RC cars are gaining more popularity as a hobby with both children and adults due to the excitement and enthusiasm that these hobby RC cars evoke. They are available in a wide scale range and are powered by a couple of different sources depending on your needs. RC cars and trucks can be designed for speed or driving conditions. You can purchase a ready to race (RTR) vehicle that you can operate out of the box or you can customize the body, chassis, tires and engine to any degree imaginable through individual kits and components.
When your consider your first purchase of a radio controlled vehicle, you will be faced with several decisions. You will be faced with making a choice between RC Cars, Trucks, Tanks, Planes, Helicopters, Boats and even Submarines. You will also need to choose between battery powered motors and RC nitro fuel for the vehicle's power source. Gasoline RC engines are also available, but they are usually preferred by the more advanced RC hobbyist.
RC cars and trucks are the most popular vehicles with which to begin since they are much easier to control since they only travel in the horizontal dimension, as opposed to RC planes and helicopters that also must navigate the vertical dimension. Additionally, RC cars and trucks are much less likely to be damaged due to operator error or inexperience since they are already on the ground and do not require that they be landed to safely recover the vehicle. A stalled or stranded RC car or truck is easily retrieved while an RC Plane or helicopter could be lost or severely damaged. RC cars are much easier for young hobbyists because RC planes, helicopters and boats are generally more mechanically advanced units and require more attention in their setup and operation. RC cars and trucks are also a less expensive way to get into the radio controlled hobby.
RC cars can generally be categorized into two classes; toys that are targeted to children and hobby-grade vehicles that are designed for adults. The toy RC vehicles can be purchased at the big box discount Marts and toy stores while the more powerful and realistic hobby vehicles are usually only offered at a true hobby shop. This is particularly true for the nitro fueled cars and trucks. However, many cheaper and easier to use battery operated RC cars and trucks that are of a much higher quality can be found at the hobby store and are a great introduction into the RC hobby for anyone with a general desire that is looking for an introduction into the hobby. In that regard, you will be more satisfied with the better quality of a hobby store product than a cheap, low quality toy. Of course, if you only want to get your child away from his or her video games or from staring at their computer screens, a toy RC vehicle will do just that. However, for your best value and most enjoyable experience, strongly consider hobby RC cars for everyone but the smallest children.
Electric RC cars are a good way to introduce yourself into the RC cars hobby because they are relatively cheap and easy to maintain. They operate from rechargeable batteries and are not subject to the problems and maintenance issues as their nitro RC cars brethren. Electric RC cars and trucks also are quiet and should be considered if they will be operated in a residential driveway or backyard so your neighbors will not frown when you and your kids break out the toys. An electric RC car is probably the best way to enter the world of radio control.
Nitro RC cars are the bigger and more powerful brothers to the battery powered vehicles. Hobbyists that enjoy a greater challenge to their electric RC cars usually graduate to a nitro RC car, truck or even an RC buggy or tank. Nitro RC cars are can be powered by engines in a wide range of sizes to propel both smaller sized cars to the large RC monster trucks. Nitromethane is sold in hobby stores and contains both the fuel and the engine lubricant. Nitro RC cars and Nitro RC trucks can reach top speeds of over sixty mph and the throaty engine sound adds to the realism of these vehicles. Nitro RC car and truck engines are available in both 2-stroke and 4-stroke variants.
Nitro RC trucks are built for off road conditions, and are an extension of the nitro RC car. They are heavier and beefier to better withstand the abuse that they are subjected to. They have more ground clearance due to the larger tires and wheels and can easily navigate rougher terrain. RC trucks are built for power and offer much higher torque than RC cars to move over steep and rugged off road surfaces. And for any RC hobbyist that truly believes that bigger is better, there are RC monster trucks that are built to one eighth scale!