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View Full Version : SteveP, or any other RCCA staff.. if you can help answer this.


TB-EVO 1
08-04-2001, 02:50 AM
hi, people.
I have been played with RC since I was 7. But I was never into it like I am now. When I was young My dad bought me and my brother Tamiya kits like once in a while.

I remember my first Kit was a Tamiya Lunchbox MT (still have it in Taiwan). I was born in Taiwan where playing RC wasn't as expensive as it is in the U.S. (mainly Tamiya kits)

My question is Why is it Tamiya kits that are being sold in the U.S. are at least 50 dollars more than what it is being sold in Asia? Not to mention that all the Limited edition kits are price-tagged Wayyyy higher than what's in Asia (for example, I bought my TB-evo here in the U.S. and paid 400 U.S. dollar, not long after I bought the kit, I went back to Taiwan for vacation during winter. As usual I went on a RC shopping spree, and found that TB-Evo L.E. is being sold in Taiwan for about 250 U.S. dollars. I almost cried when I saw the price-tag... I paid extra 150 for it)

I work to support for my hobby. But my pay-check seems to disappear as fast as it comes.


Why is it that Tamiya kits are sooo expensive in the U.S (compare to Asian market)???

I am a tamiya-fan since I was young. Now I am addicted to buying most of Limited Edition kit I am getting into the habbit of collecting them. The Limited editions adds even more on the price-tags.

[ 08-04-2001: Message edited by: TB-EVO 1 ]

Gutter Ball
08-04-2001, 04:00 AM
I would guess that the extra costs are all duties and shipping. Afterall, Tamiya is made in Japan. Also, you have to be careful what you buy in Asia. Their copyright laws are very very very very very lax over there. The box might have said Tamiya, but it could have been a very good knock off.

TB-EVO 1
08-04-2001, 07:28 AM
Gutter ball,

I lived in Taiwan most of my life, I know what's a knock off and what's not. By the way, Even though there are tons of knock off being sold in the Asian market they don't dare to use the exact same logo as Tamiya's logo(the two stars). It can be very easily identified if you are more careful. I have seen those two stars being printed in many different drawings and the brand is "Temia" or something like that.

The funny thing is last time I went back to Taiwan. I found my old 1/32 mini4WD sitting on my old book shelf and it was a knock off, and when I was little I believed that it was a genioune Tamiya.

But shopping in Hong Kong, or Taiwan. Most of time there are really good deal out there.