whats the deal with knock off bajas??

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I'm not saying one is better then the other because they are obviously not the same quality but, Other then the roll cage and pull start I have had the same issues with all of them. I believe more of a design issue with most problems.
I hope you are not running your buggy with an inexpensive servo? Most if not all RTR electronics in 5th scale are garbage items.
 
If I had to do it again I would have not bought the buggy I got. I got an fs buggy which they sell in plover and have parts for and everything. But I have 30 min on the thing and the engine blows up two weeks after I get it. Their response 10 day warranty, and they only sell a whole motor. I now am getting a hpi motor which I hop comes. If I where to do it again I would have gotten a ss kit.

What I have in mine after 30 min. of playing.

$400 buggy ( gas to get it)
$150 new engine
$30 battery pack
$20 replacement hardware.

$600 for 30 min of fun
 
I broke mine again! this time it was all my fault. I drove it under the front end of a car, not sure what I hit under there but when I pulled it out the left wheel was hanging off the tie rob, I pretty much broke most of the plastic parts it the front except the right a-arms and the shock tower supports and bent up the shocks,, exspensive :oops:
 
baja 5b clone

csp1971 said:
-Your PC analogy is incorrect, the clones weren't built "around" the HPI Baja, they blatantly ripped it off.

-You actually admit that purchasing a clone is a "risk" due to poor quality control.

-"Let's not forget that HPI branded ones are made in China"...not sure what that means, HPI designed, and put the R&D into it. Where it is made is irrelevant. It's the material it is made of and the support you receive by aftermarket manufacturers and by the manufacturers themselves. I see HPI sponsoring race events all over the world. I haven't seen any of these "clone" companies sponsoring a thing except sending trolls out to forums to "talk up" their shoddy products.

-You get a poor unit from HPI, it is supported, warrantied for a year.

-Who sells parts for these? Aside from HPI supposedly working on every piece on the clones. Just curious, never have seen any of these parts on any site that sells these aside from clone pipes.

-The sponsors are SPONSORS, meaning, they help out the forum, they pay for a good chunk of money each month to keep this forum and HBF going. They have a true interest in the hobby. They can hate clones, many of them have had their parts copied from Integy. If I was able to make parts as they do, it would be specifically for the HPI Baja. If someone that owned a clone asked me if it would work, I'd tell them to buy it at their own risk. Why? because there are many versions out there, each with possibly different and subtle changes from HPI. Who would know what is accurate and what is not?

Honestly who cares if there are clone haters? I hate them myself. If someone wants one, they can buy it. But please, don't come whining on here because an aftermarket part does not fit or an HPI part doesn't fit or there is no good support.

And yes, I have a clone, it's a Firehammer MT/Smartech clone. Do I like it? I think it could be loads better. In retrospect, I should have gone with an FG with all the money I have sunk into it thus far. So please, anyone that is thinking about buying some sort of knock-off, save a little more and go with the real McCoy, be it an FG or HPI. You'll be a lot happier down the road.

I have also have an HPI Baja, I wouldn't buy a clone version or let a friend purchase one. I'd suggest that they save longer or buy a great used one from one of the two forums (LSF or HBF).
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i don't see what is wrong with the clones i have a baja 5b clone and never had a problem with it. it starts all the time it runs great i flip it and what not and nothing breaks i think all the people that go around saying they are junk is just believing what other people say. if they really used one they would admit that the quality is no different than a hpi. lets not forget hpi and clones are both made in china.
 
Hi all New to the forums and was reading this thread and thought I would post

Its always good to see and read that the item you have bought gets a good review and supported by other like minded ppl, but when we get negative feed back we get defensive........
I have just received my baja clone (TQ version) as I couldnt afford the Genuine Baja ($699 Aus baja clone $1200 Aus genuine Baja) will I be disappointed with my purchase?...prob not... I got this to have fun with and to build up on, with upgrades etc so its going to change, which most ppl do with a stock genuine baja anyway.
Is one better than the other?... I don't know.... I was lead to believe they all come out the same factory in China and HPI parts will fit perfectly on the TQ and vice versa...

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IF YOUR INVESTMENT IS FUN AND MAKES YOU HAPPY DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHICH BRAND IS BETTER:)
 
Crash Dummy said:
Hi all New to the forums and was reading this thread and thought I would post

Its always good to see and read that the item you have bought gets a good review and supported by other like minded ppl, but when we get negative feed back we get defensive........
I have just received my baja clone (TQ version) as I couldnt afford the Genuine Baja ($699 Aus baja clone $1200 Aus genuine Baja) will I be disappointed with my purchase?...prob not... I got this to have fun with and to build up on, with upgrades etc so its going to change, which most ppl do with a stock genuine baja anyway.
Is one better than the other?... I don't know.... I was lead to believe they all come out the same factory in China and HPI parts will fit perfectly on the TQ and vice versa...

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IF YOUR INVESTMENT IS FUN AND MAKES YOU HAPPY DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHICH BRAND IS BETTER:)
Click to expand...

Very eloquently spoken, welcome to the site!
 
i wanted a marder but could not afford one so i bought a hobbypro mutilator second hand off fleabay i was so pleased with it a few months later when i had more cash i bought another now i am twice as happy i could have waited and bought a marder but then i would only have one truck and i can always upgrade ...great forum by the way...
 
when the clone is half the price....i would jump on it. A buddy of mine has one that came with a bunch of hopups from china, metal roll cage(chromed out) 29cc motor.etc....etc... and he has confirmed that most of the parts for the hpi, oem, and aftermarket fit the clone.

p.s. who do you think is making the parts for hpi.....

p.s.s. same thing with the smartech traveller, duratrax firehammer, fg marder, mutilator etc. etc.
 
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The clone mfg do not make the parts for HPI. They merely copy them. If you have both you can tell the difference in the parts and teh way the molds are made.
 
You Boys need a Referee . . .
Clone, no Clone . . . look at automobile makes for a true analogy.
What you see is not always what you get. In other words:
Buyer Beware Always
 
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