Auto World Xtraction - Do they run out of the packet? Are they any good? Let's see.

in this video I unbox my latest delivery, and then test drive all 11 cars. I demonstrate basic tuning tips to improve both wear and track speed.
test driving is on the #mvtac circuit @ 14 volts.
it's also my first video using my new phone, which I feel is a large improvement.

[@IOSARBX]

Murder Valley Raceway, I love watching your videos!

[@murdervalleyraceway]

Thank you, I really appreciate it.

[@nunyabusiness6090]

Great video! And I agree that they're okay. No worse than AFX really. Both have soft axles and out of whack wheel and gear issues.
I've only bought 8 Auto World cars new and only one had a slightly more serious issue, but it wasn't anything that couldn't be fixed. The rivet on the the rear top plate gear on a 4 gear drag car was seriously loose to the point it was disengaging and slipping/grinding. A light tap with a centre punch fixed that though.

[@murdervalleyraceway]

@@nunyabusiness6090 exactly.

[@Matthew-jv1ee]

I have a ton of aw and they r hit and miss..some run awesome and some r dogs..

[@murdervalleyraceway]

@@Matthew-jv1ee but some of the misses are so minor, and so easy to fix.
I'm definitely not a fan of the soft axle and pick up shoe material though.

[@jeremyhurst6255]

Good show man

[@oldhick9047]

Very good video sir. This is just my opinion after 60 years of messing with all types and scales of slot cars, so take it for what it's worth. Chassis build quality is generally poor and quality control is weak at best. Compare one to the AFX version. If you can get them cheap enough, they provide some nice bodies and some good parts.
Having said that, I will also say that with some tuning and dialing, they can be made to work pretty well. I am not a "slot car snob" I love all slot cars and AW is very much appreciated for what they do in the hobby. Better QC would help but that is true with nearly everything today.
Keep up the good work !

[@murdervalleyraceway]

@@oldhick9047thank you for your reply. Would it be fair to say that in 2024, the one thing the HO slot car hobby is short of is bodies?
There's plenty of chassis producers at the moment,and if you're after anything other than Lexan style bodies, there's a definite shortage. I'm guessing this is due to copyright, and having to pay for rights to use body shapes.
The one thing Auto World does well is bodies, and unpainted versions as well.
I also love the way Auto World doesn't just focus on American Muscle cars.

[@oldhick9047]

@@murdervalleyraceway As a consumer, I agree with you as to a shortage of certain types of bodies in HO. From a manufacture's point of view, new molds are extremely expensive and when you are selling everything you make already, it's really tempting for them not to come out with new stuff. Add to that, the cost of licensing a product, it's not to hard to see why new models are limited.
AW seems to understand that new models or versions of old models are needed to keep the industry alive.
As for the others, RaceMaster AFX comes to mind, as nice as their cars are, we have enough Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes though more Ford GT's are always welcome. 😁
At this point, I see 3D printing as the best alternative, some resin bodies are pretty good as well. It kind of come down to this. If you can't find what you want commercially, you have to build it, cast it, print it, or.....look at alternate sources. Many Hotwheels bodies are plastic, as are Matchbox cars. I made a slot car from a Ford dealer promo key fob. ( Ford F-250 pickup). It cost me a buck at a flea market.
So, after all that pontification, yes there is a lack of body selection, but for the individual hobbyist who can paint a little, or is willing to learn to paint a little, body options do exist.. In my view, it is more fun winning with a car you have some personal investment in.
Folks like you help keep a hobby alive and thriving that has had it's obituary written many times over the years. "Keep on keepin' on" as my generation used to say.

[@seanciaudella4147]

I'm in US let me know if I can get you anything man

[@murdervalleyraceway]

@@seanciaudella4147 thank you so much for the offer. Definitely the biggest problem I have is the websites that auto calculate postage. US$30ish for a single car, but then keeps adding nearly the same amount to the postage again for adding each car to the box.
Viper definitely have the best website for buying from overseas. I wish they stocked more items.

[@nunyabusiness6090]

@@murdervalleyraceway Yep, $30 US and in some cases more. Just this morning I was looking at buying a car but the shipping was more than what we pay for a car here (US $43.23, approx. AU $63.84).
Then you get the eBay stores that are all over the place for shipping. I've had some for as low as US $5.50 (PowerHobby-Online), but you can't have combined shipping on multiple items.