If you’re looking to get into the hobby of operating remote controlled vehicles, you’ll be facing a wide selection of choice regarding different look, size, fuel source, and engine choice. But as a newcomer, you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars from the get-go, so you just want to pick one. Tough choice. So which one is right for you? On or off-road? Tarmac or mud-fest?
Answering all of these questions will determine which remote control vehicle is just right. That being said, you can usually choose between 3 basic categories of remote controlled vehicles: trucks, cars and buggies. The right one for you will mostly depend on where you intend to drive it most. For instance, a car is ideal for smooth and flat surfaces; the trucks are ideal for rough riding and the remote control buggy cars are the middle-ground between the other two.
So if you’re going to use your RC vehicle indoors or on tarmac, you’re best off getting a simple, sports RC car that will perform well on an open, smooth road. On the other hand, if you’re going to use it on a rough and dirty terrain, nothing will beat a monster truck. These are of course, the two extremes and most people prefer something that’s in between. For instance, you don’t want to be restricted to smooth surfaces, but you don’t want a monster truck either. And that’s when you start looking at remote control buggy cars.
What makes buggies so popular? Well, apart from the fact that they look like F1 race cars, they’re very durable, flexible and can be used in different areas, including grass, light off-road driving and concrete surfaces. That’s possible for buggies thanks to their lower structure, which gives them a well-balanced, stable centre of gravity, as well as more nimble and easier handling. All of this makes them ideal for newbies.
However, the type of RC vehicle isn’t the only thing you need to worry about. After you’ve decided on a buggy, truck or car, you need to consider the engine that powers it. Here, you have two basic options – electric and nitro engines. Electric engines are separated into two categories: brushed and brushless. Brushless engines can accelerate to higher speeds and are the ideal option for flat surface racing. On the other hand, nitro engines are meant for more experienced hobbyists, and they sound, feel and even smell more “real”.
