CLARK electric compared to stock Heng Long

[SteelBird]

Here is what the Thai guy quotes me compared to what I bought for my Pantiger. The price not yet include shipping (by bus) fees. I'm not sure if I should go ahead with this.

[MichaelC]

Steel, that looks pretty reasonable to me........ You are basically getting a RTR a full upgraded all metal version of the ZTZ with radio and Clark for under $600 USD. You can't really compared it with your Pantiger because Pantiger parts are dim and a dozen, and also on HL electronics.

[Max-U52]

SteelBird that's a very good price for a RTR tank. I have a ZTZ-99A that already has metal tracks, sprockets, idlers, gears and the speaker, and I figure it's worth about $350 US the way it sits (TG 2.4 Electronics). To add the rest of the stuff you're getting, like the TK22, TX, metal roadwheels, slip ring, etc, etc, would cost me about another $300 US, and I'd have to do all the work, so for you to get that one for less than $600US in a ready to run package is very good. As long as you don't have to pay more than $50US for shipping I think it's a great deal and I'd buy it myself if I didn't already have one.

[deathrawt]

Another thing to consider is that if you are going to drop $600 on a heng long tank, you can get a Tamiya Sherman or a pershing and even a tiger for less. Its one of the traps we all fall into when we start upgrading the heng long/Taigen tanks. It all really depends on what you want. Being where you are the shipping of a Tamiya from a hong kong dealer might be cheaper then you think. It might be worth looking into. You cant beat the quality of a Tamiya! Of course if Tamiya doesn't make the model tank you want and HL or Taigen does then that's another matter.

[Roboticus_Prime]

Another thing to consider is that if you are going to drop $600 on a heng long tank, you can get a Tamiya Sherman or a pershing and even a tiger for less. Its one of the traps we all fall into when we start upgrading the heng long/Taigen tanks. It all really depends on what you want. Being where you are the shipping of a Tamiya from a hong kong dealer might be cheaper then you think. It might be worth looking into. You cant beat the quality of a Tamiya! Of course if Tamiya doesn't make the model tank you want and HL or Taigen does then that's another matter.

While this is true, when you drop $600 on a Heng Long you're not really dropping it. You're doing it one part at a time.

[SteelBird]

Another thing to consider is that if you are going to drop $600 on a heng long tank, you can get a Tamiya Sherman or a pershing and even a tiger for less. Its one of the traps we all fall into when we start upgrading the heng long/Taigen tanks. It all really depends on what you want. Being where you are the shipping of a Tamiya from a hong kong dealer might be cheaper then you think. It might be worth looking into. You cant beat the quality of a Tamiya! Of course if Tamiya doesn't make the model tank you want and HL or Taigen does then that's another matter.

yeah, this is the question that I'd like to ask. with the above upgrades, how is it compared to a Tamiya tank? What does Tamiya have out of the box?

I'm approaching another supplier for stock tank and upgrade parts only because I want to get my hands dirty. To me, it's part of the fun to do all the upgrade yourself.

Edit: a bit research on the web shows that a Tamiya Leopard 2A6 full option on eBay costs $823 + $143 international shipping, not yet included radio and battery. The final price of a Tamiya should be around $1000. Further there are a lot of upgrade packages for Tamiya too if your wallet is deep enough.

[MichaelC]

Tamiya are real model kits. Heng Long and Taigen has come a long way but they are really toy RC tanks with a reasonably nice shell these days and some rough suspension bits and gears/motors on the lower. I think the ZTZ would be approaching a Tamiya pricing, but if you are high up on metal parts like tracks and road wheels then that is what you are paying for when you get Heng Long/Taigens for close to a Tamiya. It is still cheaper but not as much as you started off with.

BTW, I have never own a Tamiya (maybe some day). No doubt I have ended up spending close to one with many of my tanks, but just couldn't get over the initial sticker price even though the end cost is closer than I would like. I am also high on metal tracks and wheels, as well proper metal lowers if Taigen has them for that model.

[SteelBird]

I think the Heng Long ZTZ-99/ZTZ-99A has one serious problem; the scale is wrong, either the hull is too long or the turret is too short. Sorry I can find a good comparison photo of the model and the real thing.

Edit: found some photos:

The side of the ZTZ-99A


Side view of Heng Long's ZTZ-99A

[Max-U52]

I think it's a little bit of both. The hull looks slightly longer when you look at the spacing between roadwheels, and it also looks like the back end of the turret is a bit longer on the real tank.

Paul and Chase, sorry I forgot to answer you before, the Asp has a USB cable that Kevin calls a "dongle" and Paul, Kevin's actually in the US right now but next time I hear from him I'll ask about Asp and Mac compatibility.

[Roboticus_Prime]

I think it's a little bit of both. The hull looks slightly longer when you look at the spacing between roadwheels, and it also looks like the back end of the turret is a bit longer on the real tank.

Paul and Chase, sorry I forgot to answer you before, the Asp has a USB cable that Kevin calls a "dongle" and Paul, Kevin's actually in the US right now but next time I hear from him I'll ask about Asp and Mac compatibility.

To be fair, the turret on the real one looks like it has different stowage on the back.

That's good news. Does it have a GUI or do you just edit text files?