Anyone got experience with RC cars?

"Happy Panda" (happypanda) 09/29/2013 at 13:02 • Filed to: RC

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I've been looking for RC something for years now (an on-again off-again kind of thing). A plane, truck or car seems the most appealing. But I have no idea what to get.

Because Norway it would be cool if a car can work (somewhat) in snow. I do know I don't want the 'buggy' style cars, but rather something somewhat real-looking.

TheOnelectronic > Happy Panda 09/29/2013 at 13:12

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How real do you want? There are semi-real bodies available for most types of chassis, but the most accurate are going to be "touring car" style cars. They're quite fast on level ground, but due to their very low ride height, they can't really handle bumps. At all.

The other concern is power. Electrics have some issues with runtime and charging lengths, but are much less of a pain than nitro engines. 4-stroke gas engines are much less temperamental, but I've only seen those in larger, airplane applications. I don't think I've seen one on a car yet.

pdthedeuce > Happy Panda 09/29/2013 at 13:17

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my son has a Traxxas T-Maxx and enjoys it a lot It's not the fastest truck you can get, but parts are available in many places . I am not sure about nitromethane availability in Norway, so you may prefer the battery powered E-Maxx, which is actually faster than the nitro T-Maxx. As for snow, there are several youtube videos of T-Maxx trucks in the snow. Enjoy .

p.s. my stepdad was born in Risor.

Chase > Happy Panda 09/29/2013 at 13:18

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Traxxas is probably your best bet, a number of their RTR (ready to run) cars come with waterproof electronics and 4wd. You want realistic (-ish) looking, so that unfortunately seems to rule out the E-Revo (which is stupid amounts of fun). Maybe a Slash (short-course truck) or the new Rally . All of those are 1/10th scale (technically the E-Revo is 1/8), and there are 1/16th scale versions of each as well ( E-revo , Slash , Rally )

Any questions, just ask. Also, these are all off-road cars. if you stick to just on-road, your options change up a good bit

bozla > TheOnelectronic 09/29/2013 at 13:20

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Four stroke model engine, also available for cars. They make a great sound. I would recommend getting an electric buggy if you just wanna have fun. Unless you're on a purpose built and very smooth RC race track, pretty anything other that buggy will bottom out, get full of stones and generally be a pain to maintain. I've competed with both engines and electric, and although engines have more power, noise and running time, they are dirty and are higher maintenance. If you play near the house, it'll annoy your neighbours too. Try and get something with a digital (crystaless) radio, and then you won't suffer from interference. Modern lipo batteries and brushless motors no longer mean that electric is the slow, short running compromise it used to be.

pdthedeuce > TheOnelectronic 09/29/2013 at 13:22

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you are surely right about electric being easier that nitros. I tried to talk my son into an electric, which we've had before, but he wanted a nitro truck...oh well. I have seen some four stroke trucks but they were HUGE .

The Vibe Guy, Apparently > Happy Panda 09/29/2013 at 13:23

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Hello! I work at hobby shop that specializes in R/C cars, so I think I can provide some advice. Cars are easier than everything else, and there's plenty of choices out there, and many different types for various purposes.

For a starter vehicle, just to get you into it, I suggest anything from Traxxas. They are a good brand, one of the most durable brands out there, amazing parts support, and better customer service than other brands. Also, all their vehicles are waterproof and come with everything but AA batteries for the controller. That said, get a better charger or you'll wait eight hours for the battery to charge with the included one.

Since you'll be in snow the 2wd Traxxas vehicles might not be the best, since they just spin their tires. Maybe a 4wd Traxxas Slash or 4wd Stampede. They come with brushless motor systems (faster, more reliable, more efficient) which could be handful for a beginner, but since you aren't a child I trust that you can handle it. Definitely stick with electric versus nitro vehicles. Nitro is a tough game, and they can be very fiddly. Almost as much time fixing as there is running. Not to mention tuning (it's an air-cooled, two-stroke, ringless, one-cylinder diesel powered by alcohol) so winter would be a challenge.

Try looking at videos or websites and choose from any of these: 4wd Slash, 4WD Stampede, Summit, 1/16 E-Revo/Slash/Summit, E-Maxx, or Telluride (not completely recommending the Telluride, but it's an option).

Hope this helps!

bozla > Happy Panda 09/29/2013 at 13:25

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Back in the day I used to race 8th scale on-road, unbeatable speed!

How about some mini-Z on-board drifting!

HammerheadFistpunch > The Vibe Guy, Apparently 09/29/2013 at 13:50

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I second a revo or slash

rabbitman > Chase 09/29/2013 at 14:08

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Yes the revo electric or nitro would work and most of the internals are water resistant for snow use. It would be you best start into a this hobby that can be just as a expense as owning a custom car if you get carried away, carbon fiber, custom aluminum frames, rims, bigger engines. You take a 400 dollar vehicle and dump thousands into, if get hooked. So careful it's like crack. I would go against flying things since they crash and usually a crash in those is a total out loss. In the RTR vehicles you crash and you may tear a A-arm off or bust axle shafts, but these days that would be a hard hit they are pretty durable. I will link you a video of this customized one he even explains as you break it that's the good time to upgrade what you broke and that's when the money starts flowing, but its fun as hell to take some thing like that and watch it clear a house, truck land it and keep going, enjoy the hobby.

rabbitman > The Vibe Guy, Apparently 09/29/2013 at 14:15

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Yes I agree unless you like tuning, electric is the way to go. But I will say seeing that you can get turbos, for nitro that would be just fun. But it is basically like owning a real car when you get into the nitro side. The things I leaned about those stupid clutches in nitro engine's when I was kid, it would suck to go play and 10 minutes later shit fried another clutch, back to the hobby store... but that was also 20 years ago they are much better now.

Happy Panda > The Vibe Guy, Apparently 09/29/2013 at 14:22

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Thanks for the tips! I was getting back in the mood after seeing this Vaterra Nissan GT-R in a shop window, what would you say about that? It claims it's waterproof on the site. I think there is one shop here that sells Traxxas, but it is a bit out of the way (or I should buy online of course)

rabbitman > rabbitman 09/29/2013 at 14:23

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I have to add these as a "if you didn't know" you can supercharge or turbo nitro engines now.

rabbitman > Happy Panda 09/29/2013 at 15:38

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Buy online if you cant't find local, just as others said the street cars you need lots of flat clear area to enjoy them. Some can hit 90, then hit a curb and you will be fixing something, but that's part of this hobby just like any. I was just coming back to here to show you this beast I forgot about. Which shows you more about a brush less motor beast. Watch it explode the tire at the end, that's some power. HPI is another good RTR company. Their street cars are nice too. What you are looking at seems to be a good rtr kit too, might want to look in to a more drift orientated machine, if that's what you want to do with it.

The Vibe Guy, Apparently > Happy Panda 09/29/2013 at 16:01

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I don't know much about Veterra. They're made by the same people (Horizon Hobby) who own Team Losi and some other brands. They are waterproof, but road cars aren't the best for running around and bashing. Online could be the way to go in your case (even though I am of the persuasion "Support your Local Hobby Shop"). HPI is, indeed, a good brand. Maybe not as tough or oriented for bashing around, but nonetheless it is a good brand. If you can find parts than you should be good. I own a Traxxas Slash 2wd and an HPI Blitz. I race the Blitz and it does hold up to a lot, just maybe not what you'd encounter while bashing.

Oh, also, don't go all-out on aluminum hop-ups. RPM parts will last, aren't too expensive, and aluminum will be heavy and bend, and/or transfer the damage to other places of the vehicle.

TheOnelectronic > The Vibe Guy, Apparently 09/29/2013 at 17:35

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Traxxas sells brushless out of the box now? damn.

I got out of the hobby right around the time the Revo came out. That pushrod suspension was awesome.

Fun Fact: Apparently my skin is really sensitive to nitromethane or something, as I got several chemical burns before I ditched nitro for good.

The Vibe Guy, Apparently > TheOnelectronic 09/29/2013 at 17:48

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They sell out of the box brushless versions of pretty much ever product they have. Newest standard thing is 2.4ghz radios, and some even come with lipo batteries in the box.

TheOnelectronic > The Vibe Guy, Apparently 09/29/2013 at 18:45

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I'm glad to see they're keeping up with things. It'd be pretty easy for them to just keep selling the same thing for years on end.

Benzed92 > Chase 09/29/2013 at 18:54

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I second the Rally, got one last year and it's load of fun. and 57mph with LiPo ain't too shabby either.

The Vibe Guy, Apparently > TheOnelectronic 09/30/2013 at 00:42

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Traxxas actually has something like an 85% market share. They're leaders, and while nothing is good for racing, they have great products.

TheOnelectronic > The Vibe Guy, Apparently 09/30/2013 at 00:56

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Precisely. I think a lot of companies that had such a dominant position would kind of just coast on that.

The Vibe Guy, Apparently > TheOnelectronic 09/30/2013 at 01:20

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Oh yeah, I can understand that. Their ego is growing, rest assured. The beginning of this year all their prices went up, and they may be soon forcing lipo batteries on everyone, and get rid of the NiMh batteries in the RTRs. The Velineon VXL brushless system used to sell in our hobby shop at $169.99. That's not the Power Up price. Now we sell at $189.99.