With such a wide variety of cars to choose from making a decision about which one to buy can be difficult.

WHAT MAKE SHOULD I BUY?

A tough question.  You need to be sure that what you are buying will suit the purpose you intend for it, so if you are racing, pop down to your local club and see what everyone else has got, if you are driving with your mates find out what they have bought and try to match (or better) their models. 
You want to try and get a proven make that will be durable and long lasting.  Good instructions are a must if you are buying a kit.  As are spares lists.  On this point it is essential that you are readily able to buy spares for your car otherwise you could find yourself with a broken model and nothing to fix it with, leaving you in the pits for weeks!
Choose where you buy your car carefully.  Second hand is always a bit dodgy at beginner levels, especially if you are buying engine power, try to choose a reputable source.  Your model shop should be friendly and helpful (like us!) and offer sound knowledge, impartial advice and a good aftersales and back-up service. 

Kyosho offers a good range of cars in both electric and engine power; from beginners models up to racing standard.  Their instructions are unbeatable,  you get a full spares list and exploded diagram of the model with part numbers your model shop should understand perfectly.  The body shells are highly detailed and come complete with superb decals and window masks.  They are also distributed by one of the UKs biggest importers so most model shops will stock them.
If you want something a little bit more high tech we can supply Yokomo and Associated cars and racing accessories.  Also Traxxas, JP, or if you want something a bit bigger, FG Modellsport, or something a bit faster, Mantua.  If you can't find what you're looking for on the site please contact us for more details.

ON ROAD OR OFF ROAD?

On road touring and sports cars have a low ground clearance and consequently need to be run on tarmac or smooth surfaces (if you are not interested in racing try your local supermarket car park!).  For example, Kyosho's Volvo S40 or Mercedes CLK.  They will run on flat grassy surfaces however performance will be impaired and you are likely to damage your body shell.  These are the sorts of cars you are likely to find down at your local on road racing club.

Rally cars like Kyosho Super Ten Sports Imprezza and Escort have a greater ground clearance and, like their full size brothers can be run on more uneven surfaces.   This sort of model is a good compromise if you want a vehicle which looks like something you recognise but has the versatility of an off road buggy. These cars are great fun but if you want to get onto the racing scene opportunities are more limited.

Off road vehicles like Kyosho's Sandmaster and Nitro Tracker are exceptionally versatile and can be driven just about anywhere making them a great first car.  If you get bored with the look you can always convert them to a saloon with a change of body shell and a set of body mounts, great if you can't afford a second car.  If you do want to get into racing there are off road series' for buggies.

When weighing up these ideas it is more beneficial to look at the chassis and the ground clearance rather than the body shell itself.  For example, Kyosho produce a Renault Megane on their Pure Ten Mantis Chassis.  The full size Megane is classed as a rally car, however the Mantis chassis lends itself more to on road driving.  You can contact us for further advice if you are not sure what tp buy.

KIT OR ARR?

Almost Ready to Run (ARR) kits are becoming increasingly popular, especially as a starting point for new modellers.  These models are 90% assembled leaving you to fit suspension, wheels and tyres, radio control and to spray the body shell in colours of your choice.
Kits are sold in component form leaving you to assemble the whole car from start to finish.  This takes a little longer and will mean you have to do a bit of work before you get on the road but it is not difficult and can help you to learn a bit about your car (useful after your first crash!).  You don't need any specific skills, just a bit of common sense and the ability to follow a good set of instructions.

TWO OR FOUR WHEEL DRIVE?

You now have the option of buying front, rear or four wheel drive.  Models perform in the same way as full size cars when it comes to handling.  Two wheel drive cars are generally less expensive, more easily maintained and a lot of fun if you like skidding around corners, however, they do not handle particularly well in poor conditions.  Great for learning the basics and racing with your mates but if you want to race seriously and be competitive you want to go for four wheel drive.

ELECTRIC OR FUEL?

Electric power is usually a first choice.  They are easy to drive, need less maintenance at a basic level than their fuelled counterparts and can be driven anywhere at any time because they are so quiet.  Performance wise they can be just as quick as a fuel powered car depending upon your choice of battery and speed control.  If you get into racing electric cars you will be amazed at the kind of performance which can be achieved.  Typically you will get five to ten minutes running time out of a battery (the cars are powered by a 7.2v rechargeable Nickel Cadium) and charging can be anything from fifteen minutes to overnight depending upon what you buy.

I/C cars are powered by small 2-stroke engines which run on special methanol based fuel.  Compared to electric cars these require a lot more maintenance and it does help if you are mechanically minded.  Nevertheless they can be great fun and it is a bonus not having to constantly charge batteries.  You will typically get about 10 minutes running time out of a tank of fuel depending on how your car is set up, and you will get around 13 tanks of fuel to a litre.  It is worth bearing in mind that fuel powered models are not welcome everywhere because of the noise.

Both types of model can be up graded in terms of power and handling.  It is worth asking around to see what car clubs are in your area or if you are just fooling around, what sort of cars do your mates have, it works better if you can race like for like.

RADIO CONTROL

You need to purchase a two channel radio system to control your car, it must operate on either 27 or 40MHz.  Stick sets such as the Futaba 2DR operate with one hand for throttle (forwards/reverse or brake) and the other for steering (left/right).  If you choose to buy a steering wheel set such as the Futaba Megatech 2PC you have a trigger to operate the throttle and a steering wheel to control the steering.  Neither set is better than the other, it is simply a matter of personal preference.

SAFETY

Radio Control cars can be very fast and therefore potentially quite dangerous.   When driving you must always consider the safety of yourself and those around you.

CAR CLUBS

For more information on racing R/C cars you can contact the BRCA (British Radio Car Association).  They will send you information on car clubs in your area and all over the country.  For details telephone 01909 479718 or write to:

BRCA
8Oak Close
Worksop
Notts
S80 1BH

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All prices are in UK pounds and include VAT @ 17.5%

The image(s) of products shown on any page are intended only to give you an overview of a specific model. DO NOT take this as an accurate reprsentation of items supplied (or not) with a model, e.g. (wheels, tyres, engine or motor, silencer, batteries, body mounts, or radio equipment). Please rely on the text of the page associated with a particular model for this information.