Tamiya is rubbish

[@sasquatchfoote8235]

The best part about Tamiya is building it, and sharing the build with your kids. I HATE ready to run. I want, ready to build!

[@PopalongRC]

RTB kits

[@albertpou2473]

Exactly Sas, Tamiya is a toy. After we build it, we run the kits, (some not) but rarely we drive it crazy. Because we be in love with after build it. The rarest kits, normally we never drive it. Just in case they "broke".

[@77barrj]

I built a Clodbuster with my boy when he was a kid. We enjoyed ever second of that build. He’s 26 now and we still pull that Clodbuster out, look at it and talk about how he remembers how fun it was to build it together. That’s folks is what TAMIYA is about to me.

[@PopalongRC]

Spot on … more than just an RC car

[@SamBalducci]

Historically, this hobby and racing would not exist without Tamiya and Kyosho. They started it all. While Kyosho evolved and now has race oriented 1/8th scale offerings, Tamiyas effort has always been half hearted. When they tried they can seem to be able to win the worlds, but then seem to barely support their products and parts availablity and how they sell parts makes it far to expensive for most to race a Tamiya. In many regional races, TLR, Associated and even Shumacher has track side support and team support to help you with their products. I have never seen a Tamiya effort to support any major RC racing event except for their own TCS series and then they leave all the responsibility to the local shop versus having a physical presence and team experts to help those who need help. Tamiya fills a niche that is not filled by the likes of TLR, Associated, Schumacher and others. That niche is the entry-level reasonably affordable cars with scale bodies that get you hooked into the hobby. Tamiya does have some race-focused cars that they label "Race Ready" or "Rally Ready" that are more competitive and come with a price tag to match. However, Tamiya is not a race-oriented company. They only have a half-hearted effort in the competitive scene. Tamiya really wants to be a scale plastic model company with the capability for some non-competitive backyard racing capability. It is easy to tell that they just want to be a model company given all the variations of the TT-01 and TT-02 and other chassis where is the same iteration of the chassis just with a different body. They could have just sold a line of body shells. You can also tell they are not race oriented because spare parts are sold in part sprues versus individual parts. Also, Tamiya parts availablity is miserable at least where I live in the USA. While Tamiya has made some effort with its TCS series to have some racing presence, it is really just a company-oriented race designed to sell more models than really to bring racing to a hobby. Like many Japanese companies, Tamiya also only looks as far as they can see from their office windows and does not really have a global view and support nor does it makes an effort to iterate or provide solutions for weak parts or designs. They leave it to 3rd parties. If they cared more we would have better plastic or reinforced items that are prone to break easily. Back in 90s in what I deem the golden age of RC, HPI, Team Associated, Team Losi and others made both affordable and more race-oriented options. Pro-line was the go to company for body shells and tires of all kinds and HPI was the second option. The hobby in my opinion was also much more popular. In the state of CT where I once lived, we had over 12 locations where we could go racing. Today there is only one. Today, most hobby shops at least in the USA make most of their money from selling bashing models vs racing. Traxxas keeps the lights on. Tamiya is there for nastalgia and you can find Tamiya ONLY racing classes at many locations because of affordability compared to XRay, TLR, Team Associated, Xpress, and other high-end products. The hobby is now broken down to either pure bashing, rock crawlers/Scale Crawlers or high-end racing. Tamiya fills the niche for collectors and backyard racers. That only covers on-road. The off-road racing in most locations has no Tamiya representation. While I have seen BBX only classes they seemed to be hot when first released but now not so much because of the lack of option parts and the BBX prone to breaking and parts hard to find. The only other reason that Tamiya stands out is that so many companies have been acquired by Horizon Hobbies which then guts the original companies and makes them generic and expensive copies of other brands they own with zero soul. Tamiya still has some soul left and by I believe that Kyosho might have some soul but I am not sure. That said, I own a TT-02 SVX, XV-02, BBX and Wild Willy 2. The TT-02 is my extra class I race on the weekend along with my TLR cars as it allows me to race without really caring if I win or loose. The XV-02 is for rally cross racing. That only has about 12 of us who participate and it is on someones private property and it is more of a social gathering. In between rally races we also race a BBX class on the same rally track just for fun. The Wild Willy 2 runs on my small area at home usually on the patio just for fun. Tamiya will always have its spot as the fun non-competative option. They will never really compete at the IFMAR, ROAR, EFRA etc level nor is that their focus. The value of Tamiya I hope is to bring new people into the racing hobby with their $150 TT-02 kits and scale racing body replicas. If new people do not keep coming into the hobby the hobby will otherwise die.

[@PopalongRC]

Thanks for the insight to Tamiya USA as it is similar to here in UK … I have too seen they do a lot more in Japan

[@PopalongRC]

Cheers Deezo

[@DTW-bx2vy]

Team Losi & Team Associated made racing what it is today. Gill Losi & Gill Losi Jr. made & designed Team Associated's RC-10 & RC-10T vehicles before they later started Team Losi in the late 1980's.

[@laserbeam1620]

I agree with everything you said except for this hobbies popularity. I've been playing with them since the 80s and it is undeniably more popular now than ever! The thing is that back then every single person in the hobby was very into the hobby!

[@SamBalducci]

@@laserbeam1620 Yes, but are more people racing or bashing? The Popalong RC boys report regularly of tracks closing in the UK. In the USA in the 90s when I raced I could find a track most everywhere now my own state has exactly one track an hour away if there is no traffic and only open on the weekends. This hobby is more popular for bashing and it seems like crawling is also taking off but this channel is for RC racing and that I am afraid is not healthy except for some very specific areas.

[@philipgreensmith1694]

Tamiya comes down to 1 word..... Nostalgia. We all know that there not the best of cars but like you say, how many of us got into this hobby with Tamiya 👍 Love the content, keep it up boys 👌

[@minigarage9241]

I don't think so, because I started in the Hobby in 2019 and I love Tamiyas (I have traxxas too) Easy too work and mod, the bodies are the best in the market and you need to build it from 0 Tamiyas are much more than Nostalgia IMO

[@philipgreensmith1694]

@minigarage9241 did I not say for the majority of us? My bad. If like me you grew up in the 80s when rc cars had wires attaching the transmitter to the car and then you saw a Grasshopper in action..... it was out of this world! Alot of people that got into the hobby in the 80s, got in through Tamiya so we have a soft spot for them still knowing there are better cars out there. Its great that people now days are still finding the hobby and Tamiya and in 30 years maybe you'll be having a similar conversation 😀 Have a great day and HAPPY RCing 👍

[@minigarage9241]

@@philipgreensmith1694 I like Tamiyas because the options. With some tools the posibilities are endless Now I'm building a CC-02 chasis and trying to reach 313 mm wheelbase to attach a Land Cruiser LC80 Hardbody.

[@PopalongRC]

Sounds like a fun project

[@minigarage9241]

@@PopalongRC At the moment is going well, but the most difficult part will start in a few days.

[@jeramiahweston8095]

Tamiya is great! I got into the hobby in 82 at the age of 8. These kits taught how to read instructions, build a running car not from radio shack. Painting the body hop up parts and racing with my buddies. Yea they broke but the nostalgic of these kits brings back so many great memories. I have over 75 vintage tamiya and kyosho vehicles. I can now afford the kits i couldn't 40 yrars ago. RC rules!!!!!

[@PopalongRC]

There is a trend of us older gents re living our youths

[@neilstothard]

The great thing about Tamiya is that they are a great entry in to RC building so people can get an introduction to building their own kit before they take the potential leap to a more expensive and advanced kit, they are also a great way for kids and parents to get into the hobby together, I did a tt02b with my daughter which has been upgraded over the years and I'll be getting my son something like a Lunchbox as his first build for his 6th birthday.

[@neilstothard]

@jjcatsura it's all about how they are brought up, I live in a semi rural area so you need to learn basics to get by, for example my kids won't learn to drive without learning how to change a tyre.

[@PopalongRC]

Totally agree they are brilliant for getting people into the hobby…

[@anthonyborg4399]

I like the Tamiya SRBs , frog Wild One and a few others purely for the novelty that they bring , with a tuned brush motor/lipo combo they work fine and on dirt and dry grass they are great and will last a long time.

[@user-bd5md5cm2j]

I bought my first one in 84 with my own money. Grasshopper. Built it drove it into the ground. 40 years ago. Kyosho were hot then. But the cartoonist box art pulled me in. Stuck with Tamiya for a bruiser, Blackfoot,monster Beatle,lunch box. No one made great parts and linkage then. You broke anything and everything. You blokes are just spoiled because stuff is better now after years of r&d. If you were there in the beginning, you could appreciate the old better than even the new. I'll take and old kit over a new on any day. Not just nastalgia, but innocent kits built for fun.

[@GhostRyderFPV]

TS100 Soldering iron, it'll change your life. Tamiya, where most of us got started in hobby-grade RC, is the Toyota of the RC world. Hardy, reliable, tough as nails, and quick enough to make you think you're a racing driver. The problem with Tamiya, though, is that most upgrade paths start with "Buy a Losi or Team Associated". But in it's intended form, you can't beat the Scale Details, the best instructions in the industry, the longest parts runs I've ever heard of (I get parts for my Grasshopper from 1988, right now).

[@PopalongRC]

Stock racing is great with these cars

[@rocpile]

"What is Tamiya to you? Tamiya is all about good clean fun" ...yes this is a quote which I have humbly borrowed. Likely many of you will immediately recognize it. Simply stated, those that criticize Tamiya simply don't understand their intent.

[@PopalongRC]

Some of our most memorable moments in RC have been connected to a Tamiya

[@tm5123]

I used to think the TT-01 was more or less of a coat hanger for shelf bodies. Then I found out the local club raced TT-01 trucks, went to have a look, looked fun. Got a truck, and realized its probably the most fun thing to race. Its not too fast, and its just good fun simple racing. Dont have spend hours and hours on the track trying to get that 0.1mm steering adjustment done on your 800€ touring car, everything is a bit sloppy so you can focus on driving more than tuning etc. If you just want to race, the less tuning options there are, the better. Then if you want to get a more involved class, you can move to more complex cars, but for starting out, I think the TT01s are perfect. Also, about the TT01 durability, I've had it fly end over end on many occasions, with no damage. It does seem to have one weakness, the rear wheels, if they get caught on something or banged into something at speed, will quite easily break the lower wishbone. Only thing i've seen breaking a few times on track really. Only thing I've broken on a TT-01 so far. Heck, I broke the ballstud on my servo direct horn, sheared off. The car was fine, the servo was fine(R12), the ballstud died. That I was quite impressed with. Hit the start of the sidewall head on with the wheel. Old tamiyas, are a bit different. That glass-plastic cant take many hits. 😂

[@ripmax333]

all true but there are many variants of the TT-01 which makes the Chassis more raced-focused with no slop on the steering ETC plus there are also many upgrades that you can make to make the TT-01 go toe to toe with more Pro Chassis.

[@paulgeddert6125]

TT01E truck racing is enormous fun. Evenly matched, can lean on each other, durable. The most fun you can have with your pants on 😅

[@----.__]

I've got a few Traxxas vehicles; X0-1, Gravedigger, a red monster truck same range as Gravedigger (can't remember the name) but have owned Kyoshos etc in the past. They're all vastly superior to Tamiya's offerings in terms of performance and quality, but I still can't go past a Tamiya. Nostalgia plays a big part, but I also really enjoy kit building too, and Traxxas etc are 99% RTR cars and while they drive better, I enjoy the Tamiya experience overall. If Tamiya caught up with the modern RC world they'd be unstoppable, but I fear that once us old blokes are gone, and the nostalgia we carry, it won't be long for Tamiya's RC line. Their model kits are good, and will always sell, but I don't know any friends of my nephew that own or even want a Tamiya.

[@richard1472]

Tamiya and I go as far back as the original Sand Scorcher and Rough Rider and beyond. They've always seemed to prioritize scale fidelity to performance. "Not that there's anything wrong with that." And they're fun to build, too. It's best to let Tamiya race among themselves, and leave the serious racing to guys like Losi and Associated. But Tamiya is certainly not rubbish.

[@PopalongRC]

Tamiya racing is fun racing

[@richard1472]

@@PopalongRC I have a TT01 clone, mostly carbon fiber and blue anodized aluminum. I like painting bodies so I use it for stuff like that. I just like having it, that's all. Keep hitting those marks! 😉

[@PopalongRC]

Got to love a bit of bling

[@richard1472]

@@PopalongRC Nothing wrong with a little eye candy. 🤪

[@andyrobinsonrc2480]

Some of my favourite racing had been done with Tamiya cars , whether it’s all a one make class or against other brands, I love seeing how well I could go against thoroughbred race machines. I always go back to Tamiya , no one does what they do and offers the range of cars they do :)

[@PopalongRC]

Fair point

[@SpeccyMan]

There's only 2 things you really need to know about soldering: 1) A good solder joint will be reliable and it will last. 2) A bad solder joint will not be reliable and it will not last. The best way to avoid 2 is to ensure both ends of the connection are clean and properly tinned and to also ensure the tip of your iron is clean and properly tinned and at a hot enough temperature. I've been soldering for 40+ years and never had number 2. 😁 Like most things, it is a skill you have to learn in order to get it right. I was lucky enough to be taught by a professional.

[@georgegonzalez9281]

The Hot Shot was my first RC car. I bought it to race at a local track. The clerk at the hobby shop highly recommended that I buy the RC10 instead, but, I bought the Hot Shot because of the cool box art and the fact that it was 4WD. I bought a hot 27 turn stock motor and a couple expensive battery packs so I could be competitive with it. The buggy actually handled quite well at the track, but the drive train was so inefficient, that my batteries would always dump before the 4 minute race was over. And yes I had installed a full bearing kit when I first built the kit. Interesting fact is that the buggy was actually quite durable - it hardly ever broke. I bought a Yokomo Dog Fighter shortly after. The Dog Fighter was super fast, but I rarely finished a race with it because the front suspension was so fragile - it would break if you tapped a pipe or bumped into another car every single time. I finally caved and bought an RC10 and it was absolutely brilliant. I guess I should have listened to the clerk. Oh how times have changed :)

[@mrdavester]

In the 80's i sorely wanted a hotshot and the RC10. I settled for the Falcon as that is what i could afford as a kid. It was extremely durable.

[@rexrcs]

This was a really good video. My channel makes me look like a Tamiya fan, but the truth is, I use to think they were toys and nothing more, I was all about race tiered vehicles, until the TA05 came out and they proved me wrong with their TRF products, and then at the start of covid I decided to go discover what Tamiya had to offer and it turns out they have lots to offer. Such a disrespectful snob I was

[@PopalongRC]

RC snobbery

[@kentonian]

Tamiya have many foibles but they are a reliable and honest company in my opinion. They can be expensive but the exchange rate with Japan is helping right now. You guys are the fry and Laurie of the rc world. Love it

[@PopalongRC]

Cheer buddy thanks for watching

[@threeohm]

I loved Tamiya back in the day when I was a kid. Now that I have my own money I'm buying Team Associated kits. That said if I walked into my local hobby shop and they had a Hot Shot kit sitting on the shelf I'd probably buy it. It would never get run, but I'd build it and put it somewhere to admire.

[@PopalongRC]

I had to run mine at least once … hHahaha

[@leedavies2267]

Best video yet guys, had me grinning all the way through and chuckled at Mark's grin at the end. Ace !

[@barrycheesemore2928]

I've had a lot of Tamiya cars over the years, and I agree, some of them were bloody terrible, but some of them were totally awesome! The TA-05 was superb out of the box, almost no hop-ups required to be competitive. And the M-07, what a fantastic little car, so much fun, one of the most fun cars I have ever raced. Granted, some Tamiya cars are so bad they should never be run, but they get people into the hobby, and for that they deserve a huge amount of praise!!

[@PopalongRC]

That is true I like how the TT01e runs

[@cutterbacon]

@@PopalongRC Im just building a tt01 with 2 motors and 2 gearboxes right at this moment :D amazing fun.

[@cutterbacon]

​@@PopalongRC Rolson Tools 20pc Micro HSS Drill Bit Set 0.3 - 1.6mm T-RO-48304 Item dispatched ReceiptID: 2451694 £5.99 Schumacher 22t Steel Pinion Gear - 0.6mod U7722 Item dispatched ReceiptID: 2451694 £3.99 Schumacher 22t Steel Pinion Gear - 0.6mod U7722 Item dispatched ReceiptID: 2451694 £3.99 Tamiya Urethane Bumper M/tt-01 Tgs (Tt-01) 51007 Item dispatched ReceiptID: 2451694 £3.79 Tamiya TT-01 B Parts 51003 Item dispatched ReceiptID: 2451694 £14.24 Tamiya 4WD TT-01 Chassis Models Ballrace Bearing Set BTTT01 Item dispatched ReceiptID: 2451694 £14.00 Modelsport Bearing 8x12x3.5mm MSP-MR128-2Z Hobbywing Quicrun 0880 Dual Motor Brushed ESC (80A) Waterproof HW30120301 Tamiya Connector Fitted Item dispatched ReceiptID: 2451694 £39.49 Etronix 8.2kg/ 0.11s Low Profile Digital Servo, Metal Gear ET2035 Item dispatched ReceiptID: 2451694 £20.89 Tamiya TT01 Type E A Parts - Upright 51318 Item dispatched ReceiptID: 2451694 £4.51 Tamiya TT01 Type E A Parts - Upright Approx build cost will be 250 pounds.

[@thesillypig785]

Tamiya had a significant role in the early scale/crawler days. Back then there was nothing and people just made their own cars. Their hardbodies like the Hilux were, and still are, very popular. The TLT axles were another very popular thing. Also the Bruiser axles. And let's not forget the CC01. For the more hardcore crawlers the Clod's axles were used a lot.

[@jayford4685]

One of the most underrated RC 4x4s the CC01

[@adrianharrison5208]

I used to break my RC cars when I was younger and that was to be expected the way I drove them, these days not so much unless I am putting stupid power through them. Also you said it yourself, people start racing with a Tamiya and then move on to something more competitive, if you don't snap something when you are starting out 🤷. It's kind of like when I was starting out with my CNC router, I would snap at least $100 worth of end mills every month, Now not so much. I went to my local hobby shop yesterday and he has as usual a Traxxas on the counter being fixed and at least another 10 waiting in the background to be fixed, they all break

[@PopalongRC]

All cars eventually reach breaking point

[@cutterbacon]

Gods own chariot came from a tamiya kit. Tamiya is rubbish? tamiya is simply the greatest in the world ever.

[@PopalongRC]

Hahahahaha

[@AndrewBorrill1]

Still running a Tamiya M03 at my local racing club. The car must now be over 15yrs old. Its now a real struggle to find replacement parts when something breaks. New/replacement parts are as rare as hen's teeth. Still a great car to race.

[@PopalongRC]

We shelved our M03’s due to lack of parts

[@rc-fannl7364]

Creating nice entry level standard classes is a great feat, indeed. But before the Avante and Egress, their rc buggies looked great, but usually underperformed, using hard plastics where other companies used fiber reinforced stuff, and more. I still remember a classmate having the plastic shock caps just pop off from his Tamiya, while another classmate's Marui just kept going, even though it had much more to endure. Their manuals are top notch though, as well as stuff like the switch lubricant that was intended for mechanical speed controllers.

[@PopalongRC]

I have some funny story’s about mechanical speed controls

[@Paul-XCIV2]

This is funny because.. when I was 15 my hobby was RC cars and I had a Fox. The one and only time I (reluctantly) took it racing (at Crystal Palace) my race and hobby(!!!) ended.. when it crashed and snapped the chassis in half. I guess the moral of the story is.. Tamiya cars are not designed for racing and don't let someone bully you into doing something that you don't really want to do. I still love Tamiya.. so much so that I recently rekindled the hobby by completely stripping down the old Fox and repaired with a new Novafox chassis and some new electronics.

[@PopalongRC]

Glad you enjoyed reminiscing

[@RC-oe8dm]

Your Tamiyas fell apart? Well you did build them

[@PopalongRC]

Hahaha

[@letzvisit1661]

I grew up with Tamiya and was given my first RC car which was a Tamiya manta ray when I was about 9-10 and I still have it. I love the sound they make too lol I have many cars now and a few are Tamiya! but still would buy another in a heartbeat . They are suitable for what they are marketed for. They aren’t overpriced and it is the go to first big brand when people get into rc.

[@PopalongRC]

Responsible for getting so many people into RC and RC racing

[@wayneccj0710]

In defense of Tamiya, if you follow the instructions, the parts all fit & the models work. I got the Hot Shot in 1985, the first year it came out. Once, it got run over by a real car. None of the plastic parts broke. Some of the bolts got bent & I had to replace the battery because it got ground into the pavement. It took less than an hour to fix, & I continued to play with it for years afterward. In fact, I still have it. As far as competition performance, I have no comment because I never took it to a track. It was my first RC kit. I have tried other brands & I was very disappointed. All I have in my collection now is Tamiya. I do recommend that the detailed hard plastic bodies be used for display & get a flexible lexan body for play.

[@PopalongRC]

Display or play

[@GilmoreDK]

Started in 1985 with a beat up used Super Champ, moved on to a Hornet.. attended a race, saw the brand spanking new Super Shots.. saved up to that one! raced it and loved it for a couple of years, moved on to Mini-Mustangs, Yokomos and a wonderfull Procat with all racing bells and whistles... At that point in time Tamiya was behind technologically, heavy, bad handling.. the Cats, Yokomos and Optima Mids were way ahead...

[@CycloTourist]

I've been racing since the mid-1980s, mostly with off-road buggies. The most durable electric 1/10 RC buggy I have ever owned was the Tamiya Baldre/Durga DB-01. A year of club racing, every weekend, from spring to autumn, with a 17.5 BL motor and not a single broken part. Every weekend I had the toughest fights for first or second place with a club friend who drove a Tamiya Plasma Edge (TT-01B). All the Assos, Losis, Schumacher and TTech Predators were not faster. And they weren't more reliable. The only thing I had to do between runs was clean the car and charge the batteries. And every now and then the ball differentials were relubricated and adjusted. By the way, my most durable 1/8 buggy was from Mugen Seiki.

[@PopalongRC]

Awesome

[@TestDriverRC]

You're Rubbish RC builders if your cars are falling apart 😂

[@PopalongRC]

We know

[@carlwest2752]

The reason I love Tamiya is the build and nostalgia with a sheer quirky fun factor!

[@PopalongRC]

agreed

[@----.__]

This video is great, and the dislikes prove that not all people watch an entire video before rating it. They start of saying "Tamiya is rubbish", but then go on to explain why Tamiya cars are popular, why they're fun, why they scratch a certain itch, and ultimately why they always bring out a smile. The video then ends with them saying "Tamiya cars are amazing". It's so easy to just compare a Tamiya car with an ultra high end offering from another brand, and base your comparison on that alone. But as this video points out, Tamiya is more than just the car you see. Ironically, this video is much like what Tamiya is, and personifies the brand perfectly; it's not to be taken at face value.

[@PopalongRC]

Cheers for you kind words

[@----.__]

@@PopalongRC All good mate, really enjoying your videos. You make a great team, reminds me of the chemistry from Shaun of the Dead! Have yourselves a great Christmas and a happy new year :)

[@FirstNation1492]

Started with the TT01 first upgrades were bearings and aluminum drive shaft on a brushless system, Instantly brought a smile to my face First drive, ended up buying all types of hop ups and have not driven the car once since upgrading, I can only imagine how it will handle now. Overall drove my TT01E twice and had it for close to two years now, I mainly like to buy car bodies and paint them more then actually Driving my car around. Tamiya defiantly got me into a hobby that I could only wish to be in 20years ago when I was 10.

[@PopalongRC]

That’s awesome

[@Alvino_rc]

that story about tamiya in the racing clubs was hilarious😂😂

[@PopalongRC]

Good times

[@Alvino_rc]

@@PopalongRC haha i’m sure😌

[@3Y3ECE]

Aliexpress is selling these soldering irons that work similarly to a hot glue gun, you literally pull a trigger to feed the solder to your iron. $15, with solder spool, and you can pick your plug for all us non-Chinese outlet users (US, UK, lookin' at you...). I have 4 soldering irons now. They all have pro's and cons. Had one hotshot back in the day. Was impressed, at the time. Came back to the hobby big just a year before the pandemic, and, still have not picked up another Tamiya. I like that Mad Bull, I like the Lunch box... But it's nice to see a couple of fans bickering the pro's and cons. It's organic. I appreciated it. I subbed for it. I've seen you guys around several of the other channels within the RC community, and it's been a treat. Lookin' forward to rifling through your content!! Keep up the great work, fellas, and, thanks for what you do!

[@PopalongRC]

Cheers buddy thanks for watching enjoy the channel

[@darkurbanexploring]

My first ever rc was a Tamiya Tgs nitro. Got it at a boot sale. I absolutely loved it I spent hundreds on it over the year. Now I’m hooked on rc cars and buggy.

[@PopalongRC]

First car for so many

[@IowaBudgetRCBashers]

For a soldering iron a weller 45 watt works well, but if you’ve got a bit of money to spend, a pace soldering station is the way to go

[@PopalongRC]

Good to know

[@FreeThinkingTruther]

Weller make the best soldering irons, also the most expensive, but they're what the pro's use ( I used to solder professionally)

[@PopalongRC]

Cool good to know

[@techspeedrc]

I use an Atten soldering station for use in the workshop, but I rarely use it these days after I got a T100 soldering iron. I bought a T100 to use at the track where you don't have mains power and I now have a selection of bits for it to cover all circumstances. It runs on 12-24v and I've made a lead to connect batteries in series as if you run T100 on a 6S battery it heats up instantly and it is powerful enough to solder ESCs and motors.

[@PopalongRC]

Sounds good 👌🏻

[@Paul__FC]

Almost went full Karen when I saw the title. Tamiya is awesome.

[@PopalongRC]

Glad you stayed to watch

[@CEO_of_Dummheit]

I got a used TT-01 least year and I was pretty happy,but then I got a new chassis BC I wanted to build a rally car and didn't have enough money for new electronics and that stuff.but for newbies to RC hobby Tamiya is great in my opinion

[@PopalongRC]

Responsible for so many people joining the hobby

[@andicog]

I had a good few Tamiya cars, started with the Countach CS special and bought a Wild Willy, Hotshot and Wild one, built loads for other people as well, the Countach and the Hotshots would eat motor pinions, mate used to make me batches out of phosphor bronze as I was fed up buying them, the Hotshots suspension system was crap, weak pivots that would wear and driveshafts that would come loose.the Hotshot was much more fun built as a 2wd, I bought a Kyosho Ford Sierra and couldn't believe how well made the chassis and gearbox were compared to Tamiya.

[@PopalongRC]

That is a great collection

[@michaeldorich4485]

A lot of us cannot afford the more expensive cars. Look at all the fun you had at the KZbinrs TT02 race. My biggest complaint about Tamiya is all the kits they put out without bearings. Recentl, Tamiya released a KZbin video where Tamiya and Toyota combined forces to set up day when young children and their parents worked together on building TT02's. If you haven't seen it, please try and find it.

[@PopalongRC]

That sounds amazing

[@michaeldorich4485]

@@PopalongRC There were a lot of happy kids. It's nice to see parents working along side their children.

[@PopalongRC]

Great stuff

[@bravo0105]

My primary issue with Tamiya is that they dropped the mid-level TA/TB chassis kit offerings that included a scale body; they were a step above the TT chassis kits and much more affordable than the TRF kits. I don't compete so that's not an issue for me; with the amount of work to finish a Tamiya JGTC/SuperGT body, I never pushed the cars on the track as I have too much invested in them.

[@diamond66ist]

Tamiya is primarily bought by middle aged men that couldn't afford them as kids ( me included) , in terms of capability they are really only entry level cars , in my opinion they are shelf queens.

[@PopalongRC]

We have a few shelf queens

[@johnnyhaberfield721]

The word soldering ,that offended me.I just take any soldering jobs to a nice man called Alan @Sussex Model Centre in Worthing.Thanks Alan.✌️

[@PopalongRC]

I’ll have to Popalong and see Alan in action

[@johnnyhaberfield721]

@@PopalongRC He sold me a 100 watt soldering iron.Knowing I will never use it.£18 pound 99 pence.Looks nice.✌️

[@PopalongRC]

Good to know

[@AdrianPrince-f8l]

Tamiya specialise in plastic models…they don’t have to make top flight rc cars….not many manufacturers make perfectly scale rc models…in the end you can make any car a race winner with the right prep…

[@PopalongRC]

Yeah there were TT01s going faster than my Touring car at the iconic

[@simondavanzo4716]

Tamiya cars are great provided nothing else is on the track! One make races for them are fun, but they can't compete. I too remember the old days when people turned up with a Super Sabre and went home with broken parts. Fast forward 25 years and they don't break, but they also just aren't competitive either. Great fun to drive if you have nothing to compare to so fine for hobbists but not racers.

[@PopalongRC]

Modern day Tamiya are so much hetter

[@xXYannuschXx]

I think most people that say that "Tamiya is rubbish" only look at their toy grade / entry level stuff and then think thats all they do. The mid grade or high end stuff is FAR better. Just take a look at the XV01 or XV02, TA08, TC01, TD4, BBX, or any of the TRF models.

[@lonniemustard7111]

My first Black foot and grasshopper and I still have both of them today and those two got me into the hobbies and now I have over 300 remote control cars and I still buy Tamiya

[@essexboydave]

It’s all about cost I’ve had tamiya kyosho and losi I wouldn’t go racing with a tamiya but as a kid I would never have been able to buy anything other than a tamiya And even today they do loads of cool looking cars so I’d still buy them even if it was based on looks alone

[@rivierarc]

I have always been mainly Tamiya with a smattering of others. I got into racing 'back in the day' with the FF01 and took part in the Tamiya Eurocup in '96... that was awesome. Now I have mainly Tamiyas including the TT01e truck. Would love to compete with the M-chassis FWD but wouldnt want to pay for an Xpress FWD so would possibly go for an M-05 or M-07 and see how I got on with them. While racing now I usually hope to get my times better rather than win. Its the taking part I enjoy 😊😊😊

[@PopalongRC]

Off to the iconic cup today which is basically euro cup rules

[@rivierarc]

@@PopalongRC oooh cool..... 😁😁

[@Chunky246]

Ah yes, RC race clubs....... the classic 'new people turned up'...... They used to turn up to 'our' race meetings..... 'Them'... 😆😁

[@PopalongRC]

hahaha Sad but true

[@creedpowell]

Tamiya makes some amazing scale 1/14th offerings. Got to love the Semitrucks.

[@PopalongRC]

Yes they do

[@alphawlff]

Tamiya is a good starting starting point for most. The low end entry level vehicles are good for experimenting. You can run a low level Tamiya with the high level vehicles. But you have to heavily mod it to do so.

[@PopalongRC]

Give a tip driver a Tamiya and they will make it look good

[@perkristoffersson4153]

I remember years ago, reading reports from the euro finals and world cup and all. 1:10 buggies were the thing back then. And Tamiya were nowhere to be seen. I think they might have had some prototype racing but they really never seemed to have anything you could buy outside of the plastic-fantastic toys. Meanwhile, Schumacher, Yokomo, Associated, Kyosho and Losi all ended up having at least a couple of cars in their lineup designed to race at that level. Maybe Tamiya had more of a presence in the UK though?

[@zeno6111753]

I recommend the Sequre SQ-A110 soldering iron. You can adjust the temperature and change out the tip. So you can use it for some heavy duty soldering like connectors and such. And also for small circuits soldering.

[@PopalongRC]

Nice one

[@paulsmith9106]

Just bought the Tamiya MK2 Rally Escort for my school RC club....really for me but I'm letting the kids build it. Keep on posting guys as you keep the small wheels real and on the ground

[@PopalongRC]

Thanks Paul

[@PSS521]

Tamiya cars have strong identity and character as does kyosho. Other brands perform but they feel more like commodities

[@jimcurt99]

I love this hobby because it's easy to do what you want and have tons of fun. I may try a Tamiya kit someday, but I'm not a racer (I'm not a very good driver), I like the RTR bashers. If I (by mistake) ran a Tamiya car into the curb in front of my house at 50mph that car would explode, my Rustler MIGHT break an A-arm....

[@PopalongRC]

That is true Get the right car for the job at hand

[@KnightPoetic]

I'll love Tamiya until death, I don't care if it's competitive or not that's not why we build it.

[@PopalongRC]

I enjoy the build process also

[@rcalltypes8230]

Tamiya, wasn’t so bad in the 1980’s & early 1990’s. Tamiya has just failed to keep up with brands like, Arrma & Traxxas. Even Wltoys, are proving cheap brushless rtr buggies. Nostalgia keeps them going, I’m just happy they have rereleased so many classics 😎

[@PopalongRC]

We are all collectors of the classics …. So happy for the rere cars

[@alexpenulis]

Well, as far as i'm into RC hobbyst since kid, my first rc is Singaporean Nikko rc, at that time, they are quite nice. As at that time Kyosho is too expensive for my parent salary. Kyosho came first to my country, even at that time Tamiya model already get in, but none of the seller or shop brought tamiya yet. I just got into Tamiya when i was at age early 30, worked as expatriate. Then my money enough to get into serious rc hobby. But why i am into Tamiya? It was simple answer, that time Tamiya RC very popular in country i worked for. It was difficult back then to search rc like Traxxas or Kyosho in that country. And if they are there, i don't think i would buy either. As Tamiya more fun to build 😂

[@alantaylor353]

I've just gotten myself an XV-01 Pro & WOW.!!! What a special car it is.! Absolutely sublime.!! 👍 👍 👍

[@manat31790]

Hobby grade RC cars are expensive, especially "competitive" ones that have prices that can make you want to buy a high-spec gaming PC instead, because that can last you 10-20 years of office works or KZbin/Twitch careers that can earn you stable income. Meanwhile, Tamiya RCs are reasonably priced, extremely robust, and great for pastime fun to build *and* play. For many people, especially adults with families, that's more than enough. The most competitive Tamiya has ever been nowadays is Mini 4WD. They are a lot cheaper than RC cars, so you can fully invest in the hobby without breaking your bank account. They also have scaled bodies for Hotshot, Grasshopper, and other classic Tamiya RC buggies. The only downside is that you can't control your car; you can only do your best as an engineer and pray that your machine won't overspeed and fall off the track.

[@PopalongRC]

Ever really got into the mini 4wd thing

[@Pablo668]

That was brilliant. Perfectly capturing the enigma that is Tamiya. I have more Tamiya than anything else.

[@PopalongRC]

Think it came across as a balanced argument

[@juliusdream2683]

I was going to waitron comment but I can’t. Tamiya is (NOT) really meant for competition racing. Tamiya is built for fun. And if you’re breaking you’re kits constantly perhaps 🤔 you have a motor or gearing that’s to fast for that kit. I rarely break my buggy’s and trucks Tamiya’s I’m talking. So if you wanna race in America 🇺🇸 my home go with Team Associated or TLR Kyosho anything really but Schumacher they are hard to get parts for here in the states. I would recommend Team Associated 100%. Tamiya is the best straight up gun kits to me. Remember most of Tamiyas stuff is from the 1980,s there 40 year old designs most and are still just a blast to run. Good show fellas I thought you were going to just harp on how Tamiya is not a great choice for a racing buggy or SCT stadium truck . There a great choice for everything else and some kits with a good driver can hold they’re own on a track…🍕👍🏼🇺🇸.

[@ProcyonAlpha]

Nah, for what i want from rc car tamiya is the best. I have a sand viper, had gh2 when a kid. Love them to bits.

[@PopalongRC]

Mine was the hotshot such good memories

[@The_Absurdistt]

Tamiya TRF has multiple world championships. Enough said.

[@PopalongRC]

True but not anything recently ….

[@andyroo8uk685]

started with a tamiya then fell out of love with rc about 14-16 years of age ....wltoys got me back on the waggon close to my 40s but brought a ff-01 and tt-02 and both shelf queens only brought for them for memorys of my childhood 😂

[@PopalongRC]

We have a couple of shelf queens Hotshot was brought as a queen but believe it deceived at least one run

[@andyroo8uk685]

@@PopalongRC my tt-02 i made brushless with the hop-ups (no metal parts) mostly driveshaft bearings ect for to be a shelf queen but i have been tempted to run her with a old shell on haha 😆

[@torredchc1768]

The sweaty competitive rc brands are all the same looking pretty soulless when it comes to style and fun imo.

[@teespestquest]

Tamiya sells kits, that alone beats most other brands as building is the best bit plus you know how to fix it as you put it together. Most of the so called top brands are all RTR. If anything this makes them more of a toy does it not? 🤔

[@PopalongRC]

Your not wrong

[@basementracer]

Also, I have thought this for a long time lol, it's meant with love and a laugh but I swear to god you two are the reincarnation of Laurel and Hardy but in RC lol. You even fit the bill visually, great channel, great comradery. You two work well together. Excellent stuff.

[@PopalongRC]

Laurel and Hardy Hahahahaha love it

[@jeremymiller2340]

Ya'lls comedy and genuine brightness made my morning!! Thanks guys!!!!

[@PopalongRC]

Cheers for commenting

[@jasonkessinger8062]

Tamiya is a great historic brand but compared to current standards they are not race grade. They are expensive toy grade with brittle plastics, even the newer ones like the euro trucks. We tried to race TT-02s at our local carpet track and you couldn't finish a race without 1/2 the field breaking. Get an AE, or Xray and you will be 100x happier in the long run. I even think the traxxas vtech is a better car. For a new person getting into RC the Traxxas Slash 2wd is the BEST starter vehicle, Ask anyone who is a serious RC racer.

[@PopalongRC]

There are other great brands for sure ….

[@myharryface]

Tamiya was the thing when I was a kid in the early 70's. But they decided to not keep pace with the rest of the world. So they are just "old" cars to me now (and for a long time) ... and I'm not particularly nostalgic ... I want awesome vehicles. And they don't have them.

[@PopalongRC]

Nothing is more nostalgic though

[@myharryface]

@@PopalongRC So are rotary phones. :)

[@jameslister8048]

I love Tamiyas, and it hurts to hear some of the truths you guys have explored in this video. But it was nicely done.

[@aidangale6620]

Ti22 rc products sell a great one for mains and goes up to 500 degrees with a digital temperature control and its very affordable

[@DTW-bx2vy]

If your looking for a pure race performance RC car with extreme durability, Tamiya is certainly not the choice to make. They are pretty much cheap Tyco or Nikko RC cars but with replacement parts, in all honesty.

[@Luke-en2tk]

Get the LRP soldering Iron, or you can get the unbranded version of it for a little cheaper used by most the top racers here in the UK. I use one in my shop and it's brilliant

[@PopalongRC]

Awesome

[@andrewmagro7703]

No worries,😱 Mark Apology Accepted 🤣😂🤣, Yes Tamiya rc cars have there Flaws as lots of Rc's have but i do agree with the trf cars my 415MS i had to put alloy arms on the rear as they kept exploding with the littlest of knocks but the nostalgia of Tamiya is second to none and having around 1/3rd of the first 100 whether its vintage or a re release i really love them and collect them mostly as there so much more affordable and an abundance of a variety , thanks again guys for a proper laugh and cracker of a show today cheers men🙂

[@kanenstuff]

Get the Hakko FX888D it's the best and a good price it's my go to soldering iron and you may actually get a good solder joint done 😂

[@PopalongRC]

Awesome ..nice one

[@marresjepie1887]

'Rubbish' ? Depends heavily what you expect from a car. Comp-buggies? Touring cars? Monster trucks? Crawlers? Tamiya has them all, but stopped marketing them as 'competition cars" They're innovative, but often chose the most complex solutions for simple things. Great fun if you were a hobbyist that relishes the building, but not the competitions, like me. I raced competitions in the 90's, but got sick&tired of the 'He who shoves the most money in his car, wins, and everything cheaper is rubbish'' attitude that prevailed. For me Tamiya is the brand with originality. Kyosho is a close second. The rest? Nice for comps, but all samey-samey. No character whatsoever. Admittedly, Losi is starting to become a real innovative and good looking brand from a scaler's perspective. (Not talking Crawlers here.. that's a whole different bag 'o apples) What mainly made Tamiya the 'brand' was the fact that they were widely available from the get-go in the 80's, even in Toy-stores, unlike the comp-oriented stuff, especially the stuff that came from the US. Good luck finding an RC10, or a Team Losi buggy in the 80's/90's and NOT having to pay extortionist-prices. (Especially in main-land Europe) Added to that their refusal to go metric. Kyosho? Available, but iffy afa spare part availability. Traxxas? Not yet ' a thing'. etc. etc. 'Rubbish' Yes, if you rammed it into others and the side boards the early Tami's would shatter, especially when it was cold. Having said that, the much hated, but loved (and somewhat brittle) HotShot sent shock-waves through the buggy comp scene for a while, until others properly caught-up (Not talking the Yokomo pig-dog here. That butt-ugly conflagration of hand-filed parts and tie wraps was only for the serious tinkerer) In the end, people can piss and moan about Tamiya's 'Rubbish Materials' to their heart's content and Tamiya will be cryin' .. All the way to the bank' As they say.. :P

[@jerzinho92]

Tamiya proposes simple cars with the nicest bodies of the market for half the price of any other manufacturer. Sure, you wont have best perf out of the box, but for most of users it will be enough. And if you want to upgrade, you could still have fun. Worst default in my mind is you need to buy a full grape when you break something...

[@PopalongRC]

Best bodies for sure

[@ronnieguion8488]

While I have a lot of tamiya cars and trucks in my collection kyosho is my favorite back in the 80s and the 90s.

[@thudtheace]

I would have to say that TLR car was pretty rubbish, when it snapped a shock shaft!🤣 and Mark built it😂.. Just had to poke you there😅.. I do agree some Tamiya's are rubbish, but they have some good cars out there. The TRF/TB-EVO cars are really good.. And for cheap cars the TT-01, and the TT-02 cars are pretty good (on and off road). FYI I have been building a racing Tamiya's (and other cars) since 1980 when I got my first car a Tamiya Rough Rider. The front suspension and front steering would fall apart, and I loved it! Cheers!

[@PopalongRC]

We all love Tamiya deep down and tech has come on a lot in recent years

[@thudtheace]

@@PopalongRC Yep, Tamiya has come a long ways and we love them for all there flaws (well not always )🤪. Thanks for all the video's! Keep up the good work. Cheers!

[@monkeyzx9]

Tamiya make plastic models that happen to move. That’s all, I love them.

[@PopalongRC]

fair

[@jayford4685]

Tamiya = memories whether you are in your 40s like me or just picking out your first one. You should be saying they suck as a race platform as they dont suck as an rc car to have fun with Tamiya made fun rc cars not race cars

[@ctimm5019]

I never got Tamiyas for their performance, some of them are not too bad. They are different animals

[@MostDopeWooper]

It really depends on the model indeed, got a +15 year old M03, used to race it back then, but nowadays I kinda bash it at the skatepark, have many spares (almost complete car) only broke 1 arm in all those years. But also got a F103 same age I stopped driving because I broke many things.

[@PopalongRC]

We do love the M03 one of our favorite cars

[@MostDopeWooper]

@@PopalongRC together with HPI E-savage, my favorite cars. To bad you don't see many of those anymore.

[@thegreattreon0177]

Tamiya cars are either great handling indestructible tanks or great handling brittle cars or terrible handling brittle cars or terrible handling tanks

[@PopalongRC]

Ticks all the boxes then

[@jasonkohlmeier6707]

If tamiya is rubbish then why wear the shirts and buy them? The problem today is people are lazy and want everything instantly. Tamiya and Kyosho etc taught one how to build, Follow instructions, and actually see how the car actually works. When they came out every hobby shop had parts (I was maybe 9). If you look today which you say they just break. Well I work part time at hoobytown usa and I have a backlog of arma and traxxas all broken. Not to mention why don’t have parts for half of them. They are either back ordered or out of stock and we still wait on horizon hobby to get the parts in. Then again people want instant fix and just go buy a new car. Name one car manufacturer where none of their cars break: some people want to race for fun and they don’t care if they don’t win. Your thought process on this is not well thought out. Any plastic that sits for 30 years is going to be brittle. Is tamiya perfect no! But my son hasn’t broken any of his tamiya and he drives them but always has to fox his arms and axial. Cant drive his typhoon because they don’t have the spur gear and has been waiting for 6 months now. His car isn’t even a year old.

[@alfredyost7972]

I like Tamiya cars. I do have many. However. Tamiya cars are good for beginners and also good if you want a scale looking R/C car. I would never race a Tamiya car. Thoughts?

[@gigglehurtz3167]

i love tamiy a kits, fun affordable i recommend them. Especially if like me you just like building the kits for fun.

[@PopalongRC]

They are great project cars and enjoyable builds

[@basementracer]

Tamiya = Love. They are the best out there and anyone that says any different are blasphemers and need to be taken to the ducking stool!

[@PopalongRC]

Hahaha … are they the marmite of RC

[@basementracer]

@@PopalongRC Yerp and chit. I love Marmite.

[@SuperBigdanno]

Some Tamiya' s are good some are bad. I have a Tl01b that is almost indestructible and thats on brushless with over 500 battery packs run through it. Then I have a Df01 Blazing star and before I even ran it the front hubs cracked and I dropped it on my bed from about 1 foot high and the front shock tower broke off... would be nice if they were all the same quality. I have Radio shack buggies to Kyosho to Hsp and they all seem to have the same quality problem as Tamiya it just that Tamiya has it the worst. Seems like its all just part of the RC game.

[@rccars4all]

back in the day my first tamiya was a Striker bought it from Kays Catalogue and that was a great car loved it BUT the chassis was so weak at the front it would just look at a bump and snap so i soon replaced it with a mid then went onto a Avante then found schumacher had a Cougar and a Procat then i started to win and raced all over

[@PopalongRC]

We all have our memories of Tamiya

[@purehillmanimp]

I found your channel because of the iconic videos, and I’ll hopefully see you tomorrow in London 🤘🏻

[@PopalongRC]

Hope you had a good one at Iconic Lost track of all the people we spoke to throughout the weekend Great time had by all

[@simonz28]

its like an rc version of derek and clive.....

[@PopalongRC]

Haha cheers buddy

[@lefthandscott]

Amazing video! Amazing insight... I feel enlightened! You guys talk the talk. Respect! (Do I buy a Tamiya or not?! F#ck knows!) 😅

[@PopalongRC]

Cheers Scott