Remote Control Vehicle Choices

Eenie Meenie Minee Mo

There are so many remote control vehicles online that oftentimes it is difficult to choose one.  A great number of the sites you click on after searching “remote control toy” just throw ads at you and claim that every single RC for sale on their website is the eighth wonder of the world.  We know this isn’t true because most of us have bought our fair share of subpar RCs.  While you cannot completely avoid this pitfall, there are some key ways to minimize this risk.

1.  Know What You’re Looking For in an RC

Sometimes you will purchase a remote control vehicle and then be totally bummed despite the fact that it worked just as well as it was supposed to.  Maybe you’re an RC noob and have no clue how to work it, or maybe this toy was insulting to your RC expertise.  This is why you have to know what you’re looking for when you go shopping for a Remote Control Vehicle.

Are you looking for something crazy fast that requires maintenance and experience (maybe even a nitro or gas powered device) or a relatively inexpensive vehicle that takes AA’s and is made entirely of plastic?  (Be aware that there are definitely RC toys between these two extremes.)

There are 2 quick and easy ways to tell what kind of RC you’re buying:

• Look at the price
• Take a quick look at what “type” of machine it is

 

 

2.  General RC Pricing Rules of Thumb

Here are some rules of thumb.  Remember, these are RULES OF THUMB.  So don’t leave me snotty comments like, “Oh, I found this RC toy, and it’s different from your rules.  blah blah blah.”  These rules are good because no passionate hobbyist wants to end up buying a Kiddie RC and no dad getting a vehicle for their small child wants to get some crazy gas powered toy.

• Below $25: Low End RC, Best For Young Kids, Almost Always Electric

• $25 – $150: Middle End RC, Generally Electric, Some Nitro

• $150 – $300: Higher End RC, Some Nitro And Gas Powered Vehicles, Which  Start To Become More Complicated

• $350 + : Extremely High End Electric Vehicles, High End Gas, High End Nitro

3.  Do You Want to Pay for RC Fuel or RC Batteries?

Generally, I would stick to the electric powered RCs.  (Powered by Lipo, NimH, and these types of batteries.)  They’re pretty easy to figure out and there are both very low end and very high end vehicles.

If you really know what you’re doing, go ahead and get into the Nitro and Gas cars if you really want to, but keep in mind that you have to pay extra for the fuel.  I have some extremely high end electric RCs that I’m very satisfied with; I felt no need to get gas or nitro.

Some non-electric RC cars can reach speeds over 60 mph, and unless you have a RC race track nearby, which some people do, this speed is probably unnecessary.  Just a guess.  You can use these price guidelines and the listed “type” specifications (nitro, gas, etc.) to decide which RC is right for you.

4. Read Some RC Toy Customer Reviews

Specifications are important, don’t get me wrong, but nothing speaks to a Remote Control Toy like a good review.  (Or a bad one.)  Look at some reviews from people who have already bought the device.  If you see the same complaint in three or four reviews, I would stay away from that toy.  Sometimes, the specifications of the RC vehicle will not accurately represent how it performs in real time, so it is always good to learn from other buyers’ experiences.

Remember, the people selling these Remote Control vehicles are trying to make money, so they aren’t going to lay out all of the flaws of their products for you.  Curse you, slick salesmen!

5. Where Will You Use a RC Boat? Location!  Location!  Location!

When purchasing an RC toy, its important to factor in your location.  For example, please don’t buy a really expensive RC boat and then remember that the nearest body of water is an hour and a half away.

Also, if you do not have a relatively large backyard or a nearby wide open area, do not buy a giant Remote Control Plane.  (Some areas require that you have an RC plane license to fly there.  No joke.  Make sure you check that out and either get a permit or find a new space to fly your plane.)

Remember to use your common sense and verify that the RC you’re buying is practical for your location.  (Another example: DON’T BUY A TOY SNOWMOBILE IF YOU LIVE IN FLORIDA.)

Now, using these three tactics, try your RC purchasing skills at our blog challenge:  The $1000 RC Hypothetical!

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