How to choose my (your) first RC (radio controlled) car?
If you want to enter the world of RC cars, or you’re buying for a friend or loved one, it isn’t always easy to make the choice of vehicle. So, we’ve put together this simple guide to help make that choice easier. We’ve broken the process down into sections.
What type of car do I want?
Once you’ve made the decision you want to purchase an RC car, the next question is what type of car, do I want. It might sound a simple question, but RC cars can be split into an ever expanding number of types, classes, scales and more…
The simplest selection is on-road or off-road. On-road cars can offer great fun, but you do require the right surface, typically they won’t run on much more than tarmac or gravel and even lose gravel can often be a struggle. Al’s hobbies sell both on-road and off-road vehicles but we do see off-road as the more popular option, as they aren’t just limited to one surface. They can normally be run on both, tarmac, gravel, grass, mud and more… we would like to mention at this stage that sand isn’t ideal for most as it creates a maintenance nightmare.
How big? (What scale)
So, you’ve decided whether you want on or off road. Next up, we’d suggest that you think about scale (size). This is where we often see a confliction where budget is balanced against size. Typically larger cars, are faster, easier to drive and generally easier to maintain. However, we understand that we don’t all have an infinite amount to spend on a first RC car or gift. So, we generally advise that 1/10 scale (meaning one tenth the size of a real car) is the most balanced starting point, as cars of this size can normally cope with most conditions, are large enough to have a decent size motor (normally 540) and don’t break the bank starting at as little as £120 in ready-to-run form (meaning everything needed to use, straight out of the box – with larger kits RTR may not include battery and charger).
Electric or Nitro?
Al’s hobbies sell and stock both nitro and electric cars, we even stock petrol cars from time-to-time.
For most the appeal of the noise, smoke and power of nitro (glow) powered cars and trucks can be like a bright light to a moth. However, nitro cars require running-in (like a real car, they need to be driven softly for the first few miles), they aren’t always as socially accepted as electric cars and normally speaking maintenance is higher, the unburnt fuel will leave residue on the car and any surfaces you leave it on. The engines themselves often also require tuning, as the engines ‘runs-in’ the tune changes and requires altering. Now we’re not saying don’t purchase a nitro car, but if you want to just turn it on and play, nitro isn’t for you.
A lot of the misconceptions of electric such as they are slow or take a long time to charge have now changed. Although many RTR cars come with a wall charger that takes several hours to charge, for just over twenty pounds you can purchase a fast charger that will take around an hour. When it comes to speed, you only have to look at social media – pretty much everyone that’s out there setting speed records with a GPS meter (yes, you can record speed of RC cars) is using electric. Put simply, electric cars are faster, easier to maintain and far less frustrating.
Still not sure?
That’s what our friendly sales staff at Al’s Hobbies are here to help with. We have a high street shop that easy to access (most park at Lidl opposite), where you can come and speak to our team, alternatively we’re happy to advise over the telephone or via e-mail.
