RC Cars

Diving into the RC Car world can seem a little daunting at first. Nitro Cars, RC Drift Cars, Gas Powered RC Cars and even Remote Control trucks are all options you'll be faced when you're picking out your first Remote Control Car. I'm here to shed a little light on choosing the right RC car to begin. Welcome to your new hobby; the land of Remote controlled vehicles. Buckle Up!

RC Cars and the RC world in general, is a hobby that can totally consume your life… and your wallet. It doesn't have to though. When I first became interested in RC car racing, all I wanted was a fast rc car. Fast RC cars were in and everyone was getting them. This was before mini rc cars became popular, before Nitro rc cars were huge and definitely before RC drift cars resembles those in the movies. Now, I'm not that old, but old enough to know that my definition of a fast rc car might different than a kid's is today.

My first RC Car was a Turbo Hopper that my mother (Santa) picked up at JC Penny's. Though I thought it was the best thing in the world, not to mention the fastest Remote control in the world, it was far from. Fast RC cars were for the big dogs; people who has money to spend; gas rc cars were the thing to have. Actually, my gas powered rc car was quite slow. RC Cars are a great way to pry children's grubby little fingers off the video game controllers and get them outside. While operating RC Cars isn't exactly a physical activity in itself; chances are amateur RC enthusiasts will have a crash or two and they will have to retrieve the vehicle.


RC Cars at the hands of beginner drivers.

Let's get one thing squared away: RC cars aren't only for small children. Several Remote control car owners are well into their teens, 20s, 30s and so on. There is competitive racing circuits, national championships and several types of classes in both the amateur and professional RC racing realm. RC Cars can be fun for people of all ages and price ranges. If tricking out your remote control car is your only hobby, you might find yourself spending every last cent to your name on the latest suspension upgrade or high performance nitro rc car. If you're just getting started in the world of radio controlled cars, you might only race remote controls around the local parking lot to kill an afternoon and get a few rays.

One thing can't be denied and that's the pure fun and excitement you'll experience when you take control of your first RC Car, dictating it's every movement. RC Cars acceleration is really quite impressive and probably faster than you think. Gas powered RC cars were previously quite a bit faster than electric RC Cars, but times have changed somewhat and the discrepancy has narrowed. It's more of a preference thing when it comes time to choose your first RC Car. Do you want a quiet, subtle sleeper or do you want an aggressive exhaust sound when you punch the gas? Either way, you're sure to love the total control you'll have once you get used to your controller and radio controlled vehicle, regardless of the salary or age bracket you fall into.

Remote Control Shop Owner in mid-thought.  Nitro RC Car Driver...wearing some stupid looking glasses.

Another cool thing about Fast RC Cars is that they can be a novelty too. Let's say you're a fan of BMWs. Let's say you like anything and everything BMW Related, whether it's the latest M3 to roll of the assembly line or a BMW coffee mug, you just want to get your hands on it. Well, there are several RC Car companies that are making scale models of some of your favorite cars. There are RC Car version of several of the latest tuner cars that have become popular in recent years. Gas powered version of the VW GTIs, Subaru WRXs and BMW M3s are all known to have several Remote controlled variations ranging in scale size. RC car racing for these types of setups are becoming more popular because they are relatively low maintenance.

The downfall of RC cars of course is the short battery life.  RC cars could only run for a very short time before new batteries would be required. Along with this cheap batteries came weak power and unimpressive top speeds (usually about 15 mph). However, a new company, Edge of Power, has recently developed a lithium-ion polymer battery pack for RC cars. These batteries have an on and off switch which give the status of the battery. Along with that, they are supposed to be smaller, lighter, and more powerful. With these longer lasting batteries, RC car drivers can finally enjoy longer run times. 

Here is the article about the new battery New RC Car Battery

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If you want a gas powered rc car, nitro rc cars are the way to go. They combine the suspension cues of actual F1 cars and the power of dragsters, all rolled into one. Mini RC cars are more geared towards child and amateurs, but that's not to say they can't be a ton of fun too. Every mini rc car handles a little bit different than the next and definitely different than gas powered RC Cars. It'll take some getting used to the torque and under steer issue for some gas powered rc cars. Want to play it safe until you get the hang of with little to no maintenance necessary? Drive a few different electric rc cars until you get used to those, then up to gas powered rc cars.

VW RC Cars are a hit with the V-Dub Crowd Subaru RC Cars a popular with the Subie Noobies. Matching RC Cars, Volkswagon GTI style. 

Having a scale gas RC Car can be perfect for tooling around your secluded street or local parking lot. Gas RC Cars are also great to pass the time during those long afternoon car shows. A lot of BMW owners are finding that RC Car manufacturers are taking note of the demand for these particular RC Cars and have begun producing several of the models offered by BMW. I can't particularly say that the same craftsmanship has gone into each RC Car that went into the actualy vehicle, but at least they look good. :) Just do your homework on the Gas RC Car brand, the engine specs and you should be well prepared to pick your first RC.

When you get a little seasoned in the sport, you'll notice some of your competion's rc cars for sale after they get beat. However, one option if to just buy better rc car parts. If you aren't skilled enough to wrench on gas rc cars yet, find someone with some experience working with rc car parts. RC car parts are very, very small and require special tools to ensure that are installed properly. Electric rc cars are the same way. And yes, mini rc cars are even more of a pain to work on. RC car racing definitely fun, but does require some dedication to the hobby or you won't be RC car racing for long.

A very realistic RC Car, emulating a BMW.   BMW RC Cars are exact replicas of the real deal.

You don't have to have a replica RC Car or even like cars period, to enjoy having your own Nitro RC Car. A lot Remote Control car drivers might very well drive a poorly made vehicle and even have more money wrapped up in their mini RC than they do their actual car. The point is, RC Cars are for everyone to enjoy. Both gas powered remote controlled cars and electric remote control cars have their ups and downs. Do you want to recharge batteries or do you want buy gas for the petrol remote control cars? Do you want to drag race your RC car or just have fun in the grass? There are several options to consider when diving into the RC world, but one thing they all have in common is they love driving them! Nitro RC cars for sale can be tempting for different reasons, but if you consider buying one used, look for the same characteristics you would if you were buying new RC cars for sale.

Nitro RC cars and other types of gas powered RC cars account for some of my fondest memories. Somehow my brother convinced my other that it would be a great idea to spend our Saturdays competing at the local Gas RC car events. I raced in the amateur class and usually did okay with my mini RC car. My brother worked his way up the rank and became a very skilled driver. He eventually placed as high as 2nd in the professional RC Drift cars division and 1st in the open gas powered RC cars class.

To this day, I can’t put a number on the amount of money that’s he’s spent over the years tweaking and fine tuning his gas rc cars. I gave the hobby up long ago, but still like to tool around the street or an empty parking lot with the gas rc car that kept from years ago. As my children get older, having a nitro rc car might be an option and even racing them. However, a fast rc car is just asking for an empty wallet if you’re aren’t careful! Make sure your children are ready for nitro rc cars before you run out and buy them one!