maddog1927

I would like to get a car for my boys 9th birth day.

I have very limitedexperiance with RC stuff.

My desire is to get him outside, and get him interested in mechanics and building things.

I remember when I was a kid the universal starter car seemed to be the "Grasshopper"

Can you guys recomend something in the 100 - 200 $ range.

there is a rough terrain feild next to my home, keep that in mind.

proanti1

My Feedback: (2)

Something made by Duratrax maybe? You could go for Traxxas if you feel like spending a little more.

Foxy

Tamiya are still making great entry level cars...

Rising Storm
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXJHZ5&P=7

The Frog
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXMVN9&P=7

The Hotshot (maybe outside budget)
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXWKZ3&P=7

yakfish

My Feedback: (27)

An RC18T would be great for a 9 year old
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXJAY0&P=ML

kaycerc

While I commend you in getting your son off the couch and outside, I also suggest that your budgeted price range of $100-200 sounds like 20 years ago prices (and you didn't to account for inflation). Andwhile I personally despise traxxass products, I do think their basic Slash kit is a good place to start - they're not expensive, pretty much bulletproof (unlike your old grasshopper), and replacement or upgrade parts are everywherehttp://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...=LXZDB3RR&P=ML

Foxy

I just had a flash...

The problem with cheap RTRs, is that they don't cater for when you want to upgrade. For example, most cars are supplied with basic speed controllers and motors., poor batteries and even poorer radios. No problem, you don't want a speed demon for a young'un, but if you want to take advantage of the much longer runtimes and comparatively cheap price of lipo batteries (see http://www.hobbypartz.com/77p-sl5000...-hardcase.html )... you will need a speed controller that will cut off at 6 volts to avoid damaging the battery (lipo batts are great, but mustn't be over-discharged). So while you're buying a new speed control, you're going to buy a brushless one, which means a brushless motor upgrade too.

Here's what I suggest, and it means a nice project for dad as well.

Start with a cheap kit...

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXVWN0&P=0

Buy 2 of those batteries I linked above (so far $120, both of these stores offer free shipping)

Now you still need speed control, radio, motor and charger.

Charger (so far $160)
http://www.hobbypartz.com/73p-t680-charger.html

Radio ($180 now)
http://www.hobbypartz.com/fs-g2-24ghz-radio.html

Now the big one...motor and esc...no problem! Cheap combo win!
http://www.hobbypartz.com/ezrun-35a-9t-3650-motor.html

This motor will be ideal for your boy on the stock gearing, not too fast, not too slow.

So, for $250 all in you have a nice setup, using lipo batteries (just one of those batteries will give 30min plus runtimes with this motor and ESC combo, and that charger will charge them in an hour max), a 2.4 Ghz radio (no interference or signal problems ever, no matter how many others are playing nearby), and a brushless speed control and motor! All of which is ready for transplant into a better vehicle as your boy improves his skill. Plus, dad has learned a lot about the latest technologies in the hobby, built a nice tamiya kit, and maybe been bitten by the bug himself!

Hope that helps.

proanti1

My Feedback: (2)

You could also look into some of the Tamiya XB cars.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXJHZ5&P=0

kaycerc

I was with you until...........
Just curious - but how long do you think the gearbox will last in the grasshopper-clone with a 9T/4300kv motor you suggested?

Foxy

Yeh I see what you mean, but I think it will last long enough before eventually stripping a spur gear which is cheap and easy to replace. Maybe dad could set the throttle EPA a bit lower. I completely see your point, it might be an issue, but I still maintain that a cheap rtr these days is false economy. To suggest a better chassis would probably put him over the $300 mark. Still, even if we did say Rising Storm kit or something (I don't know if that would hold up any better to be honest), it's still a bargain at $300 including a decent charger, a 2.4Ghz radio, 2 5000mAh lipos AND A brushless motor and ESC. Are there any cheap chassis around you think could take it? I'm not really up on the cheap side of things these days...

I used to run a 16 triple in my manta ray with nothing but the occasional stripped spur...a bit of it will depend on how good Dad sets the gear mesh and builds the gearbox.

nitrosportsandrunner

for $200 just get a traxxas stampede.
or the traxxas monster jam stampede.
comes waterproof and ready to run with battery and charger.
fairly tough trucks as well.
the monster jam version has serval different real MT truck bodies, like grave digger.

kaycerc

Not familiar with that particular car, but I was more referencing the transmission gears (guessing they're plastic, and/or chewable). I was thinking something in the 13.5-17.5 range would be more than sufficient for that little bugger.

Foxy

I think the slowest one they do is this one... http://www.hobbypartz.com/ezrun-35a-...tem-combo.html ... 3000kv same price. Should be ok I would think even in the Rising Fighter.

kaycerc

I just remember how out of control the Grasshoppers used to be, even with a 27T hot stock motor. .....boingo, boingo, boingo

Foxy

Funny, I remember them being completely awesome! lol. I was 8 years old though, so probably not very objective. That was the year I got my Frog and the whole thing kicked off for me

kaycerc

I just remember we still had a Tamiya class at the local track, and we used to watch just because the carnage from cars were bouncing back and forth all over the place, some semblance of out-of-control, and determining the winner by who was left running at the end of the race.... and then going out and picking up plastic pieces afterwards.

thehuntingterminator

like already suggested i would suggest either a Duratrax Evader EXT2 or if you want to spend a little more on something that is more upgradable and better parts support, a Traxxas Rustler XL-5. both are great for beginners and then Rustler's ESC has a LVC on it stock, meaning you can safely run the lipo's listed above from hobbypartz. i know alot of people are gonna say get a Tamiya kit and build it up, but with todays extreme brushless power, those Tamiya gear boxes aren't gonna last long. with all of Traxxas' 2wd vehicles, you get a fully metal gear transmission so they can easil handle brushless when he's ready for it. good luck in the hobby, and if your interested, there is a Rustler thread with some good info on it:www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_1966715/anchors_10770599/mpage_408/key_/anchor/tm.htm#10770599

SyCo_VeNoM

Funny I have a DF-02 with a 4000kv Brushless setup, and it works just fine for over 2 years. I've went through more chassis's than gears in the gear box's (and I've only broke one chassis... so that would mean I damaged 0 gears ) Also my TT-01e has a brushless setup on it with the same gears with no issues... And when I get some cash I'm gonna fling a brushless in a hornet seeing people use them in another tamiya that has the same tranny with no issues.

Hate to ask how many Tamiyas have you owned that you speak so bad, and seem to be so knowledgeable of them??¿???




For the OP seeing the terrain is rough I'd get a MT (kids also seem to love them)
A buggy or even a ST might have issues (depending on what you consider rough)

thehuntingterminator

i never said that i have had any personal experience with a Tamiya, but i can say that plastic gears in my experience aren't the best idea. yes, i run a plastic diff on my Rustler VXL with no issues, but i'm only running 2s. say his son gets good enough to want an 8 cell or even 3s lipo. very few plastic gears can handle that. i guess i lean torward Traxxas because i have had great experiences with them, far better than with my Losi Micro SCT. in reality, i probably am a little biased, but if he's wanting opionions on what to get, then whats wrong with being a little biased?

Frank Ts Stuff

My Feedback: (130)

Go Tamiya! A Grasshopper is great and if you want to spend a few more bucks go for a Frog. These kits build EXACTLY like they did when they were released 30+ years ago which to me was a big part of the excitement when I was a kid (and again at 40yo now!). Nine is a little young (I think) to do all of the research to put the comonents together so maybe look for a package deal which should include: car kit, radio w/1 servo and an ESC (this is the only difference from the mechanical unit found in the original version), 2 batteries (2000mah Ni/CDNiMH), a fast charger, paint for car and that's about it.

Good luck and enjoy!

PS - I also remember the car being a little financial lesson for me as well as my dad made me save for my own radio while I built the car. I shoveled driveways in Upstate NY so adjust accordingly for sunny AZ!

lez1troubles

Tamiya, is a great place to start. You could also have a look at the KYOSHO MINI-Z's, there is now also a Mini-Z buggy version.

Eman77

Not sure if anyone has bothered to ask a few questions yet:

1) Do you want to build it (like a kit), or get one pre-built (RTR)?
2) Do you have any need or want for a 4WD one yet, or just keep it simpler with 2WD for starters?


I did this recently with my kids (ages 7 and 5), and we built a Tamiya Midnight Pumpkin together (although more of the effort was on my side, but they helped and I tried to teach them everything I could, what parts to what, etc). We love running it together, and it was inexpensive.

It's not the best performer, nor incredibly upgradeable, but I don't care - just wanted to have fun a while.

If it's just a "get your feet wet" thing, just start simple, and don't try to look too far ahead to upgrades, LiPo, 3s, brushless, all that. I mean, if you DO want all that in mind, go for it. But for me, keeping it simple at first worked best.

kaycerc

Then, honestly, it should have been the end of your anti-tamiya rant.

Being biased, especially around a new guy wanting honest answers, doesn't do anyone any good or doing anyone any favors.
In this hobby that's called "brand-ho-ing" - which, while still not particularly good, is better coming from someone with a wide range of diverse experiences but definately not good coming from someone with only single-brand (minimum models) experience.

SyCo_VeNoM

being biased when you have experience with more than 2 different models no issue (I count the bandit, and ruslters as ONE seeing they are essentially the same damn thing)
Now if you owned a tamiya and talked smack on it no issue
If you owned anything other than traxxas no real issue.
If you said OHH I HAD GREAT LUCK WITH THE RUSTLER AND OWN A FEW no issues
Issue comes when you start talking crap about a RC you never ran with what if situations, and try and pass it off as a fact to make something else look superior.
Remember the RC is for a 9yr old, most 9yr olds are happy with a RC that moves at a decent speed.
My 10 year old nephew has a DF-02, and a stampede he likes them both and he uses 6 cell NiCd's and is happy.
Only thing traxxas would have going for them is there will likely be parts support till he's 30 with how they never change their designs, and reuse old things.


Side note Wheely King would probably be good on rough terrain seeing its a 4wd MT

jar20635

My Feedback: (14)

I've had three Stampedes, 2 rustlers, a Tamiya Frog and a Clodbuster, currently I own an Ofna Hyper 7 brushless and an Ofna Hyper ST brushless. One thing that Traxxas has over any RTR vehicle is that the new XL-5 esc is Lipo compatible because it has LVC and you can program it to 50% speed for beginners. It comes with a battery and a charger ( charger is cheap stuff, you will need better anyways) and you cannot beat the price for a RTR, specially if you buy it with Towerhobbies discounts. Tamiya is great when it comes to kits. You will have to build the kit which is a great experience for beginners because it gets them familiar with the parts and how they work. Downside is that you have to get a separate ESC-motor combination, radio system and battery and charger. So you will have to put that into account when getting an RC for beginners. Do your own search and decide what route to take, hope this helps. Just my two cents on the matter.

scoobs92

my son started out with a stampede and it took a heck of a beating and is still goin ive only had to replace the motor and its over 7 years old but it is tippy the rustler has the same durability but not so tippy and can be found for or under 200