Source
r/rccars•
Testing123one

Xmaxx or 1/8 E Buggy?

Hi there,

Years ago I used to casually race short course trucks at a local hobby store. Had tons of fun racing.

I recently have moved across the country and don't have any of my old RC stuff. Oddily enough there happens to be an awesome indoor dirt track.

They mainly race 1/8th scale E buggy. I am unsure if I would go to race as often as they do but I do like the competitiveness.

However, the Xmaxx. It's big, looks awesome. Would probably be near the same investment. I wouldn't bash with the buggy it would strictly be track ran.

What would you suggest I pick up? I'm torn, more peoe than just me would get to have fun with the Xmaxx. Owners of each how do you like them? I think I will eventually invest in both, but I don't want to spend that much money all at once. So I'll make sure I love one then get the other.

Sorry if format isn't great, currently on my phone.

Thank you for any advice.

TL:DR Xmaxx for bashing or 1/8th scale E buggy for racing at a local track in Flowood, MS

Posted May 8, 2018, 11:51 AM UTC

239
MrBlankenshipESQEngines Only Kthnx•

Buggy, cause it can do both. XMaxx can only do one. also xmaxx is a bit overrated.

7
HairSee•

If I was made of money I'd get a Losi MTXL just to be able to drive with Xmaxx owners and ask them if it's 1/8 scale.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oCqIpnrZipE/maxresdefault.jpg

2
Testing123oneOP•

That's really cool but I want to stick to electric

2
HairSee•

Check their buggy then, the sexily named dbxl-e

1
EinBickRacing•

I'll show you 2 pictures and you tell me wich one is more expensive.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

And yes the one with only plastic costs almost twice as much as the one with aluminum.

My point is: The xMax is way too expensive for what it is. And it breaks in half.

2
jeffro422Traxxas/Axial/Losi/Redcat/Ofna/Team Associated/ECX/Arrma/Tekno•

I own both and the Arrma may look more durable but the aluminum chassis will bend and the plastic chassis braces will snap on a hard landing. I'm sure you saw on video of an XMaxx snapping in half but owning the two the XMaxx really is more durable.

2
Testing123oneOP•

Are there any 1/5 scale you may suggest? Or just go with buggy? If buggy, what are a few good ones?

1
EinBickRacing•

I don't know much about 1/5 scale buggies I just know they're extremely expensive. ARRMA has some and HPI has the Baja 5B.

1
HairSee•

ARRMA

Do you mean Losi?

2
EinBickRacing•

oops. To be fair I only looked at the promo pic and I thought that was a 1/5th scale buggy. But yes in that case I mean losi.

For 1/5 offroad FG is better tho. You usually get more for the price.

2
Testing123oneOP•

I'll do some research. Thank you.

1
HairSee•

Check Losi. http://www.losi.com/Products/ProductGallery.aspx?ProdID=LOS05012T1

2
Nemesisllamaradioshack red arrow•

Very easy decision. Go with the buggy. 1/8 buggies are tougher, faster, and more agile. The xmaxx is overpriced, and overrated.

2
RemotelyAddicted•

It honestly depends on what you want to do. They are both good rigs and fun can be had either way.

I prefer racing and would stick with the 1/8 buggy (as it can be a basher, while the X-Maxx can never be a racer). I do have several bashers and enjoy it very much, but racing is more fun IMO.

2
esw116•

Sadly OP this sub is rather anti-Traxxas. So you are not going to get much unbiased debate on your question. Most here have also never owned an Xmaxx.

Me, I think Traxxas is a perfectly fine company and I’ve owned an Xmaxx, so here’s my thoughts:

If the Xmaxx is calling you because of how cool it looks, just get one. They’re amazing RCs, built solidly and with a builder in mind (aka easy and intuitive to work on). The stock 8s esc is junk, the stock servo is junk, the stock wheels will make the truck uncontrollable at speeds above 45 mph because of ballooning, and the body likes to tear away from the mounting points if it’s not reinforced (I used epoxy).

It’s not perfect. But it is durable with beefy parts all around. With a good esc, it rips way way harder than anything its size should. It can do things few other RCs ever could and it does them extremely well.

Having said all of that, I sold mine because it was too much work to store and lug it around. If you have a house and a big yard, no problem. But I dont, so I sold it and scaled down to a Slash 4x4, which I’m actually having just as much fun with.

2
MrBlankenshipESQEngines Only Kthnx•

To be fair, the street price of the XMaxx is high enough that we're well within our right to balk at needing:

  • Tires

  • ESC

  • Body

  • Steering Servo

just to make it reliable. I'm sorry, but if you're selling me a $900 RC truggy-that-thinks-its-a-monster-truck and I have to shell out another $400 in parts before it's reliable, I'm going to call it a piece of shit and move on to another company's product. At that price point I have zero tolerance for shitty stock electronics. Get it right the first time or I'm moving on.

And that's where a lot of the TRX hate around these parts stems from. You pay so much for their cars and then you almost inevitably have to replace the tires, body, ESC/engine almost as soon as you open the damn box.

Maybe someday I'll find a steal of a deal on a Slayer on eBay like I did my SC10GT. I would throw a reverse-capable Revo trans in it, drop an OS 18TM in there, and rig the EZ-Start to function totally from the transmitter using the LiFE receiver battery I put in my nitro models anyway. Would be a fun little SCT, and it would be a nice couterpart to my SC10GT(I could dedicate this purely to racing and actually try to get into that side of the hobby while the 4WD Slayer does the bashing around). But if I have to pay for brand new it just ain't worth the spend.

3†
esw116•

That’s not exclusive to traxxas though. The armmas have junk servos and tires. Hell, the losi dbxle has a flimsy cage that won’t hold up to bashing. Lots of RTRs have compromises.

0†
EinBickRacing•

The Typhon RTR Servo has 15kg and metal gears. For offroad that is perfectly fine.

2
kaozer Tekno SCT410, ARRMA Typhon, Vaterra kemora.•

I dont know where you read that arrma tires and servo are junk. They're not the best but they're usable. The only junk stuff on arrma was the v1 electronics.

1
MrBlankenshipESQEngines Only Kthnx•

I didn't have to replace anything on my Kyosho Mad Crusher GP. Right out of the box it runs fine, the steering servo has plenty of authority, the tires plenty of grip, the body's super durable(Mine has had a grand total of two tanks put through it and it's already stress-tested the lid, zero damage done), the engine's a brute of a powerhouse that can wheelie the truck while it's still in its break-in tune and while still strangled by a 90% restrictor plate. And it only cost $425.

Why would I spend $900 on an XMaxx when a $425 Mad Crusher GP does the same exact job for significantly less money and scratches my gearhead itch on account of being nitro instead of brushless? The value just isn't there for me and that's where I'm coming from when I give the XMaxx a thumbs down. I'm not saying it's a shitty truck but I am saying it isn't worth anything close to the $900 that you pay for the thing.

What are you getting for that extra $375? The Traxxas name? Their IoT-like smartphone app integration that locks you out of half your truck's performance if you don't have the ability to use it? I'm genuinely curious, because I don't see enough truck there to justify the sticker price.

1
Testing123oneOP•

No yard for me. The travelling with it wouldn't be a problem but unless my apartment complex allows me to drive it on the golf course I'm out of luck. So I guess I will hold ofd a bit on it. Thank you.

1
EinBickRacing•

"I tell you this car is super good for it's price... It's just that it's all plastic and all the electronics plus the tires plus the body are junk. So essentially you're paying 1300$ for a heap of plastic! But I tell you it's super good!"

Jesus christ Traxxas fanboys are delusional. I payed less for my RACING CAR... And that is one of the highest quality cars in 1/8 you can get.

  • Serpent Cobra GTe 3.0 560€
  • Hacker Tensoric 8.2 ESC 170€
  • Savöx 20kg 0.06s Servo 105€
  • Turningy 2400kV Motor (it's really good) 40€
  • 2 7500mAh 90C batteries 88€
  • Sanwa MT-S Radio with RX482 receiver 170€
  • Body + Tires + Paint 100€

Total = 1233€

And yes in dollar that's more but the xMaxx costs 900€ in germany too. So in the end you'd pay roughly 1300€ anyway.

1
esw116•

I didn’t say the body is junk. It just needs to be better secured. Some washers and epoxy at almost no cost accomplish this. The stock tires are quite good actually. All I said is that they balloon at high speeds. The motor in them is quite good. It being all plastic is what makes it a great basher.

So pretty much just the esc and a decent servo are the major upgrades you should shoot for.

Also, you definitely paid more than I did for my Xmaxx, just saying. So keep changing what I said.

Finally “traxxas fanboys are delusional” is precisely the kind of childish elitism that keeps this hobby from growing more than it should, so props to you.

1
EinBickRacing•

I didn't buy an xMaxx lol

"childish elitism" says the guy that bought a model car that's worth 1000$...

-1
esw116•

I meant you paid more for your buggy...

Like, way more. But somehow it’s the person that buys an Xmaxx that’s dumb.

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

0
jeffro422Traxxas/Axial/Losi/Redcat/Ofna/Team Associated/ECX/Arrma/Tekno•

So much hate from so many people who have never owned or used an XMaxx and only seen videos of people destroying them. People who have also never looked at the used market which is the only market worth looking at. The vehicles you're considering as vastly different. The XMaxx is just so much fun because of it's size and ability. I think it needs the Max6 ESC and 8s gears so it can handle the power the ESC puts up but otherwise it's badass. 45mph in something that big is crazy and you really have to see it in person. I haven't had an issue with overheating in the year I've had it. It goes over and through nearly anything. I bought mine for $525 with a Traxxas charger and 4 Traxxas 3s packs. I sold the charger and batteries, bought the Max6 ESC and SMC batteries and I barely have $600 into it. Can't get something this big and fast for under $600 with part support for days and no fear of trying to sell it later.

The buggy will be super sweet and fast and handle like a dream but it won't be as bashable just because of it's size/ground clearance/wheel base/etc. Just depends ultimately what you want to do. Part of the reason why I own so many different vehicles is they're all good at something different.

2
professorcake•

Flowood RC, what an awesome facility! I used to hang there all the time before I moved back up to the northeast. You are really lucky to have a track like that nearby. Definitely take advantage of it and get the e-buggy!!!

1
Testing123oneOP•

Are there some 1/8 e buggy you would suggest for racing there?

1
professorcake•

When I raced it was mostly Mugen, Losi, and to a lesser extent Associated and Hot Bodies but that was some 5 years ago. I suggest stopping by Flowood RC and chat with the locals on whats been fast/popular (also ask about tires!). Maybe stop by the nearby Hobbytownusa as well and see what they are stocking to make sure you have easy access to parts.

1
NickShook81•

I just bought this for less than then xmaxx. Can't wait to get it... It's been my dream rc for years now.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F292234852262

1
epicbubbleisepic•

the xmax is the only rc i saw break in half. get something decent

0
voucher420•

I never broke my buggy in half, but I sure did bend the fuck out of the chassis and bent up several support bars.

4
HairSee•

I saw a losi 3xle suffer the same fate.

2