Please Help me choose a Touring Car TC5R vs XRAY T2'009

[lucas-b4-b44]

Hi, I want to get into TC racing as my club does mostly TC at the moment: I'm racing my B44 against TC's.

I'm torn between a Team Associated TC5R & an XRAY T2'009 EU Spec. There is £100 price difference. TC5R = £270 and XRAY = £370.

What justifies the price difference which is better? or is it just a matter of taste.?

Please someone help me with some real reasons why I should choose one over the other.....

many thanks for anyone giving the time to answer me, cheers.

[bodgit]

You have pm

[Brooks]

Have never liked the TC5r no one at my club racers them
I run a Xray T2 008 which is the same as a 009, just the orange bulkheads

I would pay another £100 pound as Xray never let you down and their car are brilliant and handle well
Look on my home page as i have my 008 on their, have a look

Cheers
Chris B

[lucas-b4-b44]

So when it comes to Team Associated's B44 & B4 they are considered some of the best off road cars , however..... their TC are not up to their same off road standards ???

[Rich D]

You have to remember that AE are a US based company. In the US, buggy racing is the primary and most popular class to race in. The TC5R may well be a good car, its just that its not as popular in the UK as Schuey, X-Ray etc. Personally i like Tamiya but you will find that most people champion their own brand. UK backup is terrible for Tamiya but im not interested in running any other manufacturer in TC.
All in all, the cars are much of a muchness, its all about your thumbs.

[lucas-b4-b44]

Yes, but is that extra 100 pounds worth it, what does the Xray have that the TC5R doesn't.... is it just loyalty & preference, or am I paying for true engineering quality that one has over the other?

Where is the Xray made by the way?

[colmo]

XRay are Slovakian, iirc.

One XRay driver has lamented to me how the costs of spares (nevermind the cars) have risen steeply (changes of distributor and a weak pound have contributed). Associated and Schumacher would probably be cheaper to run, and also have excellent parts support.

Alan Bickerstaff, the winner of both the stock and modified rounds of the Irish GP in Ballymoney, was driving a TC5R. I believe the next two cars were a Top Racing (Photon or Scythe, I don't know) and an XRay, so there's no one touring car that dominates. There were plenty of Schumachers, Tamiyas and Serpents also present. The major difference was in the skill of the drivers, not the speed of their cars.

[lochness42]

TC5R is based on TC5 which was dedicated for foam racing - experience is that R version isn't great but you can still race - if you're good maybe also win.

Xray has quality that TC5R can't offer - experience of driver that had both.

I can compare Xray and Schuey and both are great cars and has some pro's and con's. I would go for any of these 2 cars (and I own both atm - prefer schuey).

[lucas-b4-b44]

Thanks for the input everyone, I've gone for the TC5R.

Reasons:

* Spares more available.
* Cheaper spares.
* All my AE tools will fit.
* 100 pounds cheaper.
* My level of driving doesn't justify the difference.

[Brooks]

I would have gone for a Xray
But your choose

[paulc]

i used to race an xray t2 and parts were rather exspensive then no idea what prices are like now between schumacher, xray , associated but spare back up from schumacher is 1st class as i used to race a cat sx so i would probably would get one of them if i ever got back into snoring cars it also depends on what poeple are racing at your club no point in buying a car that nobody else runs in case you break anything and nobody has a spare

paul

[lucas-b4-b44]

OK, this is redundant as I just made a u-turn and bought the XRAY T2 009 EU Rubber-Spec

[Brooks]

Good choice

[Kirby]

Good choice you will not be dissapointed

Mine has never let me down once, great car, i love it to pieces. The manuals are also very detailed making building more of a good experience and not a very annoying time.

[lochness42]

I think that you've chosen very well. If you're going to use lipo with lipo kit don't use one that comes with car but make your own. The one that is included to car stiffens car too much from my experience.

[dodgydiy]

i know xray parts aint cheap, but you dont use many, i have only managed to kill belts so far

[macjordan]

Originally Posted by lochness42

I think that you've chosen very well. If you're going to use lipo with lipo kit don't use one that comes with car but make your own. The one that is included to car stiffens car too much from my experience.

i agree, dont put the spacers which come with the car, they affect the handleing, ive got 1 mm shims in mine, but if you got smaller lipos you wont need spacers at all.

[overson]

only thing i can say is "xray" all the way.

[Brooks]

Very true mate
Just raced my 008 at my local club
handled like a dream

[Charlie Ware]

from what i've heard...
the associated requires ALOT of work with a dremel!

Charlie