Like a bunch of others here, I am a former RC car guy. After about 15 years of not running a car, I really want to get back into the fun. Basically, I don't race competitively, I just want to jump stuff and drive fast, and have a good time.

Way back when, my buddy had a Grasshopper and I bought The Frog. I remember my RC was way slower, but took a beating. The Grasshopper was sooooo fast compared to The Frog. I bought the Avant I think it was called. I also bought a truck... an EK5 or something? I built it, ran it twice. Left my stuff at a coworkers house one day... then crap happened and all my stuff was never to be seen again.

I want to get back in the game and just have a fun time driving again. All I remember is that the battery packs I used to use didn't last very long, the little white resistors melted down and burned me, and I did a bunch of upgrades to The Frog including a larger engine.

I really don't know where to start again. As I read the forums, I realize I don't know what Lipo is, what batteries I should get, what controller, stock vs. upgraded engines... and so on.

I am thinking about buying The Grasshopper and just having a good time. However, I don't really know what I need to get other than a controller. I want it to run more than 20 minutes... which means more batteries I'm sure, and I want to make sure I'm not going too crazy getting back into the hobby. Any direction would be appreciated.

I think I am going to head down to the local hobby shop and look around. Is the Grasshopper my best bet to start back up? Will I be bored with it? Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks a million,

Joe in San Diego

Are there any race tracks around you could go visit?

If your just gonna bash with it i would buy a rtr kit..Almost all new cars are more durable then those grasshopers. Plus your gonna want to buy something you can get parts for at your local hobby shop....

As others have mentioned, it really depends on what you're trying to get into. I'd really think hard about that part, as RTR kits can get pretty pricey. If you're ok with online shopping, you can get parts for pretty much anything. If you want local hobby store support, visit one and see what they stack.

Do you want to race or bash?
What's your price range for JUST the car?

We can talk about Lipos and charges and all the good stuff after

As a Grasshopper owner myself, I would not say it is suited to "go fast" or "jump things". It is a lot of fun to drive but mostly because it's nostalgic and handles like crap.

If you have a hobby shop near you, you should go look at what they have on display. Things have changed in the last 15 years. If you still want to build something, there a few options. You'll mostly be looking at something ment for racing or a car/truck from Tamiya. As a suggestion, you might take a look at an Axial Exo.

I will tell you while I have several race vehicles and race most every week, my favorite car is my Tamiya Lunchbox. It's just a hoot to drive.

Hey Joe in San Diego I'm also old time coming back in. Been at it for a few years now though. I'm in Vista, check out SDRC, in the Miramar area, should be close to you, well closer to you than me. They have a Pro Shop, and a very helpful staff. You can see what's going on and have all your questions answered, I'm sure.

There's also an outdoor track in Chula Vista. Kind of a rougher crowd down there. Sorry CV, you know who you are.

Oh yea, check out the socalrc.com site, they have a listing for local bash spots, with google map and directions to all, with discriptions.

Get slash. You can get parts for it in PEPBOYS.

Visit the local track mentioned above. If you think you may get into racing you should probably spend the $ on a good kit up front. If you are truly just gonna bash and play at the track then get the Slash.

I was just like you... I used to be in the hobby in the 90's then I just barely returned to it this year in January. I wanted to get back into it but didn't know exactly if I wanted to bash in the dirt or race. One of the first things I did was visit my local track and as soon as I did I was amazed at how serious this hobby really is. Now I'm one of those serious guys racing at the track and i love it heh heh. It can be expensive but I'd suggest something RTR (ready to run) you can play in the dirt with and go to the track with on practice days and you can even race rookie class which at most tracks you can "run what ya brung". Definitely do your research on different vehicles, surf the threads on this website, find out parts support on different vehicles because you WILL break your car, and if you go to the track talk to people. You'll find out what you want soon enough

Thank you for all the replies! I went to a shop and they were pushing me towards a rtr team associated car. I'm still pretty confused about some stuff but I do not see myself racing at a track. I have access to huge asphalt areas and some dirt areas too. Does bash mean just running cars for fun? I loved the car building back in the day so I'm not against that all. I know how I am and if I buy a car I will end up 3 quite quickly. I do almost all my shopping online. I'd like a controller that can run multiple vehicles too. Still investigating options. The shop I wentyo didn't sell tamiya so I'm assuming that is why they pushed TA. Also trying to learn about 2.4 and lipo. Will need a good charger to I guess. Bye bye money!

To answer an earlier question, I'm not sure about any local tracks in 92119 and also I would spend 250 on a car I'm sure.

You can't go wrong with a Team Associated SC10, or a Traxxas Slash. Of the two I mentioned, the SC10 is more nimble of the two, maybe slightly more delicate, but still tough as nails. The Slash is pretty much synonymous with bashing, and will take beatings.

I have an SC10 and LOVE it, every hobby shop stocks parts for it should something break, they are phenomenal trucks. I don't really race, but I do drive once a week at my local tracks here in so. cal (OCRC and WCRC). Like others said, it is better to spend a little more up front than what you might have anticipated, because you will likely spend more in the long run if you decide to upgrade parts. Oh yeah, LiPo batteries are amazing, if you play your cards right, and get your set up dialed, you can easily drive your truck for over 20 minutes with them. Just be sure to read all of the precautions.

I know it is a lot to absorb (i recently got back into the scene as well), but in due time, you'll be rubbing lexan with guys on the track, and know what is working, and what isn't working with your vehicle. This site is a gold mine of information, just read, ask questions, go to your local track, ask questions, etc..

Hope that helped.

You'll be surprised how quickly you catch on. Oh and check out the for sale/trade pages on this site. They have a lot of great deals on quality stuff and trader ratings and reviews so you can judge for yourself whether to jump in there or not.

Be cautious in the for sale section though. You really have to know what you're looking for and ask the right questions. As someone getting back into the hobby, I'd suggest buying new. You won't have any regrets that way.

I recently returned to the hobby after a break of 5 years or so by purchasing a used buggy off of ebay, and I am very happy with my decision. I would say buying a used vehicle off of ebay after doing a little research on forums is the best way to go. Once you find you ideal vehicle, buying it off of ebay as a roller instead of buying it new gives you many advantages. you can pick and choose your own electronics instead of dealing with the rtr ones which you will probably end up ditching later on anyway. It also saves you a lot of money, and ensures that if you don't end up liking the vehicle you picked, it is easy to sell it again on ebay for almost the same cost as you bought it for.

Just my 2 cents