[Wraith]

I've just opened my latest carrera car to find the spare Scalextric guide is now red and not black.

If anyone from Carrera reads this forum please tell us why this is as the red guide will not work with Scalextric Digital so not only did we have to modify the guide to get it to work in the first place now its red so won't work at all.

Not a very impressive move there, I'm a huge Carrera fan but this is either just plain stupid or is trying to make it more difficult to run their cars on Scalextric Digital to try to force Carrera fans to swap systems (which will not happen as its to much of a huge cost)

unless anyone else knows why this is?

Colin

 

[Dopamine]

This isn't a recent change. Since at least 2005, possibly earlier, some Carrera spare small guides have been red. I suspect the choice of colour is because it makes differentiation easier between the full size and smaller guides and has nothing to do with reducing compatibility with Scalextric Digital.

 

[Julian_Boolean]

They only had red plastic left at the factory the day your guide was made?
This may sound daft, but it does happen.
BTW my Carrera Mclaren M20 came with a black spare guide.

 

[Wraith]

Strange, keeto and I must have over 100 (well over) carrera cars and have only seen red guides in the last two cars which are the latest releases.

 

[Keeto]

Yeah that red guide that came with my SLS GT is as useful as a chocolate teapot.

LOL - That's what I thought as well Julian, no black plastic, we'll just use whatever we have left.... day-glow yellow would have been really jazzy....

 

[PerryCox]

never have seen red carrera guides yet

 

[Dopamine]

I'm not a digital user so have had no reason to pay much attention to the guide colour, but I'd estimate that about 5% of the Carreras I've bought have had red spares. The cars were all new, still factory sealed with an unopened spares packet. From memory, they were more common several years ago. The Ferrari 512BB and Ferrari 575 Maranello are two I definitely remember had red spares, although I've also had 512BBs supplied with black spares, so maybe it's just pot luck as to what colour plastic the factory was using at the time.

 

[PerryCox]

in germany i never seen the red ones.

maybe they are only sold outside germany

 

[spykerman]

QUOTE in germany i never seen the red ones.

maybe they are only sold outside germany

Ha ha,

red ones for Italy
green for UK
orange for Holland
...

Now serious, I too only have black ones

 

[Dick Dastardly]

Hi guys, new to the forum, have bought a digital scalextric set for the boy for xmas, also got the Carrera lighting McQueen car which has the smaller red guide. What is the issue with the red colour? I have tested the car and the lane changers operate.

 

[zarko]

QUOTE (Dick Dastardly @ 23 Dec 2011, 12:42) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>What is the issue with the red colour?
Lane changers will work but you will have problems with start/finish line and laps not being counted.

 

[b.yingling]

The notion that the red guides are included to force users away from SSD is more than a bit far-fetched. I seriously doubt the folks at Stadlbauer who make the decisions are even aware that SSD requires specific guide colors to function properly.

I know the big, stock guide is a problem for Scaley and SCX track owners, but I don't even think that is intentional. The Carrera digital lane changers need a big guide to close reliably. Pretty much any car I chip that isn't Carrera gets the slot.it wood track guide for this very reason.

I really don't think these guys (the management at Hornby and Stadlbauer) are quite as aware of the details of slot life as we all are here...

 

[13davek]

I'm pretty sure it's only to make it clear that the guide is different from the standard guide. Carrera have done red guides in Spain as well.

 

[Dick Dastardly]

Whats the cure, get a black texta & colour it in?

 

[Screwneck]

Is it true that red guides stuff up digital racing, or is this just some kind of nutty joke that people are spinning around because they are bored? Please don't tell me this is serious

The only Carrera guides I've ever seen are black, but a friend of mine has some pink ones. Apparently they make the cars faster and help braking

 

[Mr.M]

Just got the Warsteiner Group2 BMW 2002 for Crimbo and that has a red guide in the spares box.

Very nice it is too - the car, not the guide!

 

[Keeto]

I'm glad to report that the red guide works just fine on:

APB re-flashed to anything after V1.05.

Just did 200 laps with my Heico Carrera Mercedes SLS....and each and every lap was counted.

 

[Wraith]

Sweet

 

[zarko]

Good to hear as I am looking to buy couple of carrera cars and that was my biggest worry.