What's The Best Tamiya RC To Buy? (Beginners Guide For Your First Tamiya Build Kit)
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- Опубликовано: 19 июл 2022
- Want To build your first Tamiya RC, watch this first.
Have you never built an RC kit before? No clue about what you need to buy to make it work? So many Tamiya kits but what is best for you? In this video, I try to pick and explain what would be a great place to start as well as what you need to get it up and running.
As a massive RC and Tamiya fan, I have been lucky enough to build and run over 100 kits and in this video is a list of a few that I think are the best to kick off with as a total beginner.
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The one thing I would say is whatever car you are looking for much of the fun in these cars is in the build process itself so please don't buy the XB cars, you will thank me when you've finished building your pride and joy and have that overwhelming feeling of satisfaction, also, if you damage it you will know how to fix it. Tamiya instructions are beautifully clear and easy to follow, just make sure you have a good set of screwdrivers and some long nose pliers, fit circlips in place inside a clear plastic bag as they love to fly 😃
DT-03 Neo Fighter for me. Best starter kit
After many years, I came back with my kids with a td03 neo fighter. It was a superb build and very sturdy for new and young drivers
This is one of the best RC videos I have seen and provides lots of very useful information for either a beginner or someone wanting to get back into the hobby.
10/10.
I think for a first build you can’t go far wrong with a Holiday Buggy on the DT-02 chassis. It is set up for beginners and the 380 motor makes it really easy for little ones starting out. Built one recently with my daughter and paired it with a Carson Wheel Start transmitter (which came with a servo also). Great place for getting young children started in the hobby of building a RC.
I went the complete opposite direction. My first Tamiya kit build was the full option control Centurion tank kit. It was complex, expensive, and a time consuming build. I loved every minute of it. I come from a heavy mechanical background and am also a scale modeler.
Lunchbox was my first RC car this year, then a TT02 Mustang then I just finished a Clod! I have a scale modelling background. I actually built a Tamiya RC tank before the Lunchbox, but that was driven by a desire for a large scale working tank (and RTR is not for me).
I agree the Lunchbox is a great place to start, and that hard plastic body is an easy way in to spray painting for the inexperienced. The decals give the basic understanding of the process without scaring.
Mustang/TT02 was just to see what a more involved chassis was like - great was the answer. Not overly complex, like the Lancia there are more decals and a polycarb body so a different paint method and (for a noob) daunting decals. It's now had oil shocks and an uprated motor fitted. So much fun to blast round the local car park.
Clod? Always wanted one from when I saw one as a student and was broke. Not such a hard build, Tamiya instructions are just solid, but not a beginners. But, if you want to try some modding beyond "motor and shocks" then get a Clod - mine has on axle servos plus oil shocks and 20T brushed motors (I'm not ready to invest in LiPos yet).
I completely agree with you. In fact, the first car I´ve built 30 years after I was a teenager (and that was just one, the Grasshopper) was the Midnight Pumpkin. All I can contribute to this is the DT-02/03 chassis. They are a really great value for money, easy to build, durable and fun to drive. Buggies like the Sand Viper, I can strongly recommend. It comes with CVA Shocks and it is comletely ball raced. It might be perfect for beginners. But its all just my opinion 😎
best video for a rc newbie that i have seen yet! really helped me understand to basics of how the marvels work. Thank you! Great job explaining!!!!
Thanks a good luck with your RC adventure.
My first two were the Buggyira TT-01 and 2020 Ford GT Mk II TT-02 respectively. Got them both' 21/'22 and man.. the chassis were simple to build but those decals.... those 100+ decals each... they taught me patience and though not perfectly placed, the end products look amazing. The chassis were good beginner ones for sure. Been trying to get my hands on a Wild One (not many decals lol) for months!
My first kit when I was a teenager was a hornet and would recommend it to anyone starting out who wants a buggy
Me, too! Then a Frog & Monster Beetle. Thundershot was my 1st 4WD.
Fantastic video Gavin and very educational 😊👍 will share it!
My first kit I built was by myself when I was around 11 years ago with the grasshopper. I even had a broken collar bone at the time from a skateboard
Legend!!
Mine was a Falcon, but since they seem to not want to re re that kit, I would say the Grasshopper would be the best first kit.
My first was a the og thundershot at age 13. Built it all night over night. Was awesome
I really think that the tt02 is a really good budget kit to start with, no matter which version you chose. The first cat I built was a xv-01, but I did a ton of research before buying it. I’ve also built a few full size cars so I’m pretty experienced with tools. The beauty of the tt02 is that it’s very simple. It was the car that I used to try track racing with and it was great to learn on since it doesn’t have much adjustment. The reason I started with an xv01 was because I thought that it would be the only rc car I would buy….. not was I wrong.
I just started getting into RC with an excavator, and a bulldozer so I might not have a lick of right to state this, but for COMPLETE newbies, Tamiya does also make tanks, ships, and trucks (a Tamiya CAT D11 sounds cool though, I'd buy & build that). The ships can be converted to RC if they are big enough in scale (so nothing below 1:200 I think), while the trucks, and tanks can be a bit "lacking". I suggest shopping for mods you want during the building phase, like tracks, hitches, lights, etc.
Yes buddy ..that's pretty well on point. . you guys always preference the lunch box over the pumpkin.. O well each to their own..great vid mate.
Thanks, great video. Setting out on the RC journey with my 6yr old son. Your breakdown of all the sec connects etc was really helpful.
Hi and welcome. RC is a great hobby to spend with your children but watch out, as one RC car is never enough and it soon turns into five 😀👍🏻👍🏻
Hornet is a good choice. TT02B or DT03 would be good too.
Tamiya Rising Fighter for a child that's going to bash into everything. Hornet or Wildone for an older kid, progressing to The Frog for some fun. The world is your oyster for an adult with the cash !
Good list. The Lunchbox and Hornet are perfect kits for beginners.
I'd go with a TT02B. Great performance, easy build , easy to drive and quick. So many hop ups.
Tamiya Commical is a great first kit, does wheelies, gearbox pre assembled, tough as well 👍
I just built a lunchbox for my son. He loves it. So much fun
looking to get my daughters 3 year old gift getting her started early but this is what she wants. lol the lunch box bright pink is her up and down. Perfect for us to project on.
Thanks for this one Gavin. I bought the escort mk2 rally car last year as my first proper RC, because I loved the look. Well pleased as I upgraded most of the bits after watching your build vid. Looking at what to get next and you bring this out, really would like the Wild One I think, can’t afford the money ones! That Lunchbox/ Monster Beetle though……….🤔
I’m in the middle of helping my 11 yo build his first RC. We went with a Traxxas Stampede. I’m not a huge fan of Traxxas but I have to give them props on this kit. First it comes with everything needed including all electronics minus batteries. This is how it should be done. I would argue the manual is second to none. Easy to follow for the younger hobbiest with clear full color images for each step. The parts bags are also sorted by step. The build design also seems simplified in the way things go together. It almost seems idiot proof. Overall, I am impressed with this kit for the first time builder.
Last year I helped my 6 yo build a Comical Avante. I did most of the work but tried to keep him engaged as much as possible. I have noticed that the younger builders tend to struggle with driving self tapping screws. It’s even more problematic with Phillips head screws (common in the Tamiya kits) that tend to cam-out. This is where socket head cap screws are beneficial.
My two cents….
Thanks for a fantastic comment 👍🏻
Traxxas don't make kits. Tamiya and Kyosho still do.
Great guide. I would go with the DT-03, that must be the most value for the money and a easy kit to build, runs good and it´s durable.
Nailed on the Lunchbox (Pumpkin) , Hornet recommendations Gavin. The Hornet was my first and it was nothing to the body even back in the 80's. I painted my Hornet body with a brush and it still looked pretty good for brush painting.
i used to race an avante in doors back in the day the car was amazing it handeled very well
for nostalgic reason, im starting to rebuild my old TL01 that's my first "hobby grade RC" back then, manual speed controller, twin servo, slow motor and no bearings.
My first tamiya car grasshopper 1 und blackfoot
Back in the early 90’s I bought a New Tamiya Top Force Evolution and this was my second car,but 1st car I built by myself.I was about 18 years old and only had basic skills and with Tamiya’s simple instructions I built it up with ease.Build both gearboxes and then onto the chassis.As for price of the ReRe I got one on EBay fully built but never driven,as new with a few Evolution bits for £270+P+P.
I would go with a midnight pumpkin. The body doesn’t need to be painted to look like box art and decals are super easy. Buggy wise a Neo Fighter as the DT03 is cheap and easy to build
Pumpkin/lunchbox #1 best beginner kits. Fun to drive too.
Id also recommend the TT02B series for the beginner 4WD model. Either the Plasma Edge First Try kit or if they are wanting to do the build but not the paint the pre painted gunmetal/iridescent/metallic models of the plasma Edge 2 / Neo Scorcher/Dual Ridge kits are great or if they are feeling more confident and want to try paint when there are the STD cut and paint versions too.
Super simple kits to build and relatively cheap too. Plus they can be modified into a relatively decent car as experience grows. Just make sure you have 2 kidneys before you start.
8:39 I am restoring my vintage Frog right now. I just have to paint the body and apply my OG repop decals. Those pink tires are kind of awesome.
Honestly I recommend a base TT02B kit with a bearing kit. TT02 has a lot of aftermarket support so good parts availability.
Receiver, I always remember...1 to turn, 2 to burn. Meaning channel 1 to steer (turn) servo, channel 2 for motor to power wheels (burn) esc.
I think this is an excellent video. From a beginners standpoint I would agree that the Lunchbox would be my choice because the durability and painting the body. You don't need any special paint. In the states the Lunchbox is a little cheaper than the Hornet or Frog. Except of the painting of the driver figure and body I would suggest the comical Grasshopper, Hornet or Frog because the transmission is assembled. As a side note, I think Tamiya recently came out with the dust cover for the TT02 rally cars.
Great Information 👍
Glad it was helpful!
Some great Tips & Recommendations Gavin. Even for the Experienced builders the basic kits are very fun 🤩
I was surprised how much I enjoy driving the Hot Shot
I thought the DT03 buggy was an easy and nice first build when I got back into it 😊
TT-02 will be the first choice for beginners! I have the Tamiya Sand Scorcher NIB and a TLR 8ight 3.0 E NIB for the experienced builder like myself 😉😁
I had a Grasshopper as my first many years ago. However my newest basher is the Racing Fighter DT03. Spare parts and upgrades available, and comes with oil shocks and ESC. Was cheaper than what the rere Grasshopper is going for. Had to pull off those retro memory sunglasses before I bought.
Nice choice of cars Gavin 🙂
For a buggy, Holiday Buggy is super easy, prepainted and options are easy to find. My youngest built it as her first when she was only nine years old. There are a few items she did paint but they are not necessary.
Lunchbox...100%. The mini Lunchbox is a good build to do with kids and they can run it in the house. Also the Neo Fighter is a super easy build along with any of the TT-02B based buggies.
I am so excited, my first and only RC car was an RC10 gold body I bought used in 94’, I just ordered a blockhead Tamiya Wild One. I debated it against the BBX, Wild One comes with motor and esc, BBX does not.
Some great advice here. I would recommend the DT02 Holiday Buggy as a looker but with modern reliable running gear and very easy to build with minimal painting. The DT03 buggies are also excellent and very good value for money
Plus the Holiday buggy has many upgrades which makes the car continue to be interesting even after it is built and been run a few times
The first tamiya rc car I had was the tt-02D supra. Very surprised how easy it all came together. The tt02 chassis is in my opinion the best chassis to start with.
I think that any of the tamiya cars are within most people's capabilities of building as the instructions are really clear and you've always got instructional videos like your own if you get stuck... Personally i think you can't go wrong with a Grasshopper or (my first car back in the day) The Hornet.. simple straightforward build that will give you a little understanding of how they work and set you on you way for the next build and then the next and then the next and then the next..etc...😆😆😆😆
spend the extra get the hornet, at high speed the hornet will not as easily flip like the grasshopper, I have both and they have the same engine, I swapped out the basic one in the grasshopper to make it as fast as the hornet.
Excellent suggestions Gavin but there are some other great Tamiya kit's out there for the beginners Bud. How about the Holiday Buggy with the 380 motor and DT-02 chassis! It's also/or was also a hardbody model with a stack of upgrade options available, including a 540 type motor upgrade and oil filled shocks. Moving on to a four wheel drive buggy progressively, I would choose Hot-Shot with the 540 motor that can also be upgraded over a period of time. BUT, the price of the Top Force cannot be ignored, and if "I" were choosing between the TF and HS, it would always be the Top Force. However, that is quite an advanced car to learn to drive with and the repair bills will be expensive. Believe me. Whereas the Hot Shot is almost the same (ish) layout, yet parts are plentiful (ish) and cheaper than the TF. Anyways buddy, you asked and I replied! Great video!! Thumbs up!!
Thank you for an informative video. I am a newbie to RC and have decided to go for a LunchBox 😊
Glad it was helpful! A Lunchbox is a great fun place to start :)
Excellent video, really enjoyed it. I'd defo agree with some of your choices, maybe not so much with some of the others. But, this is all personal opinion anyway, and each to their own😉
Great content as usual! I'm still looking to get my hands on a BNIB Super Hot Shot/Wild Willy/C11...
Well, as you comment on tastes and what you want to spend, my first kit was a CC01, now I have two others and one precisely with a polycarbonate body that is a little headache trying to paint and paste its decals. But as you say assembling and disassembling, changing the color of the bodies will create a better experience
I like tamiya rc car very much.
My first kit was TT-02 and then VQS 2020 as my second. Only when building VQS I realized how simple TT-02 was. VQS came packed with grease, anti-wear grease, ball diff grease, and thread lock. For (basic) TT-02, it only came with (and the manual only required) the basic grease. People who got used to those compound wouldn't realize how daunting for a beginner with no mechanical building experience to use them, like I kept fearing if I applied them too much or too little, using wrong grease in wrong place, or how I heard thread lock can damage plastic parts etc. TT-02 though, felt like building a big Mini4WD with how plastic-y and simple it is.
Re. Buggy I'd possibly go for a Grasshopper for a beginner, hard body, easier stickers than the Hornet and easier to drive with the 380 motor and can always upgrade when more confident to a 540 for very little pennies! Also if not vintage but worth looking at is the Neo Fighter - an excellent performing buggy out of the box and get bag one on Amazon under £80 which is phenomenal
Off road: DT03 buggy ; on road : any TT-02
i went with plasma edge 2, not disappointed, well 30 year old anda couple years experience of RC cars :D
My first car is a TA-03F Alfa 155V6ti and its a DTM supercar and i have lots of fun on it
I have a good childhood
All you need to cover for a beginner's guide Gavin is the TT02 TT02b Lunchbox and Hornet or Grasshopper. Option with electrics as a beginner wouldn't have any spares. RC is a very very deep Rabit hole, less is more for newbies in Tamiya
DT02 Gator or Viper with a Sport Tuned Motor and Bearingset would be my secret recipie for cheap fun and availability.
Straight for the Bruiser, and make sure it's an 80's vintage example still sealed in box!! I kid. I really like the Plasma Edge or any TT02B. More capable than most cheap vintage models and fun to build, easy to handle
Commenting for the algorithm
That's easy. The DT-03 Neo Fighter is a brilliant beginner RC. Very simple to build and has many Hop Ups down the road.
-Matt
My first build was a Super Champ back in 82/83, I was 11....My most recent was a Super Hotshot a couple of days ago
I wouldn't recommend the Hornet for a first RC buggy, especially if you're buying for a child. The Rising Fighter is newer, cheaper and hard bodied. If you want something a bit more sedate then the Holiday Buggy would me my choice for a younger child.
If you're buying your first buggy for yourself then probably one of the DT-03 models, such as the Neo Fighter buggy, would be a better option. They're newer and hardly beyond anyone's capability to build whilst having much better handling.
Have to agree. Hadn't had a Tamiya for many years and stepped back in by grabbing a Racing Fighter for myself. Straightforward build, initially cheap, and endlessly tweakable.
Surely the DT-03 kits should be the de facto starting point for anyone without Tamiya nostalgia?
I mean, if you've always had a hankering for a Lunch Box (And I absolutely always have and absolutely still do...) do that.
Towards the cheaper end the builds aren't challenging because the instructions are incredibly good.
I've only ever built 3 RC cars, and they've all been Tamiya; a TT02 Audi Quattro, Lunchbox and DT02 Sand Viper.
I would personally recommend something like a Sand Viper as a first kit. It went together really beautifully, and felt like a decent kit. I guess the one thing that would be a bit of a put off would be the oil shocks and they may be a bit more tricky, but I don't think they're that difficult, and I'm sure there are DT02 models that don't have oil shocks.
Personally, I didn't really like building the Lunchbox that much - it really felt like it was an older design, and I would guess that the Hornet (and Grasshopper etc) may have a similar issue. There were quite a few things where you had to really jimmy the things to get them into place, and it just didn't feel as well thought out compared to the TT02 or DT02.
Finally, I really think the TT02 would be the best beginner option. This was my first ever kit and was such a good introduction. I am very mechanically inept, but the joy of Tamiya instruction manuals is that you just work your way through and without even realising what you're doing, you end up with a relatively complex 4WD chassis that steers and has all round independent suspension. Good for on and off road, and you can get them for dirt cheap.
Just skimming the comments, the amount of people putting tt02 chassis and Tamiya dt02/03 buggy’s. Essentially the same buggy with a different chassis and shock towers. Front and rear end are pretty much the same. And gearbox is bomb proof. Great thing is you can get a hard body d02 with 380 motor like a holiday buggy right through to the dt02ms (technically not available) but you can add all the bells and whistles you want to as your skill levels improve. Great video !
I completely agree with the Lunchbox (even the Midnight Pumpkin) and the Hornet. I would even add the Grasshopper. It’s the baseline of the buggy line and an easy build. The only downfall to the Hornet and Grasshopper is the battery door. Ampro Engineering has a fix for this problem and affordable. The Frog is a fun build and fun to drive but the differential can be problematic. MIP has a super reliable differential but would need to replace gears and drive bones. Ampro Engineering has a tutorial to upgrade.
OG checking in....HORNET Fo sho.
You might wanna throw the TT02 in the list, its a good starter entry kit and has alot of upgrades and possibilities and most (not everything) is compatible with the TT02D and TT02R and the TT01 series, and depending on the car they get will determine if the car is heavily decal or little decal, the Mustang GT is a good simple body todo thats part of the TT02 platform.
I really want a sand scorcher and have no other Tamiya but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to paint it really well. I'm going to get one anyway at some point and probably pay someone to paint it then.
Decals and building the kit would be no issue.
Thanks for the video!
Pumpkin/Lunchbox for first rc’s. Character, easy builds and spares are plentiful. Pretty robust for kids as well. First 2wd buggy hornet or grasshopper; first 4wd buggy tt02b ….. buggies feel like a better first place to start before the more complex car/rally/saloon car bodies/detailing.
My first rc was the Hornet. 12 years later it was 1/8 Serpent 9000 4wd on road.
My first buggy was Lunchbox in the 80's.. I still have it now. It's been beefed up with new steering arms etc. Good starter car. I beat the hell out of it.
My first Tamiya back in the day, cheap and as simple to build as the Lunchbox was the Grasshopper 2. It even has a hard body that doesn’t need to be painted.
I use to work for Horizon Hobby and a couple of the employees would give me the business (jokingly) for being a Tamiya guy. One guy had to try a kit out and bought a Grasshopper. Now him and his friends are all Tamiya fans. I bought and built a Grasshopper for my son and it was an easy build and very durable. My son also has an Arrma Stanton and he prefers the Grasshopper.
My first and only has been a txt1. But I have bought two clods for parts, not sure if that counts. Tamiya makes so many good ones it’s hard to believe I don’t have more.
I really like this serie. Can you do a other serie about motors and turns and pinions gears. I really like to lean more about it. Thanks a lot. My first Tamiya was a comical.
For me the DT03 Neo Fighter for a first buggy. Cracking deals to be had on these, a more modern design, and for me is the best value starter kit (especially if you get the kit that comes with CVA’s and a Torque tuned motor). Get a charger that support lipo from the off. For receiver wiring it’s 1 to turn and 2 to burn (that’s how I don’t forget).
Just wanted to say the quality of your videos has had a major step change recently, keep up the good work 👍🏻
Agreed. Much more scope for improvement. Lipo and brushless down the road if you want. The old buggies are a nostalgia blast but really they're just limited compared to a modern buggy. You'd be frustrated with a Hornet even if you tried to run it against a budget RTR like the FTX Vantage.
@@ramblingimbecile2295 💯 agree
For me when I got my first RC buggy it was the grasshopper
If using brushed motors and not too radical, consider lithium ion batteries. I run my tt02 porsche 911 with a 2s2p pack of 4 18650 cells (sony vtc6 30amp cells) gives 8.4 volts, 6000mah and runs well over an hour per charge. Very light and fits perfect in the battery tray. No lipo fires, lighter and very safe down to less than 6v. I run mine with a reedy 19t radon motor no issues at all.
Cheers.
I guess if you have some experience of repairing things I might be tempted to recommend finding a 2nd hand runner on ebay and have a go at restoring it. You can get manuals online for all the popular kits and find all the parts readily available. But... there's nothing like a NIB build so shouldn't wait too long before pulling the trigger on a kit like the ones you've shown Gav. 👍
For beginners I'd say any TT-02, and for offroad the DT-02 like the Holiday Buggy rerelease.
Anything pre painted as I'd say that is probably the biggest place to go wrong or get into trouble?!
Great video mate 👍
I would recommend a Neo Fighter (DT-03) buggy for a beginner. It's cheap, easy to build, quite robust and can be driven on most surfaces. It even comes with oil shocks. Also painting and cutting out stickers is easy for its small body. The base kit is only 80 EUR, at least here in Germany. For about 170 EUR you can get and all inclusive kit including radio and brushless motor.
I agree; I’m a teacher at a preparatory school and I got DT03s for my RC Car club. I built one myself first: they’re incredibly robust, easy to build and use regular electronics so can be upgraded or transferred to other models.
To be honest i am new but i find in my opinion the f1 or group c nice simple and fun. A lot of fun and pretty fast
Spot on ☝️
Hey can you do an rc review on - tamiya BBX ? Considering buying one. Thanks
Just finished building a Frog. Had a Grasshopper in the earty 80’s. Both easy and challenging
The Frog is a fun one to drive
I agree with most of your choices. But, I have not seen a Top Force Evo for less than $440 USD. I have not been able to find an Avante at all (unless you want to spend $650+ USD on EBay). The Hot Shot is a bit fiddly for a first time builder, but it is one of my favorite cars. I would recommend one of the “Dragon” series of 4wd cars (Thunder Dragon, Fire Dragon, Saint Dragon), they are easy to build and relatively inexpensive.
Would have to be the hornet! Same as the grasshopper but Atleast you get to learn hot to paint the lexan body.
I find the 4WD mini or "minicar" series from Tamiya is great, mostly over the simplicity of building and extremely detailed instructions for mechanical parts^^ it's like building a Lego set
Except pretty much no one outside of Asia runs those thing.
I would recommend the DT-03. Super sturdy chassis, easily upgradable. Can take a Brushless/Lipo combo. and pretty dirt cheap
I totally agree!
My first kit (earlier this year) was the Tyrell P34, my favorite F1 car of all time. Probably should’ve started with something easier. Luckily painting it wasn’t too bad. But hard to find a place to run it properly in NYC…🤦🏿♂️
It’s a cool kit and clever how the steering works and how simple it is.
Grasshopper/Honet would be my vote. It's what I started on when I was 10 yo. Grasshopper has a hardbody so you don't need to worry about cutting it out. Now 10 Tamiya Kits in and in my late 40's I'm still collecting and running. Skip the KB's. building the kits are so much more fun. They are super simple and if a 10yo kid can build on anyone can build one.
I suggest the Clod Buster for beginners. JUST KIDDING!
I think the Lunch Box or Midnight Pumpkin is the way to go!
Asplenia.
Hi Gavin, I would have to agree. The Tamiya Hornet or Tamiya Lunch box.What is interesting is that both of these cars have the same gear box. You could also get a Grasshopper or a Midnight Pumpkin. Also basically the same cars but with different bodies. Thoughts?