RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Actually, the question was are they going to kill the builders market which then referred to Tamiya hits. That's not the same. Scratch builders and/or serious kit bashers will always survive.

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When it comes to the comparable prices of Tamiya and building a Heng Long or Taigen/Torro it needs to be remembered that the total cost of your Heng Long/Taigen/Torro may be as much as £800 but that is not £800 up front, It is spread over many months whereas the cost of a Tamiya is indeed up front.
And that is what restricts my builds to the Chinese Armour and the Japanese Armour remains on my wishlist.

jarndice wrote:When it comes to the comparable prices of Tamiya and building a Heng Long or Taigen/Torro it needs to be remembered that the total cost of your Heng Long/Taigen/Torro may be as much as £800 but that is not £800 up front, It is spread over many months whereas the cost of a Tamiya is indeed up front.
And that is what restricts my builds to the Chinese Armour and the Japanese Armour remains on my wishlist.

I think if it wasn't for that fact, this hobby wouldn't be so popular. Heng Long and everyone that does Heng Long compatible parts have made this hobby grow.
I also think that a lot of people get a taste/urge to try a Tamiya after owning Heng Longs that otherwise may never have been tempted.

General Jumbo01 wrote:Not sure Tom. I'm sure Tamiya isn't basing its pricing policy on 2nd hand sales and l probably buy at least 50% of my gear from overseas and the same % savings can be made on HL/T-T as well. I'm not knocking Tamiya - l spend a fortune on their RC cars and trucks because l like what they produce but they are missing out on the swelling tank market.

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Tamiyas main market has always been domestic, their prices are far lower compared to else where and they come rtr. There's a reason why they were clamping down on the grey market from the likes of banzai hobby.

This discussion was never limited to new tamiya models either, just what's available. Personally ive wondered why for example people would rush out to buy the taigen leo 2 at £500 when you can have a RTR well built tamiya one second hand for much less offering much more.

I wasn't really commenting on tamiyas pricing policy, just that you don't need to take out a second mortgage to own one if you're savvy about it.

To get another prospective on how the builders market is being squeezed, Torro has teamed up with KY Model, Graupner's Premium RTR ship model source, to exhibit together at next week's Hobby Expo China in Beijing. KY makes Torro's LCM3. Given their relationship, this could well expand in other markets up to & including distribution.

Get it, thanks, but isn't part of the buzz you get from a NEW Tamiya kit is building it? I know the first thing l do with a new RTR is fully dismantle it and rebuild it properly! I confess that restoring a 2nd hand bargain is fun too!

Savvy spending is a skill most of us perfect with retirement. Not much choice!!

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General Jumbo01 wrote:Get it, thanks, but isn't part of the buzz you get from a NEW Tamiya kit is building it? I know the first thing l do with a new RTR is fully dismantle it and rebuild it properly! I confess that restoring a 2nd hand bargain is fun too!

Savvy spending is a skill most of us perfect with retirement. Not much choice!!

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I endorse every word my friend, Impossible for me to put it better.

I buy Tanks that I like, Taigen/Torro, Heng Long, and Tamiya.
The Taigen/Torro tanks, I usually buy in parts and I can spread the cost, and I can pick what I may want to change on the tank.

To summarise, you always can find some thing to tinker with on your Tank, whatever your purchase preference.

Tagen is definitely not cheap anymore and the turn towards "all metal", with the additional prize increase but still basing on the entry level technology is a direction I do not like too much.
Having the ability to buy in sections and have plenty of upgrade options is of course a good thing. But having recently bought the Tamiya Leopard recently second hand, that thing is a different matter completely. Has its handicaps too, but still a nice kit. For instance the suspension works much better on the Tamiya kit right from the start. That is a real bugger now for me on the Tagen offering. Not to speak of the entry level electronics with the gun elevation on a circuit. Etc.

Having been given the Trumpeter 1/16 Panther its night and day regarding detail compared to the rc models. If they made an ABS version without the interior it could be a game changer, 1/35 detail with 1/16 size. Now that would be nice. Don't know why Tamiya have not gone and upsized the moulds. The Tiger / Panther kits have very old moulds, must have been paid back many times over. I would buy more if they were detailed up and most 1/35 kits have extra parts for all the changes in production.