If you want to do touring and drifting, you can try the Sakura Zero S. I personally love mine to bit. It's been very tough (been crashing it a lot!), handles power very well, also handles the track pretty well.

- Sakura Zero S
- Hobbywing 5.5T + 60A ESC
- Sanwa MT4 (Or FlySky GT3B if you want to save some $$$ )
- Savox SC-1257TG
- Turnigy 6000mAH 65C LiPo

In regards to choosing between shaft and belt driven, it would be more advisable to get a belt driven car as opposed to a shaft driven. A lot of pure bred racing chassis ( TRF 415,416,417 , Xray T2, T3, T4, Schumacher Mi4, Kyosho TF5, Team Associated TC5, TC6) are all belt driven. It doesn't mean you can't get a shaft driven car to perform, but there are limitations to how much power you can put to the shaft before it bends. If you insist on a shaft driven platform, you can consider the Team Associated TC4, which itself is relatively proven as a club racer over at the States.

HSP FF1? I dont know of such a car. But I do have a HSP on road car, tuned for rally duties.

HL518? Avoid chinese clones at all costs. Same goes to the Vantex 416. Avoid.

That leaves you with the sakura D3. Well, it is a good chassis to begin with, but you're pretty much limited to drifting ONLY, no touring as the gear ratios front-to-rear means you probably wont be able to drive in a straight line.

i got RTR set to let go. if you're in a rm750 budget PLZ have a look at my WTS post. For beginners its a good bargain. Plus i'm letting go cause its simply collecting dust in my room. My next stage upgrade for this set is a good brushless combo and of coz Lipo (bcoz battery just dont last for playing, good enough for setting.

Mine is a HY CHINA (XRAY T2009) replica. Only the CF chasis is original. All replaced with branded stuff and alloys (original parts given as well). All screws for chasis replaced by titanum versions (original screws given).

As for me, i couldnt afford something from YOKOMO or TAMIYA or HPI even, but yes they have the best stuff at a 1k above price. Mind you XRAY stuff are more pricier than those brands. But no, my kit have nothing from XRAY replaced (it just looks like one).

I bought a CHINA HY BECAUSE.........i WAS a beginner, a noob so to speak!!! I couldnt afford something branded to train my skills so.....i opt for a CHINA HY then to TRAIN and BASH and of course BE MORE technical in terms...hehehe.... I never regret doing so, and made more frens because for a beginner, a cheap china set will make you look like a MODEST person......

THEN again....its just my 2cents tok kok.... cheers mates!!!!

Cheaper build?

Sakura Zero S
FlySky GT3B
Hobbywing 9t + 35A
Blue Bird BMS-631MG
Turnigy Nanotech 5300mAH 30C
GT hobbies GT606D (Built in power adapter)

That should be better?