Kyosho?

QUOTE (alan1302 @ 24 Feb 2012, 09:33) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>These Kyosho cars are looking very good indeed - I just hope enough people purchase them to convince Kyosho, and in time other manufacturers to get involved in 1/43 scale cars.

The only thing I don't understand about Kyosho is why have they made their slot car track bigger than 1/43 scale...it seems like a strange thing to so as one of the main reasons for having smaller cars is that the track can take up less space...they seem to have missed a trick here and if you want track you still need to go with Carrera Go!!! or SCX Compact
The track is not really bigger then 1/43 scale, as memory serves it a bit over 1/4" narrower then Scalextric Classic, so even though it is larger then Artin, Carrera and SCX, if you have ever run a no magnut 1/43 car on any of those without a run off boarder you know it simply does not work because the tracks are too narrow. Some of my Carrera LMP's would hit the guard rails on my Compact track WHILE GOING STRAIGHT!

I understand why Kyosho made their track wider, but maybe they made it too wide!?

QUOTE (mudchukka @ 24 Feb 2012, 11:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I think that Kyosho were looking long term that if the 1/43 worked well they might venture into 1/32 scale as well.

Let hope it works for them in 1/43, with them teaming up with Spark for the bodyshells it look good but only if people buy into the scale.

Mudchukka

I had not heard they were going to work with Spark that is interesting! Would that be resin shells then? Would love to see Kyosho do some 50's sport racers, but I fear that would require new chassis and wheels, etc.

QUOTE (Cjent1 @ 25 Feb 2012, 02:14) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>You think Carrera has not put millions into 1/43d "in hopes it might work out"? Glad your are not MY distributor.

I sure hope not, because they are trying their hardest to handicap their 1/43 so that only kids will use it and they really want anybody who would be chatting here to be running 1/32 or 1/24! Millions? I hope not! Maybe they are spending that kind of money now that Kyosho has come round to show them what they shoulda done 12 years ago and have refused to do ever since! Sorry Chuck, I don't have much patience for Carrera, they have been told how to make their product better and they make excusses why it can't be done. The Short answer is Go! is Crappy on purpose, it's only intended for kids and Carrera wants to keep it that way, therefore I can't really get too excited about them or their Super Mario, Donkey Kong, Spiderman cars

Dang I told myself I would not get worked up over that, but I did anyway!

QUOTE (alan1302 @ 20 Mar 2012, 23:20) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Carrera are happy to have Go as the toy cars so that you progress up to 1/32 or 1/24 scale cars and track. I can't see Carrera ever changing that unfortunately...I would not be surprised if they had put millions into it though...design/marketing/manufacturing is not cheap even for toys!

Yeah, Probably in the millions, but it's misleading, makes it sound like they are more serious about it then they are and lets face it a million dollars ain't what it used to be!

They are ALL toys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some are just different prices than others.
I PLAY WITH TOYS. I admit it. Toys are also my business.

Yeah, but there's Little Kids Toys and Toys for adults (old Kids). GO! is only made for Little Kids.

My, my. Sure are a lot of older kids buying them................................

Yeah, like me!

Although I do wish other than Kyosho someone would make some more proper scale cars as opposed to the Carrera Go toyish ones...but they will ahve to do for now!

QUOTE (Cjent1 @ 22 Mar 2012, 23:04) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>My, my. Sure are a lot of older kids buying them................................

I would be interested to know just how many pre-orders you have?

But, You having said what you said seems to vilify the idea that 1/43 guys WILL spend more then $15 or $20 for a new car. or two or 10!

I never had a doubt!

I just had to chime in.. A little bit off topic and a little bit on... This morning, I set out and headed to the annual RCX hobby expo in the city of Long Beach, Ca. knowing that Kyosho would be present there... What a waste of time!!! Kyosho, please, next time you setup a booth for a major expo like the RCX, please send people that are knowledeable about the products you sell and send people that really want to be there... They had like 6 different Dslot43 slot cars on display, none for sell... That's cool, but it's a shame to see something that you want in your face and can't buy it... I then ask the rep. that was covering the Dslot43 area, where can I go buy one since no one here never considered that someone just might want to buy one at first sight... He named 2 online shops that are across the country and none that post here on this fourm or the other Big 3... I said no, where can I drive to a brick and mortar building in the area that I can pick up the box that has the car in it and touch it?? He then went on to mention Pegasus hobbies in Monclair, Ca. 50 mile drive each way for me, I said no.. They don't have any Dslot43 products there... He then said Ultimate hobbies, which is a 45 miles drive for me each way... I then told him, WronG!!! I spoke to the owner just last week and he never heard of the Dslot43 and didn't look very interested in carrying the cars... They carry more SCX Digital and Ninco Digital.. Anyways, I asked the rep. do you even know what shops are carrying the Dslot43 in SoCal right now? He then said he was not sure and that Kyosho was not really into slot cars... And I'm not lying.. that's what he said and I could tell his knowledge of slot cars was quite limited... The rep. knew as much about the Dslot43 as a rock... and to try too send me on a wild goose chase to hobby shops that have never heard of the Dslot43 or don't plan on carrying them was insulting. Oh, and the very lack of them posting here or anywhere else could be telling as well... On the RC side of things, if they don't post, then there team drivers do on the forums and at the RC tracks... If Kyosho America makes no effort to have knowledgeable employess and to get the Dslot43 out to the brick and mortar shops, then the Dslot43 will die. How do you reach and teach and help your customers unless Kyosho makes an effort too? Be it Forums, message boards, something... and not just YouTube clips here and there... The slotters here are hungry for something new and something with great quality and support... Mark my words, let there be a big stink on the message boards and Kyosho will quietly pull the pug in a few years due to slow sells or from being blasted on the message boards... Wow... and anyone one and everyone that has seen my postings on the Dslot43 knows how big I was on this thing... but from what I saw and heard from the RCX, I'm just just plan ShockeD!!! If they think the Dslot43 will sell and thrive from online sells only and by word of mouth ... I'm sorry, but they got it all wrong.. Maybe Kyosho America is not up to Dslot43 and Kyosho Japan Standards... Ouch. Sorry for the rant... Just my .02 for what it's worth... Now back to happy postings..

RCalan

RCalan

Not a big surprise that the guys at the toy show did not know about it; who knows where they came from, which office, etc. they may work strickly for the R/C side of things?? It is a big departure for them and the other people may not just know what to think about it yet. Let's face it to the average R/C guy; SLot cars don't make much sense. It really probably seem's like a waste of time to them.

I had the same experience with my local shops, Both of my R/C shops looked at me crossways when I asked about Kyosho, One of the two is listed as a Kyosho dealer on their web site even though they have not carried Kyosho for Years (5 at least)

You of all people should know that 1/43 is the domain of the internet seller, yeah maybe we will get back to a situation like we had with SCX where we can walk into a local store and buy'em, But I doubt it will be anytime soon.

What will keep Kyosho from failing and actually growing is that they are succeeding where others have failed at being taken seriously by all the slot community, not just those of us who do 1/43!! The other advantages that Kyosho has is that basically they have no competition in this scale, they have a HUGE home market in Japan, they have no 1/32 line of their own to compete with so they don't have to Dumb the cars down like SCX and Carrera have done in an attempt to preserve 1/32 sales, the cars are designed to be hopped up and to be worked on and repaired even unlike other manufacturers 1/43 cars!

These have only officially been out in the states for a couple weeks and honestly, availability is much better then I expected. Several on-line shops including Kyosho America's own website. It may seem like their visability is low, but I have been getting a lot of photo's and info via Facebook. Including the recent post showing D-slot chassis with Spark bodies on them!!

The fact that they had no cars for sale could speak to the fact that they JUST came out AND they have been selling pretty briskly, they may not have had any available to sell?

If you have the same problem this time next year THEN I would think there was a problem!

Hi Kev (loosesalute)

Let me know what you think how they go

Got a couple of races sorted for after Gaydon Festival with some great prizes .

The idea is run standard cars in the morning and tuned cars in the afternoon.

I will post some dates in the next few weeks.

Mudchukka

Just to tie in a few questions on this thread re Kyosho & pics of the cars I have posted elsewhere.
I`ve received my first four cars this week.
They all go extremely well straight out of the box, on both my Jouef & Scalextric (classic track) layouts.
Grip is very good with an excellent turn of speed.
The two Porsche 962 cars & the Audi R8 sit well on the track with all 4 wheels touching the ground.
The front wheels of the Porsche 917k are very slightly raised off the track, but this does not impede performance in any way.
The paint job & detailing on all cars is excellent.
The two 962 cars have rubber mirrors to prevent snapping.
I also ordered in spare parts. These were readily available & cheap. Eg., £1.99 for a set of 4 tyres!
Race tuned parts are also available. I got an upgrade motor to try out...I`ll let you know the difference in speed when I`ve fitted it.
All in all these cars & spares are excellent value for money.
www.dslot43.co.uk is the dealer I use , & he has a great section on his site previewing some interesting future releases.
Cheers,
Kev