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conquest1987 |
Killing the hobby the weak dollar and high fuel cost |
Lead | |
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Will a weak U.S. dollar and high fuel prices kill 1/32 and 1/24 slot car market for home and club racing ? I think it is time for a US manufacturer to start
marketing slot cars and tracks. I think the only US manufacturer is a company called Riggens they have the rights to the old Revell 1/32, 1/24 tracks but the
cars for the riggens track suck. I believe they need to work with Auto World (who is about to make 1/32 slot cars) to make a good slot car track set. any
thoughts
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slider2 |
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Yeah, my thoughts are that the new world order has made it almost unfeasable to manufacture anything in this country any more. It's not just killing the
hobby, it's killing the entire economy. Ask any small business person...
It is almost impossible for a startup venture (like Riggen Revelle) to compete with basically the same product already made in China. The manufacturing overseas and shipping, oil companies etc. are Govt. subsidized. Little companies are not.
Greg
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gt40smitty |
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well ihapen to like riggen cars they are the same as a womp chassis and my dads 4 lane is a riggen track,but you are right ,riggen needs to make some of the
detailed cars like carrera and scalectic. a few years ago i had planed on a riggen 4 lane oval but at the time the y wern't making some of the turns so i
bought a carrea the dealer gave me a great price18x8 foot oval for $300
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Da Vols |
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As to the hobby as a whole, 1/32nd is the sector that is being hardest hit by the present economic climate. HO and 1/43rd are relatively inexpensive, and
1/24th scale is more of a "put together" scale with choosing a rolling chassis and opting for either a hard or clear body to top it off.
1/32nd scale is very dependent on RTR's and coupled with the demand for realistic "detail" in this scale it is at the mercy of the manufacturers. That being said, the oft mentioned "necessity is the mother of invention" - perhaps the snobbish attitude to clear bodies may wane as a result of the high prices for the "off the shelf" and a turn to "scratch-built" may come to the fore...which within the definition of a "hobby" might not be a bad thing.
Da Vols - Bruce & Harriet & Kali
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super8mm |
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Killing the hobby? Are you kidding me? This hobby did not even exist in the 1990s. Not in its current form at least. I dare say there's enough
"stuff" out there to satisfy future 1/32 hobby demand for 10 more years...and that's if they stopped producing everything today. Cars on ebay
really don't fetch premium over retail anymore so until that's the case, I think the hobby over expanded in the first place. I hate to say it but I
think it was a fad for many (like SUVs) and the only ones who truly like it are those that liked it back in the day (or at least an alternate scale of slot car
racing).
There's nothing better than a slower economy to get people to realize what's important and what's not. Cheers, Mike |
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Chaparral 2D |
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Killing the Hobby? Pfaugh. We had 10 guys from IHSR run 40ish cars today at Flying Cow Raceway for Round 6 of the Race Across America Proxy Series. Far from
dead.
We're getting out when we want to. And we've been carpooling to venues when we can before this whole issue arose. Some of us may go to fewer races on the fringe of our league, but there will still be a series this fall for certain. Racing is out there if you want it. And routing your track is cheaper by the foot than buying sectional track by far. Bob |
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flyslotter |
Manufacturing in USA is not dead | ||
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Greg:
Manufacturing in USA is still very feasible. In fact, in what you might say is the ultimate irony, exports at our manufacturing company current account for more than half of our sales revenue. While the mainstream media and leftist politicians might have you believe otherwise, manufacturing in USA is still alive and kicking. Regards, Tony |
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nhdungeonracer |
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Talking with a recent slotcar parts retailer the other day, he said he has more business this summer than he's ever had. We figure it to be that with
people taking less trips, this means they're spending more time at home then usual for the summer months (or are planning too). And this means they're
doing things around the house, which includes spending more time playing with slot cars. Which means they need more parts for slotcars, right?
Myself personnally, I have cut my slotcar spending down a LOT!! But I am also building another track, and also got involved in another "hobby/sport" (is garden tractor pulling a "sport"? ), so I have other
"priorities" right now. Of course, with the current trend in fuel prices, I don't see my slotcar budget going back up anytime soon either...
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Derby City Speedway |
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Myself personally, I have cut my slot car spending down a LOT!! I`m right there also Dickie, although unless "they" take my electricity away I don`t see it effecting my fun. I have never since getting on board with this hobby relied on buying new cars to enjoy myself. I have enough pieces, parts, motors, bodies, chassis, plastic, brass....... to last me till the end.
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Nor Cal Mike |
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Derby City Speedway wrote: My wood track is on solar power so they can even take that away and I'd still be racin' my slot cars. Given that most of my other hobbies are dependent on internal combustion engines, I see that slot cars could survive financial hardship much longer than the rest. Heck, I could buy a lot of slot cars for one part on my 65 Triumph Spitfire. I'm also a teardrop camping trailer enthusiast but it requires $4.50 and rising gas to pull it around. Mike A
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Da Vols |
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The one important factor being overlooked is the European market...if that goes south then from the RTR standpoint this sector of the slot car hobby will be
severely affected. This is a recent rise in oil which not only affects the shipping cost, but many of the petro-based parts that make up a slot car.
Though there have been a great many cars already produced as well as in the pipeline for set future releases for this year - if 2009 shows a drop off then cause for eyebrow raising concern may be warranted. For those like Mark and many others here at HRW who enjoy creating their own cars, life goes on with nary a hiccup. The $50.00 price "tipping" point for all RTR's is quickly approaching and once that comes to be I can see stagnation until the economy becomes stable again. To use a Wall Street term, ever since Fly brought their Viper and other companies soon followed suit, the 1/32nd side has been in an ever increasing "bubble" with more and more releases and companies entering over these years. Many of us had joked that there'd be beans for supper for awhile so to purchase the newest gotta have release...that joke ain't as funny nowadays as it becomes more of a reality. A slight aside and quite pertinent to HRW is the oval racer part of this hobby...these folks will be far less affected since there have been far less releases of left-turners being offered - other than differrent paint schemes, the only "new" cars coming this way are the Scalextric & SCX COT's and the Carrera '57 Chevrolet and '60 Plymouth. Considering the long list of "new" cars for other than ovals, the above mentioned are just a drop in a very full bucket.
Da Vols - Bruce & Harriet & Kali
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hotrodbob51 |
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There is nothing that will go uneffected by the current oil price being unstable and rising beyound reason. In the USA, we are now at the price the Aisan and
Euro market has been at for years. As with any non-essential part of life it will be put in a priority list that depends on each persons needs and desires.
Sorry, but slotcars are medicinal for me and although I may cut back, I will not abandon them. Cheaper then doing 1:1 cars now... But I will still do them as well, but limited. Just bought my car for the Ninco regionals...... I'll just be more focused now.... Remember, most of what we race are plastic.. Plastic comes from oil... A barrel of oil goes up and so will the cost of plastic.
Anyone can restore a classic car, but it takes a real Hotrodder to cut one up and make it cool!
Last Edited By: hotrodbob51
06/29/08 10:13 PM.
Edited 1 times.
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slider2 |
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All this is true, but I don't believe for a minute that this is what may cause the demise of this hobby. Let's face it all hobbies are a form of
escapism into a fantasy world (No plug to any particular dealer intended). I personally find that as oil prices rise, I stay at home more. Running 1:1 sports
cars, even just on the road, is kind of a thing of the past for me. Ultimately I will spend more time on my hobby of model building & slot cars. Even
driving to the closest "local?" hobby shop is about 25 miles each way costs me about $15 smackers in gas alone and a couple hours in time, in my Ford
AeroPig... I can see myself ordering things which I think that I need on line, because shipping is still cheaper than driving; but I can't see myself
getting out of the hobbies.
-------------- edit added: I pity the poor mom & pop hobby shops who don't have an on-line store.
Greg
Last Edited By: slider2
06/30/08 01:30 AM.
Edited 1 times.
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lightning427 |
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Ive cut way way back.Some guys just have to get all the new cars they can.I think they have issues LOL.
Out of a job yet? Keep buying foreign
When you have a choice buy USA its not just low skilled jobs leaving. |
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ElSecundo |
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lightning427 wrote: Hey, I resemble that remark. The working model is different today, and hard times don't affect us the same way as they did before. Cut back, sure -- die, no way. And never forget that when our economy sucks, there are other places in the world where the economy is strong. In this case, it's Europe and China. In one of these areas the hobby is firmly entrenched, and the other area is producing most of the slot car goodies in the world today. This hobby isn't going away any time soon.
I'll tell ya...fellas......you're gonna want more cowbell!
Rock legend Bruce Dickinson |
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razersedge |
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ElSecundo wrote:
"In the end, there can be only one" ~ The Highlander
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oldstromguy |
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Personally, I have managed to "kill proof" myself in terms of slot cars. I suspect many here are in the same position, so I don't think anything
will kill the hobby in the near future.
I have enough cars and track to last several lifetimes, so as long as electricty still flows I can continue to play. Plus, I know Dickie, so building a wood track is always a possibility as well.
High prices on slot cars, gas for delivering them to retailers, etc, etc may put a damper on some folks' ability to enter or stay in the hobby if they are relatively new to it, but IMO the lifelong slotters are here to stay. dennis |
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nhdungeonracer |
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Plus, I know Dickie, so building a wood track is always a possibility as wellYou know Dennis, some people here will feel sorry for you for knowing me....
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TGM2054 |
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The prices of gas are what got me back into this. I can't afford / justify the cost of going out racing my 1/1 drag car. One day would cost me over $300.00
not a cheap hobby any more (never was) but less affordable now. Besides now I can have all the Corvettes I could ever want! (With in reason)
and still have room to park them.
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ElSecundo |
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The more I read, the more I realize that this hobby is very 'survivable'. By that I mean it can take a lot of lumps and not get wiped off the map. Of
all the motorsport-related hobbies out there, this one has the lowest price of entry, and needs very little maintenance. You don't have to park it when
times get rough, you just have to tolerate having 'the wants' more than usual -- no big deal.
To survive, it doesn't have to be cheap, but it has to be a better alternative than the other hobbies. You can get into it with your own small track for less than a cheap set of golf clubs, without the prospect of paying 20-50 bucks each time for a round of golf. Thinking of RC? That will set you back. A 1:1 hobby car project? That'll dry out the wallet. And it doesn't cost much for transportation if you're racing in your own basement.
I'll tell ya...fellas......you're gonna want more cowbell!
Rock legend Bruce Dickinson |
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hotrodbob51 |
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Slot cars will survive, but we will see higher prices as with everything else. Cost of raw materials, transpotation and general inflation. The $100 Fly or
Ninco will not be that far off. I think the already issued cars will be the hot market and scratch building will increase.
Anyone can restore a classic car, but it takes a real Hotrodder to cut one up and make it cool!
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