ORIGINAL: Argess
It's already super-cheap compared to the past. I can remember seeing a basic 2-channel AM radio with servos for about $250 back in the early 70s.
And there are lot of decent entry level RTRs that any teenager can afford (between $200 and $300) if he goes and mows a few lawns, or delivers papers, or even collects cans and bottles from the trash.
Only thing I would like to see a bit cheaper would be fuel. Not that it's unaffordable, but it seems priced too high for what it is. But there's ways around that such as making your own.
I agree; if nitro fuel was even $10 cheaper that would be a whole lot better.
I just bought a gallon about 3 weeks ago ($30) and it's gone and I estimate I am getting about 5 hours worth run-time with my Savage and I would run my Savage when I first got into hobby just about every other day for about an hour so that's $90 a month (maybe more considering I have another nitro truck) on fuel alone if I were to run the truck every other day for a month.
And I just want to point out that these are only estimates that pertain to the expenses I would spend on nitro each month; there's guys at a local run spot that say they go through 2 gallons every weekend during the warm season.
Nowadays I try and stretch a gallon of fuel as much as I can to just about a month which keeps me from running the truck all the time which sucks but then again it's better for me considering the engines wear out over time.
Either way you're gonna spend money; it's the nature of the hobby.