Is RC18T really made by Team Associated?

[phimbo101]

Is RC18T really made by Team Associated? Check the link below. This truck look just like rc18t

http://cgi.ebay.com/RC-1-18-MICRO-RACING-TRUCK-RC-4WD-ELECTRIC-NO-RC18T_W0QQitemZ170057695784QQihZ007QQcategoryZ4402 9QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[mdrevo]

go look at the new 18th scale at radio shack..its the same exact truck

[z-man280]

talk about your blatant knock-offs. :rolleyes:

[evst 360]

The rc18t is made by associated, but I am not sure about this one. It looks like one of those craptastic imitations that are made with poor quality plastics. It is made to make you think you are getting a quality vehicle like the rc18t, but you are really getting a near-toy grade cheap car.

[rccardude04]

Alot of people don't realize that most of the new *sport* level stuff from our favorite r/c companies aren't made by those companies. The rc18 series, mini-t's, LST, Aftershock, etc are all made by somebody else. If you look at them, the plastics are different materials, they use phillips screws instead of hex heads like the actual car does.
Heck, the MGT existed by thunder tiger probably before the MGT did. And it's not like Thunder Tiger ripped off the MGT... Associated is owned by Thunder Tiger.
It's not a rip-off. It's the same thing. Just rebadged.
-Eric

[Demon-TC3]

yea associateds use their own "Blend" of plastic composites when they make their vehichles which the RC18 doesnt, its a compeltely different plastic as far as i know.

The rc18 was probably designed by AE..maybe or at least revised by AE in some way and checked out before being badged and sold on by AE. but then the design is sent off to china (as with pretty much every single car you can buy) and produced there...companies say that a car is produced in america or england or whatever, its not, at most it is produced in china or tiwan or something and assembled in america...still made in america in a physical sence..but the components are not.

So what has happened is AE send plans to china or wherever and the produce them for AE, then those exact plans are used again and more cars are made and sent to different people.
the RC18 is more expensive because the electronics are AE designed and tested, the cheaper ones are perhaps the same thing, but because they didnt need to pay anyone for design and also because they dont have a fancy brand name they can sell em cheap.


I personally dont mind the cheaper ones, they are not "knock offs" as people say because its made exactly in the same way,same plans and the same poor chinese person is makin it..
PERHAPS less rigerouse quality control for the cheaper ones but thats about it.

[rccardude04]

The electronics in the rc18 are actually Ace electronics. Ace = Thunder Tiger.
-Eric

[microrcdude]

Associated is owned by Thunder Tiger.

-Eric
Its actually the other way around, Thunder Tiger purchased AE 4-5 years ago.

[rccardude04]

Isn't that what I said?
-Eric

[waltuo]

Its actually the other way around, Thunder Tiger purchased AE 4-5 years ago.
Actually, it's only been about a year (see "The Future" section of the AE article at Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associated_Electrics#The_Future))

Just a theory, but I've always thought that while AE designed the original 18T, they probably licensed the use of that design to other companies. Even Radio Shack has a version of the 18T (buggy (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2486178&cp=2032062.2032402.2032406&parentPage=family) , truck (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2486179&cp=2032062.2032402.2032406&parentPage=family)).

[Smib]

So buy the cheap one and replace the low quality parts with good ones as they break.

[Demon-TC3]

thats my interpritation of it...although with AW you are sure the wntier thing is quality, the quality of the electrics may be different in the cheaper ones, that said if it works it works and the only problem with the cheaper versions is parts support...since AE have that covered noones to complain (ae get cash from parts also!)