Getting started Durga / Dark Impact

[Griddon]

Hello All.

I've recently left the UK to work in Melbourne Australia. Got a fair bit of time on my hands compared with my old life and was looking to restart R/C after a 14 year absence. (I have fond memories of racing my FWD Tamiya Mondeo around Congleton's makeshift indoor track.)

I think I've decided on a buggy as my genre of choice on the basis that with the correct setup, i could use it on any surface. I'll mostly be ripping around on local parking lots and occasionally on the beach or wasteland scrub. Doubt i'll be racing.

I find most enjoyment with the whole 'tweak and assess'. I'm and engineer and being able to make quick adjustments to the car and then run it to perfect atributes such as straight line speed, cornering or jump performance is what holds my interest really. Call me a nerd for that.

I've read with interest the reviews of the Durga and the Keen Hawk on this site amongst others. Over here, the price is $329 and $229 respectively, the later being a special offer Dark Impact.

So, first question. Is the Durga worth a $100 premium over the Dark Impact? I'm somewhat concerned that according to the review, i'd need to do something with the shocks pronto on the Dark Impact. (Both come with an ESC right?)

My second, and final question is; To give me a decent range of tunability and fun factor, what radio gear / battery / charger options would suit a beginner. I realise that battery and charger choice are crucial, but at the same time I don't want to spend muchos spondulas if there is a risk I might not find the same enjoyment as I once did. (Equally painful is when you buy something to almost immediately replace it with 'better' gear)

Your advice is much appreciated.

[DCM]

One Durga is worth two keen hawks in the tunability and reliability stakes in my opinion, and I have had the DF-03 and still own the DB-01, the DF-03 just wasn't raceable in my eyes.

As for setup, go for a LiPo and brushless motor combination. Get a brushless speedo that has a built in lipo cut-off (and use it) and go on eBay and buy a lipo charger, you will get plenty of runtime no motor rebuils.

[drinternat]

The Durga doesn't come with an ESC here in the UK anyway. I dont know it they bundle one in other markets though. If you are ordering it from the "far east" I would get a slipper also.

[gracoat]

The DF-03 doesn't come with a speed controller either.
For a beginner looking to race something, the Durga probably is a better solution. For a backyard/gravel field/occasional trip to the track, the df-03 is more cost efficient.

Lipo and brushless... Meh.. That's a huge cost, and for a beginner it'll probably give you too much car. That said, the 540 that it comes with sucks... Spend the 30 bucks and get even a cheapy trinity motor. The co27 monster stock makes the car go substantially faster and will run for like 20 minutes on a 4200mah nimh battery. (Another 40 bucks)

The shocks... Oh boy... Sadly it's must. Ebay. 20 bucks. Even the Tamiya hopped up ones are a world better than stock. Get them from http://myworld.ebay.ca/the-toyz He's an excellent seller. Lots of other things are available, but that'll get you a great car.