Buying your first Radio Controlled Car

In the end you should have all sorts of opinions about each category or model and the final choice should always be your own, that makes your feel comfortable, suits your budget, is easier for you to handle and costs you less maintenance. You should not make your choices just because someone else prefers to choose it and then maybe you
are not comfortable with it later on.

The foremost criteria for anyone is the investment in a hobby or the cost. The budget needs to be fixed. As such electric kits come fall in the less expensive category for initial investment. Although they can give much enjoyment, you end up paying more for the battery packs, battery chargers, accessories, etc. This in the long run means that you have more stuff for maintenance later on and it also means that the recurring costs for these are substantial. Over time, the total investment in parts ends up beingequivalent to a Nitro car.

Care must be taken when choosing an electric set up. The important thing is to buy a quality set up. A cheap set up would require sooner replacement and more repairs. Packs of quality batteries and a quality charger will bring down your recurring costs in the long run.

Nitro kits come in expensive with the initial investment. Even though you can buy inexpensive engines or accessories, their initial costs would be more than the electric ones. Another criteria that affects the cost is the maintenance and operation. As discussed earlier recurring costs for an electric model can in the end compare to the initial cost of a Nitro pack. Another factor that greatly influences the recurring cost is the frequency of use and tracks. If you are using your model on rough tracks then it would obviously require more maintenance and regular use of your tool kit or cleanin equipment.

Both the types of models have their own typical power systems that require regular maintenance. Frequency of operation or frequency of use of your model would cause faster wear and tear and would mean regular maintenance.

If your model does not meet any mishap, crash or breakdown even then nitro vehicles require much more maintenance than electric ones. For an electric kit their batteries need to be taken care of properly, conditioned properly and stored at proper temperatures, etc to maintain their charge. In a nut shell, the over all cost difference between the two is not much but the only difference lies between the initial investments of both. Therefore if cost is not as much a determining factor you can chooseany model, but if you are short of dimes then it is safe to go in for an electric setup. These would not only require much maintenance and if taken care properly would give great enjoyment to an RC enthusiast. There's more to running an R/C car or truck than the vehicle itself. Usually all models come with all necessary equipment and accessories required for running of the car. Electric vehicles require a two channel radio, motor(s), speed control and battery.

Gas vehicles require a radio, engine, fuel and muffler. Some or all of these items may be included with the vehicle but additional purchases may be required for some as well. It is important to read the read the product description carefully for details.

Most RC cars have a retail price, which is the suggested selling price. But note that most hobby shops sell kits for 20 - 40% less than the retail price, which is called the street price. To get the best deal on RC cars, when shopping, always pay the street price and not the retail
price.

You can get RC cars from a local hobby shop (LHS) or order it from online hobby shops. Buying your model from a local hobby shop is much more preferable. If the shop owner is helpful, you get a lot of advice and useful tips to help you get started. Local hobby shops also usually keep spare parts which you can easily buy. It's also nice to support your local hobby shop, they help set up racing tracks, organize races, and keep the RC hobby alive in your area. But if you live in an area where such local hobby shops are non-existent or not up to the mark or you are not happy with the person on the sales counter, you can also opt to purchase from the online hobby stores.

To get the best deals on Remote Control cars form online stores, look for special offers, clearance sales and discount coupons. Remember to factor in the shipping cost. Payment is easily done via credit cards. Some models may also require items such as pinion, tires, wheels and body. If one has purchased the model from online hobby shop, then
details of all such requirements may be obtained from accessories required links for the model on their website. One can choose from the list to see the items needed. If you order by phone, ask for help from the friendly Sales and Service representatives who should tell you exactly what you'll need for each specific car or truck.

Most R/C vehicles use 2-channel radio systems. They will usually not include batteries, so you'll need to buy alkaline cells or rechargeable NiCad to power the transmitter and the receiver. If you drive an electric model and have a BEC (Battery Eliminator Circuitry) equipped radio system, you can power the receiver from your motor's battery pack.

Another consideration when choosing an R/C car or truck is making sure that you'll be able to get replacement parts quickly and easily— that way, if anything breaks, you won't be stuck in neutral for very long.

Manufacturers also make “aftermarket" parts available along with direct replacement parts. These parts may be wheels, tires, bodies, suspension and steering components, decals, etc. These can be used to improve your model's performance and customize its looks.