You have got to see this one guys!

[crawler_king]

Intersting discusion... Being way past the tim e I am normally in bed and thinking straigh I gotta throw my two cents in..
WHen I was first into RC I started with a prebuilt hornet (2nd hand original hornet) then picked up an Ultima, then a Clodbuster.. after a few years and a bunch of other cars that I picked up second hand, I got out of the hobby, Yea I had been in and out of hobby shops but it seemed like almost every RC vehicle that ws being sold was prebuilt, I didnt see a whole lot of Tamiya kits, or Kyosho, Associated or anything for a couple of years.. Then I picked up an HPI Wheely King to go Rock crawling.. Yes I felt like I was cheating but man I have had alot of fun along the way relearning everything that I had forgotten over the intervening years.. I have had my rig apart and back together, modified and so on that I feel like I have built the thing..
If you take the time to show a kid how to do somthing, or help them into the hobby then youve done a great thing, If you just bitch about RTR stuff and how open diffs are a horrible thing for a crawler... well you wasted your time.. Maybe show someone what they can do with that RTR rig, and how to work on it... If they loose interest then so be it, but to bicker about it back and forth seems kinda pointless...

Get involved with the kids that show an intrest, or other adults that show an intrest show them how to take a RTR truck and make it capable.
if they cant figure out how to turn a screwdriver then laugh at them

[Thorsteenster]

Originally Posted by JasonInAugusta

There's a larger lesson to be learned.

That lesson is that, no matter what it is, you should have some understanding of how the item operates/works and how to properly maintain the thing. It's not a "run the thing until it doesn't run then throw it in the closet" type deal.

If these kids can't take the time to pick up a screwdriver to repair a busted A-arm...what will happen when they get older and get a 1:1 ride?

It's sad how we're cultivating kids to not think for themselves these days.

When I worked at the LHS my rule was that if you were in the store watching me repair your toy it was no charge - and I'd only do that repair once. After that I'll offer advice but not take the time to replace yet another a-arm on your maxx...you've seen it done, you know how.

If you watched and still needed help...I'd loan tools so folks could repair their stuff at the store while I help other customers and give input when needed but I'd let the customer do the work.

End result is that if they're showing that they wanted to learn how to work on the thing...I'd help'm out.

If they wanted to just drop it off and have it repaired...I'd charge'm and make it worth my time.

I agree with all that, but unfortunately dosn't mean it will work on a large part of the population. Things today aren't really fixed, usually replaced or tossed. I've taken apart everything I own atleast once, just to see how it works or how its put together, ah, who knows, I guess with the population growing, so is the percentage of stupid people.

[MattH]

I'd try to add something to this discussion, but as Thorsteenster stated earlier in this thread--I'm a tard.

[jaxcoffee]

Originally Posted by MattH

I'd try to add something to this discussion, but as Thorsteenster stated earlier in this thread--I'm a tard.

Ya! So are the rest of us at one time or another. I like to hear what you have to say Matt.

[tjscrogins99]

There will always be who are not used to working for anything and are used to it, this demographic of people seems to be increasing. (evidence by the usa's average credit card dept). They want it now and they dont care what they will lose to get it. With the popularity of RC crawling increasing is only a matter of time before quickly designed, poor performing, but user friendly rtrs show up. It happens with any rc format that gets popular.
Not saying that the ax10 is any of those things, but dont be surprised to see some crappy crawling knock offs in the future. If people will buy it they will build it, its what drives the industry.

The people who want to build and upgrade and take time on their projects still will, there will just be the occational tard showing up at the comp to make you look better.

You dont have to agree with it but getting angry about it will not stop the rtrs from coming.

[binaryterror]

Originally Posted by Thorsteenster

Yeah ok, look at reality, most RC's leaving hobby shops are RTR's, most hobby shops are fixing said RTR's because buyer's can't do anything other than turn it on.

Crazy enough last night at my LHS a guy came in with a problem (spur gear stripped) and the LHS tech dude was out so he left it for tomorrow to get fixed. He then asked "why do they give you tools inside the box?". I nearly died laughing.

[tjscrogins99]

thats crazy, Anyone want to start a geek squad for rc's. Go around fixing rediculously easy problems charging rediculously high prices, it will be harder to steal their porn while working on their rc though.

[tjscrogins99]

Of course, last time I was in the LHS, I listened to the sales guys and a customer chat about how cool the ax10 would be on a 10t modified buggy motor. I explained how my crawlers had 55t lathes or 1000kv brushless and why this worked so well, 3 minutes later they were talking about taking it to the track with a 10t.

[jetboat]

look at rtr's and people that are too lazy to fix them like this: They will buy them, run them, break them and put them on ebay for the rest of us to buy cheap. I see win/win.
As for the open diff comment, maybe it was a mistake and was supposed to say locked diffs or maybe they are going to come out with some trick lockers so you can have open for turning and locked for crawling (just a hope). There is also the possibility that MattH knows some inside info and it realy will be open diffs and in that case dont call him the Tard, call Axial the Tards.