ASK Cubby- Time To Answer Some Questions
“HPI Venture FJ
Hey Cubby, I’m a beginner hobbyist (got my first truck at 11, 2 years ago) and I’ve recently learned about the new HPI Venture platform. I NEED this truck, but I can’t find out how to get on the pre-order list if it isn’t sold out yet. Any ideas how? Also, here’s a good shootout for you guys to hold: Venture vs. SCX10 vs. TF2 vs. Gmade Komodo? If this gets on your next Cubby report, that’ll be awesome!
Thanks a million,
Weston S.”
Cubby- Yooooo congrats Weston, yours is the letter of the month. That means you are not only super cool, but entitled to a BigSquidRC t-shirt. HMU with your shirt size and snail mail so we can get ya one on the way.
And yes, the HPI Venture FJ appears to be one very trick rig. I really like its metal chassis, where it has its motor mounted, and how much attention to detail that they put pretty much everywhere on the truck. In fact, I am soooo not a “scale rig” guy, but the Venture FJ is the first one of its genre that I would actually spend my own money on.
So… you HAVE to have one and want to get on the list for the first batch before they are all sold out. Ya, me too. LOL. But… you haven’t found a way to get yours on pre-order. My neither. LOL. But of course I have some advice…
I am super tight with my LHS. If I go in and say “Start a list for the Venture FJ and put my name on top!” they will do it for me and I will get the first one that arrives to their store. If you are tight with your LHS, you are dialed. If you don’t know every person behind the counter on a first name basis, you might have to plunk down some cold hard cash to make it happen. How much? I have no idea as HPI has yet to list a price for the FJ, but a decent LHS isn’t going to refuse money.
Otherwise, if you live in the states but aren’t close to an LHS, I would keep searching for the part number (#116558) on Tower Hobbies website (like every single day). It will pop up at some point in the future and there you can get yours on pre-order.
As I stated in the Cub Report this week, word is that the Venture FJ is still a ways out, like several months away, that’s why you haven’t found a method of doing a pre-order yet. But… I can assure you that time will here before you know it.
Oh and ya, even though I’m sooooo not a scale guy, even I want to see the Venture go head to head against the Vaterra, RC4WD, etc. We’ve already talked about it and really want to pull the trigger on that shootout, but it will probably be mid Summer before it can happen.
Cubby,
How is Facebook affecting all the rc sites? I see more and more rc groups on Facebook and they seem to be taking over.
Carl E.”
Cubby- Hey ya Carl, thanks for taking the time to shoot out an email.
So… how is Facebook affecting different rc websites? It is affecting them like every other sport/hobby/etc out there, it is definitely taking away some traffic. IMO, it is putting the worst hurt’n on the old school forums, who were used to big growth for years upon years, but are now seeing their numbers go away, especially with new users. On the forums a lot of the old schoolers are still there, but without fresh blood life has stagnated.
Once again IMO, the dot coms have been affected as well, just not as much. Sites that are active and provide good quality original content will continue to prosper, while the sites that don’t have much to offer will continue to fail. Facebook certainly has their hooks in a lot of mainstreamers, but being a “social media” site begs for them to fall out of favor for the next hot thing. No, the next big thing in social media hasn’t taken off yet, but that is a matter of when, not if. The dot coms will simply always have their place on the web.
So… there ya have it folks, yet another ASK Cubby. Have a question? Want to rant? Want to pick a bone with somebody? Just want to get something off your chest? My email box is the best place to do it- thecubreportrc at gmail dot com. Make the big time and win a sticker pack, or get picked as the “Letter of the Month” and get a free t-shirt.
YOUR Cub Reporter
