RC10B4 vs. RC10B4 factory team collectibility value?

[Francis]

Hello,

Greetings! First time poster but long term browser. This is a very neat community and I have enjoyed all the postings, photos, and insights into this addictive hobby.

So I have the opportunity to purchase a NIB RC10B4 (9034) or a NIB RC10B4 Factory Team (issued a year later) both for the same price and for a good price. I enjoy the history behind these cars, and have no intention of building them for now.

Given that the DNA of these cars are still in the RTR's versions today, do either models have collectibility value? Which would you purchase between the two? How much would you reasonably pay for one of them?

peace,
Francis

[RC104ever]

Just guessing but I would think the factory team version would be slightly more collectible. But we are talking years from now obviously so just get whichever one tickles your fancy more!

[rctenracer]

The B4's may be worth something thirty years from now .

[GoMachV]

We have discussed this before and personally my view is this:

When WE were young we wanted to build and modify stuff. Kids these days really just wanna play with em. Thirty years later we want what we had back then...thirty years from now those grown kids probably ain't gonna care about the rc car they had growing up cause they didn't put anything into it besides paying for it

Just my opinion

[yellowdatsun]

The only reason I'd buy a NIB B4 (I have a B4.1 converted to 4.2 specs), is to drive it. You gotta figure, they still sell the B4.2 brand new. So at this point the car is likely just worth whatever a new RC car is worth. The new B4.2 sells for $249 RTR. The factory team car likely has a few better parts on it, but it's really only going to matter at this point if someone wants to drive it. They're good cars to run, I like mine. But like the other guys said, in 30 years it will bring more money, if you want to wait that long to make $100-$200 extra bucks. But to buy it as an investment is just not a good way to invest your money.

[Fred19K]

Unless it is a NIB box, AE cars have not held the greatest collector value as investments. I am guessing 95% of people who buy re-re AE cars are over 28 and wanting to get back into the hobby with what they know works and loved as a kid. I personally have shelf queens that are period correct and original, but have no intention of reselling them at some point. I just like them The rest of the fleet I like to tinker with and bash until the wheels fall off (sometimes literately ). Speaking of tinkering and doing things just for fun, attached it a pic of my ongoing Tamiya Lunch Box project (ignore the body, something goofy will go on there instead of the RC10 shell).

[Francis]

Appreciate the interesting points.

I think the generational point about attachments we have to the hobby/modeling aspect is a good one! I like the period correctness of having a NIB with a story. I think that's the value I place upon the B4 stealth.

I would agree that RTR's today probably don't give the same kind of emotional connection we had with cars we had in the past. These were cars we had to tinker with to go faster, handle better, and last 4-5 minutes in a race. That creative equation (or just time spent with machines) becomes diminished.

The RC10 with Lunchbox tires is pretty funny, like a high performance Tamiya Madbull creation.

[TokyoProf]

Appreciate the interesting points.

I think the generational point about attachments we have to the hobby/modeling aspect is a good one! I like the period correctness of having a NIB with a story. I think that's the value I place upon the B4 stealth.

I would agree that RTR's today probably don't give the same kind of emotional connection we had with cars we had in the past. These were cars we had to tinker with to go faster, handle better, and last 4-5 minutes in a race. That creative equation (or just time spent with machines) becomes diminished.

The RC10 with Lunchbox tires is pretty funny, like a high performance Tamiya Madbull creation.

Which one did you buy in the end? The first version of the car, or the one with all the hop-ups?

[LowClassCC]

Appreciate the interesting points.

I think the generational point about attachments we have to the hobby/modeling aspect is a good one! I like the period correctness of having a NIB with a story. I think that's the value I place upon the B4 stealth.

I would agree that RTR's today probably don't give the same kind of emotional connection we had with cars we had in the past. These were cars we had to tinker with to go faster, handle better, and last 4-5 minutes in a race. That creative equation (or just time spent with machines) becomes diminished.

The RC10 with Lunchbox tires is pretty funny, like a high performance Tamiya Madbull creation.

Which one did you buy in the end? The first version of the car, or the one with all the hop-ups?

This post is from 2015, the OP has not been active since 2016.

[JosephS]

Appreciate the interesting points.

I think the generational point about attachments we have to the hobby/modeling aspect is a good one! I like the period correctness of having a NIB with a story. I think that's the value I place upon the B4 stealth.

I would agree that RTR's today probably don't give the same kind of emotional connection we had with cars we had in the past. These were cars we had to tinker with to go faster, handle better, and last 4-5 minutes in a race. That creative equation (or just time spent with machines) becomes diminished.

The RC10 with Lunchbox tires is pretty funny, like a high performance Tamiya Madbull creation.

Which one did you buy in the end? The first version of the car, or the one with all the hop-ups?

This post is from 2015, the OP has not been active since 2016.

Now that the rc10x4.x series is old enough to be vintage it’s hilarious to me to see older posts like this when I am searching for some information. Sometime I’ll see posters that ask a question and the response we will be something to the effect of’ we really only pay attention to vintage’ and the original poster will apologize and say they figured it out without posting the solution. What was the answer OP from 2015 ? What was it…!

[juicedcoupe]

A 90's Escort GT is an antique but that doesn't make it a vintage sports car.

[JosephS]

A 90's Escort GT is an antique but that doesn't make it a vintage sports car.

In my humble opinion the (sc10)/rc10x.4.x series is an absolute classic that will be what the aluminum pans are to our generation. They were present in the bashing scene but were also really competent racers. It was such a solid design that it started with nicads,brushed motors and am/fm radios and ended on lipos, brushless power and 2.4ghz. Without doubt it's got some serious contention as a vintage sport platform.

I'm going to bet that many folks who got their start in RC got it with that generation of cars and trucks. Just a quick search says 2003 for the first t4 till 2017 for the last t4.3. In terms of collect-ability it's going to be only a few years until the first generation drivers of the 4 series get nostalgic to build the cars of their childhood with their kids.

I'm still all about the black pans and 2.4 stealth for myself, but I see many of the same reasons I'm here for rc10b/t in the rc10(b/t)4.x/sc10.

[Frankentruck]

A 90's Escort GT is an antique but that doesn't make it a vintage sports car.

We used to call that car The Muscort! Ford tried so hard to style that car like a Mustang.

[juicedcoupe]

In my humble opinion the (sc10)/rc10x.4.x series is an absolute classic that will be what the aluminum pans are to our generation. They were present in the bashing scene but were also really competent racers. It was such a solid design that it started with nicads,brushed motors and am/fm radios and ended on lipos, brushless power and 2.4ghz. Without doubt it's got some serious contention as a vintage sport platform.

I'm not saying that a B4 is a bad car. Quite the opposite.

But in the term "Vintage RC10", it doesn't qualify.


I'll give you a better example from the full size car world.

The 1993 Mustang Cobra R. They are antique, rare, and cool as hell. But it isn't a "vintage or classic Mustang". It's probably more valuable than many classics, but it's still considered modern.

[JosephS]

In my humble opinion the (sc10)/rc10x.4.x series is an absolute classic that will be what the aluminum pans are to our generation. They were present in the bashing scene but were also really competent racers. It was such a solid design that it started with nicads,brushed motors and am/fm radios and ended on lipos, brushless power and 2.4ghz. Without doubt it's got some serious contention as a vintage sport platform.

I'm not saying that a B4 is a bad car. Quite the opposite.

But in the term "Vintage RC10", it doesn't qualify.


I'll give you a better example from the full size car world.

The 1993 Mustang Cobra R. They are antique, rare, and cool as hell. But it isn't a "vintage or classic Mustang". It's probably more valuable than many classics, but it's still considered modern.

The 1:1 car world is a bit easier since insurance defines it.

The 10t was considered vintage in 2013 by this forum at 22 years old.

The original b4 from 2003 is 19 this year. If not vintage it’s at least a classic. The platform was just so damn long lived it seems new.