Looking for starter truck for a friend?
07-28-2017, 03:21 PM
#1
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Looking for starter truck for a friend?
I'm buying my friend his first rc truck and I really want to stay under 200$ which I know isn't a lot but it's just to get him into the hobby is be open to going slightly higher but not much and only if it was a way better truck. I haven't decided on electric or nitro. Helis are my thing so idk anything about cars or trucks but the 2 I'm looking at are the [1/10 2.4GHZ EXCEED RC RALLY MONSTER NITRO GAS RTR OFF ROAD TRUCK 4WD CAR ORANGE] for the nitro pick and [REDCAT Blackout SC 1/10 Scale Brushed Electric Short Course RC 4WD Truck - RED] I'd appreciate anyone's advice on which to go with and why, nitro or electric, or if someone has a better recommendation. Thanks for any help.
07-28-2017, 04:36 PM
#2
If he has never owned anything nitro radio controlled then stay away from nitro, unless he is a gearhead and loves to tinker on small engines/carbs. Otherwise he will become quickly frustrated.
Go with electric.
Are there any hobby shops near him? If so get something from there, that way he can easily get parts and service if he needs to.
As far as brands I would go with something by Traxxas like a Stampede. Very well made and the company treats their customers great. I personally think Redcat vehicles are cheaply made and support is below average.
Go with electric.
Are there any hobby shops near him? If so get something from there, that way he can easily get parts and service if he needs to.
As far as brands I would go with something by Traxxas like a Stampede. Very well made and the company treats their customers great. I personally think Redcat vehicles are cheaply made and support is below average.
Last edited by flyinwalenda; 07-29-2017 at 03:05 AM.
07-29-2017, 02:58 AM
#3
Read, research, and review. That's all I can say. Watch all the video reviews you can on a platform that one is thinking about getting. There are some threads in the www forums with talk about your specific RCs. Nowadays it's pretty easy to get yourself a very informed decision. I know the lure of low budget price tags is great, and Redcat has made some decent progress with some of their RC platforms. Bottom line for me, if I can't get parts for my RC that I'm looking at, I cross it off the list.
People sometimes go overboard with power plants when getting into the hobby. Especially when starting out with mild brushed motor and a 6 cell NiMh pack. They get comfortable with the performance, and the need for speed syndrome sets in. I get it. Every RC car breaks, and being hobby grade, making repairs is part of the fun/hobby.
Working on, or "wrenching on" a chassis with a broken suspension arm, rebuilding shocks, or replacing components is the name of the game. Get your foot in the door, and enjoy the hobby. After a few weeks of running, and repairing your first break, you tell yourself, "I can do this"...welcome to the addiction.
People sometimes go overboard with power plants when getting into the hobby. Especially when starting out with mild brushed motor and a 6 cell NiMh pack. They get comfortable with the performance, and the need for speed syndrome sets in. I get it. Every RC car breaks, and being hobby grade, making repairs is part of the fun/hobby.
Working on, or "wrenching on" a chassis with a broken suspension arm, rebuilding shocks, or replacing components is the name of the game. Get your foot in the door, and enjoy the hobby. After a few weeks of running, and repairing your first break, you tell yourself, "I can do this"...welcome to the addiction.
Last edited by RustyUs; 11-25-2017 at 02:28 PM.
07-31-2017, 05:25 AM
#4
+1 for electric... nitro has many hidden costs and will be far more expensive to maintain over the long haul.
RedCat is a decent entry level platform for the budget, also check out ValueHobby, HobbyKing, Integy and NitroRCX for other entry level options to consider.
RedCat is a decent entry level platform for the budget, also check out ValueHobby, HobbyKing, Integy and NitroRCX for other entry level options to consider.
07-31-2017, 05:53 AM
#5
I'll throw this out there as well. Sometimes you will get more "bang for the buck" if you go with a 2wd platform. It all depends on terrain you drive on, and/or performance you are after.
07-31-2017, 09:17 AM
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I'll throw this out there as well. Sometimes you will get more "bang for the buck" if you go with a 2wd platform. It all depends on terrain you drive on, and/or performance you are after.
A lot of good 2WD options out there.
I recently picked up a Helion Volition brushless marked 25% off at hobbytown because it's being discontinued which put it at $185 and I couldn't be happier.
Have taken it out several times and the only problem I ever have had with it is that control arm popped off on a rough landing. Thankfully, they pressure fit over these ball like joints. So i popped it back and and it hasn't given me problems since. Literally a 10 second fix. It's pretty darn durable, speed for days and jumps really nicely. A great basher. Couldn't be happier.
Tons of good 2WD options. Slash, ECX Torment, Arrma Fury, etc.
They'll all come with brushed motors, which i'm not a fan of, so take your pick. If you can find something that's under 200 & brushless, jump on it.
08-03-2017, 01:46 PM
#8
+1 on that, plus, RPM and others make tons of "upgrade" parts for Traxxas, and now some other, vehicles. Break a suspension arm? Replace it with an RPM part. The Big T does have that advantage over a lot of other makes. Everybody in the aftermarket makes parts for Traxxas cars. As mentioned, ECX and Arrma are also good brands. But the Rustler is a great place to start, and any hobby shop has Traxxas parts on the wall. Nitro is not for the un-initiated.
Hidden costs? There are many, to both nitro and electric. (Although, a lot of RTRs come with a battery pack, if small) A 5000mah hardcase LiPo pack will set you back $50 easy. And you need a charger for it, there's another $50 at least. Gonna need tools to work on it. You can get a decent starter set like Dynamite for $30 or less. But really good tools are $15 EACH. So you see where this goes. But, you spend money on any good hobby. And you can spend a lot in this one.
I think it's awesome you're getting your buddy his first RC car! (I just let him try mine, and he went and bought his!) Having a buddy to run with is way better than driving by yourself. Races will ensue. We even bought a timing system to use on our track on my property, so we have announced lap times during our runs and data to geek out over. Much more fun with a pal.
Hidden costs? There are many, to both nitro and electric. (Although, a lot of RTRs come with a battery pack, if small) A 5000mah hardcase LiPo pack will set you back $50 easy. And you need a charger for it, there's another $50 at least. Gonna need tools to work on it. You can get a decent starter set like Dynamite for $30 or less. But really good tools are $15 EACH. So you see where this goes. But, you spend money on any good hobby. And you can spend a lot in this one.
I think it's awesome you're getting your buddy his first RC car! (I just let him try mine, and he went and bought his!) Having a buddy to run with is way better than driving by yourself. Races will ensue. We even bought a timing system to use on our track on my property, so we have announced lap times during our runs and data to geek out over. Much more fun with a pal.
08-23-2017, 05:21 AM
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I just bought a redcat from blackout xte for $140 and couldn't be happier. Fast enough for a newbie, durable thus far wit no broken parts, and it's cheap. I knew when I bought it though that I would be upgrading to brushless but that's a different story
08-31-2017, 09:56 AM
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There are a couple very important considerations when a person is looking for their first RC. First is to try to pick a vehicle that is most appropriate for where they will run it, but with a little bit of versatility, since a new user isn't likely to know 100% where & how they'll actually end up using it. The second consideration is local parts availability, since a new user isn't going to have a tackle box full of spare parts at the beginning. All of this assumes that it's within the buyer's budget and that only vehicles with a reputation for durability will be considered.
So, first consideration is where you're going to use it. As far as I'm concerned, unless the buyer has a giant basement or is only going to use it in the street, they can rule out anything smaller than 1/10 scale, maybe 1/12 scale depending on the design. Most new users end up using their RC in their yard, which is usually grass, in a local field, which is usually grass, or somewhere else that has a lot of grass. Vehicles that are too small without adequate ground clearance just don't work in grass, and so they end up not being too useful. You also want something that's versatile, since most new users don't know exactly what kind of terrain they're going to prefer. Something like a monster truck, stadium truck, or truggy wins here. You can use it on pavement, you can use it on dirt, you can use it in grass, you can set up jumps, and you can even do some low speed trailing, and maybe some super basic crawling.
Next is local parts availability. New users don't have a pile of spare parts or a dozen other RCs to use while this one is broken (at least not yet!), so it's important to be able to run to the local RC shop and get parts, or at the very least, have a vehicle with good online parts support so that you're only down for a couple days. Traxxas, ECX, HPI, Team Associated & Losi are your best bets for local or easily attainable parts. Of those options, HPI can be hit or miss, and Team Associated & Losi focus more on racing vehicles than "basher" vehicles, so something from Traxxas & ECX get my vote. That said, find your local hobby shops and find out what brands they stock parts for, and let that weigh heavily in your final decision.
Lastly, price and durability are an obvious consideration for all purchases, including these. Traxxas and ECX both have $200 (or less in the case of ECX) 1/10 scale 2wd vehicles that perfectly fit the criteria that I identified above, and are generally very durable. Each has a couple known weak spots, but usually only become problems when you upgrade to brushless power, and are easily rectified via aftermarket parts. Between the Traxxas & ECX options, I'm partial to ECX because I find them to be more durable in stock form and less expensive, but the Traxxas usually has better local parts support. That said, what few things you're likely to break on an ECX will most likely be available.
I started my son with an ECX Circuit. I started my daughter with an ECX Amp MT. I also got ECX 2WD Ruckus trucks for my dad & father in law. They are extremely durable, inexpensive, go almost anywhere you could hope, have tons of upgrades available, and are a boatload of fun. They get my vote, but you can't go wrong with a Traxxas Stampede or maybe a Rustler either. The Stampedes are great fun, and with the Bigfoot monster truck versions, they really look great too.
If you look up "Budget RC" on Youtube, you can find a review that I did of my daughter's ECX Amp, as well as a rig rundown of my son's Circuit. It'll give you a good idea of what that platform is all about. There are also a million reviews of the Stampede, Rustler & Bigfoot trucks that will help familiarize you with that platform.
So, first consideration is where you're going to use it. As far as I'm concerned, unless the buyer has a giant basement or is only going to use it in the street, they can rule out anything smaller than 1/10 scale, maybe 1/12 scale depending on the design. Most new users end up using their RC in their yard, which is usually grass, in a local field, which is usually grass, or somewhere else that has a lot of grass. Vehicles that are too small without adequate ground clearance just don't work in grass, and so they end up not being too useful. You also want something that's versatile, since most new users don't know exactly what kind of terrain they're going to prefer. Something like a monster truck, stadium truck, or truggy wins here. You can use it on pavement, you can use it on dirt, you can use it in grass, you can set up jumps, and you can even do some low speed trailing, and maybe some super basic crawling.
Next is local parts availability. New users don't have a pile of spare parts or a dozen other RCs to use while this one is broken (at least not yet!), so it's important to be able to run to the local RC shop and get parts, or at the very least, have a vehicle with good online parts support so that you're only down for a couple days. Traxxas, ECX, HPI, Team Associated & Losi are your best bets for local or easily attainable parts. Of those options, HPI can be hit or miss, and Team Associated & Losi focus more on racing vehicles than "basher" vehicles, so something from Traxxas & ECX get my vote. That said, find your local hobby shops and find out what brands they stock parts for, and let that weigh heavily in your final decision.
Lastly, price and durability are an obvious consideration for all purchases, including these. Traxxas and ECX both have $200 (or less in the case of ECX) 1/10 scale 2wd vehicles that perfectly fit the criteria that I identified above, and are generally very durable. Each has a couple known weak spots, but usually only become problems when you upgrade to brushless power, and are easily rectified via aftermarket parts. Between the Traxxas & ECX options, I'm partial to ECX because I find them to be more durable in stock form and less expensive, but the Traxxas usually has better local parts support. That said, what few things you're likely to break on an ECX will most likely be available.
I started my son with an ECX Circuit. I started my daughter with an ECX Amp MT. I also got ECX 2WD Ruckus trucks for my dad & father in law. They are extremely durable, inexpensive, go almost anywhere you could hope, have tons of upgrades available, and are a boatload of fun. They get my vote, but you can't go wrong with a Traxxas Stampede or maybe a Rustler either. The Stampedes are great fun, and with the Bigfoot monster truck versions, they really look great too.
If you look up "Budget RC" on Youtube, you can find a review that I did of my daughter's ECX Amp, as well as a rig rundown of my son's Circuit. It'll give you a good idea of what that platform is all about. There are also a million reviews of the Stampede, Rustler & Bigfoot trucks that will help familiarize you with that platform.
