MrGarretto

1/16 Revo brushed, 1/16 Revo VXL, Bandit, Rustler, Rustler VXL, Slash, and Stampede. Maybe even the monster trucks

meis

My suggestion is for you to go to the LHS and ask them the information, then return here and ask us again. You might have more idea of what you want by seeing the real stuffs.

From my experience, I start looking up on the internet and get myself a 1/10 SC, then I hit the track and realize that no one was driving this class and I have to buy another class, 1/8 buggy, because it's more popular and more fun.

Corners

iTrader: (2)

Quite the list with prices jumping all over the place. Which model specifically? For example, you say Slash, yet there are like 8 different Slash options available. Which one? How much. I can tell you I got my brushed 2wd Slash without battery or charger for $181 shipped through tower with a coupon.

MrGarretto

Well I will be going to a store or 2 to check out some things to see what I like better. Then I'll come back with a little more knowledge of what I like

lbenton

iTrader: (48)

I very much suggest a 1:10 vehicle. They are just more durable and stable than the smaller scale ones.

Yes the small scale stuff can be fun, but as you get them faster they just get spazzy.

On open practice when a mini is on the track they are often like a cockroach, just all over the place.

MrGarretto

What's the largest scale to be considered mini? 1/18?

Today I went to a store to check out the sizes so I had a good idea of what to expect. Nothing was outside of the box which I guess is understandable so I didn't actually see the size of the cars but I got a general idea of how big some of them were. Tomorrow I'm going to another place closer (was closed today so cousin and myself went somewhere else) to see if they have anything outside the boxes. This next place is an RC only place so they should have a bigger selection and more things to look at.

So far from the things I've seen, nothing seemed to big or to small overall so it really just comes down to what I like more/what seems like a better choice down the line. Do all RC cars have the same general upgrades (like motor, gearing, and performance stuff in general) or are some supported more than others in this category. I'm not to worried about racing RC cars but I may want to improve them performance wise eventually.

How much harder is handling a 2wd compared to 4wd? Do the 2wd fishtail like crazy or is it relatively subtle overall?

Edit:
Oh also, on some boxes it said 2 different speeds. Like for example, in slightly larger letters in would say 70+mph and then right next to it it would say 45+mph. Now my guess is that it means it will go 45+mph out of the box and 70+mph if you change out parts that come with the car so you would have an upgrade available to you right away when your ready for it. Can I get conformation on this or am I wrong with my guess?

lbenton

iTrader: (48)

I like 1:10 and 1:8 myself. in the on-road market you can find some nice 1:12 too. Yes the 1:18 and smaller are fast, and honestly can be fun, but they just do not keep up with a 1:10 when it comes to stability on terrain or at speed. A bigger footprint goes a long way to make a vehicle more predictable.

As for hop-ups. Just about anything can be "improved" in looks / durability / performance. But some vehicles have more options and potential. And they have different potential out of the box as well. Some of them like the ECX come to mind need to have the gears upgraded to move into brushless/lipo power.

Not all hobby shops have them unboxed, but I see it at any Hobby Town USA I have ever been at. However if you can get to one on a busy day with a track you not only get to see them open but you can see people running them and talk to them about things. Also it is not unheard of for a shop with a track to have some 2wd slashes or similar that can be rented for parties, would be worth it without a doubt to just do that even if you are not wanting the type of car they do rent. Just to have a better feel for something as a baseline.

Bottom line, you are going to be spending no small amount of money for this first car. And while that impulsive I like this and I got it can be satisfying you are on the right track doing homework first.

blis

The reality of enjoying RC is not looking at the price of the model itself, it's ammortising the overall cost over the return of pleasure

Might sound a little like a financial or philosophical view, in truth nothing good comes free, there's always hidden costs that suck the enjoyment out of it. RC can be a lot like Amway, the idea sounds great but in reality you end up with a pile of goods stashed under a shelf in the garage.

I would dare to say that enjoying an RC car for a day has a minimum cost of $50. So annually if you went out to enjoy it once a week it would add up to $2500. It's not unreasonable as where can one find enjoyment for a day for $50???

So if you ask yourself seriously how long you wish to enjoy the RC experience, if you feel it's a long term commitment, then spend your hard earned money up front and buy quality radios, servos, chargers, batteries, tools and lubes.

If you are ok with running a model car for a month (4 days) and throwing it away because you realise that keeping it running is more expensive than buying a new one, then that may be the strategy for now. It all ends up as wasted money but we all have to work to a budget.

So the best consideration is that a race spec car with world wide support will be a 1-2 year investment. A $250 rtr may last only a couple of months until it's written off due cost of parts and availability.

I'm not trying to sound like a kill joy, I'm being harsh and honest and if you and your cousin want to really have a good time, spend countless hours tinkering, tuning and really getting an enjoyable return of investment, consider investing in a longer term strategy rather than allowing the consumer products eat away at your budget with less return.

rok55

iTrader: (17)

Yes you could with good result, but, with your budget in mind you need to remember that there will additional expenses. Batteries, Charger, tools, parts,etc.

I would suggest you check the For Sale listings here and on EBay for good used pieces to start with. Then spend additional funds only where aND WHEN NEEDED.

Believe me when I say that this hobby can suck you in real quick and get expensive just as quick. Did for me twenty years ago and is no different today but I still enjoy it; whether playing on a local track or racing it is great fun.

Just don't overlook the long term expenses. Good Luck,

MrGarretto

Well the thing is with where I live I don't have to go anywhere. I have a nice sized yard and my uncle owns a bob-cat that needs to leave it at my house cause he isn't allowed to keep it at the place he lives. He occasionally brings dirt back to my house with his dumb truck to fix up the yard and my driveway so I could literally just make a track in my back yard if I really wanted to.

Like I said on my first post, I would like the car to be customizable, so you could say that upgrades fit into that category. When I feel the need to improve the RC car I have that option. So I'm not impulse buying but I'm semi planning ahead by asking these questions so I have future plan if I want to improve anything.

lbenton

iTrader: (48)

If you are going to buy on line there are several good shops with long histories.

Tower Hobbies
Amain Hobbies
Stormer Hobbies

I am pretty sure that those would be the biggest three, and I have had nothing but good experiences from all of them.

Also, some shops are members of Amazon and list items on there, so it is worth a look as well.

After that you have eBay, which is like the wild west of online shopping. You can do very good on there, but you can also get taken for ride on things.

MrGarretto

A question I asked earlier, how much difference do 4wd and 2wd cars have? As in handling, do 2wd cars fishtail like crazy or is it relatively unnoticeable?

Mini-Baja_Beast

iTrader: (12)

I didn't see where anybody answered your 45mph/70mph question.

In most cases it will do the 45mph out of the box and is capable of 70mph with the esc/motor that comes pre installed. The deciding factor it the battery. Most will come with a 7.2v Nimh pack. That would give enough power for 45mph and if you go buy an 11.1v lipo it will run 70mph. Some times it will come with a different pinion gear for taller gearing(higher top speed).

lbenton

iTrader: (48)

They do drive very differently. 4wd is easier to drive fast in most cases. With 2wd you have to a lot more throttle management to keep from spinning out in turns when you run at speed. As I have heard it put... 2wd you drive patiently 4wd you drive angry.

If for example you are going with slash, and you have the budget for it, I would suggest the 4wd. That being said, a lot people will tell you a 2wd buggy is the most fun to race. All very subjective as far as what is liked. But I get the impression that you will spend about 90% of the time at least driving in open spaces around you, so a 4wd will do very well on the fun factor.

MrGarretto

Thank you baja for clearing that question up Didn't know batteries alone could make that much difference depending on what else you have in your car.

I think I'm leaning towards the mini e-revo VXL. Tomorrow I'll be going to a Hobbytown USA and I could be getting my RC car tomorrow there. when I was looking for traxxas dealerships around where I live I didn't see the Hobbytown tell after I went to the other places, otherwise I probably would've gone there first. I'll at least have more info on what I want if I don't get anything.

Thanks to everyone so far for all the info they have shared