ASK Cub Reporter, 11.07.2013, Version- My Mailbox is Full, Please Go Away

“Cubby,

My question is about a common belief that is passed around the internet. When an R.C. vehicle is discontinued is it really necessary to start stocking up on parts, or do the manufacturers continue to produce replacement parts? I recently had a vehicle I own become discontinued and am now faced with this question. (I would mention the vehicle but it is just too embarrassing to admit I made this purchase).

I realize that R.C. cars aren’t on the same level of investment as a one to one counterpart, but one of the major advantages of hobby grade vehicles is the ability to purchase replacement parts. If certain manufacturers simply stop production on replacements once a vehicle is discontinued that would effect a consumers initial decision to buy something. I would love to get your always unbiased insight on this question, Thanks,

Ryan”

Cubby- Word up and congrats Ryan, you have just won “Letter of the Month” and thus you get a free BigSquidRC t-shirt. Shoot us your snail mail and size so we can hook ya up.

When an rc car is disco’ed does the manufacture continue to produce parts? The answer is… it depends.

Now days, most “manufactures” literally have to wait in line to get parts produced from an overseas OEM. A big Asian OEM might make parts/cars for Team X this week, then Team Y the next, and Team Yeehaww after that. When Team X has a hot new truck they want out ASAP, many times the release date is at the mercy of the schedule of the Asian OEM. I say this to get across the point that even if Team X wants parts for a discontinued vehicle, sometimes it isn’t easy to get them produced. But… you can bet that if getting parts made is sure to make Team X some major cash, they’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they end up on LHS shelves.

Also… I’m sure you’ve noticed quite a few manufactures have been on a rampage of putting out new cars. It isn’t like the old days when a manufacture might put out a “new car” once every couple of years. Now days, it’s not uncommon to put out a new car every couple of months. With that philosophy- put out lots of new cars, drop old cars fast, they typically don’t support old product. Once they discontinue it, they don’t look back, there are simply too many old cars to realistically support.

However… some more popular models, and some models from small manufactures, do get some parts support after the kit is killed off. Shoot off an email or give the manufacture of your vehicle a ring, most likely they’ll let you know what the future of parts support will look like for your specific model.

Furthermore… IMO, lets say you have a really awesome truck that you like. It gets discontinued. Sure, buy up a spare truck and the commonly broken parts so you can drive it a while. But for the real long term, you are going to have to put it in storage.

If it’s a pile that you are so ashamed of that you don’t even want to mention its name, I say beat it with a hammer, huck it in the trash, and never look back. It’s just a toy car and I can assure you there are plenty more out there that you’ll like better.

“Hey Big Squid.

My co-workers and I like to go out during our lunch breaks and do some racing. Recently we have started doing time challenges to reduce the amount of carnage, and have been on the hunt for an affordable, portable and easy setup/tear down Lap timing system.
A perfect solution would record each lap and total time to do X number of laps for several cars at a time (so we could race staggered)
Thats alot to ask for, but even a single car solution has been hard to find.
Do you know of any?
Thanks
Duston D.”

Cubby- Wow, lots of brainwashing going on in your letter Duston, maybe I can help open your mind a bit.

You do realize you are playing with toy cars on your lunch break right? I would think you would be looking for some stress relief, not a way to heighten it.

Heck, you even want to use IFMAR staggered starts. IFMAR starts blow in regular rc racing, you have been listening to all the wrong people if you are even considering using them for your informal lunch racing.

Yo Duston, wake up! Have some freak’n fun at lunch, not the IFMAR worlds. If the only way you and your homies can have fun is by racing, there are plenty of places to get your fill of that.

Instead… bust your cars out and have friendly competitions that don’t require a timing system. When we have limited time we usually play something called tag. Yup, simple old tag. Whoever gets tagged is it. This isn’t full on demo derby, it is just tag another car and they are it.

Should you need a bit more of a competition edge, try a measured long jump. Try high jump, heck, spend the $50 for a cheap radar gun and measure your top speeds. Rc soccer is a blast, but I would skip tug-of-war, it is crazy hard on parts.

BTW… lets say you did get your lunch break racing going and decided to invite the BSRC crew, this is what would happen. The tone goes off and guess what? Half our Bash Crew would start driving the wrong direction on your track. Why? Why the heck not! We are bashers and track direction has no relevance to us. Next, we would start smashing into every car we could find. Why? Why not! We are bashers and smashing stuff is fun. Then… well, I think you get the point, track “rules” mean pretty much nothing to us.

To boil it down, on a limited time lunch break, there are LOTS of other ways to have fun with your guys than wanna be racing. I know “Racing is the only fun you can have, you must race!” has been shoved down everyones throats forever, but luckily BSRC is here to tell you that you don’t have to drink that Kool Aid.

That’s it for this week, congrats to Ryan, the winner of our “letter of the month”. Every writer that hits the big time gets a free sticker pack, so send in those emails- Cubby at BigSquidRC.com is the addy ya want.

YOUR Cub Reporter