2011.12.31, 03:49 AM
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#31
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Reading Pa.
Posts: 4,124
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I still question how say, something like an alloy mount that went for 15 bucks when they first came out can now run as much as $40. I understand there is way more engineering involved but man... Is it worth 4 times the dollar?
For all of us who race these, yes... it's obviously worth it. But to a newbie who may be just looking for a car to screw around with... not so much. Raced with gasman and enzok tonight, they are into the 18th scales now and they were doing there usual cost comparisions with me. The lipos they run, $15... the matched cells we run, $17-$20... the cars themselves, $150-$200 (used with hops), the readysets nowadays, $140-$200. Its tough to get them back into it when they are running cars that are nearly indestructable, the tires last them months too!
I'm very impressed with the durability of my Blitz, that thing got bashed like crazy tonight and didn't miss a beat, and this truck has been raved regularly for nearly a year and a half?! Bought it used from enzok in RTR form for $140 and qualified 4th in the A-main tonight. I think the closest you could get to that with the Zs now would be to buy one to run in a boxstock class or in HFAY.
I guess what i'm blathering on about here is that the value is what sold me on these cars years ago... I can't really say that nowadays. But the idea of what I have in my basement is always going to be too awesome to just walk away from. The Zs are still durable as hell, they perform with incredible precision... I just wish the prices would come down a bit, as I'm sure we all do.
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2011.12.31, 03:53 AM
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#32
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Reading Pa.
Posts: 4,124
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I think I just wanted to post a longwinded post too... Is there going to be a trophy for the longest post on this thread?
I hope Kyosho reads this thread... would be nice to know if they really want to know how there loyal fans are feeling.
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2011.12.31, 10:24 AM
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#33
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Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 35,480
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinkie
if there is a solid group... why not everyone pitch in and get a track to be used at the LHS. Having a track may also help to get new people into the hobby. Personally I don't have much fun just running an r/c up and down the street. So the only incentive for me to buy an r/c is to race. And racing should be an incentive for the LHS if they have spare room like that. It creates/peaks peoples interest, and not to mention the LHS could end up selling more replacement/hop-up parts.
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there is a core group, a group the was built after 4 years or so of running on my track in my basement. the basement got renovated so the track had to go. we moved to this particular hobby shop in which i provided the track, timing system, computer/monitor, transponders, etc. after 4+ years of this, the lhs still refuses to invest any monies in new stuff. i wanted to replace the track and was told i had to purchase it and try to sell off the old one to recoup the money. the relationship still works but there are always bumps like this. all i can do it shrug and keep everyone going. we can't go backward so we plod ahead. it's expensive though to keep a hobby shop track going.
i need the shop to take ownership of a store class/series and run that so that they are able to see it more as a source of income vs. just another weekend reservation for thier floor space. i have to schedule compete with magic, pokemon and slot cars... as is a common experience, most hobby shops simply don't take mini-z seriously. you get the ignorant roll of the eyes from the nitro guys bringing in their trucks/cars to be serviced, etc.
Last edited by arch2b; 2011.12.31 at 10:47 AM.
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2011.12.31, 10:48 AM
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#34
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GF Racing
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Metro NYC
Posts: 2,959
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I know of at least 8 tracks that are running a box stock class.
They are in California and in NJ......
There is also a race series in SoCal that has a box stock class.
We want the hobby to grow we have to find ways to make it happen.
Years ago mini z was a better bang for your buck and it still has potential.
The double edge sword of mini z is the companies/tracks that promote it the most also need to sell hop ups....
We need to get the word out that racing doesnt need to be expensive to be competitive and to have fun. I know mini z racing has a core group of die hards and that group hasnt been growing....
Hopefully we can get more new blood into Mini Z Mania......
__________________
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Dream Killr Racing.....Live the Dream
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
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2011.12.31, 11:16 AM
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#35
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: where ever I can fit the card board box
Posts: 201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arch2b
there is a core group, a group the was built after 4 years or so of running on my track in my basement. the basement got renovated so the track had to go. we moved to this particular hobby shop in which i provided the track, timing system, computer/monitor, transponders, etc. after 4+ years of this, the lhs still refuses to invest any monies in new stuff. i wanted to replace the track and was told i had to purchase it and try to sell off the old one to recoup the money. the relationship still works but there are always bumps like this. all i can do it shrug and keep everyone going. we can't go backward so we plod ahead. it's expensive though to keep a hobby shop track going.
i need the shop to take ownership of a store class/series and run that so that they are able to see it more as a source of income vs. just another weekend reservation for thier floor space. i have to schedule compete with magic, pokemon and slot cars... as is a common experience, most hobby shops simply don't take mini-z seriously. you get the ignorant roll of the eyes from the nitro guys bringing in their trucks/cars to be serviced, etc.
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man that's tough...i have no response to your situation... hopefully something will work for mini-z in your area.
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2011.12.31, 11:23 AM
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#36
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: where ever I can fit the card board box
Posts: 201
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bermbuster
I know of at least 8 tracks that are running a box stock class.
They are in California and in NJ......
There is also a race series in SoCal that has a box stock class.
We want the hobby to grow we have to find ways to make it happen.
Years ago mini z was a better bang for your buck and it still has potential.
The double edge sword of mini z is the companies/tracks that promote it the most also need to sell hop ups....
We need to get the word out that racing doesnt need to be expensive to be competitive and to have fun. I know mini z racing has a core group of die hards and that group hasnt been growing....
Hopefully we can get more new blood into Mini Z Mania......
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mini-z needs more media.... when you pick up an issue of any r/c car magazine, do they ever have an article on the PN Nationals, or the Worlds...etc....
I bet we are looked down upon as a cult more than a club lol.
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2011.12.31, 12:08 PM
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#37
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: selkirk, new york
Posts: 113
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thats really two of the big issues is price and their lack to push mini-z to the public as far as a racing aspect and not as (oooo yay MR-03 is coming out can i have it for christmas) thats just how i felt when i saw it in rc magzine i cant speak for the rest of ous. i do small time racing wish to go a bit more competative but im straped for cash and driving hours away to race is simply out of the question. i would also love a 2.4ghz system but i still use tx crystals becuase its less expansive thus more affoadable for every one i race with younger and straped for money like me. Now i know that it only cost yada yada to make but R&D also cost alot of time and money and with that you get improvements like with the servo in the mr-01 you hit the front tire on a barrier and chances are your steering went bye bye but thats now alot better. i just wish they where alittle cheap nobody i race with makes a ton of money a year yet we still manage to have a nice turn out at are races we are fourtunate to have owners that are fairly easy to work with we try and get the word out the best way we can via local tv channle news paper and flyers and sometimes we might get lucky and get some air time on the radio to help promoto activies for are youth and the local small business this is all free advertisments other a few dollars here and their for supplys but i feel if their not going to try harder to get the word out then its up to ous how love racing these little buggers around to bring in more people. some would consider that a hassel and not even bother and thats one way for mini-z to die out in an area.
and to arch2b im sorry man thats like butting heads with a bull after that many years they should open the doors to you a little more then that. its like a big fat kid eating all the poorage but letting you come in and watch eventho you brought it. if you dont get that im saying that for friends and fellow racers i take buy parts from this business now i understand that track isnt cheap but after that much time you think he would give back a little but like you said its hard to push the issue when atleast you have a dry conditioned place to race
Also every one needs a big post every now and then its good to vent LOL
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2011.12.31, 12:46 PM
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#38
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Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 35,480
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i have lots of strong opinions on the matter after 10 years i find this topic very interesting and look forward to the various views as we represent the entire spectrum here; the lhs, the mini-z store, the basement club and casual lurker. each has something to offer and maybe something for others to learn from.
in all these years, i have yet to see mini-z advertised like larger scales. maybe once every couple years we get a full page ad in rc magazine and that is trumpeted about like, see, we are advertising. it's just another ad in a magazine that is almost all adds... i don't have the answers for kusa. i can suggest getting the kyosho cup back in the us market to begin with. that in itself is a large investment. relying on the lhs chains to push mini-z will never work, it hasn't in 10 years.
unifying organization has also been a dream for many that has yet to take hold. i simply don't think it can given the base is built on grassroots clubs and mini-z stores doing their own things. not sure how this plays into the economics but it's yet another effort that has been ongoing for 10 years.
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2011.12.31, 03:36 PM
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#39
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: where ever I can fit the card board box
Posts: 201
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i think that if a popular magazine did a full article on decent sized mini-z race, it would be a big help.
Just like real racing... if you don't have media or marketing, your series is going to die.
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2011.12.31, 03:44 PM
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#40
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GF Racing
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Metro NYC
Posts: 2,959
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arch2b
i have lots of strong opinions on the matter after 10 years i find this topic very interesting and look forward to the various views as we represent the entire spectrum here; the lhs, the mini-z store, the basement club and casual lurker. each has something to offer and maybe something for others to learn from.
in all these years, i have yet to see mini-z advertised like larger scales. maybe once every couple years we get a full page ad in rc magazine and that is trumpeted about like, see, we are advertising. it's just another ad in a magazine that is almost all adds... i don't have the answers for kusa. i can suggest getting the kyosho cup back in the us market to begin with. that in itself is a large investment. relying on the lhs chains to push mini-z will never work, it hasn't in 10 years.
unifying organization has also been a dream for many that has yet to take hold. i simply don't think it can given the base is built on grassroots clubs and mini-z stores doing their own things. not sure how this plays into the economics but it's yet another effort that has been ongoing for 10 years.
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Back in the day advertising was just magazines. Now we have social media.
YouTube, F******k, Twitter,etc....We need to get the Z word out there....
I have been involved with mini z s for about 7 years and I saw it grow then kinda fizzle. I believe it was more popular back in the am days. They were cheaper and it seemed like more racers were doing it. When I lived in NJ mini z was a winter hobby but today there are more indoor larger scale tracks so you dont have racers making the change. Not to mention to get into mini z your looking at investing in some equipment that is only mini z specific. TX (unless you go am) battery charger, discharger, trays and batteries.
I absolutely love the idea of HFAY but where I lived and raced it was not doable. Nobody wanted to set up a HFAY cars and the tracks did not want to change the track and have to record info....
Now Im in California Im hoping to find some HFAY.....
__________________
GF Racing Team Driver
Dream Killr Racing.....Live the Dream
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Last edited by mleemor60; 2015.07.25 at 09:41 AM.
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2012.01.01, 10:21 PM
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#41
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Reading Pa.
Posts: 4,124
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IMO... oh boy, here we go...
If the buggies and the upcoming bikes don't attract more racers to the Z family, I'll be amazed. Big question is... how many will it pull in? I would say that most racers out there are not willing to build a carpet track or buy an RCP if they don't have other people to run with (even though around 6 or 7 of my club's members have over the years ). The buggies and bikes won't need the tracks... they are much more outdoor friendly. I'm hoping that it's another chance to generate interest in someone to say maybe, "Hey guys! there's actually a cool racer and F1 version of these buggies and or bikes", and they start to get into the racers... all the better!
Either way it goes, it's going to be very interesting this year, I have no doubts there!
Sell them cheaper?... cost to manufacture, supply and demand, prices get too high... you'll lose sales volume. I would rather sell a million widgets with a little profit margin than ten thousand widgets with an inflated profit margin. Get the product popular first, then build onto that base. Basic business... we all know that.
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2012.01.02, 12:08 PM
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#42
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: where ever I can fit the card board box
Posts: 201
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i will say mini-z is a niche market... by the time (average cost) you have transmitter and mr-03 you are around 220-250 bucks... and for around 230 bucks you get a 1/10 traxxas slasher off road truck... so if your hobby store does not support mini-z racing, which one are you going to buy.
I'd have more fun with a the off road 1/10 scale by myself jumping things, than I will running a mini-z in kitchen by myself.
If it wasn't for the racing support, I myself would not have one.
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2012.01.02, 02:38 PM
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#43
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GF Racing
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Metro NYC
Posts: 2,959
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinkie
i will say mini-z is a niche market... by the time (average cost) you have transmitter and mr-03 you are around 220-250 bucks... and for around 230 bucks you get a 1/10 traxxas slasher off road truck... so if your hobby store does not support mini-z racing, which one are you going to buy.
I'd have more fun with a the off road 1/10 scale by myself jumping things, than I will running a mini-z in kitchen by myself.
If it wasn't for the racing support, I myself would not have one.
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Your exactly right....and for $250 your in the bargain basement with the mr-03....
__________________
GF Racing Team Driver
Dream Killr Racing.....Live the Dream
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
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2012.01.03, 10:33 AM
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#44
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 728
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikedw
Locally the shops near me have very little or no Mini Z and most won't even deal with Kyosho due to minimum order requirements.
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This may have been true in the past but is no longer true. There is no minimum order requirements. Unless they are talking about the order sizes to qualify for free shipping. To get free or reduced shipping you do have to hit certain points.
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2012.01.03, 10:35 AM
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#45
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Grand Valley On. Can.
Posts: 141
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Knowing my local shop, they probably want free shipping, lol.
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