There are two main types of radio control cars available: you can get one which is fast and can be driven on smooth surfaces or you can get one which is perfect for off-road tracks. The first model is great if you plan on using it indoors and if you are looking for speed. However, taking this car out on a field is not possible due to its low shock resistance.

If you decide to get an off road RC car, it will be perfect for any type of terrain and it will work great on smooth surfaces too. One of the biggest advantages of off-road RC cars is that they usually come with spare parts and that fixing damaged parts is very cheap and easy to do.

Most people who are getting started with radio control cars will decide to buy an electric car, but you shouldn’t neglect gasoline powered vehicles. These cars have very powerful engines and they can exceed the speed of 50 mph in most cases. The only disadvantage that comes with gasoline powered RC cars is the noise, but this won’t be a problem if you plan on taking it somewhere out in the open.

Now that you know this, getting started with radio control cars won’t be that difficult. You just have to figure out which model to buy and start getting used to controlling it. In just a couple of days, driving your new RC car will surely turn into a hobby.

Some of the cheapest models on the market are small electric cars which can be used on normal surfaces like asphalt or tarmac. If you drive them carefully, they can last for years without problems or any type of extra cost. Most batteries are rechargeable so you won’t have to worry about having to purchase new ones.

If you have a larger budget, you can always go for gasoline powered RC cars. Some of these models were built particularly for off-road tracks and driving one is very exciting. Small off-road tracks are being built in many cities these days and you can race against other cars or perform various stunts if you are a good enough driver. These radio control cars can reach speeds of over 50 mph depending on the model, but maintaining them in perfect condition will require some extra money. You need to carry around a canister of gasoline and if you plan on going off-road, some parts will have to be replaced every once in a while. Luckily, these parts are usually cheap and can be easily found in most hardware stores.

In the end, you need to decide if RC cars are just a hobby or if you really like driving them around. After that, you just have to look at the various models and buy the one you like more.

Electric cars are a good choice for beginners. There is not a lot of care requirements and almost no maintenance duties need be performed to keep them running. Unless, of course, you count plugging in the battery charger as maintenance. Stopping the fun to charge your battery is not something you want to do on a regular basis, so you might want to add a spare battery pack when you buy your first car. That way, one can be charging while you’re using the other.

Battery-powered RC cars tend to be slower than gas models, although it is possible to find some pretty fast electric cars. But if you’re a beginning RC modeler, then you probably are better off starting out with something that gives you time to learn the controls. Cutting your teeth on something that’s overpowered and overly sensitive can really me more frustrating than fun.

Gas-powered cars are usually not actually run using gasoline. Rather, it’s a mixture of different fuels called “nitro.”   Nitro-powered cars are much faster than the typical electric car right out of the box. So if the thrill of speed is what you’re looking for, then nitro is definitely the way to go. However, you should be aware of a few things.

First of all, nitro cars will require more of your attention before, during and after the racing. You have to be sure that everything is ready to go, including having enough fuel for your planned drive time. While you’re racing, you will be in control of more details, which will require a little more racing skill. Finally, when the race is over, there will be some maintenance tasks to perform to insure your car will be ready for the next race.

The most powerful RC trucks run on nitro. Nitro is a special mixture of fuels (nitromethane, methanol and oil) that is used to power the biggest and fastest RC models. The step up from electric to nitro in terms of power and speed is huge. You can have lots of fun with electric RC models, even trucks, but once you race with nitro, you’ll probably never go back to the battery.

One interesting point of nitro racing is the ability to customize. Just like a real truck with a real engine, you can actually purchase and install performance modifications to get even more speed and power out of your model. For nitro truck enthusiasts, this means that there’s more than just racing to the hobby. You can look forward to constantly improving, testing and adding to your RC truck. For some, this is where all the fun is, regardless of the racing and jumping.

Did I say jumping? Making off-road jumps is one of the primary attractions of RC truck modeling. When real-life trucks jump at monster truck exhibitions, the crowd goes wild. But compare those real-life jumps to what an RC truck can do. If you do the calculations from scale, RC trucks are jumping up to ten times their height. That kind of action can really get the adrenaline pumping.

If you want to get started jumping with your nitro RC truck, you should start off small. You want to avoid having only one very spectacular but very damaging jump in your RC career. Successful RC truck jumping is usually all about throttle control. Begin with lower, slower jumps and move up as you gain skill with the throttle. And above all, have fun!

An RC buggy looks nothing like what you might find in the real world. Almost anything goes with the body. The common element shared by all models is a set of big, knobby tires capable of taking on almost any terrain. Of course, these tires need to be paired up with some pretty serious suspension components to take the punishment of the bumps, twists and jumps.

Although you can find electric RC buggies, most hobbyists prefer nitro-powered buggies. The power and speed provided by the mix of nitromethane, methanol and oil is what makes huge jumps at insane speeds possible in the first place. The only downside to this configuration is the need for a little extra maintenance, especially after-race cleanup.

If you’re a beginner, you may want to take a look at the electric buggy models available. They come in ready-to-run packages or kits. With ready-to-run models, you simply unwrap them, charge up the batteries and you’re ready to race. Kits will require some assembly and preparation, but that is how some RC modelers enjoy working in the hobby.

Even though these buggies are designed for off-road use, they can be lots of fun on smooth surfaces as well. In that way, RC buggies are often considered a good choice for first models because they can run in both worlds-off-road and on.

RC buggy kits are among the most affordable RC models and you may want to think about getting two. As long as you make sure the receivers can be set to different frequencies, you’ll have all you need to unpack an afternoon of fun for you and your friends.