You'll find this funny, I did

[ozzie-crawl]

no there isnt any import tax for individuals some chinese on line stores give you the option of declaired value
problem with hobby shops is they have to buy from the importers
importers add a huge amount to the cost
i dont know what hobby stores are like in the u.s but here most of them suck i used to work in one they bitch and fight among them selves offering poor services and really bad advice just to make a buck, one of them is that bad you can ring them and ask if they have a certain part they will say yes, so you drive there over 1 hour round trip to find they dont have it but will order it in if you leave a deposit
its all good to say support local buisness but why should i make other people rich because they want to rip you off.
if i couldnt order from over seas i wouldnt be able to afford any boats
they only place in australia i can get qaulity parts at a good price is fast electrics (andrewg) and thats a online store

i personally dont care if local hobby shop close down they lie,cheat,and steal just to make a buck, there service is crap and advice is worthless
just my 2c

[sailr]

And well worth $12.95! I use mine all the time. BEST thing to come along since Lipos!

I have one of those, its a handy and quick check to make sure you don't use partially depleted LiPos!

[sailr]

A couple of years ago I went on the RRR forum and was immediately flamed by a bunch of people for no reason other than that I sold small boats. They called me names and said my products were junk Which is just not true. I was really bewildered by their actions. It was so bad, in fact, that one member over there who had been a major contributor to their forum for years, quit them in disgust. I just don't go there!

Wow, there is some serious name calling going on here.
RRR members helped me out in my early struggles to learn the hobby, as they were the only forum at that time for FE boating with knowledgeable people. That has changed with the advent of the OSE forum.
As far as Hobby City the products I have purchased were as advertised.
The battery issue: I use Thunder Power and have no complaints but the Zippy,Rhino recomendations from other members are very convincing. As Doby mentioned for sport useage I doubt you would notice a difference.
The only issue I have is that many of these Asian retailers will kill the local hobby shop and a buisness like OSE becase they do not declair the true value of the goods shipped and there is no duty charge. Bonus for us but hard for other companies to compete. Service with sales is my motto.

Douggie

[Flying Scotsman]

Ozzie, you know you have to pay brokerage fees etc on the declared value?

Edit

Jim no reason to bash RRR. your products have been well received

Douggie

[sailr]

All of the vendors in China require large minimum order quantities (MOQ) to sell to you. The LHS just can't afford to bring in such quantities. That is why you have importers and distributors. They absorb the large cost of bringing in the large quantities so the LHS can buy a small amount.

Sorry your hobby stores are so bad. I have to admit there are a number of them like that here in the states also. I'm like you, I don't care if those guys survive or not. But they are not the norm. There are a lot of good guys out there struggling to run a business to help you guys get the goods you need for your hobby. Aren't they entitled to make a living?

no there isnt any import tax for individuals some chinese on line stores give you the option of declaired value
problem with hobby shops is they have to buy from the importers
importers add a huge amount to the cost
i dont know what hobby stores are like in the u.s but here most of them suck i used to work in one they bitch and fight among them selves offering poor services and really bad advice just to make a buck, one of them is that bad you can ring them and ask if they have a certain part they will say yes, so you drive there over 1 hour round trip to find they dont have it but will order it in if you leave a deposit
its all good to say support local buisness but why should i make other people rich because they want to rip you off.
if i couldnt order from over seas i wouldnt be able to afford any boats
they only place in australia i can get qaulity parts at a good price is fast electrics (andrewg) and thats a online store

i personally dont care if local hobby shop close down they lie,cheat,and steal just to make a buck, there service is crap and advice is worthless
just my 2c

[egneg]

[ozzie-crawl]

this isnt a go at all importers or hobby shops just my local ones
they crap on about how low there margines are, but as i say i used to work in one, fair enough they need to make a living but for the dollars charged there service sucks
i will buy in oz if i can get good qaulity at a decent price
these hobby shops still have large turn overs as people still buy from them and cant fix there own vehicles
but with more and more people buying of the net there pricing them selves out of the market

[Flying Scotsman]

Douggie

[Hydromaniac]

A couple of years ago I went on the RRR forum and was immediately flamed by a bunch of people for no reason other than that I sold small boats. They called me names and said my products were junk Which is just not true. I was really bewildered by their actions. It was so bad, in fact, that one member over there who had been a major contributor to their forum for years, quit them in disgust. I just don't go there!

Sorry you had that happen, It seems sometimes a few guys on RRR get a little carried away about the size of their toys, try not to hold it against the forum but I can't fault you if you did. Sorry for the negative welcome.

[sailr]

I'm just explaining why I don't go to RRR anymore. I was made to feel unwelcome there. I am gratified by the reception of my products here on OSE.

Ozzie, you know you have to pay brokerage fees etc on the declared value?

Edit

Jim no reason to bash RRR. your products have been well received

Douggie

[tharmer]

I want the forum concession.
-t

[domwilson]

I know somebody is going to jump on me for this...Like Rodney King said. "Can't we all just get along?"

[alvinsmith75]

Hell I guess I'll pop a bag too. And maybe wash it down with a brew.

[domwilson]

You know the funny part? This all started with a phone call from Thunder Power and ended oh somewhere else. Steve...Please save us and close this thread....

[ozzie-crawl]

i hope people dont see sailers and my discussion as having ago at each other just 2 people voicing there opinion, none of my comments were directed at sailer