I asked a few 1/8 scale guys about this and they claim to use none of these features which leads me to wonder why anybody uses these fancy radios...

What features do you use on your radios?

i run electrics and i am kinda techno dumbbbbbb but i did figure out how to use the exponentials on my m8 with some help of course and that really helped the feel of my car basically slowed my jerking movements and smoothed the run, in turn i was faster ??????? because i was slower ???????? you know the deal!!!!!!!!

Dual-rate for steering,
idle up for nitro,
speedfinger exponential !

I use in nitro , end pionts,
Steering throw, ABS, Throttle throw, Throttle curve, Timer to now if i can do 10 min. There is a lot more functions but thats all i need..

Steering endpoints to get equal turn radius in each direction. Steering rate to get the amount of total steering. No expo or ARC, no servo speed adjustments (why pay for a premium fast servo and then slow it down with the transmitter?)

Nothing on throttle except to set the endpoints to whatever the speed control manufacturer recommends or to get full movment of the carburator slide without binding.

Probably the most important feature in a transmitter for me is good feel in my hand and springs that actually have some resistance to them... I don't at all like the feel of soft springs.

Slowing the servo around centre is not a bad idea, helps tame down the twitchyness up the straight.

I use brake mixing, temp and temp average.

Can you please explain brake mixing?

Idle up is nice for nitro. Slowing down steering servo speed helps me from over correcting when I've had too much coffee.