Thanks Tom! Glad you agree, if it was your first kit I must be close to the mark! Looking forward to bashing this one, just the small matter of building it first! Cheers for the comment mate - appreciated as always! :)
Great video, Mark. Very thorough coverage of this inexpensive chassis. I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on one soon. Looks like you've had plenty of fun with yours already. Cheers mate!
Sorry for the late reply mate. Thanks for the thumbs up on this one my friend, always appreciated 👍 🙏. But yep, this is another great Tamiya kit and we'll worth having in your collection 😀. Oh yes, definitely had tons of fun with this buggy! Cheers to you too mate 👍 👌
Just bought and restaurated an 1990 Manta ray, bought an dt01 memorial (came today) and this will be my next one. Even though I already have the dt03t aqroshot but oh boy is this addicting 😅
Oh yes, this Tamiya hobby sure is addictive, watch out as it can become very expensive! You already have a great Tamiya buggy line-up, and the DT-03 Racing Fighter is a fine addition. All the best from Mark... :)
Hi Charlie! Glad you agree about the chassis mate - I think it's a beauty! Hopefully she will look awesome in that green paint! Just got to get the build vids done, then I will challenge Rob to a race-off! Thanks for the support buddy, it means a lot to me - speak soon my friend! :)
Great video. I bought the companion to this model (Neo Fighter) a few months ago as a re-introduction to hobby RC and I'm totally satisfied with it. My only recommendations are (other than bearings throughout of course) - aluminum servo mount, carbon fiber damper stays for front and rear, and you may want to use a heavier damper oil than is supplied with the kit depending on terrain. Aside from that, tune to your liking - it's a great chassis.
Hi Buddy! Thanks for the message and advice, much appreciated. Yeah, I like the look of the Neo Fighter too, but I couldn't find a package that included the oil shocks and Torque Tuned motor (but I know some were available with these hop-ups). Love the Frog body! Anyway, I have ordered a front carbon fibre damper stay and have some ball-ends and M3 rods so am going to try and make some adjustable top suspension arms to give me a little negative camber! Cheers for the heads-up on the damper oil, I was thinking that the soft oil supplied might not be up to the job. I have a bottle of #700 oil that may be better suited? I am really looking forward to this one! All the best from Mark Bryan RC! :)
Cheers, mates. Great unboxing. Cool you got one. Have had a NIB for ages ... gift from the Mrs. Uhh. Embarresed I haven’t build it yet, but I have the Neo so was planning on something special for this one. Together with my Desert Gator. Collected some parts for the DT-03. Still lack some. Uhh, not liking the Star Dish White ones, you two? Blasphemy. Discrimination 🤣😉 Those are the legendary original Top Force wheels. I like them, and it dont matter if they are black or white 🙃 But yes, the front tires are my favorite too. The Astral wheels, yes I agree, those are an abomination. Have so many of them though. Ohh, well, sorry about all the waffling about myself - but seeing the Racing Fighter started a series of thoughts - looking forward to the build, Mark - hope it will inspire me to start mine 🙂
Cheers to you too, Mikael. So good of you to take the time to comment, I really appreciate that my good friend. About time you build that DT03 - but I understand you have been very busy of late, what with the move and everything! Hehe - blasphemy is a bit strong mate! :D Just think black looks super cool, the white are a little bland for my liking, even if they are legendary! Good that we have our own opinions, else life would be so boring. I love the look of my Neo Scorcher with the aftermarket black wheels too. Anyway, we agree the Astrals are horrific, so uncool for Tamiya! I love your waffling, Mikael, it's something I am an expert at (Oh - I seem to be waffling too!) - I blame it on the glass of Chardonnay that I just drank! All the best mate - hope to speak to you soon... :)
Mark Bryan RC Ha ha, at least you have the Chardonnay to blame. I only had an evening coffee. Yeah, well, I love Tamiya-blasphemy. Good to see you both strong enough to go up against the stream and speak up 🙂
Wow - that was soon - and a pleasure as always! Hehe - I need the Chardonnay, coffee keeps me awake at night, but I do love it in the morning. Always enjoy our chats, never a boring moment - regarding Tamiya or otherwise! :-)
Many thanks, Zul! Great to know you enjoy the DT03 - I am really looking forward to running mine too! I have ordered the steel 19T hop-up! I am also looking for a 13.5T brushless, so yeah, it should really fly! All the best from Mark Bryan RC!
Cheers, Fredrik! Yes, just need to get the build started, I am gonna film it so it will slow me down a little! I too am looking forward to running this one - got a mild brushless coming too! Thanks for the fantastic support, bud! 👍
I've always prefered on-road for the scale realism, but watching these vids about the DT-02 and especially the DT-03 makes me wonder if I should get one. I get the impression that other than CVA dampers and ball bearings you don't really NEED any more hop-ups? That's impressive for such an inexpensive kit. I see why the racing fighter looks the part, however I like the fact that the neo fighter's box art paint scheme kinda resembles the paint scheme of my mobile crane.
I know what you mean, I enjoy the realism of my RC rally cars. But I do recommend the DT03, it's a very nice and fun buggy to drive. Well, this kit comes with CVA dampers but yes I'd upgrade to ball bearings, and no, you don't really need any other upgrades. I'd also go for the Neo Fighter if I had a crane to match it with! 😎👍
Ooh a Mark Brian video. It must be Friday. Quick, open the beer ! Oh it's only Wednesday but still time for a beer :-) Anyway a great overview from you and I agree with everything that you said. Ric has the DT-03 buggy and Aqroshot and I've got the Aqroshot as you know. We've both got the DT-02 Titans and these are all great buggies and truggies. We've gone brushless with all of them and they are our go to RC's for grass runs. One thing I'd also say about these is that any repair will take you less than 20-30 mins if you have the part. More complicated RC's can take ages to get apart and back together again. It's good that they have put in those better front tyres as the other ribbed ones shown in the manual are a bit pants as you say. One other thing you could say about bearings is that they give you a longer run time (although I've never built one without bearings to test this). A bloke on the internet said it so it must be true! With the brushless sets and a 5000mah lipo we are getting about 45 mins or more with these as they are so light and 2WD. Another thing I've just thought of is that you can get a load of alu upgrade parts for this so if there is something you keep breaking then you can probably get a stronger replacement. I've got the alu shock towers. So are you ramping up the video releases for the summer hols? I'm going for one a week at the mo and the next two are ready to go. Hope you are enjoying the sunshine mate :-)
Haha! Yeah, it's Wednesday! I thought that might cause some confusion! Hope you got a beer in hand. Thanks for the very comprehensive and interesting comment. I concur with all of your comments, too. For just nipping up the park, Rob and I usually grab the DT02 and 3. My Sand Viper with the TBLM 15.5T motor runs for well over half an hour on a 3000MaH NiMh, and it always runs smooth and fast with rarely any problems. Agreed, they are so easy to work on. Only issue with my DT02 is the front shock tower that kept breaking - so I have just ordered the carbon fibre upgrade for the DT03. And the metal bearings are win-win on all fronts! Just releasing these DT03 vids a bit more often than usual, then probably back to every Friday, hopefully I can bank some footage for the Autumn/Winter! Sweltering in the Midlands mate - but not complaining yet! Enjoy the beer! :)
@@MarkBryanRC Yeah make hay while the sun shines on the RC video front. There will be some bleak winter days ahead although you can always do some workshop based upgrade vids. I was trying to find an upgrade for the DT-02 shock tower and there is 3racing one with an alu block and fibre board shock tower but seems to be out of stock everywhere. Let me know if you find a decent DT-02 upgrade. The DT-02 one I have is by GPM racing. Anyway I have a lovely glass of Life and Death and some chilli peanuts on the go so all good here. The weather is hot hot hot but the beer is helping! Laters mate :-)
Mate - I couldn't find an upgrade for the DT02 front shock tower, so after Alf and I broke 3, I came up with my own plate that fits behind the stock part. Touch wood, both DT's have been OK since fitting the plates. It was a long time ago, but I show the plate in my DT02 hop-up and mods vid. Ohh - I do enjoy a drop of life & death!!!! :))
Great overview guys, love this buggy! Aside from bearings, the only thing I did to mine was put slightly stiffer springs on the rear shocks because it tended to bottom out rather easily with the stock ones. Great job on this video!👍😊
Hiya Jeremy! Cheers for the comment buddy - and thanks for the head's up about the rear springs, I'll definitely be looking out for the rear end bottoming on the first run! Great to be able to share our experiences in this hobby - nice one my friend! :) 👍
Hiya Tibs - hope you are well mate! Yes, I think this is gonna run like a dream, if Rob's DT03 is anything to go by. I am thinking about fitting a mild brushless from the off - so it should be pretty fast, too. I'm gonna enjoy spraying that fluo green paint, too! Cheers for watching, bro! :) 👍👍
Thanks Brent! Yeah, this should be an easy build compared to my recent rally car builds! I have time off school, so all is good, thanks buddy! Happy RCing! :)
Hi Brent - hehe I think I am too old to be going to school (although it's never too late to learn!) I mainly teach children with special educational needs or learning difficulties, aged 5 to 11. Hard work but very rewarding! :)
@@MarkBryanRC that a awesome Mark I have friends in there 40s going back to school for small things all the time that's a great job the reward is worth it I like to volunteer to demonstrate flight for kids at the local library 😁👍
Cheers Brent, that's great to demonstrate the hobby to the kids, hopefully you can inspire some kids to get into the hobby, outdoors in the fresh air rather than indoors on mobile phones and games consoles! :) 👍👍👍
Fantastic sweet Buggy Mark, fantastic info, you and Rob know your stuff, can't wait to see the build videos, oh sorry I missed your vid, also am going to watch the other one now, really enjoyed this unboxing and Review Mark Bro 👍😍👍
Thanks my man Tony! Well, we know a bit and waffle a lot! But we certainly know what we like, and we love this little Tamiya - so glad I have one now, I can challenge Rob to a fair race now! Thanks for the support brother, you know it's appreciated! :)
Thanks Basher Boi! Yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing how she looks in fluorescent green! At least we'll see her coming! Thanks for the comment and the watch, buddy! :) 👍
All good here, thanks Kirk! This is a really great Tamiya buggy my friend, hope to show you how well it runs very soon! But yeah, gotta build it first, shouldn't take too long though! Hope you guys are well too :))
Awesome BROSKI!!! Well, that proves notifications are working OK - I hadn't even finished adding the end-screen and your message popped up! Glad you got in first dude - yeah, this little buggy is a Tamiya "must-have", don't know why I didn't get one sooner! Thanks for the amazing support Bro - always best wishes from me! :))
A great looking kit and surely a good start into the Rc hobby .Hello Mark ,i hope you are well.It seems like this Buggy is a nice compromise between a pur offroad and a onroad Buggy. Rear wheel drive and a wheel setup like this garanties so much fun . ( I kow that cause my traxxas bandit have the same ) I really enjoyed your unboxing and looking forward to your Build Videos.
So lovely to read you again, Harry! Yes, this little Tamiya will run well on most surfaces, but better fit road tyres if running on asphalt, those spiked tyres wear down fast. I really hope you are feeling better my friend, and thank you very much for the great comment. 👍 :-)
Great video CHAPS :) Yes this is a good beginners kit. It will be fun to follow your build process. What about the Sand Viper ? That is also a good beginners kit, you get ball bearings, oil filled dampers and turn buckles.
Thanks, Are! I'm gonna try a little change to the build video, by not showing all the screwing together, it should shorten the video a little! Great call about the Sand Viper - I do already have one - and yes it is a great package with the hop-ups included. I agree it is on par with the Racing Fighter in terms of a beginners car. However, I think the DT03 handles a little better! Greetings from Birmingham! :)
Great choice of buggy Mark..👍. Indeed an ideal entry level Tamiya for the the RC newbie. And in the words of Steve @ SHEN RC with the black wheel / tyre combo coupled with that florescent green shell this is gonna be a real B E A U T Y when it's completed. A real eye opener. Great choice of paint pal. Can't wait to see the completed build and of course those wild races with Rob. Great stuff as always mate...😀👌.
Glad you agree with the choice, Cosmo! Yeah, as the box art colour scheme (that Rob has followed) is such a bright orange, I thought I needed an equally bright, but contrasting colour scheme! Think I'm gonna paint the rear wing green too, rather than the standard black. I may have a few spare decals I can use as well. Love the Shen quote! Gonna start the build today if I can stand the heat up in the shed! Gonna have to try and film it on my own as Rob is pretty much full-time labouring for his sister up in Stoke! Thanks for the chat mate - I hope all is well with you. :)
Hello - it's great to have you coming back! The answer is yes, those plastics can withstand the power! They will obviously wear out quicker, but so would metal ones! All the best from Mark! :-)
Great video Mark. I am trying to fit a driver in mine, like I did with my Baja Champ, but the limited space available for the esc and receiver is making this job very difficult. I am using a driver that's similar to the Bigwigs (head, shoulders, arms, and small base) I may have to try my spare Grasshopper driver instead, which won't look so good. Any ideas would be welcome mate. 👍
Morning Derek! Always a pleasure mate! Yeah, I dug out an old Rising Fighter / Super Fighter head and shoulders figure that I thought may fit. Rob reckons it will be a very tight fit, as the receiver is in the place where the driver should be. But I definitely want something behind that clear screen / window! It may not be perfect, even if I have to trim him down a bit I will try to get him in. Hopefully I will be able to show my efforts in the build video. I'll definitely let you know how I get on - meanwhile, if you have any progress or a brainwave, please let me know! All the best mate, I hope this message finds you well! :)
@@MarkBryanRC You could just screw a helmeted head in from above. If the body ( of the driver ) is lower than the bottom of the window it would pretty much out of view anyway. And from a distance you would see a head in the place it's supposed to be. Just a thought guys...🤔.
Lol - looking at the cockpit of the car my previous suggestion probably wouldn't work..😭. It's a strange one as Tamiya usually accomodate drivers rather well.
hi dude! I'm up late for a change (no work for a few weeks!) I notice you watch late at night, you night owl :) Yeah, fitting a driver figure is gonna be a tough one on this buggy, but I reckon I can sort something out, even if it's almost 2D!!! Nice thought about the head screw, like in the Super Fighter, it may work with a little trimming. But at the moment I favour the idea of fitting the modified driver to the chassis and having the body and cockpit fit over the top separately, if you know what I mean? Just thoughts at the moment, I will have to see when the build is finished and look at what we have to work with. Really pleased you are thinking about this problem too, mate! Have a good night Cosmo! :)
@@MarkBryanRC Hey Mark - yep I'm a night owl scouring RUclips for inspiration until the early hours. 😂. It'll be interesting to see how you go about this driver issue. I'm currently looking for a track for a Tamiya Ford Bronco, and ironically I'll have to fit a driver in that model too. I so wish Tamiya would include drivers as standard for all their models and not just a select few.
Awesome first Buggy!! The DT03 is a good Chassis as is, but takes a lot of hop up mods. Those Front Tyres... Duratrax (Louise in your world!), make outstanding Buggy Tyres! Sadly, even at only $129.00usd... I can't afford one 😢 That's just my life. I'd LOVE one though. I live in a DESERT for fuks sake! I've only got one Buggy, and it doesn't work. Blown ESC. Anyway, looking forward to the build of course!! 👍👍😎 Cheers my good friend. Carmine ✈🚂🚙
Cheers Carmine! Yeah, lots of hop-ups available, but I am going a little easy on this one! A mild brushless may be on the cards though! Plus I have some spare ball-ends and M3 rods so am going to try and make some adjustable top suspension arms to give me a little negative camber! Hehe - you confused me a little with the Louise comment - she's my WIFE!!!! :))
What are the chances!! 😳 I knew that Duratrax is sold across the Pond as Louise... Thought that was an odd name for a Tyre. Also my Aunt's name. They are good Tyres for the money! If I were to guess, 13.5T seems to be your go-to Brushless Motor. I've never been able to get a Sensored Brushless Motor... Have no idea how they perform, personally. I'm told that a 17.5 or 21.5 would make great Crawler Motors. Maybe someday I can find out. 😉 Good News! I *actually WON something!!!* 😊😳😎 I was so excited, I didn't even know what I won! It's a set of high performance, Aluminium true Beadlock Wheels!! 👍👍 Can't wait to get them. The FIRST time I have ever won anything in my whole 55 year life!! Cheers Brother!
And... Buggies definitely like Negative Camber up front. Being able to adjust the rear as well will definitely be a bonus! I'd actually like to try a 13.5T setup on my Holiday Buggy, if it wouldn't munch the Gearbox!! Obviously not anytime soon... I can't even afford a $40 Brushed ESC...
You got it pal - 13.5 sensored brushless is my favourite, I find that with the NiMh's I run, they give just the right amount of speed and acceleration boost, without ripping the transmission to pieces! Also a nice boost in runtime. Congrats on the win! I cant remember winning anything either! You sure can put those beadlocks to good use brother! PS love the way you spelt "tyres" just for me!! :)) 👍👍👍
All good mate! The HB transmission will be fine with a brushless setup as long as you don't go too mad (min 10 turn) but the steel pinion upgrade is a must! :)
Hi - there seems to be a shortage of all tamiya kits at the moment! keep looking on Time Tunnel Models and Modelsport - here is a link: www.modelsport.co.uk/tamiya-racing-fighter-buggy-dt-03/rc-car-products/397241 lots of hop-ups available but out of stock for a few days - hope this helps - don't give up looking! :)
Hehe! Thanks Bailey - glad to be of service! But seriously, you can't go wrong with this Tamiya, it's a great buggy - have fun! All the best from Mark... :)
CAN YOU HELP, I cannot for the life of me find the right screws in the kit to mount the motor, the bb1 screw does not fit the tuned torque motor that comes in the kit, any ideas?
Hi there. BB1 screws are M3 thread, 3mm wide and 6mm long machine screws. They definitely fit the Torque Tuned motor, it's the standard size for all 540 motors. Have you checked the size of your screws? Match them to the diagram in the manual. I hope you can get them to fit!
Hi PJ! No I don't use foams in the Tamiya Square Spike rear tyres. I don't think Tamiya do a foam hop=up like they do for some of their tyres (like the Rally Block tyre foam set) However, I finf the tyres work very well as they are, lots of grip on most surfaces, one of my favourite off-road tyres! :-)
Hi Luke. I got this from my favourite RC retailer, Time Tunnel Models - a quick Google will find it. Best prices and great service, have fun my friend! :))
@@MarkBryanRC thanks for the reply mate. I do like the look of the sand viper to what would you recommend many thanks. I used to race cars back in 80s when I was a kid I used to race mardave meteors. So I'm well out of touch. I don't know where to start.
Hello Luke. No worries mate! The Sand Viper is a great kit, and as a bonus it comes with the metal bearings and adjustable arms, plus metal dogbones (drive shafts) as standard, so is great value for money. The Racing Fighter is a more stable chassis (it's a bit longer and stiffer) but does not come with the hop-ups I mentioned. But it is a bit cheaper! I think both are great cars to start with, but if you go for the Racing Fighter, get the metal bearings as a minimum. They both, thankfully, come with oil-filled shocks. You can't really go wrong with either in my opinion! All the best mate, Mark... :)
@@MarkBryanRC thanks for the reply really appreciated. I've watched a few of your vids thanks for the advice. Also looking at the plasma. Thinking of getting my son into rc as my dad did to me when I was young. He is 10 years old. Which do u recommend to get him started many thanks. 👍
Well, Luke - it's a tough one, but I still think the Racing fighter because it's quite an easy build, goes well and there is loads of room for upgrades later. Perfect for a 10 year old like me! :D
Hehe! Yeah, the first pogo shocks I had were on my DT02 Super Fighter, but after running that a few times in dismay at the handling off road, I threw the pogos that came with every other new kit straight in the bin! I remember having a go on a pogo stick when I was a kid - bloody dangerous things LOL!!! :P
@@MarkBryanRC I got a pogo stick for Christmas when I was about eight. I never mastered it. The last set of pogo shocks to remain in active service in my case are those fitted to my M06. I´m looking forward to the day I fit some oil shocks to it, something which (predictably) utterly transformed my M03. I must do that, actually.
Funny how we always remember a job that needs doing on one RC or another, and then conveniently forgetting the next day! I think I have about 20 fixes or upgrades lined up - oh, wait a minute - I've forgotten again! :P
I just ordered this as my first ever kit. Also, my first tamiya. I cant wait for it to show up!
Great choice! You are going to love building this car, and running it is even better! Best regards from Mark... :)
Same as...
Great video, grabbed one off amazon £85 with torque tuned motor, esc and cva dampers.
Nice one Jay! You can't beat that deal for value! Enjoy! 😎👍
I had one for a bit my first kit, great little car!
Thanks Tom! Glad you agree, if it was your first kit I must be close to the mark! Looking forward to bashing this one, just the small matter of building it first! Cheers for the comment mate - appreciated as always! :)
I am just going to run this play list while I work on something on the other tab... .Thanks for all the videos.... TTYL....
That's awesome, Ken - cheers! :))
Great video, Mark. Very thorough coverage of this inexpensive chassis. I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on one soon. Looks like you've had plenty of fun with yours already. Cheers mate!
Sorry for the late reply mate. Thanks for the thumbs up on this one my friend, always appreciated 👍 🙏. But yep, this is another great Tamiya kit and we'll worth having in your collection 😀. Oh yes, definitely had tons of fun with this buggy! Cheers to you too mate 👍 👌
Just bought and restaurated an 1990 Manta ray, bought an dt01 memorial (came today) and this will be my next one. Even though I already have the dt03t aqroshot but oh boy is this addicting 😅
Oh yes, this Tamiya hobby sure is addictive, watch out as it can become very expensive! You already have a great Tamiya buggy line-up, and the DT-03 Racing Fighter is a fine addition. All the best from Mark... :)
Great chassis Mark. Can't wait to see you racing the beauty 👍👌😍
Hi Charlie! Glad you agree about the chassis mate - I think it's a beauty! Hopefully she will look awesome in that green paint! Just got to get the build vids done, then I will challenge Rob to a race-off! Thanks for the support buddy, it means a lot to me - speak soon my friend! :)
Great video. I bought the companion to this model (Neo Fighter) a few months ago as a re-introduction to hobby RC and I'm totally satisfied with it. My only recommendations are (other than bearings throughout of course) - aluminum servo mount, carbon fiber damper stays for front and rear, and you may want to use a heavier damper oil than is supplied with the kit depending on terrain. Aside from that, tune to your liking - it's a great chassis.
Hi Buddy! Thanks for the message and advice, much appreciated. Yeah, I like the look of the Neo Fighter too, but I couldn't find a package that included the oil shocks and Torque Tuned motor (but I know some were available with these hop-ups). Love the Frog body! Anyway, I have ordered a front carbon fibre damper stay and have some ball-ends and M3 rods so am going to try and make some adjustable top suspension arms to give me a little negative camber! Cheers for the heads-up on the damper oil, I was thinking that the soft oil supplied might not be up to the job. I have a bottle of #700 oil that may be better suited? I am really looking forward to this one! All the best from Mark Bryan RC! :)
Cheers, mates. Great unboxing. Cool you got one. Have had a NIB for ages ... gift from the Mrs. Uhh. Embarresed I haven’t build it yet, but I have the Neo so was planning on something special for this one. Together with my Desert Gator. Collected some parts for the DT-03. Still lack some. Uhh, not liking the Star Dish White ones, you two? Blasphemy. Discrimination 🤣😉 Those are the legendary original Top Force wheels. I like them, and it dont matter if they are black or white 🙃 But yes, the front tires are my favorite too. The Astral wheels, yes I agree, those are an abomination. Have so many of them though. Ohh, well, sorry about all the waffling about myself - but seeing the Racing Fighter started a series of thoughts - looking forward to the build, Mark - hope it will inspire me to start mine 🙂
Cheers to you too, Mikael. So good of you to take the time to comment, I really appreciate that my good friend. About time you build that DT03 - but I understand you have been very busy of late, what with the move and everything! Hehe - blasphemy is a bit strong mate! :D Just think black looks super cool, the white are a little bland for my liking, even if they are legendary! Good that we have our own opinions, else life would be so boring. I love the look of my Neo Scorcher with the aftermarket black wheels too. Anyway, we agree the Astrals are horrific, so uncool for Tamiya! I love your waffling, Mikael, it's something I am an expert at (Oh - I seem to be waffling too!) - I blame it on the glass of Chardonnay that I just drank! All the best mate - hope to speak to you soon... :)
Mark Bryan RC Ha ha, at least you have the Chardonnay to blame. I only had an evening coffee. Yeah, well, I love Tamiya-blasphemy. Good to see you both strong enough to go up against the stream and speak up 🙂
Wow - that was soon - and a pleasure as always! Hehe - I need the Chardonnay, coffee keeps me awake at night, but I do love it in the morning. Always enjoy our chats, never a boring moment - regarding Tamiya or otherwise! :-)
ikr! I had my first 2WD this year and it was the Neo Fighter!! Upgrade to 19t and GoolRc brushless and tjat thing just a BLAST TO DRIVE!
Many thanks, Zul! Great to know you enjoy the DT03 - I am really looking forward to running mine too! I have ordered the steel 19T hop-up! I am also looking for a 13.5T brushless, so yeah, it should really fly! All the best from Mark Bryan RC!
Nice unboxing Mark, its gonna be fun to se it in action 😊👍
Cheers, Fredrik! Yes, just need to get the build started, I am gonna film it so it will slow me down a little! I too am looking forward to running this one - got a mild brushless coming too! Thanks for the fantastic support, bud! 👍
I've always prefered on-road for the scale realism, but watching these vids about the DT-02 and especially the DT-03 makes me wonder if I should get one. I get the impression that other than CVA dampers and ball bearings you don't really NEED any more hop-ups? That's impressive for such an inexpensive kit. I see why the racing fighter looks the part, however I like the fact that the neo fighter's box art paint scheme kinda resembles the paint scheme of my mobile crane.
I know what you mean, I enjoy the realism of my RC rally cars. But I do recommend the DT03, it's a very nice and fun buggy to drive. Well, this kit comes with CVA dampers but yes I'd upgrade to ball bearings, and no, you don't really need any other upgrades. I'd also go for the Neo Fighter if I had a crane to match it with! 😎👍
Looking forward to this one buddy 😊👊🏻
Cheers, Glenn! This one is a nice easy build compared to our recent builds, but gonna put a few extra goodies on it too! Thanks for watching bud! :)
Ooh a Mark Brian video. It must be Friday. Quick, open the beer ! Oh it's only Wednesday but still time for a beer :-) Anyway a great overview from you and I agree with everything that you said. Ric has the DT-03 buggy and Aqroshot and I've got the Aqroshot as you know. We've both got the DT-02 Titans and these are all great buggies and truggies. We've gone brushless with all of them and they are our go to RC's for grass runs. One thing I'd also say about these is that any repair will take you less than 20-30 mins if you have the part. More complicated RC's can take ages to get apart and back together again. It's good that they have put in those better front tyres as the other ribbed ones shown in the manual are a bit pants as you say. One other thing you could say about bearings is that they give you a longer run time (although I've never built one without bearings to test this). A bloke on the internet said it so it must be true! With the brushless sets and a 5000mah lipo we are getting about 45 mins or more with these as they are so light and 2WD. Another thing I've just thought of is that you can get a load of alu upgrade parts for this so if there is something you keep breaking then you can probably get a stronger replacement. I've got the alu shock towers. So are you ramping up the video releases for the summer hols? I'm going for one a week at the mo and the next two are ready to go. Hope you are enjoying the sunshine mate :-)
Haha! Yeah, it's Wednesday! I thought that might cause some confusion! Hope you got a beer in hand. Thanks for the very comprehensive and interesting comment. I concur with all of your comments, too. For just nipping up the park, Rob and I usually grab the DT02 and 3. My Sand Viper with the TBLM 15.5T motor runs for well over half an hour on a 3000MaH NiMh, and it always runs smooth and fast with rarely any problems. Agreed, they are so easy to work on. Only issue with my DT02 is the front shock tower that kept breaking - so I have just ordered the carbon fibre upgrade for the DT03.
And the metal bearings are win-win on all fronts! Just releasing these DT03 vids a bit more often than usual, then probably back to every Friday, hopefully I can bank some footage for the Autumn/Winter!
Sweltering in the Midlands mate - but not complaining yet! Enjoy the beer! :)
@@MarkBryanRC Yeah make hay while the sun shines on the RC video front. There will be some bleak winter days ahead although you can always do some workshop based upgrade vids. I was trying to find an upgrade for the DT-02 shock tower and there is 3racing one with an alu block and fibre board shock tower but seems to be out of stock everywhere. Let me know if you find a decent DT-02 upgrade. The DT-02 one I have is by GPM racing. Anyway I have a lovely glass of Life and Death and some chilli peanuts on the go so all good here. The weather is hot hot hot but the beer is helping! Laters mate :-)
Mate - I couldn't find an upgrade for the DT02 front shock tower, so after Alf and I broke 3, I came up with my own plate that fits behind the stock part. Touch wood, both DT's have been OK since fitting the plates. It was a long time ago, but I show the plate in my DT02 hop-up and mods vid. Ohh - I do enjoy a drop of life & death!!!! :))
And that my friends is why I much prefer Losi and Associated.
Both good manufacturers l believe but I have never tried one.
Great overview guys, love this buggy! Aside from bearings, the only thing I did to mine was put slightly stiffer springs on the rear shocks because it tended to bottom out rather easily with the stock ones.
Great job on this video!👍😊
Hiya Jeremy! Cheers for the comment buddy - and thanks for the head's up about the rear springs, I'll definitely be looking out for the rear end bottoming on the first run! Great to be able to share our experiences in this hobby - nice one my friend! :) 👍
instablaster
My first TAMIYA was a df03 chassi
Cheers Bro! Yeah, this is a great Tamiya for anyone to start with! Greetings to you my friend! :)
Looking forward to seeing this thing running Mark. It looks like it will be a nice model when its all done
Hiya Tibs - hope you are well mate! Yes, I think this is gonna run like a dream, if Rob's DT03 is anything to go by. I am thinking about fitting a mild brushless from the off - so it should be pretty fast, too. I'm gonna enjoy spraying that fluo green paint, too! Cheers for watching, bro! :) 👍👍
The mean green, flying machine lol
Haha - yeah Tibster - let's hope it flies! :P
Looks like a good kit well done Mark hope your week is going good my friend 👍😁
Thanks Brent! Yeah, this should be an easy build compared to my recent rally car builds! I have time off school, so all is good, thanks buddy! Happy RCing! :)
@@MarkBryanRC are you going to school or teaching ?
Hi Brent - hehe I think I am too old to be going to school (although it's never too late to learn!) I mainly teach children with special educational needs or learning difficulties, aged 5 to 11. Hard work but very rewarding! :)
@@MarkBryanRC that a awesome Mark I have friends in there 40s going back to school for small things all the time that's a great job the reward is worth it I like to volunteer to demonstrate flight for kids at the local library 😁👍
Cheers Brent, that's great to demonstrate the hobby to the kids, hopefully you can inspire some kids to get into the hobby, outdoors in the fresh air rather than indoors on mobile phones and games consoles! :) 👍👍👍
dt03 I have one too. it's a good machine
Sure is a great buggy, I love it! Thanks for the comment! :))
Fantastic sweet Buggy Mark, fantastic info, you and Rob know your stuff, can't wait to see the build videos, oh sorry I missed your vid, also am going to watch the other one now, really enjoyed this unboxing and Review Mark Bro 👍😍👍
Thanks my man Tony! Well, we know a bit and waffle a lot! But we certainly know what we like, and we love this little Tamiya - so glad I have one now, I can challenge Rob to a fair race now! Thanks for the support brother, you know it's appreciated! :)
Awesome, looks great. Looking forward to this.🤘🏻😎
Thanks Basher Boi! Yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing how she looks in fluorescent green! At least we'll see her coming! Thanks for the comment and the watch, buddy! :) 👍
Good going mark and rob I really like it wen you do a build series.
Hope you are all keeping well
👍👍👍
All good here, thanks Kirk! This is a really great Tamiya buggy my friend, hope to show you how well it runs very soon! But yeah, gotta build it first, shouldn't take too long though! Hope you guys are well too :))
Mark Bryan RC will be looking forward to seeing it mate 👌
Cheers matey! :)
Haha BROSKI I'm first one here! lol awesome bro ive seen this kit n it will probably be in my collection one day
Awesome BROSKI!!! Well, that proves notifications are working OK - I hadn't even finished adding the end-screen and your message popped up! Glad you got in first dude - yeah, this little buggy is a Tamiya "must-have", don't know why I didn't get one sooner! Thanks for the amazing support Bro - always best wishes from me! :))
A great looking kit and surely a good start into the Rc hobby .Hello Mark ,i hope you are well.It seems like this Buggy is a nice compromise between a pur offroad and a onroad Buggy. Rear wheel drive and a wheel setup like this garanties so much fun . ( I kow that cause my traxxas bandit have the same ) I really enjoyed your unboxing and looking forward to your Build Videos.
So lovely to read you again, Harry! Yes, this little Tamiya will run well on most surfaces, but better fit road tyres if running on asphalt, those spiked tyres wear down fast. I really hope you are feeling better my friend, and thank you very much for the great comment. 👍 :-)
Great video CHAPS :) Yes this is a good beginners kit. It will be fun to follow your build process.
What about the Sand Viper ? That is also a good beginners kit, you get ball bearings, oil filled dampers and turn buckles.
Thanks, Are! I'm gonna try a little change to the build video, by not showing all the screwing together, it should shorten the video a little! Great call about the Sand Viper - I do already have one - and yes it is a great package with the hop-ups included. I agree it is on par with the Racing Fighter in terms of a beginners car. However, I think the DT03 handles a little better! Greetings from Birmingham! :)
Great choice of buggy Mark..👍. Indeed an ideal entry level Tamiya for the the RC newbie. And in the words of Steve @ SHEN RC with the black wheel / tyre combo coupled with that florescent green shell this is gonna be a real B E A U T Y when it's completed. A real eye opener. Great choice of paint pal. Can't wait to see the completed build and of course those wild races with Rob. Great stuff as always mate...😀👌.
Glad you agree with the choice, Cosmo! Yeah, as the box art colour scheme (that Rob has followed) is such a bright orange, I thought I needed an equally bright, but contrasting colour scheme! Think I'm gonna paint the rear wing green too, rather than the standard black. I may have a few spare decals I can use as well. Love the Shen quote! Gonna start the build today if I can stand the heat up in the shed! Gonna have to try and film it on my own as Rob is pretty much full-time labouring for his sister up in Stoke! Thanks for the chat mate - I hope all is well with you. :)
@@MarkBryanRC No worries man - look forward to the build vid :))
Cheers dude :)
Nice brother
Thanks bro - sorry to say it again, but you will never guess where I found your comment - oh well - I guess you did! Thanks all the same bro! :)
@@MarkBryanRC 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I guess I have to get use to it ,,,👍🤙
Thank you!
Hi Neil - my pleasure! :)
Hey Mark, I always end up coming back to your videos. A quick question you think those plastic drive cups and shafts withstands 4000KV motors? 😁
Hello - it's great to have you coming back! The answer is yes, those plastics can withstand the power! They will obviously wear out quicker, but so would metal ones! All the best from Mark! :-)
Great video Mark. I am trying to fit a driver in mine, like I did with my Baja Champ, but the limited space available for the esc and receiver is making this job very difficult. I am using a driver that's similar to the Bigwigs (head, shoulders, arms, and small base) I may have to try my spare Grasshopper driver instead, which won't look so good. Any ideas would be welcome mate. 👍
Morning Derek! Always a pleasure mate! Yeah, I dug out an old Rising Fighter / Super Fighter head and shoulders figure that I thought may fit. Rob reckons it will be a very tight fit, as the receiver is in the place where the driver should be. But I definitely want something behind that clear screen / window! It may not be perfect, even if I have to trim him down a bit I will try to get him in. Hopefully I will be able to show my efforts in the build video. I'll definitely let you know how I get on - meanwhile, if you have any progress or a brainwave, please let me know! All the best mate, I hope this message finds you well! :)
@@MarkBryanRC You could just screw a helmeted head in from above. If the body ( of the driver ) is lower than the bottom of the window it would pretty much out of view anyway. And from a distance you would see a head in the place it's supposed to be. Just a thought guys...🤔.
Lol - looking at the cockpit of the car my previous suggestion probably wouldn't work..😭. It's a strange one as Tamiya usually accomodate drivers rather well.
hi dude! I'm up late for a change (no work for a few weeks!) I notice you watch late at night, you night owl :) Yeah, fitting a driver figure is gonna be a tough one on this buggy, but I reckon I can sort something out, even if it's almost 2D!!! Nice thought about the head screw, like in the Super Fighter, it may work with a little trimming. But at the moment I favour the idea of fitting the modified driver to the chassis and having the body and cockpit fit over the top separately, if you know what I mean? Just thoughts at the moment, I will have to see when the build is finished and look at what we have to work with. Really pleased you are thinking about this problem too, mate! Have a good night Cosmo! :)
@@MarkBryanRC Hey Mark - yep I'm a night owl scouring RUclips for inspiration until the early hours. 😂. It'll be interesting to see how you go about this driver issue. I'm currently looking for a track for a Tamiya Ford Bronco, and ironically I'll have to fit a driver in that model too. I so wish Tamiya would include drivers as standard for all their models and not just a select few.
Awesome first Buggy!! The DT03 is a good Chassis as is, but takes a lot of hop up mods.
Those Front Tyres... Duratrax (Louise in your world!), make outstanding Buggy Tyres!
Sadly, even at only $129.00usd... I can't afford one 😢 That's just my life. I'd LOVE one though. I live in a DESERT for fuks sake! I've only got one Buggy, and it doesn't work. Blown ESC.
Anyway, looking forward to the build of course!! 👍👍😎
Cheers my good friend.
Carmine ✈🚂🚙
Cheers Carmine! Yeah, lots of hop-ups available, but I am going a little easy on this one! A mild brushless may be on the cards though! Plus I have some spare ball-ends and M3 rods so am going to try and make some adjustable top suspension arms to give me a little negative camber! Hehe - you confused me a little with the Louise comment - she's my WIFE!!!! :))
What are the chances!! 😳 I knew that Duratrax is sold across the Pond as Louise... Thought that was an odd name for a Tyre. Also my Aunt's name. They are good Tyres for the money!
If I were to guess, 13.5T seems to be your go-to Brushless Motor. I've never been able to get a Sensored Brushless Motor... Have no idea how they perform, personally. I'm told that a 17.5 or 21.5 would make great Crawler Motors. Maybe someday I can find out. 😉
Good News! I *actually WON something!!!* 😊😳😎 I was so excited, I didn't even know what I won!
It's a set of high performance, Aluminium true Beadlock Wheels!! 👍👍 Can't wait to get them.
The FIRST time I have ever won anything in my whole 55 year life!!
Cheers Brother!
And... Buggies definitely like Negative Camber up front. Being able to adjust the rear as well will definitely be a bonus!
I'd actually like to try a 13.5T setup on my Holiday Buggy, if it wouldn't munch the Gearbox!! Obviously not anytime soon... I can't even afford a $40 Brushed ESC...
You got it pal - 13.5 sensored brushless is my favourite, I find that with the NiMh's I run, they give just the right amount of speed and acceleration boost, without ripping the transmission to pieces! Also a nice boost in runtime.
Congrats on the win! I cant remember winning anything either! You sure can put those beadlocks to good use brother!
PS love the way you spelt "tyres" just for me!! :)) 👍👍👍
All good mate! The HB transmission will be fine with a brushless setup as long as you don't go too mad (min 10 turn) but the steel pinion upgrade is a must! :)
Great video, I'm now looking to pick one of these up but can't find the package with the hop-ups anywhere.
Wheres the best place to buy?
Hi - there seems to be a shortage of all tamiya kits at the moment! keep looking on Time Tunnel Models and Modelsport - here is a link: www.modelsport.co.uk/tamiya-racing-fighter-buggy-dt-03/rc-car-products/397241
lots of hop-ups available but out of stock for a few days - hope this helps - don't give up looking! :)
@@MarkBryanRC thanks for the quick reply! Will keep looking 👍
Wonderland Models have got stock, but not sure what is included
@@richb326 Thanks very much for the help Rich, very kind of you Sir! He could always call or email Wonderland to find out more. :)
@@MarkBryanRC yeah modelsport got stock in today but its the bog standard package without bearings or oil shocks.
ive just built the m08 ... :)
Cheers mukka, I think you need to post it on youtube so I can see it! Hope you are well mate - all the best from Mark... :)
You Made Me Buy This Lol Thx Bro
Hehe! Thanks Bailey - glad to be of service! But seriously, you can't go wrong with this Tamiya, it's a great buggy - have fun! All the best from Mark... :)
Mark Bryan RC Thx 😄😄
CAN YOU HELP, I cannot for the life of me find the right screws in the kit to mount the motor, the bb1 screw does not fit the tuned torque motor that comes in the kit, any ideas?
Hi there. BB1 screws are M3 thread, 3mm wide and 6mm long machine screws. They definitely fit the Torque Tuned motor, it's the standard size for all 540 motors. Have you checked the size of your screws? Match them to the diagram in the manual. I hope you can get them to fit!
Do you use tyre foam in the rear wheels?
Hi PJ! No I don't use foams in the Tamiya Square Spike rear tyres. I don't think Tamiya do a foam hop=up like they do for some of their tyres (like the Rally Block tyre foam set) However, I finf the tyres work very well as they are, lots of grip on most surfaces, one of my favourite off-road tyres! :-)
Where did you say you got this from thanks. I'm thinking of getting my son one for his first rc.
Hi Luke. I got this from my favourite RC retailer, Time Tunnel Models - a quick Google will find it. Best prices and great service, have fun my friend! :))
@@MarkBryanRC thanks for the reply mate. I do like the look of the sand viper to what would you recommend many thanks. I used to race cars back in 80s when I was a kid I used to race mardave meteors. So I'm well out of touch. I don't know where to start.
Hello Luke. No worries mate! The Sand Viper is a great kit, and as a bonus it comes with the metal bearings and adjustable arms, plus metal dogbones (drive shafts) as standard, so is great value for money. The Racing Fighter is a more stable chassis (it's a bit longer and stiffer) but does not come with the hop-ups I mentioned. But it is a bit cheaper! I think both are great cars to start with, but if you go for the Racing Fighter, get the metal bearings as a minimum. They both, thankfully, come with oil-filled shocks. You can't really go wrong with either in my opinion! All the best mate, Mark... :)
@@MarkBryanRC thanks for the reply really appreciated. I've watched a few of your vids thanks for the advice. Also looking at the plasma. Thinking of getting my son into rc as my dad did to me when I was young. He is 10 years old. Which do u recommend to get him started many thanks. 👍
Well, Luke - it's a tough one, but I still think the Racing fighter because it's quite an easy build, goes well and there is loads of room for upgrades later. Perfect for a 10 year old like me! :D
You can get it to do 63mph.
Hehe - cheers Brad, if mine does close to 25mph, I will be happy! :)
👍👍👍GB
"Pogo shocks" : )
Haha! Did you like that, Del? It's the most fitting description for those springy things that I could think of! Cheers for watching my friend! :))
@@MarkBryanRC It´s perfect! My first Tamiya was a Midnight Pumpkin - I have fond memories of watching it bounce around on its pogo shocks...
Hehe! Yeah, the first pogo shocks I had were on my DT02 Super Fighter, but after running that a few times in dismay at the handling off road, I threw the pogos that came with every other new kit straight in the bin! I remember having a go on a pogo stick when I was a kid - bloody dangerous things LOL!!! :P
@@MarkBryanRC I got a pogo stick for Christmas when I was about eight. I never mastered it.
The last set of pogo shocks to remain in active service in my case are those fitted to my M06. I´m looking forward to the day I fit some oil shocks to it, something which (predictably) utterly transformed my M03.
I must do that, actually.
Funny how we always remember a job that needs doing on one RC or another, and then conveniently forgetting the next day! I think I have about 20 fixes or upgrades lined up - oh, wait a minute - I've forgotten again! :P
Go brushless please.
There is a 13.5 sensored brushless on the table waiting to go in! :)
Probably not fast enough for you though, my friend! :)
Check out Stuart McMillan's channel you go see the DT 03 that he may do 63 miles an hour and check what he put in it.
I think every Tamiya ever made right out of box should always hit 20 miles an hour at the very least
Thanks Brad, will look :)
Good point, but as you know, almost every one won't! My DT03 should hit that easily, I will be annoyed if it doesn't! :)