Traxxas Jato - Buy or don't buy

[dvs]

Hello,
I am brand new to RC gas - I have an old battery RC and it recently died. I always wanted to get into this and finally I am planning to make the move. But I have a problem. There are too many options :) . I went to my local Hobby shop. Great guys over there and they directed me to the Jato. I have read all the info about it and really like what I am reading. A newly designed car and in the price range I am looking for. Does anyone have any comments about this car? Anyone own it and want to share their thoughts? Any thoughts on other cars I should research or look into?

Thanks,
dvs...

[ososlow]

I would recommend looking elsewhere. The Jato is very, very fast and can be overwhelming for someone new to fast nitros.

I found it to be a little too fast when I first broke it in. But now I must go faster. :rolleyes:
If you are wanting a stadium truck, the RC10GT might be the better choice for a beginner.

If you are anything like me though, you would just buy it anyway. The only way to learn is to make a few mistakes and have a ton of fun making them. :D
Just make sure you have alot of room to run if you do decide on the Jato. It eats up alot of pavement in no time. (and it eats tires like mad too ;) )

This probably didn't help much. Just remember to choose what you want and be very careful with it. These cars can do alot of damage in the wrong hands.
Most of all have fun with it. You don't need to go fast to have fun (at least all the time anyway) Set it up so it doesn't hit WOT if you have to.

[kawasakirider]

Y not try an 8th buggy or a revo or a savage? an 8th scale buggy is fast and jumps very well and a savage and revo (mt) are very cool trucks they are fast, big and they do wheelies and they jump very very well.

[baih]

4wd is more fun to play with. i have a jato. this thing flies out of the box. i had to gear it down to play at the track. a truck this fast on a track needs a faster servo. it helped alot. but trying to get traction is another issue. my 1/8th scale buggy is easier to drive. to me 2wd for bashing in a field is not the way to go. it will get hung up alot on rocks ruts. 4wd monster truck is the way to go if your not going to race.

[z-man280]

imagine giving a 16 yr old driver a F1 car to drive......

VERY hard to control, SICK amounts of power, and a novice........$$$$ wasted, and possibly someone hurt. not a good combo,...the Jato is extremely fast, and if your local hobby guys directed you to this truck knowing you are a novice, shame on them!

As said earlier, dece what you want to do with the truck first, then go from there, .bashing- 4x4 is going to be your best choice...... racing???- start with a rc10gt, or something comparable, and let your skills increase before going for the top of the line...


just curious, what kind of electric did/do you have that died hard enough to not fix??? remember, even a slow nitro truck is fast at stink if you are used to a 20 mph electric...

just my .02

~ron

[tq_racing]

If your going with stadium I have a rc10gt that should be right in your price range. If your interested drop me a line, tq_racing_team@yahoo.com

It is used, BUT very well taken care off. Let me know and we can discuse the details.

[tq_racing]

Actually if a new jato was your price range then this is well below enough that you can take your extra and get some goodies to make it your own.

[Tig]

Are you talking about the 3.3? If so, GET IT. Heck even the 2.5 Jato is nutz. Like someone else said, you have to learn somehow. Just take it easy at first and make sure you are in a LARGE open area with no one around.
Good Luck

[JDT]

Are you sure you want to jump into nitro with such a fast truck, do you have the patience etc to learn to mess with a nitro. I have only had the chance to drive a 2.5 jato and it was crazy fast, couldn't hook up on pavement with aftermarket tires. The 3.3 has a longer chassis but I don't think that will help much due to so much power for just two tires to hook up, they use the same motor in heavier 4wd monster trucks, the 2.5 is really pretty strong. The LHS guys say the 3.3 is sick in a revo, blew chunks out of the stock tires going from dirt to cement on the newest "shop" truck.

[dvs]

imagine giving a 16 yr old driver a F1 car to drive......


just curious, what kind of electric did/do you have that died hard enough to not fix??? remember, even a slow nitro truck is fast at stink if you are used to a 20 mph electric...

just my .02

~ron

Ron Thanks for your reply. I have an old Galaxy from the early 80's. This thing lasted forever and sat for some time while I was away at school. It was not until 5 years ago I got it out for my kid and I to mess with. Maybe I should go with electric again?? Just the thought of nitro sounds like fun!

[z-man280]

oh yeah, nitro is a BLAST, dont get me wrong, and i dont want to discourage you from taking the hobby to what i call the "next level" with nitro..., just a couple of things to consider, if your first truck was from the 80's, electric has made INCREDIBLE leaps and bounds of progress as far as suspension, frame geometry, ect..., and there are MANY companies that offer excellent electric trucks that will give you quite a thrill as far as driving and enjoying the hobby.

My biggest concern, and please do not get offened by this, but if you are a novice, a nitro may be a bit over-whelming, tuning, maintenance, ect, there is much, much more to it than one really thinks. I know there are people out here with much more experience in nitro than myself that can offer you great starting advise, so if you do decide on nitro, seek the advise of the veterans.

Take a peek at some of the offerings and see what they have to offer, electric or otherwise, maybe a mild nitro ??? ( if thats possible) and see whats out there, you may still go nitro, and if you do, you will always find great help and advise right here.

good luck on what you decide, and let us all know!!!

( p.s., fun factor and charge-and-run, FEW can beat a traxxas stampede, especially with a price-point under $180 :D )



~Ron

[Silverado_98]

well let me put my 2 cents in!! well the jato is way to fast for someone new!! if your looking for a stadium truck style look at the traxxas nitro rustler or maybe a tmaxx if your looking for a monster truck! easy to wrench on and easy to find parts and your paying for the big racing name that ta and losi throw out there!!