the pride is what wins the argument. anyone who's ever built a working, true to life, scale vehicle from hundreds of single parts is in a seperate class from the rtr crowd (hence the different yrs building/yrs driving section of r/c questionaires). it's not a higher-and-mightier thing. it's just that you only have to have a basic knowledge of the hobby to enjoy a rtr. when you build it yourself, you're learning above all else. and when you completely learn about something AS you're building it, you get a feeling of understanding and pride that no rtr can give. if this is gonna be your first nitro, don't fool around. take up meditation to pass the time. ohmmmmmmmmmm...