What to look for when buying an RC Car

There are two types of remote control cars and each come with all the equipment and

accessories necessary for running the car. Gas vehicles require a radio, engine, muffler and the fuel while electric cars need a two channel radio, motor or motors, battery and speed controls. Most if not all of these items should be included with the purchase of the cars or trucks however additional purchases may be required for different brands of cars. The product description that comes along with the vehicles will have more information and details so it is important to read this information carefully.

The suggested selling price and the retail price are the same thing for most remote control cars and vehicles however, many hobby stores sell these same kits for approximately 20-40 percent less than the retail suggested prices which is also known as the ‘street price.'

In order to obtain the best deal on remote controlled vehicles, always ask for and pay for the street price, never the retail selling price.

Local hobby shops or LHS have a great selection of remote control cars and trucks or one could purchase their remote controlled vehicle from an online hobby shop. The preferred method of purchasing a remote controlled car is through an LHS because most of the shop owners are helpful and will give you free advice and useful tips when you are first starting out. Many LHS will also have a good supply of spare parts which you could easily purchase if needed. Local hobby shops help organize races, set up racing tracks and keep the remote control hobby alive in your area so it's nice to support local hobby shops. Although, if you happen to live in a area where LHS are non-existent or not up to par with what you need or want, you could always opt to purchase from an online hobby store.

Look for special offers, discount coupons and clearance sales with online remote control car online stores to get the best deal for your money. And don't forget to factor in the cost of shipping and handling into the overall cost of the car. Most online hobby shops take major credit cards and some also take PayPal payments.

Most model cars come complete with everything one would need to race a remote control car; however some models may need other items such as tires, a body, pinion, and tires. If you purchased the car from an online hobby shop, then all the details of any other requirements will be posted through links for that model on the hobby shops website. If you happen to order by phone, ask for help from the sales and service representative who will be able to tell you exactly what your car will need.

Another consideration between purchasing local – if you can – and purchasing through the Internet is replacement parts. How quickly and easily you could obtain them so you are not stuck in neutral waiting on replacement parts.

Most petrol remote control cars and trucks use a two-cannel radio system and will not include the batteries upon arrival in the mail from an online hobby shop or when purchasing from a local hobby shop. Therefore, add to your list of purchases alkaline cells or rechargeable NiCad to power the transmitter and the receiver. You can power the receiver from the motor's battery pack for an electric model if you have a Battery Eliminator Circuitry or BEC equipped radio system.

There are also many ‘aftermarket' parts available from manufacturers that go along with direct replacement parts. These parts are bodies, suspension and steering components, wheels, tires, decals, etc. These ‘aftermarket' parts could be used to customize your cars look or to improve your model's performance.