Local hobby store prices?

[Bishop]

I've been going into my local hobby store checking out a few prices lately in prepration to buying a new Nitro car, and I got to say that I'm not real impressed.

They seem to be rather expensive, which is kind of anoying because they are the closest and largest hobby store in my area.

These guys are a sponser to the club I want to race at, and both the guys that work there race at the club, so I'm kind of dissapointed in general.

Do you buy at a store and pay extra just because it's your local, and that they support your club?
Or do you shop around and just get the best price, like outer state or even overseas?

To put one thing in perspective, I compared the price of a TC3 today to one from a hobby store in the USA, I can get the one from the states delivered to my door for $20 less than in this hobby store.
To me, that's not a good sign.

[Nitro_Rustler_15]

I bought mine from Towerhobbies cause it was cheaper, if your new to the hobby u might consider buying from your LHS so they can help u, but if u know what your doing, save yourself the money.

[Zedstr]

i feel your pain Bishop. my LHS is always much higher then internet companies. i have never bought kits or electronics from my LHS because of this. my first nitro kit i ordered from ace and have ordered all my kits through them since. i order parts mostly through towerhobbies. a 20 dollar price difference isnt much and i would consider getting it from your LHS simply because you would get the car the same day you bought it. my LHS is over 50 dollars price dif and they don't match prices.

[gubbs3]

I try my best to support my lhs but when it comes to items like kits and expensive radio's that are over $100 mark I usually buy from an on-line source. The airplane I recently bought was $100 from Tower Hobbies and my lhs was selling it for $130.