Getting a baja?

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Fstnd378

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I've been wanting a baja for quite some time now and I'm just interested: should I go with the original HPI 5B or a rovan? Those are basically the only choices that I currently have. I'd love to get a HPI but do they still even make parts for it? Isn't the rovan parts supply better?
 
I put one of the HPI Baja kits together last winter. Very nice kit. I went brushless. The kit was $750 before any radio gear or power was added. Radio gear and power was another 400 or so bucks. I already had batts and a transmitter/rec. Very happy with this car so far. Pic of it in my sig.

With that said, I agree with CobraGT. The Rovan Baja ready to go with gas power is $499 shipped. All you need is gas/oil mix and some batts for the transmitter. I have a 30.5cc Rovan baja and it has been 100% good to go so far. Only a broken screw so far and I hit a curb pretty good when it broke. I am still impressed with it. I thought I was going to have a bunch of problems with it and just have not so far.

Parts for the Baja 5b are all over the place. HPI, Rovan and King Motor are all well supported.
 
i have the Rovan Baja and love it handles rather well in stock form.
wheel/axle extenders will make a improvement to the handling.
best thing to do when you get it is pull it apart and rebuild it.
as some screws need loctite on them and the shocks
are bound to need oil in them.
and the diff case will need pulling apart grease and oil where needed stock mine had lack off it.
and add some grease on the drive shaft and cups.
run it in properly and enjoy it.
 
Id buy the HPI any day over the rovan km, at least HPI has credibility.
Both break at least the hpi generally has a better quality engine in it
Parts are interchangeable in both
 
When I raced 1/10 offroad and later 1/8 onroad back in the day HPI were nowhere . I have heard that the Rovans were stronger in the wishbone area , and what engines come with HPI ? I see lots of kits minus engine .
I have an HPI baja and a couple of Rovans , I cannot see any difference in quality as far as wear and broken parts are concerned.
 
Id buy a rovan/km. All the parts that break on hpi, break on rovan/km. Upgrade the usual stuff that breaks and be golden. Ive done this now on 2.
Just ordered the T5 and truck is a lemon. No hrlp at all from rovan. 1100 bucks on a piece of crap. Have ordered from them a few times, this never happened, but yeah no help T all
 
I've been wanting a baja for quite some time now and I'm just interested: should I go with the original HPI 5B or a rovan? Those are basically the only choices that I currently have. I'd love to get a HPI but do they still even make parts for it? Isn't the rovan parts supply better?
have a 5b ive been trying to get rid of but Roman should be fine if your going new
 
King motor has a legit roller. I just built one on here several months back. I own hpi as well. There are quirks with km but its nothing that cant be sorted here if you run into problems
 
Thanks a lot guys.
I have went with the second handed HPI baja in the end. I'm converting it from 23 to 26cc right now, after some clutch problem, I had a spare block anyway. It used to drive on my Youtube channel, and it soon will again👍🏻
 
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