I made the mistake of going into a Radio Shack today. I saw a variety of remote control cars/trucks and couldn't help but to think of how much fun it would be to have one. So, before I lose my self control and go get one, I'd like to get some opinions on brands/types. I saw the F-350 that they advertise on TV with the interchangeable wheels/tracks. It was a $100.

I'd like something fast that can handle the dirt and has a good battery life. Any recommendations?

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Justin

 

Those toys can be very addictive. The one that is really getting a big response is this one:

Terrain Twister

All the reviews I read were really positive. Statements like "I have 13 R/C cars and this one is the best." My son is getting one for Christmas and I can't wait to try it out.

 

there are some pretty cool remote control cars out now, but i prefer goin to a hobby shop and buying the parts to build my own. this way is more expensive but the cars or trucks are way faster and hold up much better than a store bought one. you can also get gasoline engines for them. my dad has the F-350 from radio shack, its pretty cool as long as you dont run into too much, all the plastic bumpers, etc... will break off.

Jason

 

Yeah the hobby shop kind are wicked fast and can handle bumps and jumps way beyond the all in one specials.

But it can be a very expensive hobby.

Way back when I had money, I bought an electric RC 4WD car. The kit cost me something like $300 15 years ago and upgrades to a better speed controller and radio cost me probably close to $400 more. You usually have to build these things yourself so unless you are good with small parts and like tinkering and have lots of patience, get the ready to runs.

My gas RC cars cost me probably over $700 each to hit the road. But my vette can out drag a real one at least for the first hundred feet or so. And it tops out at 60 in just a couple seconds. My 4WD gas car can fly and takes a beating.

I had two older Radioshack all in ones and they were fund but less than half the speed and nowhere as capable. But then they cost nowhere like the real RCs, and most don't have evil accessories that suck your wallet dry. I still have all my RCs and the real ones still run. The old Radioshack one I think had a radio failure and hasn't run for many years. one of these days...

Once you start it is addictive so be warned.

Jim Henderson

 

i have rc10t race trucks..from associated electronics....i started runnin rc's before i could drive a real truck...ive had em all(i think)..i like the rc10's they kinda like chevy's parts are everywhere and cheap...got to www.towerhobbies.com buy yourself an inexpinsive rtr (ready to run)...a couple hun will get everything..then go tear it up..soon as i figure out how ill post pics of it..it does 510 mph (scale speed) and has a sweet f-150 body..stay away from the shack for rc's..they ok but break alot and parts re hard to get..

 

yea i got a couple of the professional ones a rc10t, a long time a go and my favorite is now my claudbuster huge 4wd, 4wheel steering, all the toys. they are fun but really expensive and soon it is figting for your money just like the real trucks. the cheap ones at like walmart are fun because you don't really care if you break them or they die from water or something like that. very fun hobby! i also have a R/C plane. i can fly a real airplane but i can't figure out how to fly the model airplane at all. oh well still fun

 

I wouldn't personally buy remote controlled cars from radio shack. Get pro. Get a professional gas powered 1/10 or 1/8 scale car or go electronic.

I used to have a Traxxis 4-Tec. Very awesome sedan, two speed tranny and 4 wheel drive. Around $320.00 Ready to run (Thats what is was about 4-5 yrs ago.)

 

I've heard that before. The hardest ones to train are the ones that fly real airplanes.

 

I have a 56 Ford Monster truck that I got from Radio Shack about 8 years ago. It still works fine, but I don't play with it as often as I used to. I took it apart, repainted it my own colors, detailed the wheels, etc. Now I have the urge to chase the dogs!

 

It is hard for someone that has been driving for years to learn how to operate an RC car/truck also.

It was always funny when someone brought in one of those Radio Shack RC vehicles and tried to race the regular RC vehicles at the track. Most of them could barely make it around a dirt track. They did better on carpet tracks but by the time they completed one lap the real RC vehicles had completed 5-10... LOL -Talk about a traffic hazard!

If you just want to mess around on your driveway or in the living room a Radio Shack RC unit is fine. If you want to run in the dirt get a real RC vehicle from a hobby shop. You can get those RTR vehicles to tear up before you sink real money in a good vehicle and equipment.

BTW, you can get electric, gas, or diesel engines for the real RC vehicles.

 

I agree get a truck from the hobby shop. Not only are they faster, but they are more durable and easier to fing parts for. I have a T-maxx that will do over 40 mph (nitro power) and i have an e-maxx (electric) that will do 25-30 and will pull things. If your serious about getting one, pick up an R/C Car Action magazine and look around to find a truck that you will like. the truck on top is the e-maxx and the other one is the t-maxx
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...oid=62737&.jpg
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...oid=62738&.jpg

 

Ditto on all of the above, and this plus....I'm an impatient and short tempered italian/irish mix. Nothing was more relaxing then tinkering with little parts and putting one of them together from scratch. I only have one, wouldn't mind another, but I'll tell you what, they're a blast and there are so many options. What kind do you want (car/truck/boat/plane/helicopter....I have a truck), color, size, speed, power, 2-4 hweel apparently, gas/electric.

Step away from the shack. Go look up a hobby shop.

 

Anyone here ever mess with those little Zip Zaps Monster Trucks? I figure it would be something to kill some time this winter and maybe even entertain the cat.

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Justin

 

I have played with some of the Zip Zap cars, don't know if they are like the trucks. The cars are about the size of a Hotwheels or Matchbox car.

They are fun and kind of cute but they really need a smooth hard surface to run on. Any roughness and they bog down.

They also have limited range, maybe 10 15 feet. I bought one for each of my two boys and one for myself. They used them for a little while but eventually(rather quickly actually) lost interest.

A larger RC is much more satisfying but needs a lot more room. Some of the slower 4WD RCs are great for chasing the family cat or laphound. Uh, don't use the fast RCs in the house, uh you might break something that is precious to your wife, like a handmade ceramic made by her mom, really bad news.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

I got an electric RC car for christmas a few years ago and had some fun with it. It was like the radio shack ones, a monster truck. Then 2 of my friends at work got them too after I enticed them into RC's with my cool truck and we would spend weekends drinking beer and crashing the trucks. It was alot of fun.

Then stupid me got bit by the urge to get a Nitro monster truck. Big Mistake . Of course evil me had to entice my buddies to get nitros for themselves too and pretty soon we all started spending boo koo bucks on stupid remote control trucks and the amount of fun we had with them wasn't worth the money and time we spent building/fixing them. They were always breaking and every time is was 10 or 20 or 30 or 50 bucks or whatever and it all added up to disappointment. It was a road I wished I wouldn't of taken us down. One of the guys wanted to try airplanes instead. We were like, no way, that will be even worse, especially with how bad of drivers we were. Nixed that idea.

After a while we got tired of spending so much money and put the RC's away for good. I ended up trading mine for a guitar and amp. My friend sold his for a 1/4 what he had into it for money to pay bills and my other friend still has his collecting dust in the closet. We each spent at least 600 and I had over a thousand in to mine. The guitar and amp I got in trade was worth about 300. RC's just don't hold their value, no matter how tricked out they are. That nitro RC truck was a major waste of money. I still have the original little electric one that started it all and once in a while play with it. It's funner than the nitro ever was, even if it is slow as molasses in comparision. Amazing how the circle went around and ended up where it started...

Anyways, thats my experience with them and I thought I would share it as a word of warning so others don't have to go down the same road I did. For some they are great and some people make a life long hobby of it. Not for me.