so at least I have a plan B.

[Bagman]

Easy question to start with though is if the big bore shocks will fit on an X10?

[Alfonzo]

Sure do, no probs. Keep us posted. By the way, not sure if Kev Lee was running his Pred, but he did well at Stotfold yesterday.

[Mrs.TeamXtreme]

Originally Posted by Bagman

I've got Nathan Ralls lowering himself a bit to give my some practical advice.

????

[Bagman]

Err, I'm not sure what you mean exactly by "????". I'm guessing you're correcting the fact that I wrote my instead of me as the rest is pretty clear. I'll recap it for you anyway. Through a mutual friend Nathan has given me some set up and running advice for the Predator. I said that he was lowering himself as I am of the opinion that he knows more about both the Predator and RC racing in general than I do and that he is having to come down to my level. His first bit of advice to me, as you're interested, was to change the rear buds regularly as it saves more expensive wear later on (they are out of stock in the TeamXtreme website do you have any news when they'll be in?).

[lochness42]

Yes Nathan is very friendly and allways willing to help with Predator however he's in another team now

[kyoshozx5 kid]

Originally Posted by lochness42

Yes Nathan is very friendly and always willing to help

that seems to be the general picture . dont matter what car you drive he always has a free minute and advise when needed

[Chris Griffiths]

Originally Posted by Bagman

Err, I'm not sure what you mean exactly by "????". I'm guessing you're correcting the fact that I wrote my instead of me as the rest is pretty clear. I'll recap it for you anyway. Through a mutual friend Nathan has given me some set up and running advice for the Predator. I said that he was lowering himself as I am of the opinion that he knows more about both the Predator and RC racing in general than I do and that he is having to come down to my level. His first bit of advice to me, as you're interested, was to change the rear buds regularly as it saves more expensive wear later on (they are out of stock in the TeamXtreme website do you have any news when they'll be in?).

She probably ment she was shocked that you thought him helping you was lowering himself. the way i see it the day i can give help to newbies is the day ill feel prouder not lower.

Ok im going for the Pred myself. I know people say service at times is slow but I thik thats part of the car? Its a small business who make a great car(from what ive heard) Im looking forward to owning one!