Purchasing Your First Remote-Controlled RC Car!

Taking the first step is always thrilling, but what's more crucial is being well-informed. We see customers in our shop every day who have bought an RC car online without basic knowledge and then face problems that quickly spoil the fun. Radio-controlled cars come in a variety of price ranges, starting at about 30 euros to cars costing more than 3000 euros! As a beginner, it's important to know what to look out for and which features are important for you or not. Therefore, in a few short sections, we will explain what to consider when making your first purchase, to ensure you start off well in this hobby!

RTR, 100% RTR, ARTR, Roller, Kit, or construction kit?

You're undoubtedly familiar with these terms from the internet, and they all have slightly different meanings. They are a good initial indicator of what is actually included in the package and whether you may need to purchase any additional items to start driving your new car right away! Let's take a closer look at the major differences between these classifications.

• RTR stands for 'Ready to Run.' Many manufacturers indicate that the car is fully built but not always supplied with a battery and charger. Generally, you'll need to purchase your own battery and charger. We often offer combo deals that ensure you have the right equipment to get started with this hobby.
  
  
• 100% RTR models are delivered completely, so you can usually start immediately. However, there are exceptions, such as Traxxas, which often include a 12V or USB-C charger limiting usage. Make sure if you might need an additional adapter or power supply to start right away. Many brands really do deliver 100% RTR and provide a suitable charger.
  
  
• ARTR stands for 'Almost Ready to Run' which means the cars are mostly pre-built but still need some final assembly. The selection is relatively small but growing. By assembling the last parts yourself, you can tailor the car to your own taste for a unique appearance.
  
  
• Roller RC cars are becoming increasingly popular among seasoned drivers who like to install their own electronics. A Roller consists of a bare chassis, often with a body and tires but without electronics, so you can equip it to your personal preference.
  
  
• Kit & Construction Kit mean the same thing: cars that you need to assemble entirely on your own, you receive a box of parts. Construction kits are usually delivered without electronics or with limited parts such as the motor and controller. So pay close attention to what else you need to complete the car.
  
  

Buggy, Monster Truck, Short Course, Stadium Truck, Truggy, Crawler, Onroad, and more!

Now you understand the basics of what to look for in terms of package contents, but more importantly, which type of car truly suits you! In modeling, we know many types of controllable cars, each with unique features. For example, buggies are super fast and stable on sand, while monster trucks show off who's boss when it comes to stunts. Each of these cars has a unique character, but many brands such as ARRMA, Traxxas, Losi use a base platform on which they build their models. The difference is often in the details, such as tires and the length of the arms, directly affecting their driving characteristics, but of course, the appearance of the car plays an important role as well.

• Buggies are super stable and low to the ground, often compactly built which makes them also maneuvrable. You would say buggies are the ideal car for a beginner and often they certainly are. But as a well-known saying goes: every advantage has its disadvantage. Buggies are often a bit more fragile because they have less protection and often no or just a small bumper to protect the suspension in collisions. They also lie low on the ground so they can't get through tall grass like their big brother the monster truck can.
  
  
• Monster Trucks are not only cool to look at, they are also made to stunt a lot. Of course, we all know the images from Monster Jam, where monster trucks jump over cars and perform the wildest jumps. Their smaller brothers can do the same and maybe even better! They are high on their wheels and have very large tires, which allow them to get through almost any terrain. However, their height makes them more unstable in curves, causing them to tend to flip over in the corners at speed. If you're looking for a compromise between a Buggy and a Monster truck, then Stadium Truck / Truggy might be just your thing!
  
  
• Stadium Truck / Truggy these two terms are often used interchangeably. Actually, it's a mix between a Buggy and a Monster Truck: these controllable cars are characterized by combining the best of both models into one. Of course, you lose some driving height and can't stunt as well as a monster truck, but you gain a lot more ground clearance allowing you to drive on taller grass. We always advise maintaining the car's ground clearance as the height of the grass you can drive over. This prevents the car from being overly taxed or the grass getting stuck between the drive shafts. For 1/10 scale Truggies this is about 4-5cm, allowing you to ride on almost any soccer field or well-mowed lawn.
  
  
• Short Course RC cars are not only good-looking, they also have a driving character. The large body provides a more realistic looking car than their direct competitors and the smaller wheels add more stability. Short course cars feel most at home on the street or in the sand; that's where they really come to life. In terms of ground clearance, they are between buggies and stadium trucks, so they can still be used on many surfaces unlike their onroad competitors. However, Short Course RC cars require more cleaning than their counterparts as the hood covers the entire car, often retaining dirt inside the car itself.
  
  
• Onroad cars are not only beautiful to look at, but they also provide an amazing driving experience on the street or the track. These cars are often based on real brands such as Porsche, Audi, and many more and can reach high speeds, but especially can turn corners at high speed. These controllable onroad cars are therefore especially popular with real car fans, who want a scale model of their dream car and want to be able to drive it themselves. Unfortunately, for the ultimate experience, you need a nice piece of flat asphalt or very smooth pavement, as they really do not like irregularities in the road.
  
  
• Crawlers have increased enormously in popularity over the years. They are certainly not speed demons, but they climb rocks without breaking a sweat. It's never been so easy to see a controllable car going uphill. Due to their popularity, they now come in many shapes and sizes, but the most popular models remain the Traxxas TRX-4 and Axial SCX series, which are not only very realistic but also just perform very well for everyone.
  
  

Which scale is the best?

This is a question that only you can answer yourself. The scale of the car mainly determines the size and weight of your remote-controlled car. The larger the car, the heavier it becomes, but also the more space you need to drive it.

• 1/16 - 1/18 RC cars can perfectly drive in the garden or in a small park in the neighborhood but are often too small if the grass gets higher or if you really want to go into the dunes with them. They are ideal for young children aged 5-12 because they are not only light in weight but can also cause little damage due to their compact dimensions and weight. Popular cars in this category include the FTX Tracer for example.
  
  
• The 1/10 category is by far the most popular; these are models that can drive well in almost all environments. Okay, the garden is probably too small for most, but the park, on the street, in the dunes, or on vacation. The cars are usually compact and easy to carry and also light enough for children to pick up. However, there are 1/10 remote-controlled cars which can reach speeds of 100 km/h, so supervision by a parent while driving is definitely recommended with these kinds of cars. Popular cars in this class include the Traxxas Bandit, Rustler, HOSS, and ARRMA Granite, Senton, Vorteks.
  
  
• 1/8 Remote-controlled cars are mostly real powerhouses with a lot of power, high speeds of 100km/h and more, but also weights of 5-9kg are standard for this category's cars. That's why you often see them among the more experienced drivers who want a robust car that also leaves a real impression. Cars in this scale include the ARRMA Kraton, Talion, Outcast 6S, Traxxas E-Revo, Sledge, and more.
  
  
• 1/5 - Big Scale are the largest remote-controlled cars available. Due to their size and weights of more than 15kg! they require more experience than the average RC car, but they definitely make a big impression on everyone. Due to their high weights, they often go a bit slower than the 1/8 category, but they are still all beasts. Popular models in these classes include the ARRMA Kraton 8S, Traxxas X-MAXX / XRT, LOSI DBXL-E, and more.
  
  

Brushless, Brushed, NiMH or LiPo battery and more!

You are now much wiser in the purchase of your first remote-controlled car. You now know how to distinguish between the various models and where they perform best. Based on this information, you can already make a very good choice, but especially if you are looking to buy a more expensive model, it is good to keep reading!

• Brushed vs Brushless in entry models, you will still mainly encounter Brushed motors. These motors have proven themselves for years as affordable and very reliable and are therefore virtually standard in all entry-level RC cars. However, in recent years, we see that brushless is becoming more affordable and thus also gaining popularity. Where brushed RC cars in popular models reach speeds up to 50km/h, it is possible with modern brushless motors to reach speeds of more than 100km/h. These are extreme speeds which require some driving experience, but fortunately, many manufacturers like ARRMA and TRAXXAS have options to set the remote-controlled cars in a so-called training mode which cuts the power to about 50% so you can also start tranquilly with this beautiful hobby.
  
  
• NiMH vs LiPO batteries for many entry models, NiMH batteries are still the most popular choice; they require little to no maintenance and are very robust. This makes them perfect for beginners in the hobby of remote-controlled cars. However, with the arrival of more power and faster cars, NiMH batteries are no longer sufficient for many cars. The best NiMH batteries can provide currents up to about 50A continuously, meaning virtually all cars equipped with Brushed motors can still cope well with them. However, with modern brushless motors, there are cars that require currents of 200A or even more. These cars can only be driven with modern LiPo batteries. The latest generation of LiPo batteries can already deliver currents of more than 1000A, making them extremely powerful and perfectly suitable for the fastest remote-controlled cars on the market. Unlike NiMH batteries, LiPo's do require more usage instructions, for example, a LiPO battery should never be completely depleted as this will damage the battery. Fortunately, nowadays, almost all remote control cars have a protection system that ensures the car automatically stops driving when the battery is almost empty. The advice is to charge the battery immediately after driving to at least 70% to give the battery as long a lifespan as possible.
  
  
• Fast charger vs plug charger waiting is never fun for anyone! When you choose a 100% RTR car, a plug charger is often supplied with a charging current between 0.5 and 2A. These plug chargers can charge most batteries in a time of 2 - 10 hours depending on the battery and the power of the plug charger. Now no one likes to wait and fortunately, there are certainly good solutions for that. Modern fast chargers are usually equipped with extra safety systems, which ensure that they can not only charge the battery fast but especially also safely. As especially LiPo batteries have become larger, the power of the charger has also become increasingly important. Where a 50W charger was more than sufficient to fully charge almost any battery in about 1 hour in the past, with the current LiPO batteries, you may need up to 300W of charging power. Now as a beginner, you won't need this kind of heavy charger quickly, but if you opt for a large 1/5 rc car, then a heavier charger is definitely worth considering! Our most popular battery charger for 1/10 and 1/8 remote controlled cars is the Expert LD80 battery charger. This charger is compact, has a charging power of 80W, and is very user-friendly. With 80W power, you can charge LiPo batteries up to 8000mAh in about 1 hour! Just make sure you order the right charging cable plug (EC5, XT90, TRX) for your battery.
  
  
• Electric vs Fuel but I haven't heard anything about nitro and fuel cars? That's right; in recent years, the market for remote-controlled cars has changed very quickly. Today's modern brushless RC cars are so fast and, in large versions, that it is no longer necessary to drive on fuel. Also, the number of these cars has greatly decreased over the years, but even more importantly, the driving of fuel and nitro cars is allowed in fewer and fewer places due to the noise. All disadvantages that the electric cars do not have. Of course, there are still some real fuel enthusiasts who want to keep driving this way, and it is not completely disappeared. But for example, the nitro fuel is nowadays increasingly difficult to obtain in trade, which makes driving more difficult.
  
  

Common Mistakes Oops!

Of course, we also see enough oops moments pass by in our shop. Perhaps the most common mistake is the purchase of a remote-controlled car only to find out later that there are no parts available for it! Many toy cars from online stores and toy stores are designed as disposable products, which means that if damage occurs (as it happens when a remote-controlled car crashes into a curb at 30km/h) then the car is no longer fixable. We almost daily receive people in our store with this kind of cars, and unfortunately, we have to disappoint them with the repair. Luckily, we can then help them with a remote-controlled car, which often isn't even really more expensive than those from the toy store but does have all parts available separately.

• Parts not needed, right? Well that is exactly what makes our remote-controlled cars different from those of the toy store. We don't have disposable cars that you have to throw away after 1 damage ride. Starting from our cheapest model, the FTX Tracer, we can supply every part, whether it's a suspension screw or a complete bottom plate, the part is there and in 99% of the cases also immediately available from our own stock. This is exactly the big difference with all those many cheap remote-controlled cars that you find on the internet!
  
  
• What about vacations now! There are many brands of remote-controlled cars, but where the larger and thus often slightly more expensive brands really make a distinction is the fact that you can find their parts in almost any model store. If you often go on vacation and want to take your son's or daughter's remote-controlled car with you, it's almost impossible to take the exact parts that might break. But with brands like ARRMA and Traxxas, you can be pretty sure that if you enter a local model shop, they can help you. There are dozens of small brands of remote-controlled cars on the market, and many online stores offer the cars directly from China, but parts then also have to come all the way from China, making getting parts at the most critical moment often a challenge!
  
  
• Battery forgotten to unplug Unfortunately, we often come across this mistake because people are not well informed. It is absolutely vital for the battery that you remove it from your model after riding. Even if you turn the switch of your car off, the car will never be completely off and will continue to drain the battery slowly. Often it takes weeks or months, but ultimately your battery is completely drained and then refuses all services after which you have to buy a new battery.
  
  
• Purchases on marketplaces Of course, there doesn't have to be anything wrong with that and thankfully many are just honest. Be it that we also see many customers in the store who got their car off marketplaces without having basic knowledge of remote-controlled cars. If you have no experience in this wonderful hobby, you often run the risk that someone sells their worn-out car to you with all kinds of defects that don't immediately stand out at the beginning but can eventually run up in costs. If you buy on sites like marketplaces, make sure you always bring someone knowledgeable along!

But I still don't know?

Of course, we understand that making a choice often remains difficult and certainly because it is also a personal choice. So if you have any more questions, feel free to contact us, we can then provide you with personalized advice. Of course, you are always welcome in our store so you can see the models in real life and ask questions directly to one of us. At Wetronic, we work from a passion for the hobby and mainly want you to choose a car that fits your style and wishes.