Traxxas1/10 Stampede 4X4 VXL Brushless Monster Truck

Great looking. Easy to remove body. Slower acceleration than I expected so I'm putting in a smaller pinion that I'm waiting on.

Overall, this is a fun truck. It's lively, fast, rotates well, and enjoyable to drive. It has tons of adjustability and tuning out of the box. The waterproof electronics that come with it are a must-have because it's even more of a blast in the rain. Plus, you don't have to worry about it going through puddles or mud.However, my biggest gripe is that the driveline seems to break somewhat easily (even with the "extreme heavy duty" plastic parts already installed from the factory). If I were to do it again, I would probably spend the extra money on a Maxx or the Sledge that's a bit beefier. Admittedly, we are bashing this pretty hard, so that's somewhat to be expected.So far, my son (who is 9 years old for context) and I have gone through 3 half-shafts, and center diff, a front (and probably soon) rear diff, and a bent shock shaft. While those aren't terribly expensive on their own, it starts to add up (let alone upgrading to stronger parts). More importantly, it kinda seems like every time we drive it, something breaks and then it's out of commission for a week while we wait for the parts to arrive.The motor also doesn't really have any cooling on it. The Traxxas product page says that it has integrated cooling, but after taking it to an open park to do some high-speed runs and using the power it has (even without the optional high-speed gearing), the motor was too hot to touch after going through one battery pack. There are some inexpensive coolers that you can get on here, which work great (Traxxas has one too). But again, there's another little bit that you would have to spend money on and fit/repair, so you don't have to replace the motor.One could argue that's part of having a basher like this. Stuff will break, which is a perfectly valid argument and understood. In fixing this, my son has become much better at understanding and using tools, diagnosing issues, and knowing the different parts of the car. If you like that, then these are fantastic to work on as bolts are very accessible and straightforward. Traxxas even has exploded diagrams on their website with the specific part numbers to make it easier. I just want it to be a bit sturdier out of the box.As an aside, it rolls over pretty easily, but that's on me for getting this instead of the Rustler which has a lower-CG chassis. You can buy an optional sway bar kit for this, and the auto-flip feature works surprisingly well as long as it's not in the half-power training mode.Consider this: I would probably spend the extra money for a Maxx or a Sledge if I were to do it over again. I bought a Sledge around the same time as this Stampede for myself to drive with my son. I managed to snag it on sale for $599, but it's normally $769. It takes 2x 3S LiPos ($70 ea) and needs a slightly more expensive charger. It's bigger and heavier due to much beefier parts and better bracing. It's still VERY fast, but needs a bit more room to turn because of the size and may feel a little cramped on a backyard track. That being said, I think I've only broken a shock cap (as I was like 10 feet in the air and landed on that wheel) and blew out a tire (as I got water in there and didn't vent the tires properly). Other than that, I've had basically no repairs.For comparison, I've spent about $300 on the Stampede in replacement parts or "necessary" upgrades (motor cooling fan, metal driveshafts) to get it to a more stable spot, on top of the $429 base price. The Maxx is $569 (yet still comes with the same plastic driveshafts that we broke three of in the Stampede), and it can run on the more powerful 4S LiPo batteries (which are $140 compared to the $70 3S LiPo). Traxxas offers steel driveshafts for the Maxx, but those are around $100. So, for being into a Maxx $669, spend the extra $100 on the stronger, beefier, faster Sledge that you won't need to worry as much about repairing, rather than spending that on repairs anyway.Do I regret getting the Stampede? Definitely not. It's been a LOT of fun to drive, work on, and it has a TON of adjustability for tuning and growing with it. Parts are generally easy to come by as it shares a platform with the Rustler and Slash. I built a little track in my backyard, and the Stampede works great in there. You can also take it to a more open area to help stretch its legs a bit, as it definitely has the power (even on the stock gearing). I like working on cars and mechanical things so the repairs aren't AS big of a headache for me.That being said, I would put the extra money you would spend on repairs into the beefier Sledge to save yourself the time fixing it.

I have had an earlier version of this model. This is a big upgrade.

I freaking love this BEAST!!! If you've ever wanted a Traxxas, do it!! Just buy it!! You'll love it!! I also appreciate that the seller required a signature, I'd like to think that they wanted to know that I received it, and that some porch pirate didn't get away with my bad ass toy!!