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Lukedavis said:
oh and i'm 15. we got a couple youngins in here. Also welcome to the forum!
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Stay awake as long as you can. One day you will wake up and be old. Grunts and moans are old man noises. Do it once and it never stops.

Welcome to the site @karmilwm
 
I started into this hobby when I was 13... I'm 27 now and can't stop. So, you've been warned!
A few of the people replying here, were helping me 14 years ago when I started over on the URC forums. They're extremely knowledgable and know their stuff. Listen to their advice! They're truly veterans to the hobby! 😂

Not to discourage you, but building a car from scratch takes a lot of skill and equipment that you will slowly accumulate if you continue on with this hobby. I'd set that as a long term goal and focus on learning the basics first. Buy what you can afford, even if it's not the best thing, it is better than nothing and will teach you the inner workings of these cars. They can be very complicated.

Kits require tools and some knowledge first... if you're a total newbie and really want to build something, look at Tamiya kits. Cheap, they usually come with some basic tools and easy to assemble. They're not modern, they're slow and will break if you push them hard... but they're an excellent starting point and there's tons of variety. They need a servo, radio and a battery to be drivable. All of which you can slowly buy over time and use on future cars when you decide to upgrade or your budget gets bigger.

Slash 2wd kit other mentioned is a good starting point too, just costs a little bit more. The extra cost is worth it though IMO.
 
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jojobeans said:
I started into this hobby when I was 13... I'm 27 now and can't stop. So, you've been warned!
A few of the people replying here, were helping me 14 years ago when I started over on the URC forums. They're extremely knowledgable and know their stuff. Listen to their advice! They're truly veterans to the hobby! 😂

Not to discourage you, but building a car from scratch takes a lot of skill and equipment that you will slowly accumulate if you continue on with this hobby. I'd set that as a long term goal and focus on learning the basics first. Buy what you can afford, even if it's not the best thing, it is better than nothing and will teach you the inner workings of these cars. They can be very complicated.

Kits require tools and some knowledge first... if you're a total newbie and really want to build something, look at Tamiya kits. Cheap, they usually come with some basic tools and easy to assemble. They're not modern, they're slow and will break if you push them hard... but they're an excellent starting point and there's tons of variety. They need a servo, radio and a battery to be drivable. All of which you can slowly buy over time and use on future cars when you decide to upgrade or your budget gets bigger.

Slash 2wd kit other mentioned is a good starting point too, just costs a little bit more. The extra cost is worth it though IMO.
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Would this be a good idea? Chassis Parts Only Hornet Version With 540 Motor Tamiya 1/10. Search it on eBay.
 
karmilwm said:
Would this be a good idea? Chassis Parts Only Hornet Version With 540 Motor Tamiya 1/10. Search it on eBay.
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Another idea is FB market place, In a lot of areas you can usually find a racer or someone getting out of the hobby and willing to make a really good deal on a great complete setup. Everything you would need sometimes even including tools and spare parts. Obviously get mom and or pops permission first, but some great deals can be had.
 
jojobeans said:
https://www.amainhobbies.com/tamiya-grasshopper-ii-2017-2wd-offroad-buggy-kit-tam58643a/p1386610

I was thinking something along the lines of this... brand new and unopened. I wouldn't buy someone else's basket case off of eBay for your first RC.
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if looked at properly and you are aware and ask questions ( not of the person selling it , but an outside expert) then good deals can be found until you find and learn what your looking for in used deals, and what is a fair price
 
jimdavis577 said:
if looked at properly and you are aware and ask questions ( not of the person selling it , but an outside expert) then good deals can be found until you find and learn what your looking for in used deals, and what is a fair price
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I agree with this, but I'm looking at this from a total newcomers perspective. You gotta have a baseline somewhere and it sounds like he really wants to build a kit. Something buying used won't allow for... I simply gave him an option for building a kit that is simple, low budget and not going to require him to spend a fortune on electronics, tools, etc. My advice certainly isn't the end all be all, but I looked up what he said on eBay and the only thing that came up for me was a literal basket of parts for the same price as the car I linked.
 
jojobeans said:
I agree with this, but I'm looking at this from a total newcomers perspective. You gotta have a baseline somewhere and it sounds like he really wants to build a kit. Something buying used won't allow for... I simply gave him an option for building a kit that is simple, low budget and not going to require him to spend a fortune on electronics, tools, etc. My advice certainly isn't the end all be all, but I looked up what he said on eBay and the only thing that came up for me was a literal basket of parts for the same price as the car I linked.
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and your input is spot on and not wrong in anyway , I was just pointing out there are many options out there. and some that have plenty of value left. I am a big oval racer, I find deals all the time for outlaw 4 / rocket 4 cars for cheap. I buy them , put the outlaw5 and rocket 5 parts on them and flip them. or sell them to as a 4 to local guys and turn a profit doing so. Point being if your looking for the best bang for your $. there are plenty of options available. and while building a kit is great and teaches alot. so will something as simple as just fixing , and not being scared to fix your rig when it breaks
 
When you find a good deal on used gear, its a score! When you get a crap deal on used gear, it STINKS!!!
The costs to repair will exceed new replacement costs OR its a $30 part but the ENTIRE car was built around it... You are forced to buy all tools and become an expert builder at once.... the experience could understandably be overwhelming.
I just want to make sure you have good guidance if you want to try to save a buck on used.
You might find a good used buggy at a local hobby shop or track rather than blind buying online like @jimdavis577 mentioned.
Unless you know what you are doing, a bag of used parts is not a great idea.
 
Buying used is not something I would advise for beginners, but as Jim said, come here and ask questions. Posting a link to a really good deal has its risks, as someone that sees it might snatch it up. But that is not typically the case here.

If you go to www.amain.com and click the menu and shop by Category > Cars and Trucks > Kits > Electric you will get a listing of all their electric car kits.

From their, click the Filter & sort button. For Sort By select Lowest Price. Then under Kit Completeness select Unassembled Kits. And click apply.

That will show you every electric kit they sell, in every scale. I've already done all that for you here.
https://www.amainhobbies.com/electric-rc-cars/c7601?fk=26_183|19_196&o=5&lg=fk19

From there, you can go back to Filter and Sort and sort by scale, drivetrain, or whatever.
 
well, all I was saying is if he has someone that is good with rc. has a knowledge of them or even asks here or on other forums about a particular car for sale used. it may not be a bad idea. granted someone looks at it with the op. as far as learning the ins and outs, I think it could arguably be done either way. countless have bought rtr cars and had to learn to fix them, how would a used car be any diffrent?

ok I'll go back to my corner and shut my mouth now
 
jimdavis577 said:
well, all I was saying is if he has someone that is good with rc. has a knowledge of them or even asks here or on other forums about a particular car for sale used. it may not be a bad idea. granted someone looks at it with the op. as far as learning the ins and outs, I think it could arguably be done either way. countless have bought rtr cars and had to learn to fix them, how would a used car be any diffrent?

ok I'll go back to my corner and shut my mouth now
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I wasn't disagreeing with you 😉
 
@karmilwm as you can see, some pretty varied opinions on which route you would be best off taking.
Do you have anyone who is good with radio control cars, has some experience who might be able to help you through any tough spots you encounter with your rc?
Is there a local hobby shop nearby that specializes in rc cars ans buggies?
How about a local r/c track? Is there one near your home?
Its ok if not. I built my Hornet by myself when I was your age. It was easy and fun!
I learned a lot and regret none of it! 👍😁
 
One of my friends dont have much experience with rc but he knows a lot more
about electronics and things like that.
I don't have any tracks close by but there might be an rc shop somewhere close by.
 
Electronics help is GOOD r/c help too!!!
Do you know if they solder? Some basic tools they have can help you save some money when you're starting off.
You could learn a TON from someone like that!!! You NEED to be doing that! R/C requires soldering. It is a skill that must be practiced to learn and master... get on that asap! No joke! 😉
Acing soldering would put you ahead of some ppl in here, before you even bought your first r/c!!! 😎👍
Theres other things too like how to safely charge and store lipo batteries. More more more!!!
Go talk with them today! 👍
Local hobby shops and tracks will be full of ppl who will help you out if you ask NICELY 😉 EVERY person you see racing, hobby shop owners, me... was a noob once too! We ALL know the atruggles and the feeling when we finally win!!!
Secure your 'help' resources first.
Figure out tools too. They will be a necessary part of your purchase, even a new one ( but most come with a very basic tool kit)
You don't have all the $ saved but theres plenty you can do to start getting ready to buy your buggy!
 

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