HPI or Traxxas?

[blakeaunders]

I am looking to get a new rc car but I can't decided between a traxxas nitro 4-tec, hpi Nitro RS4 RTR 3 Evo or an hpi RTR Nitro 3 Drift. I want speed and occasionally to be able to drift well. I don't want to do much maintenance so I want a well built and trusted brand. Could someone decide which might be the best for me? Thanks

 

[hamz9561]

I like Traxxas, but would avoid the 4tec because of the drive belts on it. The belts are exposed and tend to pick up gravel and rocks which causes them to lock up and break.

For those reasons, I'd go with the HPI cars.

 

[blakeaunders]

Are the hpi cars reliable and as fast as the 4tec? Couldn't I just buy a cover for the belt?

 

[wacmartin]

I'd go hpi, I'm not a traxxas basher I have a bandit but those hpi on road cars look a lot nicer and durable. If you don't want to do maintence go with electric, there's a lot more to do when involved in nitro.

 

[srusinek]

I second the hpi cars because its a very proven platform. I still have a nitro rs42 that's belt driven with an OS .12 in it. It's been very reliable with the exception of the belts catching rocks and pebbles at times. Even a shaft driven rc gets rocks stuck inside the gears but its not as common as belt driven rcs.

 

[fdjizm]

I've always gone with HPI very good quality stuff and parts availability.
Nitro is not for someone who doesn't want to do maintenance on their car btw.

 

[Greywolf74]

I'm not familiar with that particular HPI kit except in the most vague of senses but Id choose HPI over Traxxas in just about ever circumstance I can think of. I'm not a Traxxas "hater" but I do believe HPI builds better kits than Traxxas.

 

[Riz23]

I have an HPI R40 and an RS4 with a OS 12 in it. I can tell you that unless you wreck it against a curb or something, it is very durable. Every once in a while you find a pebble or two in the belt drive. All I know about the 4Tec is that they pick up small rocks with a lot more frequency than any other on road car, and they don't offer great control. I'm not slamming it because I don't have one, but these were the warnings I was given when making my decisions.

 

[blakeaunders]

Are the hpi nitro cars as fast as the 4tec out of the box?

 

[Riz23]

Probably not out of the box because the nitro star is not as good of a mill as the 3.3 is. But with the right hop ups and maintenance it is possible.

You also said you don't want to do too much maintenance. If that's the case then you don't really want a nitro. It is a lot of work and upkeep, especially if you are looking for speed. You would probably be better off with the charge-and-go power of electric. Just my $.02.

 

[blakeaunders]

I don't want an electric I am a nitro guy lol. I don't care about maintenance but I also don't mind mending things every now and then. I have had my traxxas revo 3.3 for about 4-5 years now and all I have had to do to it was change the lines and replace a couple of a-arms because of crashes. Which one of your HPI's do you like the best?

 

[blakeaunders]

I think I'm just going to go with the 4tec. I mainly want speed, I have heard many good things about it and I can easily just get a cover for the belt so that rocks don't get stuck which seems to be the only problem

 

[Riz23]

Which one of your HPI's do you like the best?

I like them both, but my RS4 was just for recreational driving and my R40 was specifically set up for racing. I raced on road with it for a couple years, and it was pretty fast!

 

[fdjizm]

I think I'm just going to go with the 4tec. I mainly want speed, I have heard many good things about it and I can easily just get a cover for the belt so that rocks don't get stuck which seems to be the only problem

Speed? just change the gears... lol I have a 100mph rs4-3, any RC car is as fast as YOU make it go.

 

[blakeaunders]

All you did was change the gears?

 

[blakeaunders]

Speed? just change the gears... lol I have a 100mph rs4-3, any RC car is as fast as YOU make it go.

I know that but I don't want to throw hundreds of dollars in it to get to that speed. How much work and money did you put in it to get to those speeds? If its not a lot then ill consider it.

 

[fdjizm]

Rs4-3 roller on ebay: $105
Servos: $50
Engine: $400 (you don't have to buy a $400 engine)
Reciever/Radio: already had one.
Big block mounts: $20
gears: $15-20$
foam tires: $25
Custom work: dremel lol

I don't know where people get the myth you have to spend stupid amounts of money to go fast or change the whole car.
I got an ofna lx2e (brushless) that goes 108 mph that costs me a final price of $507 it's all stock except for the gears/wheels and some modifications I made myself.

 

[blakeaunders]

I see, so I'll think about the rs4 evo but the main reason I want the 4tec is because my buddy is a traxxas dealer so he can get it for really cheap so is there anyway to just put a cover on the belt to fix the stone problem?