Spartan, tear it down to build it up

[PeterTRAXXAS]

I would like to thank Peter Vieira, aka PeterTRAXXAS aka angry overweight traxxas rep, for finally joining the discussion.
Not sure why you're bringing up something as trivial a run time when that's usually attributed to battery capacity.
Or why he's taken so long to get here, did things finally slow down or did corporate put your head on the line.
As marketing director, why has the rccaraction boat of the year award disappeared from existence? You pumped so much hype into this boat and the award to have it promptly pigeon holed in the back. You proudly display the other awards your models have won in your catalog, but no mention on the 1-page spartan ad.

Who whoa WHOA Geo, I'll take "overweight" but I'm not angry. And I'm working on my weight.

I mentioned run time because I've seen threads beating up Traxxas for a 20-minute run time, when we make no such claim.

I offer no excuse for taking so long to get here. "Been busy?" Sure, but who cares. You guys should come first.

The only award I'm aware of for Spartan came from RC Driver's readers, and we have it posted here (scroll down to the RC Driver part). I can't find an ad with the award in it though, which was a mistake for sure--as you pointed out, we do like to show off the trophies.

Now let me see if I can help here...

[PeterTRAXXAS]

I too find Peters presence here odd. Other than mods, Traxxas has not responded publicly to the problems with their boat. He chooses this forum to do it? Geo,I agree on the run-time issue. I recall someone asking where Traxxas stated the boat would do 20 minutes. I don't recall a response. We are all aware of the mountain of valid issues with the boat no to mention the very well publicized claim of 50mph. I am interested to see how he handles the issues "over here". I'd suggest he focus on the Traxxas board. But welcome aboard Peter.

Well, I go where the butt-kickings take me, LOL. I'm on the Traxxas board too, but a customer is a customer, and I want to help. And if i don't have the answer, I want to be able to take your questions to the guys at Traxxas who DO have the answer. And, I can take a few lumps, you guys can lob shots at me. Geo got me with a left hook!

[PeterTRAXXAS]

An another note finally got the opportunity to really test my boat. It ran well after extensive modification, with the exception of the stuff tube. Serious extended torque roll and the tube was warmer than I felt it should be. I lubed it before I put it in the water. Next mod, new stringer and wire drive. Peter? Any input?

If you've covered this in a previous post, forgive me. Are you using the teflon liner? If so, with grease or oil (and what kind of grease or oil)? What temperature is "warm" (an estimate, of course). Do you have other boats with similar specs and similar stuffing tubes that have cooler-running tubes? How much cooler?

In the meantime, I'll check with the engineers to see if tube-warming is normal, and if it is, how warm they consider normal to be.

[shctexas]

Thank you for your response. The issues with the Spartan are well-documented and include esc, motor, rudder, cooling jacket and now stuffing tube failures. Some of these failures have been dramatic, fire! Traxxas has been quietly responsive and frankly dismissive of these problems. Why has Traxxas not issued a recall on these boats?

[shctexas]

Yes, teflon liner, Grim racer grease, temps hot enough to discolor the tube as shown above.

[PeterTRAXXAS]

There are plenty of happy Spartan customers out there, and we're working with anyone who has an issue with their Spartan. I can't speak for every individual interaction Spartan customers may have had with Traxxas via a message board, email, or on the phone, but Traxxas as a company is not dismissive of any problem a customer has with any of our products. If you contact traxxas with a problem and feel you're being dismissed, ask for the supervisor. That's not the Traxxas way.

[PeterTRAXXAS]

Thanks for the info, I'll be back!

[dag-nabit]

OK I don't know who Peter is with respect to his position at Traxxas, all I know is he has popped up here, and on the Traxxas site, and is the first Traxxas representative to make any kind of reasonable attempt to request our input and feedback, and has openly offered to try and provide assistance through regular interaction with us on the forums.

If Peter can accept that we are going to be open, frank, and honest in our opinions, that we will talk openly about Hobby King or any other supplier we feel offers product or services that meet our needs or solve our issues, and, that the censorship on the Traxxas forum has chased some very knowledgeable and resourceful RC enthusiasts off that site, and will unfortunately no longer be available to assist new enthusiasts there.

And

If Peter continues with his professional approach toward working with us to solve the issues that have plagued the Spartan.

Then I for one welcome his participation on both sites.

Some of us are justifiably angry with our purchase of the Spartan, but if we give Peter the opportunity to assist, and if we reciprocate and present our concerns and comments in a civil and professional manner, maybe we can help get this boat on track.

If the Spartan can rise from ashes (pun fully intended) and become a success, it will inspire some amazing offerings from other RTR competitors, which can only benefit us, and the sport.

Kevin

[PeterTRAXXAS]

Hey, thanks Kevin. I'm glad to help, and I have no problem with anything in your post.

[GeoVW72]

shctexas: I don't find peters presence here odd, ose has some of the best meta data on google and the best community. look at his join date, he's been here since the boat was announced.
The other thing you will find is that traxxas's mods are not clearly posted

Peter, you join the "fray" without reading up on the past bouts, perhaps your not that rep but I think that the way that the info at rcx was handeled wasn't all that great. I couldn't attend myself by my good friend John Thornton was there to ask you guys about the issues.
As far as throwing punches, I just consider myself blatantly honest you can take words on a page any way you want. I'm not sure if I've been completely clear, but I have been 100% willing to help, that's why everything has been documented the best I can here. You should know how to contact me, if not just send me a PM.

dag-nabit: He's the marketing director, he's doing what he's paid to do. But if he has the weight to effect change I'm all for it

[PeterTRAXXAS]

I should have put some smileys in my post (#76), I hope my tone came across as light.

I don't know what happened at RCX, I didn't have the interaction described there. I will be going back into the threads and getting caught up, but I wanted to let you guys know I'm here ASAP. 90% of good service is letting the customer know you exist, and want to give them good service :)

I'm a marketing manager, not the marketing director (he's my boss), but I'm not doing any marketing here. I'm not trying to change an opinion, or sell you something. I'm only trying to help you with your boats by getting you the answers you need, whether the answer is in customer service, or engineering, or in another department.

[Brushless55]

not sure why it has taken 3+ months to get a responce from Traxxas??
lots of guys on OSE who have much experience have been doing a bang up job helping out spartan owners
and several posts and thread deleted over at traxxas when some were trying to figure out the issues with this boat.....
almost like these issues were being covered up

something you (PeterV) posted over at traxxas
When you guys are running on 6S, are you operating at full power 100% of the time, or varying speed? If you're making nothing but full-throttle speed runs, that will contribute to overheating.
not sure what you mean by this?
races are done at WOT for several laps or minutes, if this boat cant hang because of the stock parts overheating then it's not ment to race

[PeterTRAXXAS]

I deleted the post quoted above on the Traxxas site. I was wrong, the Spartan IS designed for sustained 6S running.

[dag-nabit]

I should have put some smileys in my post (#76), I hope my tone came across as light.

I don't know what happened at RCX, I didn't have the interaction described there. I will be going back into the threads and getting caught up, but I wanted to let you guys know I'm here ASAP. 90% of good service is letting the customer know you exist, and want to give them good service :)

I'm a marketing manager, not the marketing director (he's my boss), but I'm not doing any marketing here. I'm not trying to change an opinion, or sell you something. I'm only trying to help you with your boats by getting you the answers you need, whether the answer is in customer service, or engineering, or in another department.

Thanks GeoVW72 and Peter for clearly identifying your position within the Traxxas organization.

Some friendly advice Peter, if you are willing to take it.

GeoVW72 has taken a measured and well documented approach to analyzing the performance and problems with the STOCK Spartan. There are many others here with valued input as well, but if Traxxas is serious about making this boat a success you would be well advised to familiarize yourself with Geo's posts and data. He would be a valuable ally in assisting with identifying solutions.

Kevin

[PeterTRAXXAS]

As posted previously, "I will be going back into the threads and getting caught up." :)