Traxxas...I'm hilariously horrified!

[Mindwarp]

Get your motors running: Traxxas RC vehicles coming to a Future Shop near you

http://community.futureshop.ca/t5/Tech-Blog/Get-your-motors-running-Traxxas-RC-vehicles-coming-to-a-Future/ba-p/377796

Horrified because they managed to saturate the market even more; lmao because the guys who install car stereos will fix your new toy!

Pre-order your toy here: http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/category/rc-cars-traxxas/22096p.aspx

[MelvinsArmy]

I don't think it's a bad thing. I used to be very anti-Traxxas, but honestly I can't say much bad about them any more. Do I own one? No. Do I want to own one? Not really. But really they are offering a heck of a product to people who are just looking to have fun and bash, which is really what 99% of us do anyway. My brother in law got a Traxxas Grave Digger and he loves it.

[Coelacanth]

Interestingly, the exact same topics became heated discussions when some of the bigger drum & musical instrument brands started selling entry- and mid-level gear at Costco & other big-box outlets. Many of the drum brand purists were outraged. My take? Well, the manufacturers are in it to make a buck just like everyone else, and if they can produce gear at affordable prices and get new people hooked on real, honest-to-God musical instruments (as opposed to video game stuff like Guitar Hero & Rock Band crap), then I have no problem with it.

The enthusiasts will still seek out the good stuff no matter where it is, and if anything, if the Costco stuff is profitable, it results in more money for the manufacturers to sell their better gear for smaller profit margins or invest in R & D and new products.

[slapshot1979]

all the while cutting the throats of your local hobby shop

[cunawarit]

I don't see anything wrong with hobby grade RCs being available outside hobby shops.

But I do cringe a little at the idea of dropping an RC car off for a service somewhere (the last video)... I DO want to spend till 1am fixing my car, coz I will do it better than some dude in a store.

[Mindwarp]

Prepaid cards are not refundable, nor are opened packages of consumable products (such as batteries, ink, and food), hobby grade R/C, microphones, sheet music, in-ear monitors, harmonicas, musical instrument strings, and apparel.

How many people do you think are going to try and exchange their truck after it breaks (and it will, all rc's break) only to be told no but if they buy the parts the radio guys will fix it for them! It'll be a nightmare for all involved. This won't be like enthusiasts in the know going to their LHS, a lot of these will be the type who saw the flashy boxes and then wonder why they can't exchange their truck after bouncing it off of a fire hydrant at 50 miles an hour lol

[cunawarit]

all the while cutting the throats of your local hobby shop

The kind of person that goes and buys an RC car in a shop like that doesn't even know a hobby shop exists. Traxxas is great at targeting this sort of person, the kind of person that doesn't know much about RC cars and is impressed by huge top speed claims, wheelies, iPhone connectivity, and lurid ProGraphix colour schemes.

[cunawarit]

a lot of these will be the type who saw the flashy boxes and then wonder why they can't exchange their truck after bouncing it off of a fire hydrant at 50 miles an hour lol

HAHA! Yeah, that's exactly what it will be like. You see the type regularly in more Traxxas centric forums, outraged that they've burned their 7th motor in less than one week (and of course, it is never ever their fault that they've geared it to do 700 freaking bazillion miles per hour or ran it rull throttle for 2 hours straight) and Traxxas will not replace it for them.

[MelvinsArmy]

You guys are jumping to all sorts of conclusions. How did you get started in r/c? I got started with a Tyco Turbo Hopper that I bought at Target. I can't imagine going into a store like that and seeing something like any of Traxxas' vehicles instead of that Tyco turd. And not everybody is a complete moron when they break something. I don't see that many people trying to return a broken r/c car after they smash it. My brother in law's first r/c was that Traxxas Grave Digger. He's seen my stuff, but never driven it and has always been interested. When he breaks something, he heads down to the lbs, tells them what he broke, gets a new part and puts it on.

[Chris K]

Ladies and germs, hang on because Traxxas is not the only one attempting to 'cross market' their products....

Can you imagine buying Team Associated products at Bass Pro???? How 'bout a full scale boat for Dad and a 50mph Thunder Tiger r/c boat to go with it???

There have been rumors of WalMart entering the r/c world for some time; can you imagine??? Several years ago they carried the Revell line of 1/24 on road cars... Those weren't big sellers anywhere but I bet WalMart sold more then the mainstream retailers did - and considered it a failure...

OH, and did you notice this week that Revell announced a new CHARGER for LiPo batteries??? Revel of all people....

http://www.rcdriver.com/rcd/index.php/revell-teczone-power-s680-s345-and-power-charger/

Traxxas has been sold in Pep Boys for several years now!

The next few years are going to be interesting for sure!

[Incredible_Serious]

geared it to do 700 freaking bazillion miles per hour

[LTO_Dave]

There are two local non-hobby shops near me that sell Traxxas. One is an recreational vehicle(dirtbikes, quads, UTV's, etc.) dealer/repair shop, which I can sort of understand. And the other is a place that sells 1:1 truck caps and accessories. That's it. Nothing more than truck caps and Traxxas crap. I'll scan the ad if I ever see it again in the paper. The two local hobby shops in my area stock more Traxxas kits and parts than any other brand.

A few of my friends have a Slash and I will say they can take a lot of abuse but they're definitely not indestructible. And the kits, replacement parts and aftermarket parts cost just as much or more as any other manufacturer.

I'm not a fan of current Traxxas products because they've taken over magazines and hobby shops to the point where that's all you see...but I do have T-Maxx/E-Maxx driveshafts on my Tamiya crawler. And they've saturated the industry with so many different types of niche market kits that it can make your head spin. The 100+ MPH car and the new Funny car are two that I can think of. What's next? A 1/5 scale nitro Harley that has turn signals you can control from your iPad or smart phone?

[Lonestar]

What's next? A 1/5 scale nitro Harley that has turn signals you can control from your iPad or smart phone?

you might be up onto something here!

[cunawarit]

You guys are jumping to all sorts of conclusions. How did you get started in r/c?

I started with one of these:



A Radio Shack monster truck with no suspension or proportional controls, it rocked!!! I loved that truck. I wish I still had it It would probably be my most treasured shelf queen.

I got started with a Tyco Turbo Hopper that I bought at Target.

Turbo Hopper? Carefully chosen name to steal some of the Grasshopper's thunder?

And not everybody is a complete moron when they break something. I don't see that many people trying to return a broken r/c car after they smash it. My brother in law's first r/c was that Traxxas Grave Digger. He's seen my stuff, but never driven it and has always been interested. When he breaks something, he heads down to the lbs, tells them what he broke, gets a new part and puts it on.

Unlike most here I am not an experienced racer with lots and lots of racing RCs. My favourite RC car right now is a Traxxas (see my avatar), and I also have a Tamiya and a Kyosho, that's all. So I like Traxxas! Specially stuff based around the 272 transmission which is all SOOooo simple to take care of. Cars like your brother in law's Monster Jam Grave Digger is what Traxxas does REALLY well.

I've not made up the burnt motor thing, you do see it happening on Traxxas boards regularly people who burn motor after motor after motor sometimes in a matter of hours. I think Traxxas' huge top speed claims and tough image attract a certain type of customer who are quite new to the hobby, and are out to abuse their RCs with extreme bashing stunts. Some understand that with the abuse come broken parts, and some don't.

[uniquenamehere]

I started with one of these:

Hey me too! I *loved* that truck... and I also wish I still had it. Good memories!