Choosing your first RC car

How do I choose my first RC car?

Getting started in the world of RC cars can be extremely rewarding and fun, especially since RC toys are accessible to almost everyone. Today, there are many models of radio-controlled cars with very different performance and features depending on how you want to use them. Experts know how to choose parts, assemble them, and maintain their cars, but amateurs can easily find themselves lost. That's why reading this beginner's buying guide for RC cars will help you choose the perfect RC car for you.

Electric cars RTR for beginners

Let's start with the basics: what is an RTR car? It's actually an abbreviation for "Ready-to-Run," meaning that this type of vehicle is ready to go: the car is already assembled and comes with batteries. You can drive your car as soon as the battery is charged.

An electric vehicle runs on a rechargeable battery (a battery pack), while a Nitro vehicle consumes fuel. When starting out in RC, an electric car is more reliable and easier to maintain than a Nitro car. We strongly recommend that you start with an electric car.

Different types of vehicles

The wide variety of vehicle models in RC is a real advantage: each driver can choose a unique vehicle that suits their needs. Most full-size cars have their own radio-controlled miniature versions. But that's not all: there are also a multitude of vehicles born from the boundless imagination of passionate designers, such as buggy in 1/8 scale or Truggy. When you start out in RC, you quickly realize that radio-controlled vehicles fall into two main categories: On-Road and Off-Road.

On-Road Cars

On-road cars are road cars specially adapted for driving on flat, paved or concrete surfaces. In this category, you will find many scale models such as race cars (also called "Touring Car"), Formula 1 cars, rally cars, dragsters, drift cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc.

Off-road vehicles

Off-road vehicles are designed for adventurers or daredevils who want to drive on all types of terrain. They are particularly sturdy and designed to withstand difficult terrain. Highly resistant and versatile, they are generally the best option for a first car. In this category, you will find the Monster Truck, Stadium Truck, Buggy, Crawler, Truggy as well as more unusual models such as construction vehicles.

Choosing the right scale

Remote-controlled cars are available in different sizes, known as scales. The most common is1/10 scale, which means that your RC car will be one-tenth the size of the original or, if you prefer, the full-size model will be ten times larger. This is not an exact measurement but rather a rough idea of the size of the scale model. There are very large vehicles in 1/4 and 1/5 scale and, conversely, micro cars with a scale of up to 1/64. For your first car, we recommend choosing something in between, i.e., a 1/10 scale.

Why choose a 1/10 scale vehicle?

• Most cars are on this scale, so you will have a wider choice of models.
• A car of this size is very maneuverable and can be driven almost anywhere.
• As this scale is quite common, it will be easier for youto get help on forums.
• This size of car is very easy to transport and can be easily repaired on a table or bench.

Our selection of cars for beginner drivers