pingy27

Looking to get a car for my son, but want everything to come with the car (Battery, charger, electronics, radio). Want a truck preferably, has to be 1/10 or 1/8 scale. So far, the best options I have seen are the Redcat XTE and EPXs. Budget is about $200-$300. I know I can make one, but want everything to be in the box truly RTR.
[TABLE="class: tborder user-postbit-left-user, width: 100%, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD="class: alt2"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: user-postbit-bottom-user"]

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

1QwkSport2.5r

I would opt for a Traxxas before Redcat. Warranty and parts support is so much better. Redcat is cheap(er) for a reason.

phmaximus

I wouldent recommend getting caught up in if a RTR should come with a battery and charger because 9 times out of 10 the supplied battery and charger are junk and are not up to the job.

example u generally end up with a vintage NICD 1800mah battery and a 0.05a wall charger
something liek that takes 6 hours to charge and 5-7min run time.


unfortunately $300 does not get u much with rc cars in a 1/10 scale. It really limit's u to the cheapest of the cheapest. and in that price range its not really about whats the best, its about whats going to last a few months.

While the newer HSP/Redcat cars/buggies and trucks are better than the older models, they are far from perfect.

Just recently i got given two Redcat EXP's Pro's (brushless 1/10 buggy) and while they are fun to drive there is alot of issues.
-pinion extremely soft, lucky to last 6 months
-poor gear cover design, rocks get traped inside it
-suspension arms poorly designed, they twist alot, even by hand
-shock towers bend way way to easily, one crash can destroy them
-diff action excessively loose
-alot of slop in the steering servo and is multiplied all the way to the wheels
-ackerman arm extreemly bendable, causes bump steer
-tyres provide little to no grip, also suspect they dont have foam inserts
-nothing has thread locker (parts will come loose)
-no grease on shock o rings and shocks not fully filled (suspect they use motor oil)
-springs to stiff
-to much suspension travel, on full compression it bends the rear dog bones (dont ever jump one)
-no front bumperbar


but... most of those issues are manageable or easily corrected, these buggies are driven by my boys so they are really never driven hard. but i just have it playing in the back of my mind... there is a good 90% chance something will break in a big crash where it shouldn't be like that, rc cars are meant to be somewhat intractable.


id honestly look secondhand or... increase my budget.

$300 will get u some nice second hand rc cars... sometimes neer new and with a few batteries and a charger

john01374

I'm going to agree with what has been said so far. First, DO NOT buy a redcat as your first car. They are not as bad as they use to be but they are still years from being reliable. Buying something like that will turn you off to the hobby and drive you away. You won't want the battery and charger that come with RTR packages so my recommendation is that you pick the truck you want and buy it without concern for the battery charger. Thankfully you have very good, very reasonable options for batteries and chargers.

The question gets asked all the time here on what is the best car or truck to buy a kid to get started and my answer everytime is the Traxxas Stampede. It's a monster truck with good ground clearance, it's cheap and it's tough as nails. It's also been around for about 20 yrs so you can find parts for them everywhere.

Right now Tower Hobbies has the basic stampeded in stock for $199 and there is a discount code for $20 ff that. Spend $ on the year long membership and you get free shipping on everything over $99.

You can then pick up a Battery and charger from Hobby King and be set. If you want suggestions on a battery and charger feel free to PM me. I'd be happy to help you get into the hobby.

RustyUs

There is always many different ways to look at the OP's question. Brushed, or brushless; NiMh, or LiPo; 2wd, or 4wd...all are going to affect price. Anyway you look at it, a RTR's components are normally mediocre at best. There are exceptions out there. Some RTRs have great rebranded ESCs, others...not so great. Radio control companies put together a RTR package to get a platform into a price point they think it will sell best at. To get an attractive price, some skimping on gear generally has to be done with the lower priced ~ mid priced RCs.

Pick a RC that has parts support. Tell yourself a more capable charger will be needed if you plan on doing a lot of RCing. Be prepared for upgrading a RTR's servo in the future.

krokodyl

Yeah, while the electronics in a RTR MAY be ok, the battery and charger is not goiing to be good at all, so you will need a new one, unless driving for 5 minutes, then waiting until the next day to drive for another 5 minutes is your thing.....

Check if you have a hobby store near you, and if you do, check what they have. It's nice to be able to buy parts a the LHS, rather than going online. Redcat may be a OK option, since online parts support may get better with tower now carrying them.
Hubert