Carrera Audi & Mercedes - Home Racing World & Slot Car Garage

Wednesday May 19, 2010

Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 GT - Audi R8 LMS - 1/32nd Scale

These models from Carrera may not in the same racing class but you can bet that will not stop most of us from pitting them against each other. But this review highlights a little more than just the models. Not only have there been some changes made to the design of some of these cars, they also come with a very attractive price which means a great deal to many budget minded enthusiasts.

When I first saw these models up close I was pleased at the appearance. The fit and finish is very good all the way around but this did not really surprise or impress me. Most of our ready to run models today have made advances in these departments so we almost come to expect this level of finish. Since these models have been available at dealers for awhile I did a little research. What I discovered DID surprise and impress me: The Price.

I guess since I have not been buying Carrera lately this escaped me. On average these models were found at $39.99. When I see other brands raising prices it is refreshing to see models that are staying within reach of those with tighter budgets. Price may not be a concern for some of you but I can assure it is for many others. But a great price does not mean much if the product we get does not deliver. So let us look closer at these little machines and hopefully you can get a good idea if Carrera truly has done a good enough job for you.

The first thing I noticed about these models is they appeared to be very well done in our scale. Nothing is perfect but I think most of you will agree. I am not an expert on these cars in the 1:1 world, but the images I found of them seem to be very close. Hopefully our photos help you make up your mind.

One interesting thing is that there are spare mirrors included in the back of the case. This may not mean much to some, but I certainly appreciate it. I look on my shelf at models missing a mirror and wish I had the spare. Sure I could likely order them, but we all know how that goes. It just gets put on the back burner as more important items (like more cars!) get priority. There is also a warning label on the back of the Mercedes telling you it is not suited for the 1/30 degree banked turns. I really like this.

The interiors are done well enough for a half tray type design. In fact this is more of a 1/4 tray and check out the detail level. I like this as it just allows more room inside for tuning and it does save a little weight for those that care.

Wheels and tires seem fine although on the Audi they seem just a shade large. However, a little sanding will likely help this. The Mercedes has brake rotor detail as well as the caliper visible. Of course it spins with the wheel but it still looks good and tells me they do care about trying to present us with scale models when they can.

Box Stock Track Testing
MidMo International Speedway
4 x 16 - 3 Lane MDF Routed Wood - Flat Latex Surface
Copper Tape Conductivity - Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts PARMA 25 OHM Control

Ordinarily we wait to test run these cars until after we have taken photos. Well, so much for the ordinary. Since Dave Kennedy from Carrera was here visiting along with my friend Tom, I decided to just take them out and run them. I did not even bother looking underneath, we just took them directly from the box and placed them on the track and started racing. And why not? That is what box stock is all about.

I want the newcomer to understand that these models are not made for our tracks. They are designed to operate on plastic tracks with the use of the traction magnets. We mostly are not very critical of models that do not run well on our track for that reason. However, running on wood will let you know very quickly what might be wrong with a model. If there is a bad wheel or bent axle, you will find out in a matter of seconds and it tells us how well the model has been initially constructed.

The models in question? Not bad. Not bad at all. In fact I was not expecting them to run as well as they did. That is not to say they are perfect of course. I could tell that the Audi had more wheel hop than the Mercedes and thus the Audi was a touch slower on our initial runs. We had average lap times of 4.7 for the Mercedes and 4.9 for the Audi. Grip of the rear tires was better than past Carrera models I have tested but we will still likely change to K&D or Yellow Dog urethanes as they provide the best performance for our track.

Acceleration and braking were decent as well. No, these do not have the punch and distinct braking action found on other models but I felt they had improved. Remember this is straight from the box. No tire or wheel sanding. If these models performed like this on wood, I feel they would be very pleasing to those running on plastic track with the magnets doing their magic.

One item was missing though and it will either bother you or it won't. No lights. I have been accustomed to Carrera models in the past to be fully lighted. Although I enjoy having lights not everyone cares that much. I was told that this helps keep the cost of the models down and if that is the case then I am all for it.

Looking Closer

Turning the models over we see the bar magnets in the center and in the rear. This will really keep these cars pinned to the track and the longer center magnet will help reduce that break away effect by allowing you more time to recover a spin. We also see the traditional polarity switch to allow you to change directions if you desire.

4 screws mount the body to the chassis and once removed I found a very tidy inside. Gone is the large circuit boards used for the lighting and in it's place is a much smaller board just for the polarity. I like this. Since I will modify this it just means less for me to remove.

The motor is equipped with a 9 tooth pinion that drives a 27 tooth crown gear and gear mesh is very smooth and quiet. I noticed the pinions appear to be from a new mold as they are slightly darker. I cannot confirm that but in any case they mesh very well with the crown and that is all that matters to me.

We also see the large magnets used. This center magnet is a long one and is held in place by a screw mount. For my track, I just leave the magnets in place for weight but you could remove them and fit some lead or modeling clay in there if you run on plastic but want to run non-magnet.

Tuning

So let us talk about the wheels. The Mercedes wheels seemed very good with almost zero wheel hop but the Audi needed some work. One thing I noticed is the tires are a softer compound but they are not as tight of a fit as you might expect. The tires easily popped off the wheel and revealed what appeared to be a 2 piece wheel design.

This design sometimes allows the 2 halves to be seated unevenly and such is the case here. It is not a lot, but enough to cause problems on our track. Solution? Simply a quick sanding to make the surface smooth and true. This will allow the tire to seat cleanly before we begin sanding them.

After sanding the wheels I re-mounted the tires and then gave them a good sanding as well. This compound sanded nicely and in just a few minutes it looked as if we had a very different setup than we started with. I repeated the process with the Mercedes although it did not need near as much sanding.

During the sanding process I did notice the bushings slightly rotating in the chassis mount. This is not uncommon and is easily fixed with a little adhesive. I like using hot glue as the bushings can be easily removed if you need to.

Apply This To Both Models

Sold Separately

My next modification is to show the model equipped with the new guide. Carrera has a new guide that is designed to allow the model to be compatible with other plastic track systems. It is slightly shorter and the blade is narrow to reduce guide pinching. The part is available separately.

More Testing

Once we cleaned things up these cars were about as even as you could want. Our times only improved to about 4.4 seconds but now they were a close race and much smoother. The Audi still had a light hint of a hop but it was far better than it was out of the box. The Mercedes is wonderful. I am not much of a fan of this body style but I do like how she runs. The real improvement will be new tires. This is not a knock on Carrera, I knew when I routed my track that new tires would be in my future for just about every model I get.

Final Thoughts - More Good Than Bad

First the bad: Carrera still needs better quality control on their wheels. There has to be people testing these models in Germany that can tell a bad design and an out of round wheel when they see one. This design just increases the chances of flaws. I would happily sacrifice a little brake rotor detail for a better quality wheel if that is what is stopping them.

The rest is all good. Even with the wheel issues it was not much for me to quick fix. And I don't mind having to adjust or modify models to get them to perform the way I like on my track surface. I especially do not mind when the list price is under $40.00. And that for me is the big deal. Carrera is clearly the value leader here with offerings like this that look as good as they do and run decently for the tracks they are intended for.

I cannot help but recommend these models to not only newcomers but veterans as well. If you are doing simple home racing like I do these models are well worth the investment, especially for plastic track owners. Matched against each other they are a close race and that is where the fun is.

For veterans enthusiasts who like to tinker or those into serious club racing, why not? Look at how you basically rebuild almost any car you get? Well? Why not start with a model at this lower price point? If you are just going to replace everything, then save a few bucks where you can.

I also personally like the direction Carrera is moving to. I am not a fan of many of the models they have done in the past few years but with a renewed focus on race cars and with the choices they are making to build, I think we will be seeing a lot more of them back in the old HRW dungeon very soon.

- Harry

As always feel free to contact me about this article or just the hobby in general at harry@homeracingworld.com, or better yet drop into our Message Forum and share your thoughts with other enthusiasts!

Thanks Go To Carrera of America For This Sneak Preview!

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