RC racing and the economic "crisis"...

[sosidge]

So the economy has been "adjusting" itself for almost a year now, I think we have probably all had different experiences of the effects in our personal lives - but how has it been affecting RC?

Speaking as someone who has just moved house to an area where I will probably have to buy a different car to get regular racing... OUCH! RC stuff is very expensive all of a sudden.

Anyone at your local clubs dropping out because of the cost? Is it harder to get new people in due to the starting cost?

What I'm trying to get at is - does the RC community need to focus on low-cost racing again?

Brushless and LiPo may have decreased the long-term cost for people - but the startup cost is huge now. Would anyone race silvercan motors and controlled, cheap tyres on budget chassis nowadays?

[DCM]

Well, the economic crisis is only really affecting those who have to work limited hours, short weeks and under threat, or have been made redundant.

For people with mortgages, there payments should be less, so with fuel and what not. Places I been shopping have said that there has been no drop in spending. If anything, more, what this 'down turn' will do, is a cull of businesses that have been running over and above their takings, burning the banks money.

As for the cost of racing, anyone been racing a long time, will no that prices actually haven't gone up that much in 20 years.

[c0sie]

Personally I think that part of the problem is that, afew years ago, a 10th TC chassis would set you back the best part of £200ish...and an 8th rallycross kit would probably be around £280; Now you're look at around £350ish for a TC and way over that for a nitro.
I think the appeal of RC is also to do with the whole customisation; being able to slap the ESC you want in, the servos you want in etc...I cant see how a budget class would appeal to the masses.

To get back into 10th TC nowadays, and feel like I had a small chance of doing reletively well you'r talking HUGE bux after youve spent your £300 on a chassis, £200 on an ESC/motor, plus warmers, tyres, LiPo's etc.

Shame really. Its things like the B4, at only £180(?) for a FT kit that keep things abit more realisic if you're able to race offroad locally.

Long live cheap 2WD racing

[DCM]

but thats a perceived cost, for most people, racing at club level, there is no need to spend big bucks, at all, as really, they would not actually bennefit. I have been a long time supporter of the budget race chassis' from Tamiya, with a few deft upgrades, they are just as competitive.

Cost, is what you perceive you have to have, and not really what you need. As all the companies want you to buy the pro-kits.

[burgie]

In "real terms" racing is now as cheap as it has ever been - maybe even cheaper. OK, so Lipo Cells and Brushless motors are dearer than the ni-mih or brushed equivalent, but the frequency of replacement is now far less, especially in club racing.

For example, I have been running Lipo Cells for 3 seasons - the Orion Lipo cells I purchased 3 seasons ago are now into their fourth season, which equates to around £19 per season on cells. My brushless motors are 2 years old - £40.00 per year on motors is not expensive. How many ni-mih cells are needed for one full season of racing? How many brushed motors are required? Last time I bought a brushed motor it cost me £50 or more and lasted nowhere near one full season let alone 2 seasons!

The BIG problem with the hobby/sport is the setup cost.....even buying wisely and getting good stuff 2nd hand is going to cost £500 or maybe more.....a racer at Southport started off last year and bought all new gear. He reckons doing it that way cost him around £1500.

Because of the money I save on cells/motors/brushes etc I find myself buying more cars to feed the need to spend!

[ANGEL.ONE]

budgeting can be fun in itself, and is important to some people irrespective of perceived global, national, or personal financial situation?

[brian s]

In real terms i would say that rc racing is reasonably cheap today compared to 1990/91.
A schumacher procat back then was £175 with the works yokomo dogfighter pushing £275 in 4wd, and in 2wd you were looking at the RC10 team £199, or kyosho triumph £199.
A top of the range tekin 420 esc would knock you back £137 and i paid £250 for my field force 3 without servo`s. Trinity 1700 SCE cells cost £45 each (x six packs )and you were lucky if you got 5 mins racing out of them, so compared to then i think we are quite well off.

[MiCk B.]

Agreed...... I've been racing nearly 20 years now.

I'd have to say now with lipo and brushless it has never been cheaper or easier to get good equipment.

MiCk B. :-)

[Steve.T]

I think RC racing is like most things. If you really want to do it you will find the time and the money somehow

[captain-codpiece]

I have noticed more people switching to cheaper forms of rc racing like minis, where you don't have to shell out for new mini pins every 3 weeks, and you can just chuck a black can motor in, run el cheapo 27 mhz radio gear and still be competitive. Also you can do a triple somersault with a pike twist in a mini and still just drive away, no breakages. .

I have also noticed more people selling up on here and fleabay with finances as a reason for selling.

That said there is still a good turnout at our club on Fiday nights of all formula's, and many new faces too!

My answer to the credit cruch is simple, just turn to male prostitution to fund your buggy racing habit. Simples.

[AndyF]

As somebody who raced a £175 procat and could only afford two sets of cells and a 27t motor. I would say it cost too much back then and from what I see on here it still does. If you are earning a good wage then fair enough. I could afford my procat now! However I had to give up because at 14 I couldn't and I only had the one birthday a year!

It was the scrapping of the "stock class" at Batley that finished me off as you needed way more cells and much more expensive motors that needed money spent on them to remain competitive.

If you want the sport to continue and the local clubs to get more than 5 people you need cheaper classes. I started when £100 could get you going and we had finals down to K or L every two weeks. There may be lots of reasons for the demise (Wii, Xbox) but getting the 10 to teen age range you need low price racing that rewards skills and good prep over wallet.

The good news is I went to Dewsbury's 1/18th club a couple of months ago and I saw a competitive racing class that shouldn't break the bank. I expected toys but they were just reduced size racing machines.

Anyway. I believe F1 is looking at a 33million budget limit. Maybe 1/10th should be limited to 10% of that! Would that be enough for 4x4?!?!

[Si Coe]

The problem is that cost controlled formulas never seem to work, except for Mardaves. And there it is not the cost controlling but the sheer simplicity of the cars that makes things cheap. There is simply not a lot of point spending money trying to make a V12 go quicker!

As you said, when things are naturally cheap, numbers are high. Racing Topcats and Cougars with stock motors as a kid was very inexpensive, or could be, but many people still spent loads. Stock motors back then were hit or miss at best, and some folks bought whole boxes just to find one great one.

Because secretly we don't want even racing. If we have even racing we don't have an advantage over the competition, which make him harder to beat. And if he does beat us, we don't have the excuse his car is better!

[colmo]

Originally Posted by AndyF

The good news is I went to Dewsbury's 1/18th club a couple of months ago and I saw a competitive racing class that shouldn't break the bank. I expected toys but they were just reduced size racing machines.

I've been speculating on smaller-scale cars as a means of getting new blood interested (I'm still new myself, and hurting from the costs of 1/10th scale). It's no accident that many manufacturers are doing smaller 1/16th or 1/18th scale versions of their existing lines - Traxxas, Losi, AE...then there are the Maverick Atoms, FTX Blazes and innumerable clones to choose from.

It's a class you could term as 'Christmas present' territory - about £100 would get you everything needed to start, including the charger.