My beef with Tamiya that is pushing me away from the brand is that it looks like that everything they sell is a discontinued or very soon discontinued item. So no parts... no support at all. Why they just don't keep a f***ing line of products and support it!! All most of parts and upgrades are third-party parts. Other brands keep their products in the market for a long time so you feel confident that you will find parts and upgrades for it. Teams Associated, Yokomo, X-Ray so many other brands that make buggies...so more capable and you always find every single part you need easy.
Their entry on-road cars are usually supported for a long time. The TT-01 has been around for how many years now? 200? jk but it's been around for ages and parts have always been available. Sadly definitely not the case for the more unique chassis.
@@KacKLaPPeN23 That's my point... only TT01 and TT02(this on my opinion is one of the worst chassis they ever made, sadly have two...lol)... all the rest are like a crazy chase for parts.
@@problemchild1976 I know right. I'm grateful that Tamiya even re-re some of these iconic cars. They can always choose not too but they did. The ones that moaned probably hope their NiB kits could give them pension money hahaha
@@grahamaker1648 this elder agrees with you. Glad you are enjoying the vintage Tamiya's and I wish it was more affordable to enjoy also. People buying to profit from the hobby take from those who want to enjoy the hobby, but they are just being oplortunitist. It happens across all markets but it doesn't make it any less frustrating. There are kits I would like to access but simply not willing to drop crazy wedge on them.
I remember feeling I could splurge for a kit but then after the charger, radio and batteries were totaled up, the out-the-door price effectively doubled.
Sorry Gav, just because I could afford “a” kit as a kid doesn’t mean that I should pay a premium now because I’m an adult. This train of thought is based on I have an income as opposed to an allowance. Therefore I spend more on more products rather than just having one kit, I have many. Disposable income?! The comparison between the Slash and the Evo, really! Something I can drive at 100km/h and bash the living suitcase out of it. I can easily replace parts and modify very cost effectively. Not very flattering for the Tamiya side! Just demonstrates the inequity of their pricing! Lego! No comparison. Newly designed and licensed kits that are 10s of thousands of parts, great value for money. Tamiya are where Lego was about a decade or more ago! Stale, selling expensive kits based on memorabilia. Brand loyalty will burn out very quick when you sell old technology and and designs for top prices. Lego nearly went broke! There is no R&D, tooling and manufacturing is already established and it is just a re release, same design flaws and issues as the originals. Nothing totally new from Tamiya in how long? Yet other companies manage to constantly release, in particular 1/10 scale “racing” buggies at similar prices regularly. The latest technology and materials, and in a much more competitive market. I wouldn’t buy a single kit from the latest 2021 release line up. So disappointed 😢 30+ year old technology and manufacturing does not warrant these prices! Rant over. Deep breath and let it go 😂👍🤓🇦🇺
Tamiya has always been expensive. As a kid (I am 43 this year) all I could do was stare at the catlogues and model shops and dream about owning one - my parents could no way afford one, because like you say, it's not just the model kit, it's everything else. One kid at school had a Hornet, everyone else (like me), had a cheap Nikko rc buggy. Avante is expensive, but's also the top end model.. And I dunno, I pay £190 a month in council tax so £450 for a kit doesn't seem horrific. If anyone remembers nights out in pubs or restraunts, how much would you spend there? £100? Or a new phone? £1000? I think the Lego comparison that you made is actually very good, and probably the closest thing. The UCS Star Wars kits are crazy, with the AT AT this year being rumoured at £800!!
Can you remember how much these kits were in the 80s? I don't think there was much difference, even without taking inflation into account. It's quite possible the kits today are nearly half the price of the 80s kits. Production and shipping is so much more economical now. Remember when everything you ordered by post was 28 days for delivery! We're annoyed when Amazon doesn't deliver next day now for free!!!
@@MalcySP Yeah I think you’re right. I reckon the prices were similar, especially for the lower models. If anyone had a 90’s magazine they could say for sure. I reckon a Hornet kit was £100 back then
a while ago i thought the recent kits rtr seem quite affordable for what you get for your money. the tamiya kits i really want just like the kyosho kits are the releases, its doesn't really hurt me that they are quite high priced. i try get hands on them even if it takes time
At least here in the US, Tamiya R/C kits are almost never sold at their MSRP by the major online retailers. The Grasshopper II that is already available sells for around $110 or even $100 with further discounts.
Yeah that's pretty ridiculous. I'm actually finishing up a build of a 3rd Gen. Grasshopper that I bought about 5 or 6 years ago for a $120 brand new in the Box with an electronic speed control... The only reason I bought it is because that was my very 1st hobby quality RC car when I was a kid. What's kind of funny is me putting it together now after having probly 10 to 15 different RC cars since then, I feel like a just put together something you buy it Walmart....🙄🤷♂️😂
@@skeetermcswagger0U812 "The only reason I bought it is because that was my very 1st hobby quality RC car when I was a kid." BINGO. That's how Tamiya gets away with charging their prices for obsolete designs. They're selling time machines that take you back to simpler times. They're re-creating the look and feel of something you could have bought 30 years ago. The smell of fresh plastic and rubber tires as you open up the box. It's 1986 all over again!
@@capmidnite Yeah that's true. Unfortunately even at the $130 I spent it wasn't worth the money at all because I'm not even gonna bother putting a radio or steering servo in it to drive it because I know even with the 360 motor it's gonna overwhelm its handling capacity pretty quick. When I look at it on the shelf next to my Kei truck(which I drive every chance a get) I'm fairly happy I bought it but it's just gonna be a static model.... Although I can't help but thinking how far a $130 would go towards upgrades on one of my other cars.🧐
You are BANG ON with regards to when i was a child could not afford the "EGRESS / TOP FORCE / AVANTE" now grown up and single parent, work long hours as an "ESSENTIAL KEY WORKER" and still can't afford one! guess just got to suck it up the fact that many more people have a lot more money than me and they always get what they want, while paupers just watch on in disbelief.
As an adult, I find myself comparing the outlay for a high-end kit to the price of a new dishwasher or monthly food bill or car repair or other grownup expenses and wondering "Is it worth it?"
Tamiya is a brand that has provided me with some fantastic memories from when I was 10 up to now at 50. Not just the kits but because my old friends had them.. great days were had. My Nan bought me my first kit for a Christmas which was a holiday buggy. What I’m saying is it has special memories. The problem is now £450 for a kit given I have kids to feed and bills to pay is starting to push me out. That makes me sad but as I’ve said before there are many people who will spend what ever it takes to buy the kits. Tamiya is a business and at the end of it all they are in it to make money.. simple
i think you're right, but its a hobby for me and expensive? yes of course, and i will keep buying them - although the purchases where very limited because of prices. but its okay for me.
Very similar situation to myself. I got given a Holiday Buggy as my first RC car in the early 1980's and have been involved in the RC vehicle hobby ever since. Yes, 450 GBP is a lot of money but that Holiday Buggy wasn't cheap and it was the entry level model (like the Grasshopper is now). So adding the cost of inflation the Grasshopper is actually good value now and the top of the range Tamiya models at the time (e.g. Hilux and Blazing Blazer) were not so different comparatively speaking to the 450 GBP buggies now. Having said that, I don't agree with the pricing as in the 1980's Tamiya didn't have so much competition and nowadays you can get a lot better products for 450 GBP than the Tamiya re-re buggies.
These releases target people who, at the time of the original release, were kids with little to no budget who could only dream about those kits and look at them in catalogues or at the hobby shop. Now they are in their 30s or 40s and are willing to pay these prices to finally own their childhood dream, so I guess it‘s legit. I mean, if there wasn‘t any sentimental value involved you would simply buy a modern kit where you get much more performance for your money.
Some of us are in our 50s too now and we’re our 1st RC cars. MINE was SUBARU BRAT V1. My Friend an I Saved at Least 2mo. of Paper Route Money just to Buy Them as Kids in mid 1980s . Also, We rode our BMX Bicycles about 12mi. To the Hobby Store to Buy them. It was a Tough Ride Home 😂😂😂😂🤙🤙🤙🤙🤙🤙
@@johnmiller4553 Hahaha...great story. You probably really savoured those cars once you could get them! I was a spoiled Brat(still am...lol) and my parents bought me a Frog. Then later I got a Hotshot and a Falcon. My last Tamiya was a Blitzer Beetle. Good times!!
@@KaizerTest THANK YOU 😁🤙 LOL. YA I REALLY WANTED THE FROG WHEN I BOT MY SUBARU. BUT THE FROG COST JUS A LIL MORE THAN SUBARU. ONLY LIKE $10 MORE BUT THAT WAS ALOT AT 15yrs OLD ON PAPER ROUTE MONEY.. THAT MEANT WAITING 1 MORE MONTH TO BUY IT. 😂😂😂
@@KaizerTest ME TOO BROTHER I NEVER GOT THE FROG BODY. LOVED THAT SUBARU BRAT. ACTUALLY IT WAS THE CAR MY COUSIN TAUGHT ME TO DRIVE WHEN I WAS 14yr OLD THE SUMMER BEFORE IN COLORADO😂😂. 🤙🤙
The biggest problem with the rising cost of kits is cutting out the opportunity for the younger generation to get started in the R/C buggy hobby. No matter what the hobby is, the less youngsters that can get involved with it the less successful it will be. Look how the R/C hobby has dropped in the last few decades and was replaced with video games.
Totally agree, my concern is that we're killing the RC kit hobby for the younger generation by lapping up the kits at whatever price Tamiya push them out at because "I've always wanted one".
I both agree and disagree with that. If you're talking about kits, yes, the barrier to entry is going up. However, there's things like the WLToys 144001 coming out of China that can be found for around $125 and provides similar performance to a budget Tamiya kits.
I agree that Tamiya are guilty of over pricing all their cars. If you look at a Kyosho Legendry Series, you get a lot more for your money. I agree with your marketing idea's, it's just fact. Personal choice as you say Gavin, well said! Great video!
The Lego prices had brought me back to this hobby😉. The Grashopper/Hornet prices I will never understand. A DT-03 has oil filled shocks, an ESC and a 540 motor, double wishbone suspension and a modern chassis and all together for 80 bucks. How?
This so much, why is a TT02 so much more expensive then a DT03, even though it lacks oil shocks? Another weird thing is Tamiya pricing kits ALOT higher, just due to the body they come with. A Subaru Impreza XV01 costs 180€, but a Lancia Delta XV01 230€, even though the body itself is just 50€!
Totally agree got a racing fighter at Xmas, under £100 from fusion hobbies. It makes it very difficult to then go to £400 for evo. I can get hop-ups for the dt03, sway bars, turnbuckles, ball diff which would take it closer to £200 but that’s still way cheaper. Kyosho kits blow tamiya completely out of the water in terms of quality and price anyway.
@@Zombles581 yeah, DT-03 hopups are really cheap and good for this rig. If you manage to get to the 200, you have a high-end buggy (beside chassis and motor).
@@jkieselhorst7297 Not sure about Kyosho blowing Tamiya away for money I have the Optima and Ultima. The Optima was good for the money loaded with good equip but the Ultima was not it has lesser alloy shocks than the Optima and no where near as many bits and it was not a whole lot cheaper than the Optima they also don't have an ESC or motor.
I got back into Tamiya about 10 years ago, I started out with restoring my old Countach or what was left of it after 30 years. Then I got the bug and started collecting the first twenty RC cars for restoration projects, in doing this I needed a few parts here and there and replacement decals for all of them so I could repaint them. I had no intention of paying the ridiculous prices some people were asking for original decals, so I was well pleased that there were a few companies making their own repro decal sets that were on a better quality vinyl and quite often improved artwork. Then one day I was on ebay and there were no repros available i'm like WTH? On speaking to the repro guys they all told me the same thing that Tamiya threatened legal action unless they stopped making and selling them, they even got one guy to cut up his entire stock of repro decals and then he had to email them a photograph to prove they had all been destroyed, what utter bastards ! I could understand it if Tamiya were losing business but they have no intention to produce them again that's what really gets me. There are loads of people like me who want to restore their old RC cars and all the while still being loyal and buying Tamiyas latest cars so where's the harm? Kyosho on the other hand had no problem at all with their old decals being reproduced ! Since I found this out I lost the passion I once had for all things Tamiya as it seems to me that there is a sense of greed with them now. I still enjoy watching these videos though:-)
They've come around on this. If you've heard of MCI Racing they're (he) probably the biggest repop rc decal supplier right now and I asked the owner about copyright infringement. He said Tamiya specifically refers him by name now.
Let's be honest here: Tamiya is releasing the "Evo" to take a bite out of the scalper's market and as a nod to people who buy one and leave them MIB inside their closet 20+ years. No one is going to use these kits as runners. NOBODY. It's a speculators market, a hobby no more.
@@alphawlff They are a bussiness. They need to be greedy. They're just capitalising on some adults who are even greedier than themselves and will sell a $450 kit for $900 in two or three years as the guy in the video said. We've all seen this before by Tamiya, Kyosho, Associated and Schumacher. The only way they'll stop this ReRe price ballooning is if we stop buying .
I owned a Striker as a kid and purchased a grasshopper for son and comical frog for daughter. Loads of fun, but grasshopper ended up with broken chassis & body post a 540 upgrade, now fixed but on a shelf. Now have 2x Traxxas Rustlers, a different gear altogether load of fun and bulletproof (so far). Would still buy a ReRe Striker for nostalgia (Are you listening Tamiya!)
Now I can see the justification in the prices if these were top line racing models but not for a line of cars that's going to become brittle after a few runs. I guess they think people gonna keep them for shelf queens
Pre-ordered a Evo, it’s ridiculous how much Tamiya are wanting now for re re kits. About time they actually made some decent NEW CAR KITS! You know people will be buying these kits to sell on eBay for over a grand, part of the reason I think that Tamiya put up their prices.
I've noticed Tamiya kits end up at cheaper prices down the line. I recently got a Rally Beetle, Neo Scorcher, Civic FF03 chassis, and Mercedes racing Semi for all less then $150 each (about 110 pound). These were all bought on Tower hobbies or Tamiya USA website
The shame is that the hobby would benefit if it was accessable to more people. As a company you can price high sell less, price lower sell more. The balance of pricing is a delicate one regards production and distribution. I just feel for anyone wanting to enjoy a RC and not able to due to cost. I just want to see smiles on faces which a hobby can bring. This hobby has really helped my mental health and I want that for everyone who needs it. Much love all young and older 👍🏼
I got my Avante's new for 259 pound. And sold them awhile ago...😭 I love the Tamiya's but it's a lot of money for cars that will break unless you run them gently. Some of them you can bash pretty good like my Top Force and Boomerang. At the end of the day having a second chance to relive your childhood has no price. I'm just happy Tamiya keep's making the re-re's.
I remember getting my Hi-Lux monster racer in the 90's and it cost around $350cnd back then!! so I don't think the prices are not that nuts at all. Unfortunately Its a very expensive hobby.
I wish someone could work out a few of the main Tamiya kits and see if the cars are selling for more, less or the same than back in the 80s and 90's>? Obviously taking inflation into account.
@@RCKickschannel I looked at the pricing of a 1990 Vanquish vs 2020 VQS using MSRP from Tamiyabase. A 1990 Vanquish was 26800 yen ($185 using a 1990 exchange rate of approximately 145 yen/USD). A VQS is 31800 yen ($305 at the recent rate of 104 yen/USD). Due to inflation, $1 in 1990 is now worth $1.98, and the yen was MUCH stronger back then. So IMO the pricing is quite fair, even a bargain, and that's not taking into consideration the profit margin Gavin mentioned. Of course these numbers will vary with past and current exchange and inflation rates. From what I remember in my youth, 4WD Tamiya buggies have always been very expensive, comparable to (if not more than) all-out racing buggies like the contemporary Kyosho Lazer ZX.
@@surfaceenergy I’ve done the numbers myself and just like you, it’s not that Tamiya prices have doubled but inflation, the current climate of expendable income levels and perceived value in some. Super interesting 👍🏻👍🏻
I honestly can't understand a number of the questions that people ask due to this. Are people upset about prices because it means they can't make a profit when they sell it on in a years time NIB? I mean, everyone is saying that they're too expensive and not worth it, but at the same time (and often the same people), people are saying that orders are in and they are going to sell out fast. I think people need to remember that the re-re's is where they can make the money. If someone can buy a re-re for £200 but then sell it a year later for £350 NIB, why wouldn't Tamiya want a piece of that action. They can do this because these are cars that were big in the 80s and 90s, so kids back then are now in their 30s and 40s and most are in their financial prime, and nostalgia sells. People say they want modern buggies, but how many people bought things like the Leonis or the Dark Impact or any of these other ones - if there are others that I can't remember the name of, then that kinda proves my point. I think tamiya are a lot cleverer, in that people new to the hobby probably will be attracted by a new WRC based body, or a Subaru Impreza for instance, regardless of which chassis it's on. For instance, my return to the hobby was down to seeing the Audi A2 Quattro. I didn't know or care what chassis it was on. It was my first RC car in 25-30 years and was easy to build, and with a few mods, performs ok for me. As Gavin says, I wouldn't now chose to buy another TT02, but I think the one I have is good. But a TT02 with the Escort WRC body on will, I reckon, appeal to more people than a new random 4WD buggy that no one can identify with and won't perform as well as a Schumacher or Kyosho. Tamiya are just in a different part of the market.
I didn't put my Business Degree to waste when making my assessments... Ironically, for the first time in over 10 years, I'm going to have MORE THAN ENOUGH MONEY to buy whatever I want!!! Tamiya is NOT enticing me with these grossly overpriced and some over whimsical products!! $500/£400 for a Top Force EVO - REALLY!!??? The only NEW thing on it is the ESC. It's just not worth it. At the end of the day - it's a TOY!!! 😠 $250/£180 for a freaking Grasshopper II!!?? OMG Tamiya! WTF are you thinking? The ONLY two things of any interest to me, are the Escort Body, and the TA-02 - in which I'll KEEP the Calibra, because in the U.S., it's quite a novelty. I'll take my $450 and buy a Clodbuster - and be much happier for it! 😉 Carmine ✈🚂🚙
I suppose a lot of people ordering the top force are going to stick them on e bay for someone to pay over the odds for nostalgia?? Scalpers?? Shame.Spoils the hobby for real builders and racers who don't wipe their ar..s on £50 notes
For the nostalgia YES it's worth it. For performance NOOOOOOOOOOOO I'd rather buy a new buggy like the HPI VORZA, ARRMA TYPHON or even the MAVERICK STRADAXB BRUSHLESS
It would be very costly, I get that the re re can be as much as a modern race buggy but value wise it actually not that bad when you consider all factors in shipping and taxes then the materials used, then the best bit is a chance to own something you missed out on first time round. You wouldn't be getting a mk1 Escort for 30 grand although that would be nice lol
Tamiya prices are usually MSRP are higher than what the hobby shops and online distributors sell them for. Perfect example, TamiyaUSA has the Fighter Buggy RX Memorial for $189 but, online distributors in the USA (Towerhobbies & Amain) have them for $139. So Tamiya’s prices are usually inflated. I agree with the body kit. I hope that the Ford GT body set is available so that I can put that on my TT02.
I don’t think comparing traxxas to Tamiya is a good comparison, once Tamiya is done releasing a kit there’s little to no back up with spares, and someone like traxxas as least tests and researches there materials. Tamiya plastics are terrible the kits are great for looking at but way too brittle. It’s a nostalgia tax
Looking at the prices for some of these reres and new kits, I’d rather spend a bit more on an original kit, where the joy is much greater when finding it after a long time of searching around. But that’s just my opinion 😁
My problem is they show you new releases you wait months then you miss them cause you have a life where you can't be on the internet 24/7 there was more availability in the 80-90s early 2000s order from rc magazines tower hobbies doesn't have the big tamiya selection than they used to I like the land freeder tracks
I love the vintage cars and rere's but...... price point still is king. If a company overshoots with a high price, the masses will go elsewhere. That does nothing good for a company and the hobby when the masses start buying all of the cheap Chinese offerings. (although some of those are pretty good) The heart and soul of the hobby is in the vintage and rere scene. And they need to be affordable and reachable for the masses. That is how we grow the hobby in a good way. I hope our beloved companies do not forget that important fact.
Back when I was a kid, 1st gen Tamiya RCs were considered entry level (borderline toys) hence they weren't really expensive. Never would I have thought now they could charge astronomical prices for the same kits and still have collectors hanging on nostalgia lap them all up. Compounding the problem is these kits are fragile, one wrong turn and you would have to buy replacement parts (which are also costly) that are hard to find. What you end up with are shelf queens that you paid crazy prices for that you can only look at. Sure Tamiya can be happy with the profits, but the brand now just looks tarnished in my eyes.
I’m sad. Was a huge Tamiya fan/purchaser back in the late ‘80s. Fast forward to adulthood and the same models I couldn’t afford back then (Avante, Egress, etc) I can afford now but shouldn’t buy them as it’s not financially responsible at the prices they’re asking. I had a few Kyosho back in the day too and am tempted to buy a nice metal re-re from before my time aka Scorpion/Tomahawk. To me the price on those was reasonable.
well its a hobby i say and of course you have decide your self if its worth to spend money - no matter what prices. if i see my train hobby - märklin - prices aren't low also. but it has to stay as a hobby and doesn't worry me, so far
I think the prices are about right. What annoys me are the scalpers that buy up loads simply just to sell for double in a couple of years time. Unless you are a shop you should be limited to the amount you can buy.
Tamiya was never cheap well not here in NZ for my first complete package in 1988 (striker) it cost $330 NZ dollars back then that was half my dads weekly wage and he had a well paying job. I really wanted one and I had too save for 8 months at my part time job working at a saw mill on Saturdays $3 an hour. Soo younger people need too put it into perspective and prioritise PS5 or EVO you want it bad or you don't and you maybe can't have both, Thanks.
Listen guys, Avante, Egress, and Top Force Evolution were all expensive cars back in the late 80s and early 90s. It's not like a teenager readily had an Egress in his collection unless he got really lucky with nice and rich parents. They were working-adult priced then, and they are going to be working-adult price now in the re-re. It's not reasonable to expect the creme de la creme of Tamiya kits to be readily attainable if you're currently on a Grasshopper or even a Hot Shot type of budget. That said, yeah, 600+ USD is pushing it a bit much.
IMHO Tamiya is justified in asking higher prices for kits by the very people that snap up all those newly released TFE's. If the sales don't go to the roof upon release because the prices are high, they will soon realise that the pricepoint is off. Of course, this is basic economics, the early adaptors, the people that buy one on release will spend the most, and after being on the market for a while, prices of kits will go down. Visible mostly by higher discounts in the shops after some time. Putting terms like "limited production" on their kits make them seem even more desirable and pushes people into buying them straight away at the highest possible price. I completely agree with you on the TT-02 vs. TA-02, the TT chassis are the entry level kits suited for people getting (back) in to RC. By putting out a lot of different bodies on this chassis, Tamiya gets a lot of attention for them and good sales numbers. When people really get into the RC hobby they will probably upgrade to a better chassis after a while, that's where the TA-02 comes in. I would personally like to see Tamiya rereing the Repsol rally livery for the Escort. I'm looking forward to your new builds!
Tamiya will charge as much as they think they can....if they are all sold, they haven't charged too much. Pointing your anger at Tamiya is wrong, it's the people who are prepared to pay the price that are the reason the price increases. Regarding tooling costs playing a part of the cost, I don't think this is really the issue. I'd argue that the tooling costs will be very similar between something like the Thunder Dragon (which is re-re at about £180) and the Evo, certainly there won't be £120 worth of difference. I think Tamiya knew how well the Evo would be recieved, I'd actually say they have underestimated the market for the Thunder Dragon and could have charged £50 - £100 more for it and still sold the same amount.
I think the prices are well placed for the most part. If they price them too cheap the 2nd hand values will also drop and so if you have several vintage cars already you could see a huge loss in the value of your collection. Tamiya is aiming the rere models like the Top Force, Avante and Egress at the 40+ market who can afford them and have the nostalgia for them. It's great that the resale of Tamiya RC cars is strong, you could spend £400 on a Top Force Evo, enjoy putting it together then keep it and enjoy it a few years and then maybe sell it on for £300 so the final cost is only £100 (you could even sell it on at cost or profit if the condition is good enough and it gets discontinued again). Tamiya knows that a lot of the rere kits will end up sitting on shelves looking pretty rather than being driven hard, although this is partly mandated by the lack of spares support which is a real shame. Schumacher by contrast knows it's cars are less about the build and more about the drive and running maintenance and seems to be doing a much better job of providing spares and hop up options (sorry, speed secrets!). I don't really understand why Tamiya bother with the basic motors and ESC's, if you're going to run them surely most people would rather source their own better brushless motors and ESCs with Lipo cut off, if they really had to shave a little off the cost this is how I'd like to see it be done. A crappy motor and ESC hardly makes the cars ready to run anyway so I just don't get it and if it's just going to sit on a shelf it's also complete waste of money.
Supply and demand. Could be worse - look at Porsche not raising prices and instead making it impossible for the everyman to buy a gt3. Then every rich bastard turns into a scalper!. Bravo Tamiya I say.
Everyone talking Tamiya re-re’s and here waiting for the re-release mardave mini stock to drop lol loved them little kits as a kid now with modern batteries and stuff will be epic fun
Interesting stuff here but I remember the Avante kit being sold for £199 back in 1988. I've still got mine in the loft. Taking into account inflation, that's almost £550 in 2021 so what's really changed other than its actually got cheaper...? Yes it's dear compared to other brands but there are a lot of nicely made, machined parts on it and it's not just a pile of injection moulded fibreglass reinforced nylon parts like many of the basher buggies. Not quite the same for the TFE as it's more plasticy but assuming £389 street price that means £186 back in 1992 when originally released. Doesn't seem so bad now does it...?
The only one I'm interested in is the Evo. Went on Modelsport yesterday and put one in my basket. Then I pictured my wife's scowling face if she found out how much it cost. Plus the sofa isn't that comfortable to sleep on.
Tamiya was genius when they started rereleasing the kits from the eighties. The cost was really prohibitive for families back in the day. I didn’t get my wild one until 1987. I was obsessed with tamiya and spent hours pouring over the catalogues. Watching the promo videos in hobby stores. And arguing with friends over which car offered the best value for money. So when tamiya starts to market towards these older fans who could now afford to fill their roof spaces with every kit they ever dreamed about they struck a gold mine. 15 years later they are now hitting the nineties kids releasing the Ta05 chassis. It’s a cash grab and let’s face it business is business. Particularly with so much competition for all these other companies. Same with the comical range. The kids that would bug their parents for a comical hornet would have no idea of the eighties car craze. But it is as cute as button. I just wish the gang in Shizuoka would rerelease the bear hawk!
We visited the Super Rajikon store in Akibahara, Japan a few years ago and saw a lot of classic re re lease Tamiya kits. They were really affordable to me. I think perhaps Tamiya seriously underestimated the popularity and demand for these original kits and underpriced them relative to the soaring demand. Someone at Tamiya finally realized they were selling the kits at too low a price.
hi i have a question um the EVO right now the rerelease is it the same? are they going to do a few NEW hopups for it? or old hopups ? if so what? and will it fit the old car and the new rerelease thanks very much for your time
Tamiya is profiting from the nostalgia factor. These re-re cars are not bashers and will rarely be driven (Let alone that these kits are not as durable or perform as well as modern kits), they are shelf queens if the kits are built at all, especially for the price. They price the kits to what people are willing to pay for them, period.
I got my first tamiya radio controlled aged 7 in 1977... the cheetah....since then Ive had...the original holiday buggy...Toyota hi-lux which was £129 new in 1982....Audi Quattro...original grasshopper...mini....mercedes 190 cosworth...Rough rider....omg I wish I'd kept them all.vintage prices are crazy...now I'm 50 and I'm getting back into it...keeping to tamiya...don't think the prices have changed much in relation to inflation...still good value...but they have cheapend on quality...
£400 for a tamiya, i'd rather get a traxis or something like that, as there better cars better parts and made of better plastic's and material's, and you can get loads off parts for them. my first proper rc car was a midnight pumpkin loved it and was going to get a rere one but didnt coz i know i'll just brake it so just got the body for it and going to make a better chassis for it for cheaper than you can get the kit.
I’m 44 and a huge fan of all the re-re but it’s just frustrating to get trapped into the market of pumping up prices for kits to become a commodity for trade, rather than a hobby for people who want to play with nostalgic toys.
I think they should make all the special editions and rare re releases really really expensive to properly milk the mugs that buy them. Like £800-1000. That would be great. Then make the mid range and low end kits cheaper.
@@RCKickschannel Tamiyabase says so for the TA02, but the model I once owned (58144), which is TA02W, they list 258mm as wheelbase. But I think, it was actually 257mm for all their touring cars, beginning from their invention with the TA01 chassis, which was a Manta Ray chassis equipped with short wishbones, the rear ones weirdly shaped to shorten the wheelbase, until now.
I kick myself for selling all my LEGO expert builder sets... I had almost ALL of them. People went crazy with the bidding because I had all the manuals in perfect condition. They were begging me to split it up. I got a few grand for it all and was happy at the time. Just like when I sold my Kyosho Javelin for 150.00.... ugh....
I'd like to chime in as someone who's 26, not trying to be rude, but it does seem like Tamiya's primary market is absolute novice hobbyists with the TT platforms, or older hobbyists who fondly remember either having or wanting whatever re-releases they're coming out with at any given point. I think a lot of the older Tamiya cars are very cool, and as a kid I had a Falcon, Bigwig, and Midnight Pumpkin that had been handed down to me, and I enjoyed them plenty. However as much as I would love to own some form of re-released car for fun, it makes no sense for me to buy something that is going to be blown away dollar for dollar by a much more modern RC that will offer me hours of high speed bashing fun, with far more durable and available parts. I'm not looking to buy a Tamiya expecting that same experience, but if it comes between the two for a similar price point, I'm not going with the Tamiya. I've been really interested in the Clodbuster lately, super cool, and it's a kit. However, the Axial SMT10 is at most, $20USD more..same style of truck, more available parts, more capable and durable. Tamiya needs to wise up on pricing that's my opinion. Cool cars, unrealistic prices.
I believe something like 90% of Tamiya's sales are RC kits to their home market? I wonder if Japan pricing is also rising? Apparently their scale model market only accounts for something like 5% of their total income?
I would think most of the profit comes from the consumable side of the business. Paints, tape, clue and tools. I would love to know if income has been declining over the last ten years from RC sales.
@@RCKickschannel I seen strikers racing in nostelgic races and set up well they compete with all tamiya's from that era eliminate the bump steer and place on CVA's and its a very fast capable RC and this ain't a joke it's quite wide and long which gives great stability and the trailing arm rear really drift ready, cheers.
Just started watching your videos while on furlough, thinking of getting into RC and thoroughly enjoying seeing all these retro models I remember from the 80s. I briefly dabbled when I was a kid, but my step brother was heavily involved. If I remember right he had a mardave meteor, then a top cat, then 4wd cat, the a lazer zxr. I bought a 2nd hand lazer zx and went racing a handful of times and loved it. What would you recommend as a first buy? 1:10 scale electric buggy, I'd want something decent, something quick so I can get enthusiastic about it. But a good build. I'm aware 2wd are simpler builds but I want a challenge and 4wd appeals more for some reason. I'd want something to build and race locally. Something that can take a hammering as I remember the front upright on the zx breaking very easily
I need to save for a Thunder Dragon and a serious (non-comical) Hotshot. I do like the comical one, but it's a no-brainer given the price if I have to choose!
I’m back in the hobby for about 2 years now and I think that the prices in general are getting insane. Kits, parts, electronics, new or vintage, prices keep going up to a point the many people will eventually give up the hobby. Especially sad for our youngsters, who are the future of RC
I think it’s all the people who are buying them in numbers to sell on eBay the next day at $300 profit! It’s driving up prices for those who genuinely enjoy the hobby. I don’t mind paying for a great kit, but the EVO should include a nicer spec motor for the predicted price.
Tamiya is the main culprit for why model building and R/C is no longer a kid’s hobby. I haven’t purchased a Tamiya product in over ten years for that reason.
I wanna know what is your opinion/review on the discontinued Arrma Raider XL. I recently bought one as a roller second hard and it is surprisingly larger (1/8th scale) and heavier than I expected. What is the biggest RC in your collection? And instead of buying so many Tamiya kits, why not buy a major large vehicle like the Rovan Baja, Losi LMT or Super Baja Rey 2.0, or Xmaxx or Primal RC Raminator? Thanks,
@@CarminesRCTipsandTricks Don’t get me wrong, I have a ton of Tamiya model kits. They are always perfect and incredible quality. I have a couple Tamiya rc cars and one of their rc sailboats. So,I like their kits. But this time I just think they are asking too much. That’s all.
@@Johnny-tt8zc You're right, they are! I've been building and enjoying Tamiya Kits since my first Frog in 1984... Always quality and enjoyable builds. But they're on the bandwagon lately of GOUGING people because of COVID - and that ain't right.
sadly im still likely to get the Thunder Dragon even at that price... its either pay up or regret on missing out. its pretty much a "shut up and take my money!"
You have to have a connection, and really want them to pay these prices. I have myself a few times, but I am in the age group of the people who lived through the original release. No doubt this is the market. I love them, but keep the prices reasonable.
Got a topforce evo coming end of February from Japan, its not over priced for what you get material wise. Its a shame you had to explain its value and worth. Will be a good car for next years iconic rc revival.
Evo X.... lot people in 3-5 Years they will sell the Evo for the double 🤣 And everybody laughing about the repost at FB🤣👍. In my opinion i would tune up my TA-02 with topforce parts 😄
To me tamiya has been the lower priced but great value and fun kits while the like of traxxas, arrma and losi are the higher end kits. For tamiya to move up the price range they need to make a car that I would bash as much as a stampede, xmaxx or kraton. I wouldn't treat an avanti the same as it would break. I think tamiya are cashing in on the rc hobby getting more popular but they risk pushing themselves out.
Exactly... I was too young when the Avante came out and wasnt working... NOW they rerelease them and they are $800 here in Aus... REALLY? madness.. I bought an Optima mid SE almost brand new and only some marks on the chassis everything else unmarked for $470 here...
$550 for the Avante is crazy. There aren't many 100% kits that are more expensive than that, regardless of scale (excluding 5th scale). A Tekno MT410 is $100 cheaper and will take a beating all day along. Tamiya stuff breaks as soon as you turn the power up or bash it.
If you put the prices in an inflation calculator, I don't think the prices are too far off what they were during the original releases. The prices are high, but not eye wateringly so. (IMO).
The numbers show the kits are not much different to back in the day. It could be that the vintage cars have seen a large increase in value as well as vintage parts and decals. This could be what's making people feel like the hobby is blowing up in $$ and ££ price tags?
@@RCKickschannel I agree. I think it's important to differentiate between re-re's and vintage though, as some people won't accept anything less than genuine vintage on everything. I'm not one of those people... but I put the £400 Top Force Evo price into an inflation calculator and set it for 1993, it came out around £190 which sounds about right for the time from what I can remember. So it seems logical that Tamiya will be making similar margins on this kit. People have said that some of the tooling will be re-used, but there has to be SOME re-engineering when a new production run is started after all this time, so their set up costs won't be zero. They will not need to have spent any R&D though, but this is probably offset by the lower volumes.
Gavin you mentioned pricing compared to the original release, I had the madcap in 89-90 i got the lot with radio battery charger paint and bearings for £89.99 i remember the price as it was a toss up between that and the lunchbox. So in theory the price increase is about right. But with the sate of the import tax ect ect ect we are stuffed.!
I think the cougar 2000 would take more work to rerelease as it was a new platform to the cougar. (different chassis grp and 3 gear transmission). As to Tamiya for me I was thinking long term will they still be releasing what is old kits now in ten years time and where todays kits are the collectors kits of the future.
Sorry Gavin but I have to disagree with you there. BECAUSE it's a rerelease, Tamiya do NOT have to stump up much for tooling, production, or development! It's all there already! They're reusing moulds that are already fully depreciated, and decades-old development that was done (and expensed!) long ago.
I doubt Tamiya have the same injection machines they used in the 80s, also to keep all those unused moulds would not be cost effective, storage space costs money. I agree they would likely keep the original masters to make the moulds but I would think they would have to retool for modern injection machines.
I worked for a Japanese company for many years, a decision will be made by an internal Japanese staff consensus. The subsidiaries like Europe, US will all be pushing the Japanese management to product kits that are desirable in the local markets. The challenge is Japanese business is extremely different so it's hard for them to understand external market demands or take risks.
I’ve pre-ordered It’s silly money Never gonna lose money on one though I wanted a normal topforce because I couldn’t afford a topforce evo The Q is, would you spend £350 on a normal topforce 2nd hand or £400 on a NIB that you can make yourself I don’t want a traxxas - you don’t get to build it and it’s ugly Do you ever see yourself with 40 traxxas on your wall?
Meh, Not that there isn't some truth to what you are saying, but I don't know, I see Kyosho and other companies doing fine having more realistic pricing (for what you get). Still just seems like Tamiya's pricing is getting further and further off the mark. We shall see though, in the end, the market decides.....
Iv been gathering up re res for a couple of years all shelf queens and I love them just as much as when I was a child. I just can’t see dropping 300 plus dollars on an egress or an Avante or any other one of Tamiyas overpriced cars. I will be getting a fighting buggy re re though lol. I wish associated would rerelease the rc10 as I missed the last release. 189 for any one of the comical vehicles is way out of control.
Where is everyone finding the Top Force Evo for pre-order in the US? I did a bunch of searching last night and couldn't find anything and now today I'm seeing a bunch of people have already pre-ordered...this is so frustrating. I had no idea they were available. I don't want this to be another item that's sold out before I even get a chance to purchase one.
In the states MSRP is never what products are actually sold for. Usually if an MSRP is say $600 the actual sale price is more like $399 give or take fifty bux
Everyone wants things cheaper but the majority I find in life just want things practically for free. These people will still have the money spare to fritter on their high st kenco coffees / mcgonks etc though. When it comes to carbon classic nostalgia like egress/avante/evo I think the price is fair. The company must make something. I’am looking at businesses these days and thinking how on earth do they make a dime.
@@EASYUSA I don’t care about parts.They stay on the shelf. Tamiya are classics. The brands you are going on about below to me look like they’ve come out of a 2p pusher arcade machine if they could if I’m honest and will never be remembered apart from being battered . That’s just my view. I’m a 80s person and I like what I I like.
It is Tamiya realizing that Re-re IS a (very 🤫) lucrative business and those who could not afford it (originally and the first re-re), now can. In addition they (kinda) respected the owners of the original and the re-re-ses by coming with brilliant (😴) renaming scheme to produce additional value for the re-re which almost to a point an original to begin with.
Definitely not worth the money anymore, i picked up the Top Force when it was re released a few years back and im ok with that investment but to keep just re releasing 30 yr old kits with no new tech to support the costs is just sad. Especially in today's pandemic financial climate. Great video btw.
I’m glad I wasn’t into buggies as a kid and have no interest in any of these. Would be way too costly. Luckily I found original kits for the 2 TA02 touring cars and 2 F103s I had. Much cheaper. You can get some of the F102s for $200-$300. Much more reasonable. I hope they do some more reres of F1s and a 959.
My beef with Tamiya that is pushing me away from the brand is that it looks like that everything they sell is a discontinued or very soon discontinued item. So no parts... no support at all.
Why they just don't keep a f***ing line of products and support it!!
All most of parts and upgrades are third-party parts.
Other brands keep their products in the market for a long time so you feel confident that you will find parts and upgrades for it.
Teams Associated, Yokomo, X-Ray so many other brands that make buggies...so more capable and you always find every single part you need easy.
Their entry on-road cars are usually supported for a long time. The TT-01 has been around for how many years now? 200? jk but it's been around for ages and parts have always been available. Sadly definitely not the case for the more unique chassis.
@@KacKLaPPeN23 That's my point... only TT01 and TT02(this on my opinion is one of the worst chassis they ever made, sadly have two...lol)... all the rest are like a crazy chase for parts.
Db-01 owner here...totally hosed
Yep. And if any third parties try to make pattern parts (especially body sets and decals) they get jumped on by Tamiya.
@@FastAsFunk gotta protect those cash cows.
Im 15 and I build tamiya kits, I love them and I wish more people would realize there are still some young kids into these old kits.
Welcome to the club. I'm 24 and I really love these old RC models. Would be nice if the elders could stop wrecking the prices to earn profits
@@grahamaker1648 agreed - wonder how many people bought multiples?
They then moan when a rere comes along
@@problemchild1976 I know right. I'm grateful that Tamiya even re-re some of these iconic cars. They can always choose not too but they did. The ones that moaned probably hope their NiB kits could give them pension money hahaha
@@grahamaker1648 this elder agrees with you. Glad you are enjoying the vintage Tamiya's and I wish it was more affordable to enjoy also. People buying to profit from the hobby take from those who want to enjoy the hobby, but they are just being oplortunitist. It happens across all markets but it doesn't make it any less frustrating. There are kits I would like to access but simply not willing to drop crazy wedge on them.
I glad to see a youngster who actually likes building kits. Most of the young ones want it put together for them.
They really bought the nostalgia back when we were kids looking at rc's prices were astronomical.
I remember feeling I could splurge for a kit but then after the charger, radio and batteries were totaled up, the out-the-door price effectively doubled.
Sorry Gav, just because I could afford “a” kit as a kid doesn’t mean that I should pay a premium now because I’m an adult. This train of thought is based on I have an income as opposed to an allowance. Therefore I spend more on more products rather than just having one kit, I have many. Disposable income?!
The comparison between the Slash and the Evo, really! Something I can drive at 100km/h and bash the living suitcase out of it. I can easily replace parts and modify very cost effectively. Not very flattering for the Tamiya side! Just demonstrates the inequity of their pricing!
Lego! No comparison. Newly designed and licensed kits that are 10s of thousands of parts, great value for money.
Tamiya are where Lego was about a decade or more ago! Stale, selling expensive kits based on memorabilia. Brand loyalty will burn out very quick when you sell old technology and and designs for top prices. Lego nearly went broke!
There is no R&D, tooling and manufacturing is already established and it is just a re release, same design flaws and issues as the originals. Nothing totally new from Tamiya in how long?
Yet other companies manage to constantly release, in particular 1/10 scale “racing” buggies at similar prices regularly. The latest technology and materials, and in a much more competitive market.
I wouldn’t buy a single kit from the latest 2021 release line up. So disappointed 😢
30+ year old technology and manufacturing does not warrant these prices!
Rant over. Deep breath and let it go 😂👍🤓🇦🇺
Tamiya has always been expensive. As a kid (I am 43 this year) all I could do was stare at the catlogues and model shops and dream about owning one - my parents could no way afford one, because like you say, it's not just the model kit, it's everything else. One kid at school had a Hornet, everyone else (like me), had a cheap Nikko rc buggy.
Avante is expensive, but's also the top end model.. And I dunno, I pay £190 a month in council tax so £450 for a kit doesn't seem horrific. If anyone remembers nights out in pubs or restraunts, how much would you spend there? £100? Or a new phone? £1000? I think the Lego comparison that you made is actually very good, and probably the closest thing. The UCS Star Wars kits are crazy, with the AT AT this year being rumoured at £800!!
Real talk 👍
Can you remember how much these kits were in the 80s? I don't think there was much difference, even without taking inflation into account. It's quite possible the kits today are nearly half the price of the 80s kits. Production and shipping is so much more economical now. Remember when everything you ordered by post was 28 days for delivery! We're annoyed when Amazon doesn't deliver next day now for free!!!
@@MalcySP Yeah I think you’re right. I reckon the prices were similar, especially for the lower models. If anyone had a 90’s magazine they could say for sure. I reckon a Hornet kit was £100 back then
Yes they were around the same price
a while ago i thought the recent kits rtr seem quite affordable for what you get for your money. the tamiya kits i really want just like the kyosho kits are the releases, its doesn't really hurt me that they are quite high priced. i try get hands on them even if it takes time
$180 USD for a Grasshopper? That tells me everything I need to know about pricing. Count me out.
At least here in the US, Tamiya R/C kits are almost never sold at their MSRP by the major online retailers. The Grasshopper II that is already available sells for around $110 or even $100 with further discounts.
i dont care about the 180usd thats my dream car i got 2 of them runs great thanks tamiya
Yeah that's pretty ridiculous.
I'm actually finishing up a build of a 3rd Gen. Grasshopper that I bought about 5 or 6 years ago for a $120 brand new in the Box with an electronic speed control...
The only reason I bought it is because that was my very 1st hobby quality RC car when I was a kid.
What's kind of funny is me putting it together now after having probly 10 to 15 different RC cars since then, I feel like a just put together something you buy it Walmart....🙄🤷♂️😂
@@skeetermcswagger0U812 "The only reason I bought it is because that was my very 1st hobby quality RC car when I was a kid." BINGO. That's how Tamiya gets away with charging their prices for obsolete designs. They're selling time machines that take you back to simpler times. They're re-creating the look and feel of something you could have bought 30 years ago. The smell of fresh plastic and rubber tires as you open up the box. It's 1986 all over again!
@@capmidnite Yeah that's true.
Unfortunately even at the $130 I spent it wasn't worth the money at all because I'm not even gonna bother putting a radio or steering servo in it to drive it because I know even with the 360 motor it's gonna overwhelm its handling capacity pretty quick.
When I look at it on the shelf next to my Kei truck(which I drive every chance a get) I'm fairly happy I bought it but it's just gonna be a static model.... Although I can't help but thinking how far a $130 would go towards upgrades on one of my other cars.🧐
You are BANG ON with regards to when i was a child could not afford the "EGRESS / TOP FORCE / AVANTE" now grown up and single parent, work long hours as an "ESSENTIAL KEY WORKER" and still can't afford one! guess just got to suck it up the fact that many more people have a lot more money than me and they always get what they want, while paupers just watch on in disbelief.
As an adult, I find myself comparing the outlay for a high-end kit to the price of a new dishwasher or monthly food bill or car repair or other grownup expenses and wondering "Is it worth it?"
Tamiya is a brand that has provided me with some fantastic memories from when I was 10 up to now at 50. Not just the kits but because my old friends had them.. great days were had. My Nan bought me my first kit for a Christmas which was a holiday buggy. What I’m saying is it has special memories. The problem is now £450 for a kit given I have kids to feed and bills to pay is starting to push me out. That makes me sad but as I’ve said before there are many people who will spend what ever it takes to buy the kits. Tamiya is a business and at the end of it all they are in it to make money.. simple
i think you're right, but its a hobby for me and expensive? yes of course, and i will keep buying them - although the purchases where very limited because of prices. but its okay for me.
Very similar situation to myself. I got given a Holiday Buggy as my first RC car in the early 1980's and have been involved in the RC vehicle hobby ever since. Yes, 450 GBP is a lot of money but that Holiday Buggy wasn't cheap and it was the entry level model (like the Grasshopper is now). So adding the cost of inflation the Grasshopper is actually good value now and the top of the range Tamiya models at the time (e.g. Hilux and Blazing Blazer) were not so different comparatively speaking to the 450 GBP buggies now. Having said that, I don't agree with the pricing as in the 1980's Tamiya didn't have so much competition and nowadays you can get a lot better products for 450 GBP than the Tamiya re-re buggies.
Yep can get a decent mountain bike for that
These releases target people who, at the time of the original release, were kids with little to no budget who could only dream about those kits and look at them in catalogues or at the hobby shop. Now they are in their 30s or 40s and are willing to pay these prices to finally own their childhood dream, so I guess it‘s legit. I mean, if there wasn‘t any sentimental value involved you would simply buy a modern kit where you get much more performance for your money.
Some of us are in our 50s too now and we’re our 1st RC cars. MINE was SUBARU BRAT V1. My Friend an I Saved at Least 2mo. of Paper Route Money just to Buy Them as Kids in mid 1980s . Also, We rode our BMX Bicycles about 12mi. To the Hobby Store to Buy them. It was a Tough Ride Home 😂😂😂😂🤙🤙🤙🤙🤙🤙
@@johnmiller4553 Hahaha...great story. You probably really savoured those cars once you could get them! I was a spoiled Brat(still am...lol) and my parents bought me a Frog. Then later I got a Hotshot and a Falcon. My last Tamiya was a Blitzer Beetle. Good times!!
@@KaizerTest THANK YOU 😁🤙 LOL. YA I REALLY WANTED THE FROG WHEN I BOT MY SUBARU. BUT THE FROG COST JUS A LIL MORE THAN SUBARU. ONLY LIKE $10 MORE BUT THAT WAS ALOT AT 15yrs OLD ON PAPER ROUTE MONEY.. THAT MEANT WAITING 1 MORE MONTH TO BUY IT. 😂😂😂
@@johnmiller4553 Wow! another month. I ended up changing mine to a Subaru Brat body..I liked it better than the Frog...hahaha.
@@KaizerTest ME TOO BROTHER I NEVER GOT THE FROG BODY. LOVED THAT SUBARU BRAT. ACTUALLY IT WAS THE CAR MY COUSIN TAUGHT ME TO DRIVE WHEN I WAS 14yr OLD THE SUMMER BEFORE IN COLORADO😂😂. 🤙🤙
The biggest problem with the rising cost of kits is cutting out the opportunity for the younger generation to get started in the R/C buggy hobby. No matter what the hobby is, the less youngsters that can get involved with it the less successful it will be. Look how the R/C hobby has dropped in the last few decades and was replaced with video games.
Totally agree, my concern is that we're killing the RC kit hobby for the younger generation by lapping up the kits at whatever price Tamiya push them out at because "I've always wanted one".
I both agree and disagree with that. If you're talking about kits, yes, the barrier to entry is going up. However, there's things like the WLToys 144001 coming out of China that can be found for around $125 and provides similar performance to a budget Tamiya kits.
I agree that Tamiya are guilty of over pricing all their cars. If you look at a Kyosho Legendry Series, you get a lot more for your money. I agree with your marketing idea's, it's just fact. Personal choice as you say Gavin, well said! Great video!
Top force molds have been paid for decades ago I’m sure. That’s a lot of profit for them.
The Lego prices had brought me back to this hobby😉. The Grashopper/Hornet prices I will never understand. A DT-03 has oil filled shocks, an ESC and a 540 motor, double wishbone suspension and a modern chassis and all together for 80 bucks. How?
This so much, why is a TT02 so much more expensive then a DT03, even though it lacks oil shocks? Another weird thing is Tamiya pricing kits ALOT higher, just due to the body they come with. A Subaru Impreza XV01 costs 180€, but a Lancia Delta XV01 230€, even though the body itself is just 50€!
Totally agree got a racing fighter at Xmas, under £100 from fusion hobbies. It makes it very difficult to then go to £400 for evo. I can get hop-ups for the dt03, sway bars, turnbuckles, ball diff which would take it closer to £200 but that’s still way cheaper.
Kyosho kits blow tamiya completely out of the water in terms of quality and price anyway.
@@Zombles581 yeah, DT-03 hopups are really cheap and good for this rig. If you manage to get to the 200, you have a high-end buggy (beside chassis and motor).
glad they brung the DT chassis, its for me the platform for decent Sand scorchers/ rough riders / grasshoppers...
@@jkieselhorst7297 Not sure about Kyosho blowing Tamiya away for money I have the Optima and Ultima. The Optima was good for the money loaded with good equip but the Ultima was not it has lesser alloy shocks than the Optima and no where near as many bits and it was not a whole lot cheaper than the Optima they also don't have an ESC or motor.
I got back into Tamiya about 10 years ago, I started out with restoring my old Countach or what was left of it after 30 years.
Then I got the bug and started collecting the first twenty RC cars for restoration projects, in doing this I needed a few parts here and there and replacement decals for all of them so I could repaint them.
I had no intention of paying the ridiculous prices some people were asking for original decals, so I was well pleased that there were a few companies making their own repro decal sets that were on a better quality vinyl and quite often improved artwork.
Then one day I was on ebay and there were no repros available i'm like WTH?
On speaking to the repro guys they all told me the same thing that Tamiya threatened legal action unless they stopped making and selling them, they even got one guy to cut up his entire stock of repro decals and then he had to email them a photograph to prove they had all been destroyed, what utter bastards !
I could understand it if Tamiya were losing business but they have no intention to produce them again that's what really gets me.
There are loads of people like me who want to restore their old RC cars and all the while still being loyal and buying Tamiyas latest cars so where's the harm?
Kyosho on the other hand had no problem at all with their old decals being reproduced !
Since I found this out I lost the passion I once had for all things Tamiya as it seems to me that there is a sense of greed with them now.
I still enjoy watching these videos though:-)
They've come around on this. If you've heard of MCI Racing they're (he) probably the biggest repop rc decal supplier right now and I asked the owner about copyright infringement. He said Tamiya specifically refers him by name now.
Let's be honest here: Tamiya is releasing the "Evo" to take a bite out of the scalper's market and as a nod to people who buy one and leave them MIB inside their closet 20+ years.
No one is going to use these kits as runners. NOBODY. It's a speculators market, a hobby no more.
I've ordered 2, both will be bashers on rotation.
@@crnkin2 Excellent ;-) Although I thought you was going to say 1 basher & 1 shelf queen !
@@crnkin2 High-roller are we? ;] Enjoy them both. Great cars.
Eduardo Portas
I see this the other way. Them being as greedy as the hoarders.
@@alphawlff They are a bussiness. They need to be greedy. They're just capitalising on some adults who are even greedier than themselves and will sell a $450 kit for $900 in two or three years as the guy in the video said. We've all seen this before by Tamiya, Kyosho, Associated and Schumacher. The only way they'll stop this ReRe price ballooning is if we stop buying .
The prices have pushed-out a friend of mine who wanted to join the hobby with the intention to build some Tamiya kits. Terrible!
Sadly that's going to keep happening....
Collectors with more money than brains are pricing many People out of the Hobby. 😞
That's how supply and demand works.
I owned a Striker as a kid and purchased a grasshopper for son and comical frog for daughter. Loads of fun, but grasshopper ended up with broken chassis & body post a 540 upgrade, now fixed but on a shelf. Now have 2x Traxxas Rustlers, a different gear altogether load of fun and bulletproof (so far). Would still buy a ReRe Striker for nostalgia (Are you listening Tamiya!)
On another note, if I was buying kits I think I would go kyosho from now on.
Now I can see the justification in the prices if these were top line racing models but not for a line of cars that's going to become brittle after a few runs. I guess they think people gonna keep them for shelf queens
Pre-ordered a Evo, it’s ridiculous how much Tamiya are wanting now for re re kits. About time they actually made some decent NEW CAR KITS! You know people will be buying these kits to sell on eBay for over a grand, part of the reason I think that Tamiya put up their prices.
I've noticed Tamiya kits end up at cheaper prices down the line. I recently got a Rally Beetle, Neo Scorcher, Civic FF03 chassis, and Mercedes racing Semi for all less then $150 each (about 110 pound). These were all bought on Tower hobbies or Tamiya USA website
I live on tamiya USA lol you are correct
The shame is that the hobby would benefit if it was accessable to more people.
As a company you can price high sell less, price lower sell more. The balance of pricing is a delicate one regards production and distribution. I just feel for anyone wanting to enjoy a RC and not able to due to cost. I just want to see smiles on faces which a hobby can bring. This hobby has really helped my mental health and I want that for everyone who needs it. Much love all young and older 👍🏼
I got my Avante's new for 259 pound. And sold them awhile ago...😭 I love the Tamiya's but it's a lot of money for cars that will break unless you run them gently. Some of them you can bash pretty good like my Top Force and Boomerang. At the end of the day having a second chance to relive your childhood has no price. I'm just happy Tamiya keep's making the re-re's.
I remember getting my Hi-Lux monster racer in the 90's and it cost around $350cnd back then!! so I don't think the prices are not that nuts at all. Unfortunately Its a very expensive hobby.
I wish someone could work out a few of the main Tamiya kits and see if the cars are selling for more, less or the same than back in the 80s and 90's>? Obviously taking inflation into account.
@@RCKickschannel I looked at the pricing of a 1990 Vanquish vs 2020 VQS using MSRP from Tamiyabase. A 1990 Vanquish was 26800 yen ($185 using a 1990 exchange rate of approximately 145 yen/USD). A VQS is 31800 yen ($305 at the recent rate of 104 yen/USD). Due to inflation, $1 in 1990 is now worth $1.98, and the yen was MUCH stronger back then. So IMO the pricing is quite fair, even a bargain, and that's not taking into consideration the profit margin Gavin mentioned. Of course these numbers will vary with past and current exchange and inflation rates.
From what I remember in my youth, 4WD Tamiya buggies have always been very expensive, comparable to (if not more than) all-out racing buggies like the contemporary Kyosho Lazer ZX.
@@surfaceenergy I’ve done the numbers myself and just like you, it’s not that Tamiya prices have doubled but inflation, the current climate of expendable income levels and perceived value in some. Super interesting 👍🏻👍🏻
I honestly can't understand a number of the questions that people ask due to this. Are people upset about prices because it means they can't make a profit when they sell it on in a years time NIB? I mean, everyone is saying that they're too expensive and not worth it, but at the same time (and often the same people), people are saying that orders are in and they are going to sell out fast.
I think people need to remember that the re-re's is where they can make the money. If someone can buy a re-re for £200 but then sell it a year later for £350 NIB, why wouldn't Tamiya want a piece of that action. They can do this because these are cars that were big in the 80s and 90s, so kids back then are now in their 30s and 40s and most are in their financial prime, and nostalgia sells. People say they want modern buggies, but how many people bought things like the Leonis or the Dark Impact or any of these other ones - if there are others that I can't remember the name of, then that kinda proves my point. I think tamiya are a lot cleverer, in that people new to the hobby probably will be attracted by a new WRC based body, or a Subaru Impreza for instance, regardless of which chassis it's on. For instance, my return to the hobby was down to seeing the Audi A2 Quattro. I didn't know or care what chassis it was on. It was my first RC car in 25-30 years and was easy to build, and with a few mods, performs ok for me. As Gavin says, I wouldn't now chose to buy another TT02, but I think the one I have is good. But a TT02 with the Escort WRC body on will, I reckon, appeal to more people than a new random 4WD buggy that no one can identify with and won't perform as well as a Schumacher or Kyosho. Tamiya are just in a different part of the market.
I didn't put my Business Degree to waste when making my assessments...
Ironically, for the first time in over 10 years, I'm going to have MORE THAN ENOUGH MONEY to buy whatever I want!!!
Tamiya is NOT enticing me with these grossly overpriced and some over whimsical products!!
$500/£400 for a Top Force EVO - REALLY!!??? The only NEW thing on it is the ESC. It's just not worth it. At the end of the day - it's a TOY!!! 😠
$250/£180 for a freaking Grasshopper II!!?? OMG Tamiya! WTF are you thinking?
The ONLY two things of any interest to me, are the Escort Body, and the TA-02 - in which I'll KEEP the Calibra, because in the U.S., it's quite a novelty.
I'll take my $450 and buy a Clodbuster - and be much happier for it! 😉
Carmine ✈🚂🚙
I suppose a lot of people ordering the top force are going to stick them on e bay for someone to pay over the odds for nostalgia??
Scalpers?? Shame.Spoils the hobby for real builders and racers who don't wipe their ar..s on £50 notes
That's how the free market works
For the nostalgia YES it's worth it. For performance NOOOOOOOOOOOO I'd rather buy a new buggy like the HPI VORZA, ARRMA TYPHON or even the MAVERICK STRADAXB BRUSHLESS
Imagine if car manufacturers brought out rere's mk 1 Escort any one
That's actually happening in the near future, altough not by Ford. You can already buy an all new mk 2 Escort in the UK!
It would be very costly, I get that the re re can be as much as a modern race buggy but value wise it actually not that bad when you consider all factors in shipping and taxes then the materials used, then the best bit is a chance to own something you missed out on first time round. You wouldn't be getting a mk1 Escort for 30 grand although that would be nice lol
Tamiya prices are usually MSRP are higher than what the hobby shops and online distributors sell them for. Perfect example, TamiyaUSA has the Fighter Buggy RX Memorial for $189 but, online distributors in the USA (Towerhobbies & Amain) have them for $139. So Tamiya’s prices are usually inflated. I agree with the body kit. I hope that the Ford GT body set is available so that I can put that on my TT02.
I don’t think comparing traxxas to Tamiya is a good comparison, once Tamiya is done releasing a kit there’s little to no back up with spares, and someone like traxxas as least tests and researches there materials. Tamiya plastics are terrible the kits are great for looking at but way too brittle. It’s a nostalgia tax
Looking at the prices for some of these reres and new kits, I’d rather spend a bit more on an original kit, where the joy is much greater when finding it after a long time of searching around. But that’s just my opinion 😁
My problem is they show you new releases you wait months then you miss them cause you have a life where you can't be on the internet 24/7 there was more availability in the 80-90s early 2000s order from rc magazines tower hobbies doesn't have the big tamiya selection than they used to I like the land freeder tracks
That’s why companies offer pre-order
Takes 30seconds
I love the vintage cars and rere's but...... price point still is king. If a company overshoots with a high price, the masses will go elsewhere. That does nothing good for a company and the hobby when the masses start buying all of the cheap Chinese offerings. (although some of those are pretty good) The heart and soul of the hobby is in the vintage and rere scene. And they need to be affordable and reachable for the masses. That is how we grow the hobby in a good way. I hope our beloved companies do not forget that important fact.
Back when I was a kid, 1st gen Tamiya RCs were considered entry level (borderline toys) hence they weren't really expensive. Never would I have thought now they could charge astronomical prices for the same kits and still have collectors hanging on nostalgia lap them all up. Compounding the problem is these kits are fragile, one wrong turn and you would have to buy replacement parts (which are also costly) that are hard to find. What you end up with are shelf queens that you paid crazy prices for that you can only look at.
Sure Tamiya can be happy with the profits, but the brand now just looks tarnished in my eyes.
Yeah they look good on a shelf but can’t really be abused sane as my technic Lego kits pricey but they don’t even move apart from one
I’m sad. Was a huge Tamiya fan/purchaser back in the late ‘80s. Fast forward to adulthood and the same models I couldn’t afford back then (Avante, Egress, etc) I can afford now but shouldn’t buy them as it’s not financially responsible at the prices they’re asking.
I had a few Kyosho back in the day too and am tempted to buy a nice metal re-re from before my time aka Scorpion/Tomahawk. To me the price on those was reasonable.
well its a hobby i say and of course you have decide your self if its worth to spend money - no matter what prices. if i see my train hobby - märklin - prices aren't low also. but it has to stay as a hobby and doesn't worry me, so far
I think the prices are about right. What annoys me are the scalpers that buy up loads simply just to sell for double in a couple of years time. Unless you are a shop you should be limited to the amount you can buy.
Tamiya was never cheap well not here in NZ for my first complete package in 1988 (striker) it cost $330 NZ dollars back then that was half my dads weekly wage and he had a well paying job. I really wanted one and I had too save for 8 months at my part time job working at a saw mill on Saturdays $3 an hour. Soo younger people need too put it into perspective and prioritise PS5 or EVO you want it bad or you don't and you maybe can't have both, Thanks.
Listen guys, Avante, Egress, and Top Force Evolution were all expensive cars back in the late 80s and early 90s. It's not like a teenager readily had an Egress in his collection unless he got really lucky with nice and rich parents. They were working-adult priced then, and they are going to be working-adult price now in the re-re. It's not reasonable to expect the creme de la creme of Tamiya kits to be readily attainable if you're currently on a Grasshopper or even a Hot Shot type of budget. That said, yeah, 600+ USD is pushing it a bit much.
IMHO Tamiya is justified in asking higher prices for kits by the very people that snap up all those newly released TFE's. If the sales don't go to the roof upon release because the prices are high, they will soon realise that the pricepoint is off. Of course, this is basic economics, the early adaptors, the people that buy one on release will spend the most, and after being on the market for a while, prices of kits will go down. Visible mostly by higher discounts in the shops after some time. Putting terms like "limited production" on their kits make them seem even more desirable and pushes people into buying them straight away at the highest possible price.
I completely agree with you on the TT-02 vs. TA-02, the TT chassis are the entry level kits suited for people getting (back) in to RC. By putting out a lot of different bodies on this chassis, Tamiya gets a lot of attention for them and good sales numbers. When people really get into the RC hobby they will probably upgrade to a better chassis after a while, that's where the TA-02 comes in. I would personally like to see Tamiya rereing the Repsol rally livery for the Escort.
I'm looking forward to your new builds!
Thanks for the update mate, great to see what's on offer.
If they were cheaper I would buy more of the kits
Tamiya will charge as much as they think they can....if they are all sold, they haven't charged too much. Pointing your anger at Tamiya is wrong, it's the people who are prepared to pay the price that are the reason the price increases.
Regarding tooling costs playing a part of the cost, I don't think this is really the issue. I'd argue that the tooling costs will be very similar between something like the Thunder Dragon (which is re-re at about £180) and the Evo, certainly there won't be £120 worth of difference. I think Tamiya knew how well the Evo would be recieved, I'd actually say they have underestimated the market for the Thunder Dragon and could have charged £50 - £100 more for it and still sold the same amount.
I think you have a point with the Thunder Dragon, I feel this will sell really well.
@@RCKickschannel yep...bought one! Lol
@@MalcySP please could you tell me where did you order the Thunder Dragon from?
Those rose tinted glasses look great, where can I get some?
I think the prices are well placed for the most part. If they price them too cheap the 2nd hand values will also drop and so if you have several vintage cars already you could see a huge loss in the value of your collection. Tamiya is aiming the rere models like the Top Force, Avante and Egress at the 40+ market who can afford them and have the nostalgia for them. It's great that the resale of Tamiya RC cars is strong, you could spend £400 on a Top Force Evo, enjoy putting it together then keep it and enjoy it a few years and then maybe sell it on for £300 so the final cost is only £100 (you could even sell it on at cost or profit if the condition is good enough and it gets discontinued again). Tamiya knows that a lot of the rere kits will end up sitting on shelves looking pretty rather than being driven hard, although this is partly mandated by the lack of spares support which is a real shame. Schumacher by contrast knows it's cars are less about the build and more about the drive and running maintenance and seems to be doing a much better job of providing spares and hop up options (sorry, speed secrets!). I don't really understand why Tamiya bother with the basic motors and ESC's, if you're going to run them surely most people would rather source their own better brushless motors and ESCs with Lipo cut off, if they really had to shave a little off the cost this is how I'd like to see it be done. A crappy motor and ESC hardly makes the cars ready to run anyway so I just don't get it and if it's just going to sit on a shelf it's also complete waste of money.
Tamiya could release a 959 tomorrow for $1000 and people would line up for days. They aren’t about money, but yeah, it’s a business.
Supply and demand. Could be worse - look at Porsche not raising prices and instead making it impossible for the everyman to buy a gt3. Then every rich bastard turns into a scalper!. Bravo Tamiya I say.
Everyone talking Tamiya re-re’s and here waiting for the re-release mardave mini stock to drop lol loved them little kits as a kid now with modern batteries and stuff will be epic fun
Marauder comeback would be fitting too. 😎👍🏻
Interesting stuff here but I remember the Avante kit being sold for £199 back in 1988. I've still got mine in the loft. Taking into account inflation, that's almost £550 in 2021 so what's really changed other than its actually got cheaper...? Yes it's dear compared to other brands but there are a lot of nicely made, machined parts on it and it's not just a pile of injection moulded fibreglass reinforced nylon parts like many of the basher buggies. Not quite the same for the TFE as it's more plasticy but assuming £389 street price that means £186 back in 1992 when originally released. Doesn't seem so bad now does it...?
The only one I'm interested in is the Evo.
Went on Modelsport yesterday and put one in my basket.
Then I pictured my wife's scowling face if she found out how much it cost. Plus the sofa isn't that comfortable to sleep on.
With you on that! I did the same, tried justifying it to the wife. She not impressed
That’s why you don’t tell them :)
@@problemchild1976 noted 👍
Tamiya was genius when they started rereleasing the kits from the eighties. The cost was really prohibitive for families back in the day. I didn’t get my wild one until 1987. I was obsessed with tamiya and spent hours pouring over the catalogues. Watching the promo videos in hobby stores. And arguing with friends over which car offered the best value for money. So when tamiya starts to market towards these older fans who could now afford to fill their roof spaces with every kit they ever dreamed about they struck a gold mine. 15 years later they are now hitting the nineties kids releasing the Ta05 chassis. It’s a cash grab and let’s face it business is business. Particularly with so much competition for all these other companies. Same with the comical range. The kids that would bug their parents for a comical hornet would have no idea of the eighties car craze. But it is as cute as button.
I just wish the gang in Shizuoka would rerelease the bear hawk!
We visited the Super Rajikon store in Akibahara, Japan a few years ago and saw a lot of classic re re
lease Tamiya kits. They were really affordable to me.
I think perhaps Tamiya seriously underestimated the popularity and demand for these original kits and underpriced them relative to the soaring demand.
Someone at Tamiya finally realized they were selling the kits at too low a price.
where are you guys preordering from?
hi i have a question um the EVO right now the rerelease is it the same?
are they going to do a few NEW hopups for it? or old hopups ? if so what? and will it fit the old car and the new rerelease thanks very much for your time
Where would you be able to preorder the opal TA02. I can’t find it anywhere.
Nah there screwing us. Just me but I don't see the point of just buying and keeping in box. People just buying these now like touts
Tamiya is profiting from the nostalgia factor. These re-re cars are not bashers and will rarely be driven (Let alone that these kits are not as durable or perform as well as modern kits), they are shelf queens if the kits are built at all, especially for the price.
They price the kits to what people are willing to pay for them, period.
That's some good comments Mark.
I got my first tamiya radio controlled aged 7 in 1977... the cheetah....since then Ive had...the original holiday buggy...Toyota hi-lux which was £129 new in 1982....Audi Quattro...original grasshopper...mini....mercedes 190 cosworth...Rough rider....omg I wish I'd kept them all.vintage prices are crazy...now I'm 50 and I'm getting back into it...keeping to tamiya...don't think the prices have changed much in relation to inflation...still good value...but they have cheapend on quality...
I hope Schumacher does a RERE of the Cougar. I still have my original from 1991 but would love to get another to build.
I so hope we see a few more vintage kits from them!!
£400 for a tamiya, i'd rather get a traxis or something like that, as there better cars better parts and made of better plastic's and material's, and you can get loads off parts for them. my first proper rc car was a midnight pumpkin loved it and was going to get a rere one but didnt coz i know i'll just brake it so just got the body for it and going to make a better chassis for it for cheaper than you can get the kit.
I’m 44 and a huge fan of all the re-re but it’s just frustrating to get trapped into the market of pumping up prices for kits to become a commodity for trade, rather than a hobby for people who want to play with nostalgic toys.
100% well said
I think they should make all the special editions and rare re releases really really expensive to properly milk the mugs that buy them. Like £800-1000. That would be great. Then make the mid range and low end kits cheaper.
The TA-02 was also 257mm wheelbase
Is it? I looked it up and I found 260mm. If that's the case that makes it super easy to swap. Bonus!
@@RCKickschannel Tamiyabase says so for the TA02, but the model I once owned (58144), which is TA02W, they list 258mm as wheelbase. But I think, it was actually 257mm for all their touring cars, beginning from their invention with the TA01 chassis, which was a Manta Ray chassis equipped with short wishbones, the rear ones weirdly shaped to shorten the wheelbase, until now.
I kick myself for selling all my LEGO expert builder sets... I had almost ALL of them. People went crazy with the bidding because I had all the manuals in perfect condition. They were begging me to split it up. I got a few grand for it all and was happy at the time. Just like when I sold my Kyosho Javelin for 150.00.... ugh....
Learned anything from this?
Now thats a real valuable lesson.. ;)
(cant say I never made the same mistake btw.. )
I'd like to chime in as someone who's 26, not trying to be rude, but it does seem like Tamiya's primary market is absolute novice hobbyists with the TT platforms, or older hobbyists who fondly remember either having or wanting whatever re-releases they're coming out with at any given point. I think a lot of the older Tamiya cars are very cool, and as a kid I had a Falcon, Bigwig, and Midnight Pumpkin that had been handed down to me, and I enjoyed them plenty. However as much as I would love to own some form of re-released car for fun, it makes no sense for me to buy something that is going to be blown away dollar for dollar by a much more modern RC that will offer me hours of high speed bashing fun, with far more durable and available parts. I'm not looking to buy a Tamiya expecting that same experience, but if it comes between the two for a similar price point, I'm not going with the Tamiya. I've been really interested in the Clodbuster lately, super cool, and it's a kit. However, the Axial SMT10 is at most, $20USD more..same style of truck, more available parts, more capable and durable. Tamiya needs to wise up on pricing that's my opinion. Cool cars, unrealistic prices.
I believe something like 90% of Tamiya's sales are RC kits to their home market? I wonder if Japan pricing is also rising? Apparently their scale model market only accounts for something like 5% of their total income?
I would think most of the profit comes from the consumable side of the business. Paints, tape, clue and tools. I would love to know if income has been declining over the last ten years from RC sales.
Wonder if a Comical Striker would actually be as fast and more hard waring than the original :)
100% yes lol
@@RCKickschannel I seen strikers racing in nostelgic races and set up well they compete with all tamiya's from that era eliminate the bump steer and place on CVA's and its a very fast capable RC and this ain't a joke it's quite wide and long which gives great stability and the trailing arm rear really drift ready, cheers.
Just started watching your videos while on furlough, thinking of getting into RC and thoroughly enjoying seeing all these retro models I remember from the 80s.
I briefly dabbled when I was a kid, but my step brother was heavily involved. If I remember right he had a mardave meteor, then a top cat, then 4wd cat, the a lazer zxr.
I bought a 2nd hand lazer zx and went racing a handful of times and loved it.
What would you recommend as a first buy? 1:10 scale electric buggy, I'd want something decent, something quick so I can get enthusiastic about it. But a good build. I'm aware 2wd are simpler builds but I want a challenge and 4wd appeals more for some reason.
I'd want something to build and race locally. Something that can take a hammering as I remember the front upright on the zx breaking very easily
Buy a rtr brushless or maybe the plasma edge 2 or hotshot won’t be fast though
I need to save for a Thunder Dragon and a serious (non-comical) Hotshot. I do like the comical one, but it's a no-brainer given the price if I have to choose!
I’m back in the hobby for about 2 years now and I think that the prices in general are getting insane. Kits, parts, electronics, new or vintage, prices keep going up to a point the many people will eventually give up the hobby. Especially sad for our youngsters, who are the future of RC
I think it’s all the people who are buying them in numbers to sell on eBay the next day at $300 profit! It’s driving up prices for those who genuinely enjoy the hobby.
I don’t mind paying for a great kit, but the EVO should include a nicer spec motor for the predicted price.
There made of plastic mate they make a 80 percent mark up ,I work in the toy industry and trust me the mark ups are insane.
The land freeder body on the tt0ft quad track is also from the bush devil and bush devil 2 , then it appeared on the cc01 chassis
Tamiya is the main culprit for why model building and R/C is no longer a kid’s hobby. I haven’t purchased a Tamiya product in over ten years for that reason.
I wanna know what is your opinion/review on the discontinued Arrma Raider XL. I recently bought one as a roller second hard and it is surprisingly larger (1/8th scale) and heavier than I expected. What is the biggest RC in your collection? And instead of buying so many Tamiya kits, why not buy a major large vehicle like the Rovan Baja, Losi LMT or Super Baja Rey 2.0, or Xmaxx or Primal RC Raminator? Thanks,
Sounds like straight up greediness.
Normally that statement would be a bit outrageous....
But in this case it's spot on! 😞
@@CarminesRCTipsandTricks
Don’t get me wrong, I have a ton of Tamiya model kits. They are always perfect and incredible quality.
I have a couple Tamiya rc cars and one of their rc sailboats. So,I like their kits.
But this time I just think they are asking too much. That’s all.
@@Johnny-tt8zc You're right, they are!
I've been building and enjoying Tamiya Kits since my first Frog in 1984...
Always quality and enjoyable builds.
But they're on the bandwagon lately of GOUGING people because of COVID - and that ain't right.
sadly im still likely to get the Thunder Dragon even at that price... its either pay up or regret on missing out. its pretty much a "shut up and take my money!"
You have to have a connection, and really want them to pay these prices. I have myself a few times, but I am in the age group of the people who lived through the original release. No doubt this is the market. I love them, but keep the prices reasonable.
Got a topforce evo coming end of February from Japan, its not over priced for what you get material wise. Its a shame you had to explain its value and worth. Will be a good car for next years iconic rc revival.
Evo X.... lot people in 3-5 Years they will sell the Evo for the double 🤣 And everybody laughing about the repost at FB🤣👍. In my opinion i would tune up my TA-02 with topforce parts 😄
TT02 chassis probably keeps cost down & there are still lots of upgrades around.
Tamico is gaunnie price themselves outae business.
To me tamiya has been the lower priced but great value and fun kits while the like of traxxas, arrma and losi are the higher end kits. For tamiya to move up the price range they need to make a car that I would bash as much as a stampede, xmaxx or kraton. I wouldn't treat an avanti the same as it would break.
I think tamiya are cashing in on the rc hobby getting more popular but they risk pushing themselves out.
Exactly... I was too young when the Avante came out and wasnt working... NOW they rerelease them and they are $800 here in Aus... REALLY? madness.. I bought an Optima mid SE almost brand new and only some marks on the chassis everything else unmarked for $470 here...
$550 for the Avante is crazy. There aren't many 100% kits that are more expensive than that, regardless of scale (excluding 5th scale). A Tekno MT410 is $100 cheaper and will take a beating all day along. Tamiya stuff breaks as soon as you turn the power up or bash it.
If you put the prices in an inflation calculator, I don't think the prices are too far off what they were during the original releases. The prices are high, but not eye wateringly so. (IMO).
The numbers show the kits are not much different to back in the day. It could be that the vintage cars have seen a large increase in value as well as vintage parts and decals. This could be what's making people feel like the hobby is blowing up in $$ and ££ price tags?
@@RCKickschannel I agree. I think it's important to differentiate between re-re's and vintage though, as some people won't accept anything less than genuine vintage on everything. I'm not one of those people... but I put the £400 Top Force Evo price into an inflation calculator and set it for 1993, it came out around £190 which sounds about right for the time from what I can remember. So it seems logical that Tamiya will be making similar margins on this kit. People have said that some of the tooling will be re-used, but there has to be SOME re-engineering when a new production run is started after all this time, so their set up costs won't be zero. They will not need to have spent any R&D though, but this is probably offset by the lower volumes.
Gavin you mentioned pricing compared to the original release,
I had the madcap in 89-90 i got the lot with radio battery charger paint and bearings for £89.99 i remember the price as it was a toss up between that and the lunchbox.
So in theory the price increase is about right.
But with the sate of the import tax ect ect ect we are stuffed.!
I think the cougar 2000 would take more work to rerelease as it was a new platform to the cougar. (different chassis grp and 3 gear transmission). As to Tamiya for me I was thinking long term will they still be releasing what is old kits now in ten years time and where todays kits are the collectors kits of the future.
Sorry Gavin but I have to disagree with you there. BECAUSE it's a rerelease, Tamiya do NOT have to stump up much for tooling, production, or development! It's all there already! They're reusing moulds that are already fully depreciated, and decades-old development that was done (and expensed!) long ago.
I doubt Tamiya have the same injection machines they used in the 80s, also to keep all those unused moulds would not be cost effective, storage space costs money. I agree they would likely keep the original masters to make the moulds but I would think they would have to retool for modern injection machines.
It would be interesting to actually find out what the process is for tamiya (or any other company) to re-re a model
I worked for a Japanese company for many years, a decision will be made by an internal Japanese staff consensus. The subsidiaries like Europe, US will all be pushing the Japanese management to product kits that are desirable in the local markets. The challenge is Japanese business is extremely different so it's hard for them to understand external market demands or take risks.
I’ve pre-ordered
It’s silly money
Never gonna lose money on one though
I wanted a normal topforce because I couldn’t afford a topforce evo
The Q is, would you spend £350 on a normal topforce 2nd hand or £400 on a NIB that you can make yourself
I don’t want a traxxas - you don’t get to build it and it’s ugly
Do you ever see yourself with 40 traxxas on your wall?
"Do you ever see yourself with 40 Traxxas RC cars on your wall?" Now that is an extremely good question!!
Meh, Not that there isn't some truth to what you are saying, but I don't know, I see Kyosho and other companies doing fine having more realistic pricing (for what you get). Still just seems like Tamiya's pricing is getting further and further off the mark. We shall see though, in the end, the market decides.....
Iv been gathering up re res for a couple of years all shelf queens and I love them just as much as when I was a child. I just can’t see dropping 300 plus dollars on an egress or an Avante or any other one of Tamiyas overpriced cars. I will be getting a fighting buggy re re though lol. I wish associated would rerelease the rc10 as I missed the last release. 189 for any one of the comical vehicles is way out of control.
Where is everyone finding the Top Force Evo for pre-order in the US? I did a bunch of searching last night and couldn't find anything and now today I'm seeing a bunch of people have already pre-ordered...this is so frustrating. I had no idea they were available. I don't want this to be another item that's sold out before I even get a chance to purchase one.
In the states MSRP is never what products are actually sold for. Usually if an MSRP is say $600 the actual sale price is more like $399 give or take fifty bux
Everyone wants things cheaper but the majority I find in life just want things practically for free.
These people will still have the money spare to fritter on their high st kenco coffees / mcgonks etc though.
When it comes to carbon classic nostalgia like egress/avante/evo I think the price is fair. The company must make something. I’am looking at businesses these days and thinking how on earth do they make a dime.
How is the part availability for those kits? Can you find anything on msrp prices?
@@EASYUSA I don’t care about parts.They stay on the shelf. Tamiya are classics. The brands you are going on about below to me look like they’ve come out of a 2p pusher arcade machine if they could if I’m honest and will never be remembered apart from being battered . That’s just my view. I’m a 80s person and I like what I I like.
It is Tamiya realizing that Re-re IS a (very 🤫) lucrative business and those who could not afford it (originally and the first re-re), now can. In addition they (kinda) respected the owners of the original and the re-re-ses by coming with brilliant (😴) renaming scheme to produce additional value for the re-re which almost to a point an original to begin with.
Definitely not worth the money anymore, i picked up the Top Force when it was re released a few years back and im ok with that investment but to keep just re releasing 30 yr old kits with no new tech to support the costs is just sad. Especially in today's pandemic financial climate. Great video btw.
I love the Grasshopper 2 in this colour scheme and with CVA´s very good i think i will get 2 of them
I’m glad I wasn’t into buggies as a kid and have no interest in any of these. Would be way too costly. Luckily I found original kits for the 2 TA02 touring cars and 2 F103s I had. Much cheaper. You can get some of the F102s for $200-$300. Much more reasonable. I hope they do some more reres of F1s and a 959.
MB Models have apparently the TF Evo 2021 @ £364.99 on their facebook page. Dont think they've listed it on their website yet.
Where do you go to pre order an evo?