Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Land Models / November 2007

for a first vehicle, look around for RTR (Ready To Race).  it will come with
the engine/motor, servos, radio, and tires already installed and can be
ready out of the box as soon as the batteries charge.

also, in my opinion, look around for the Traxxas.  it is WAY
faster/cooler/fun than the old Tyco RC's that we had when we were little.
they are very durable and have tons of after market parts in case something
gets broke or he just wants to customize his vehicle.  and yes, sometimes
these vehicles will break.  even the best driver breaks stuff from time to
time.  the great thing about Traxxas is you can replace EVERYTHING so its
not broken for very long.  plus fixing these things is half the fun.  and
the replacement parts really aren't that expensive.

electric or nitro?  go with electric.  less fuss for a young driver.  the
old batteries used to be 15 minutes of charge for 5 minutes of run.  but
these new batteries can last around 20 minutes.  adjusting the carb in a
nitro is an art that changes with humidity, temp, altitude, etc.

good luck.

IMO only kit manufacturers to consider are Tamiya (www.tamiyausa.com) or
Kyosho (www.kyoshoamerica.com). There are many more that mainly deal with
top grade vehicles and I'm sure would cost far more than you would want to
spend.

IMO your initial outlay in cost for a kit would not be to different to
buying a complete RTR from such companies as Traxxas or Losi and you'll get
a warranty on the vehicle, which you don't normally get with a kit.

Some of the differences between a kit and a RTR is that most kits from
Tamiya (don't know about Kyosho though) come with plastic bushings (not
bearings) and a mechanical speed controller. These two items are something
that will need replacing sooner or later. Bearings and an electronic speed
controller are fitted as standard to most of the Traxxas and Losi RTR
vehicles. Don't forget that with a kit, you will also need paint to paint
the body too.

We went through a similar situation with my 12 year old nephew last year and
it was decided that he would be far better off with a RTR as a first vehicle
than a kit. Mainly because we figured he wouldn't want to wait 3 days after
getting his new truck to actually get a chance to drive it. After giving him
his present I asked if he would have preferred building his truck from a kit
and he said NO WAY!!!

A year down the track and the only thing that my nephew has had to replace
is a $3 gear.