Buying your first RC car: the beginner’s guide

You’ve decided to take up the RC hobby. Congratulations! But as soon as you start looking, you’re flooded with terms like 1/10, brushless, RTR, 3S and 4WD. Don’t panic: in this guide, we’ll explain step by step what to look for when buying your first RC car.

1. Where will you drive?

This is the most important question, because it determines which type of car is right for you.

• Garden, park, gravel and grass – a monster truck or short course truck. Sturdy, with plenty of ground clearance and large tires.
• Woods, rocks and obstacles – a crawler. Slow, but with tremendous climbing ability. Ideal if you prefer technical driving to speed.
• Track or off-road course – a buggy. Fast, agile and built for jumping.
• Asphalt, parking lot or indoors – a touring car or a drift car.
• Indoors or in a small garden – a mini like the Axial SCX24 or a 1/18 model.

Not sure? A 1/10 monster truck or short course truck is the most versatile choice for most beginners.

2. What scale?

The scale tells you how large the model is compared to the real vehicle.

3. Brushed or brushless?

This refers to the type of electric motor.

• Brushed (with brushes) – less expensive, slower and easy to control. Perfect for getting to know the hobby, and excellent for crawlers.
• Brushless – much more powerful and faster, more efficient and virtually maintenance-free. Ideal if you want speed, but a brushless car can quickly be too much for a complete beginner.

Tip: many brushless cars have a "training mode" or the option to limit the throttle. That way, you can start slowly and build up speed as you improve.

4. RTR or kit?

• RTR (Ready To Run) – the car is fully assembled and comes with a transmitter, motor, ESC and servo. The best choice for most beginners.
• Kit – you build the car yourself and choose the electronics. It takes longer and usually costs more, but you’ll get to know your car inside and out. Ideal if working on your car is part of the fun for you.

Please note: the battery and charger are not included with many RTR cars. Always check and factor this into your budget. A good charger and one or two batteries are essential. Also read our guide to batteries for RC cars.

5. Choose a brand with good parts availability

Every RC car will break sooner or later. That’s part of the hobby. So it’s important that you can easily get replacement parts. Brands like Traxxas, Arrma, Axial and Losi offer a huge range of replacement and upgrade parts. A cheap car with no parts available is often scrap after its first crash. We’ve made sure that parts are available for every car on our site, so you don’t need to worry about that when you shop with us.

6. What’s a realistic budget?

Prices vary widely, but as a rough guide:

• Entry-level: €80-180 – minis and basic brushed 1/10 models.
• Mid-range: €180-450 – solid brushed 1/10 or entry-level brushless cars from well-known brands. The best value for most beginners.
• High-end: €450+ – powerful brushless 1/10 and 1/8 bashers and top-tier crawlers.

Also set aside a budget for batteries, a charger and possibly some basic tools and spare parts.

7. What else do you need?

• One or two batteries that fit your car (check the connector type)
• A suitable charger
• A LiPo bag if you use LiPo batteries
• Basic tools, such as hex drivers and a wheel wrench
• AA batteries for the transmitter, if they’re not included

Conclusion

Start by asking yourself where you want to drive, then choose a scale and type to suit, and go for an RTR from a brand with good parts availability. Don’t forget your batteries and charger. That way, from day one, you’ll have a car you can enjoy for years and upgrade step by step. Browse our selection of RC cars, or contact us if you’re unsure. We’ll be happy to help!