yorkshiretyker

Hi, I'm just looking for some general advice on where to buy my first RC petrol/nitro car, Ideally I'd like something that's good for off road, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

redfisher1974

Let us know what you plan to do with the RC...That will help us help you....cheers

olkleaf

also how much your willing to spend.

yorkshiretyker

I've always liked rally cars, and would love to get an RC Rally car, but I really don't want to get one of the cheap toys that you see often in the toystores - I want something a bit quicker with a bit more umph, and ultimately have an engine.. rather than a motor.

A rally car may be the wrong choice for me for as a beginner, I'm open to suggestion on that one, but the buget I'm looking at would be around £200 ($300) at the moment. (Also would a rally car be able to handle grass should I take it down the park?)

YT.

Chris_RC

Tamiys has a couple rally cars I think, I would look them up.

yorkshiretyker

I was just looking at a tamiya in modelzone.co.uk, but wondered how customizable they are and if spares are readily available.

olkleaf

i havent sencen any actual rally cars in rc.( only onroads people have moded a little) if there are then its not very popular
i think a buggy could be a good chose for what you want to do. probly more functional then a rally car.

yorkshiretyker

What are the advantages of onroads? that buggy's don't have?

Chris_RC

The ability to handle extremely well onroad. But onroad cars are very limited unless racing on a track. With offroad cars, you can go a lot more places.

HJJFFFAA

The GT class cars may be good for you. Cars like the Kyosho Inferno GT and the OFNA DM-1. Take a look at those.

yorkshiretyker

what about the Tomahawk BX Thunder Tiger

yorkshiretyker

what about electric RC cars, am I underestimating their ablity?

Montana Mike

My Feedback: (1)

Electric has its Pro's for sure. I guess it all has to do with this................. Do you want a plug and play that is quiet, or a little challenge with noise and a great smell with Nitro?

breezerboat

Let's quit beating around the bush. Get a MONSTER TRUCK. Trust me. Pick a price you want to spend and find a few you like, then come back here and ask if they are any good.

Montana Mike

My Feedback: (1)

Nowadays though you can get a good electric monster truck though.

SAVAGEJIM

I personally recommend an electric as your very first RC, preferrably an off-road one, a truggy or monster truck.
I say electric at first because of the simplicity and you can focus on learning how to tune your chassis (camber, caster, ackerman, droop, preloading, shocks oil weights, diff oil weights, gear ratios, clutch engagement set-up, and so on). Then, once you feel the electric cannot give you any more challenge, then you can either go brushless + Lipo and/or go nitro.

nitro adds another dimension to setting up the RC, that is engine tuning. And tuning goes a long way other than just turning needles: it includes plug selection, pipe selection, header length slelection, head shim selection, etc.

HJJFFFAA

Can you even adjust setting that will change the Ackermann?

olkleaf

actually now adays electric and nitro are about the same performace wise. the only real disavantage electric has is runtime. now it just depends on what is more your style.
electric is more plug and play. cleaner, silent
nitro challenging when you start, learing how to tune your engine takes its time( it can be very fusterating and discuraging). you have to care(maintance) for the engine, break-in. its a lot of fun once you get the hang of it

about onroad car well i love onroad. it does have the limitation that you can basicly only run the car on a hard surcare (asfalt, concert, ect)

SAVAGEJIM

On some RCs, yes. Especially the race grade ones. The have optional steering length arm lengths or holes on the steeing block to go close to the hub or away from the hub. By varying these, you can adjust your ackerman rate in addition to just how far your wheel will turn.The steering arm lengths and even the hole you choose on your steering servo can all be used in concert with one another to alter the ackerman rate.
(I have not ever played with my ackerman settings, so I do not really know exactly which components will have the most inpact. The onroad guys and buggy/truggy racer guys know these tricks intimately though.)

HJJFFFAA

I don't know. I've never messed with it. Can I alter it with the toe links?

EDIT: Looking at my IGT I found I can adjust the ackermann, albeit only slightly. There is only one different setting that is adjust on the steering rack and no adjustability on the hub carriers.