Is Team Associated a good RC brand | whose is it for?
Team Associated is one of the world’s top RC car manufacturing companies in the US.
From its entry into the bobby-grade RC industry in 1965 with a few slot-car parts to today, Team Associated has gained its fame by producing thousands of industry-leading race-level radio-control vehicles in varying sizes for RC enthusiasts.
All vehicles produced by Team Associated can ride on-road and off-road surfaces come powered by electric motors and nitro engines and are either race-winning RC buggies, monster trucks, touring cars, or realistic-looking Short Course trucks.
Apart from this, Team Associated utilizes premium materials and quality parts in RC vehicle production and even offers excellent after-sale service. These factors make Team Associated a good RC brand.
Are Team Associated RC cars any good
To know a great RC car model, you have to consider the materials used in the vehicle’s design, the quality of electronic parts used, its cost, and how user-friendly the car is.
Team Associated RC car models are built using premium materials and electronics. Even though they are specially designed for race-level competitions, they are beginner and advanced users friendly, and that’s making them a great RC car brand.
Additionally, unlike big-name brands like Losi, which uses a 1800KV brushless motor, Team Associated RC car models come equipped with a 3300KV brushless motor. They also offer RC cars designed for long-distance travel.
Who owns Team Associated?
Team Associated was established in 1965 by Roger Curtis and Lee Yurada, who worked as technicians at the Douglas Aerophysics Laboratory in El Segundo, California.
In 2005, Team Associated merged with Thunder Tiger Corporation that manufactured much of Associated’s current line of products.
Where are Team Associated RC cars made?
Since Associated’s merger with Thunder Tiger, the production of Team Associated RC car parts was held in Taiwan. However, they are later shipped to their US-based headquarters in Bake Parkway, Lake Forest, California.
What is Team associated best model?
If you’re a fan of Team Associated RC models, you know that their 1:10 scale 2WD off-road RC car has been Associated’s signature class since 1984 when they released their RC10 buggy model. In fact, the Team Associated RC10 buggy series has won thirteen 18 IFMAR World championship contests for years.
For this reason, the best Team Associated model on our list today is the RC10B6.2D 1/10 2wd Electric Buggy Kit.
The B6.2D features both the layback and Laydown transmission assemblies for perfect weight distribution, symmetric rear arms that can be flipped to allow an in-between rear shock mounting position, a 7075-T6 aluminum arm mounts with optimized roll center positions, aluminum shaft and gear, 7mm aluminum clamping wheel hexes and many other exceptional parts.
How is Team associated compared to other big brands
Traxxas, Arrma, Losi, and Tamiya are industry leaders in the world of radio-controlled cars.
Compared to these manufacturers, Team Associated RC models may fall short in performance levels and quality electronics.
The good news is Team Associated also makes some great RC car models that promise fun when driven.
For instance, unlike Losi, which uses a 1800KV brushless motor, Team Associated uses a 3300KV brushless motor, ensuring their RC models can offer users with thrilling sessions they seek.
Traxxas cars primarily work well for bashing, and Losi RC’s are great for racing, but Team Associated RC cars can be used for racing as well as bashing.
Add the fact that, like Traxxas, which offers excellent parts support and availability, you can get Team Associated’s RC car parts anywhere with ease. Hence, Team Associated also offers exceptional part support and availability.
Another thing that makes Team Associated RC cars stand out is that their cars are built for extended travel and are the best in this field.
Read an extended review of Traxxas vs. Team Associated
Is Team associated better for beginners or more advanced hobbyists
Team Associated produces some of the top high-quality vehicles on the market today.
For beginners, purchasing a vehicle from Team Associated would be a plus. The company pays lots of attention to providing beginner RC enthusiasts with plenty of quality, durable, versatility, and user-friendly options to help them master the tricks of handling an RC car.
How durable are team-associated RC cars?
Team Associated RC cars are designed for both on-road and off-road but work better on hard surfaces.
For its size, when used on a rough surface, you will see that Associated RC car models are surprisingly rugged. In fact, electronic parts like the servo have great precision, and the suspension also functions exceptionally.
These factors show that Team Associated RC cars are durable, tough, and reliable.
Are Team Associated cars fast?
Technically, regular RC cars that can reach speeds as high as 70+mph are considered fast. For drag-style RC cars, high-speed levels can even range up to 100+mph.
Since Team Associated Manufacturers Drag race cars for seasoned racers and regular RC cars suitable for beginners, their RC cars can be considered fast.
Even the RIVAL MT8 1/8 monster truck can be considered fast as it can run on a single 6S or 4S LiPo battery, which can reach voltage as high as 11.1V at 5000mAH.
How’s Team Associated build and parts quality?
Like Traxxas models, Team Associated’s RC vehicle’s build quality is on the frontline and even better than Losi.
Each RC model is high-performance cars manufactured for high tolerances, are fast, stable, and highly reliable. Hence, Team Associated’s RC Car parts are high-quality materials and designed for lasting performance.
How are Team associated product support and parts availability?
If you plan to purchase an RC car kit from Team Associated, the good news is that you’ll wind up getting a lot of assistance from their aftermarket support when you need it.
They also offer good availability of all spare parts or their car models, including the older ones.
Should you get a Team Associated RC car?
Choosing an RC car can be difficult with top manufacturers like Traxxas, Arrma, Losi, and Tamiya in the industry. However, you could also get a great car from Team Associated that would work well for you.
Unlike most big-name brands, one thing you’ll probably like about Team Associated is the fact that their cars tend to be more affordable. With Team Associated, the price won’t always affect quality, and you can still purchase a fantastic RC car from them at a lower price.
Plus, Team Associated has several affordable RC car kits that are great for beginners. Their cars are even built to last a long time.
Is Team associated going out of business?
In 2018, LRP, an RC car manufacturer also owned by Thunder Tiger, put out a press release that LRP electronic GmbH and Associated Electrics, Inc. (Team Associated) will be closing their doors to RC car production.
However, Team Associated is not going out of business as the hobby-grade RC car company continues to supply their fans with new models and quality car part replacements for their older models.
Shortlist – 3 Team Associated best sellers
For years, Team Associated has designed several unique RC cars since its establishment. However, to shortlist their top three best sellers, we considered their build quality and materials, battery life, charging time, and control range. The top three Team Associated best sellers include:
- DR10 Drag Race Car RTR: A street racing car that uses a powerful 3300KV brushless motor, comes with a 2.4GHz 2-channel radio, an upgraded DVC receiver with built-in adjustable gyro, and can hold a 2S or 3S LiPo battery packs.
- RC10B6.2D Team Kit: A 1:10 scale 2WD off-road monster truck that comes with a bolt-on +1 steering block arms for improved steering response, a 7075-T6 aluminum arm mounts with optimized roll center positions and inserts for tuning anti-squat and toe adjustments, and a 7mm clamping wheel hexes for maximum thrilling performance.
- RIVAL MT10 RTR: One of the most powerful and durable models of Associated designed for long travel and have adjustable coil-over shocks. This model comes with a 3300KV 4-Pole brushless motor, a 2.4 GHz radio system, high-torque Digital Servo with spring-style servo saver, 12mm hex wheels, can house a 2S LiPo battery, and is water-resistant.
The Bottom Line
Although many RC enthusiasts have their personal preferences, especially when there are other big-name brand models from Traxxas, Losi, Arrma, and Tamiya that can meet their needs, Team Associated also produces some bad-ass quality RC vehicles, product support, and car parts that would suit both seasoned users and beginners. Hence, Team Associated is a good RC brand.
