Nitro vs electric: pro/con

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JohnSampson

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My friend wants to get another rc car, he is not sure if he wants to get an electric or a nitro, he had a nitro previously, he likes the sound if a nitro and the look if the smoke, but wants it to be reliable. - thanks:)
 
Reliability comes down to the operator, I have 2 nitros that fire right up and are very reliable. The thing I like about nitros is that I can go somewhere and not have to worry about my battery's running out. If you have a lot of battery's, this will not effect you but to get to that point, you will spend a small fortune on battery's themselves. I think nitros are cheaper because electric is so popular right now.
 
Cost is irrelevant actually. Electric guys pay up front in the form of batteries that will last many years if properly maintained. Nitro guys pay as they go buying fuel, in the end it's likely a wash. Also if you have multiple rigs that can run the same batteries (as I do), then you really only need one type of pack, making it easy to really cut that cost.

As mentioned, reliability is all in how the rig is operated and maintained. There is nothing about nitro rigs that's makes them inherently unreliable, but abuse and poor maintenance will make anything unreliable, nitro or electric.
 
Cost is irrelevant actually. Electric guys pay up front in the form of batteries that will last many years if properly maintained. Nitro guys pay as they go buying fuel, in the end it's likely a wash.

This. You can generally get into the game a little cheaper with nitro, but the fuel adds up. Scale is also irrelevant; bigger nitros consume more fuel, and bigger electric motors require larger, more expensive packs. A quality 4S 5,000+ mAh pack for 1/8 scale will easily set you back $60-$80.

As well, both nitro engines and electric motors/ESC wear out. My personal experience has been that ESCs don't last as long as a properly maintained nitro piston & sleeve, though; the battery packs tend to outlive the speed controllers.

For me, the biggest advantages to electric are:

1) indoor tracks during winter or otherwise inclement weather and

2) it's definitely quicker to just plug in and flip a switch once at the track, then simply turn it off when you're done.

For nitro, the upsides are:

1) Realism of having an actual engine

2) no need to spend a significant amount of time the day before charging pack after pack. Just have one or two 4 AA back-up receiver packs and a C or D cell igniter on hand, and you're ready to rock any time, even if you forgot to charge your rechargeable packs and igniter.

Biggest disadvantages to electric are:

1) again, the battery thing. Can't keep LiPos at full charge for extended periods, so if the car has been put up for a few weeks and you get the urge to run it, you're gonna have to wait a couple hours.

2) Little or no warning when components are failing. ESCs and electric motors tend to just up and die.

3) for those of us in this hobby for the long haul, the fact that battery packs die over time with or without use is a consideration.

Biggest disadvantages to nitro are:

1) regular tuning; even though you can pull the car out, grab some alkaline batteries and go any time, you may have to spend a few minutes dialing everything in before you can really start playing

2) The mess. Nitros get icky, period.

3) Noise. Even if you like it, it can be irritating at times, and if you live in a densely populated area, your neighbors may become very annoyed with your hobby.
 
3) "Noise. Even if you like it, it can be irritating at times, and if you live in a densely populated area, your neighbors may become very annoyed with your hobby."[/QUOTE]


You should have listed this one under "nitro advantages". I only have one neighbor who is annoyed by everything and it is the highlight of my day when he is outside and I'm running my nitro's. And I'm just waiting for him to say something because then I'll make up a straight pipe for my 30.5 on my 1/5 truck.
 
There's the noise, there's that smell and there's that feeling of satisfaction.
When you're done you can take your nitro truck outside for some enjoyment.
 
I only have one neighbor who is annoyed by everything and it is the highlight of my day when he is outside and I'm running my nitro's. And I'm just waiting for him to say something because then I'll make up a straight pipe for my 30.5 on my 1/5 truck.

By doing this you give The RC community a bad name. Just go to the closest park where you can get away from people. Then no ones feelings are hurt.
 
3) "Noise. Even if you like it, it can be irritating at times, and if you live in a densely populated area, your neighbors may become very annoyed with your hobby."


You should have listed this one under "nitro advantages". I only have one neighbor who is annoyed by everything and it is the highlight of my day when he is outside and I'm running my nitro's. And I'm just waiting for him to say something because then I'll make up a straight pipe for my 30.5 on my 1/5 truck.[/QUOTE]

By doing this you give The RC community a bad name. Just go to the closest park where you can get away from people. Then no ones feelings are hurt.

+1 to what Non Crimen stated. It's in everyone's best interest to get along with your neighbors. I have a neighbor that occasionally works the night shift on Fridays, so I wait until Saturday afternoon to fire up the nitro so he has a chance to sleep in peace and quiet.
 
My disadvantage with running my nitro's and my neighbors is no matter what time if I fire one up there outside like yah man tear it up I gather a crowd real quick. I often take mine to the park so I have some room and not like 6 or so people standing around! Guess I'm lucky there. My buddy and I just finished putting his revo back together 10pm tonight we took it out, he was like man think people will get mad. Fired it up 2 minutes first neighbor was out like man let me get my boots want to watch you guys run LOL!
 
By doing this you give The RC community a bad name. Just go to the closest park where you can get away from people. Then no ones feelings are hurt.

Everyone else in my neighborhood loves to come out and watch me run everything I have. I usually don't intentionally try to annoy him, he's just already annoyed because it's his nature. Most of the time I run my trucks out in the field behind the house, but I run my cars out in the street. Maybe I should get a truck or something out and walk over and hand him the transmitter and let him run it around. It just might change him. (or do something ugly to my truck!)
 
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I have to agree, and this is just my opinion but I have had a few electric trunks and cars, I have my four nitro monster trucks and my Jammin X1crt and I just like the excitement a nitro brings, I mean everything about them is great, the sound, how they shift and how you can just keep filling the tank up. I ran one of my trucks the other day at the park, I started it up and went through half a gallon non stop, it was great. But I think it comes down to where you live, I run my trucks and I don't care what anyone get annoyed at the noise. Have a good one.....
 
Thats cool, at least you have cool neighbors, my neighbors are douche bags and call the police all the time. Some of our parks have these park rangers that will stop you from simply running a nitro truck and give you a ticket because nitro cars and trucks are prohibited. Is that the biggest load of S@!t you have ever heard.
 
Thats cool, at least you have cool neighbors, my neighbors are douche bags and call the police all the time. Some of our parks have these park rangers that will stop you from simply running a nitro truck and give you a ticket because nitro cars and trucks are prohibited. Is that the biggest load of S@!t you have ever heard.

Glad I don't live where you live man, that stinks! My neighbor is the mayor in the town where I live and he loves it when I fire up the nitro's!
 
You should have listed this one [noise] under "nitro advantages".

+1zillion! ;-)

And 'icky'? C'mon 662. You would have been the last guy I thought to say that. I'm just pokin' at ya...so hope you don't get annoyed....but 'icky'? You might have to have your nitro card pulled. ;)
 
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Thats cool, at least you have cool neighbors, my neighbors are douche bags and call the police all the time.

We live in a fairly 'established' area...meaning demographics are middle-age professionals with kids, etc. who expect peace and quite. When we first moved here, I 'warned' my neighbors about our hobby. Basically told them what we do, and that we are respectful when we run, and typically only do so to test thing out. AND...if they ever have a problem with the noise, to please simply come over and tell me to knock it off. ;-) It was actually a good way to meet them all and show them I am cognizant about being a good neighbor

Not only have they been cool about it, but at one point we had four familiess in the surrounding eight houses near us get in to the RC hobby after seeing our vehicles. Our neighborhood calls our street 'RC lane' as during the summer we often run or stuff for 30-45 minutes in the evening...and it's a scene, man. Drag races, I take out the ramp e make obstacle courses, etc.

Short version is I've found if you are proactive and tell your neighbors to let you know if it's every disturbing to them goes a long way in obtaining some latitude.
 
We live in a fairly 'established' area...meaning demographics are middle-age professionals with kids, etc. who expect peace and quite. When we first moved here, I 'warned' my neighbors about our hobby. Basically told them what we do, and that we are respectful when we run, and typically only do so to test thing out. AND...if they ever have a problem with the noise, to please simply come over and tell me to knock it off. ;-) It was actually a good way to meet them all and show them I am cognizant about being a good neighbor

Not only have they been cool about it, but at one point we had four familiess in the surrounding eight houses near us get in to the RC hobby after seeing our vehicles. Our neighborhood calls our street 'RC lane' as during the summer we often run or stuff for 30-45 minutes in the evening...and it's a scene, man. Drag races, I take out the ramp e make obstacle courses, etc.

Short version is I've found if you are proactive and tell your neighbors to let you know if it's every disturbing to them goes a long way in obtaining some latitude.

And that folks, is how it's done. Nice job nerd.
 
Man I really like hearing stuff like this,ya know all it takes is a simple introduction to ones neighbors, just to say hey I'm so and so and this is what I do
 
And 'icky'? C'mon 662. You would have been the last guy I thought to say that. I'm just pokin' at ya...so hope you don't get annoyed....but 'icky'? You might have to have your nitro card pulled.

lol. No reason not to love them, but it is irritating for people like me who are mildly (or perhaps not so mildly) OCD when it comes to things being slimy/sticky/gooey. I degrease and power wash the engines top to bottom on my 1:1 cars regularly, too.

OUCH!!!! someone woke up on the wrong side of the polisher.

While his verbiage may have been a bit more colorful than what I'd have said, I agree wholeheartedly with the premise/sentiment.

Lstxxl2012 will eventually realize (likely the hard way) that mini-wars with the neighbors have no upside. None. Nada. Who would want to create a situation where the people to whom you live nearest wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire?

As Nitro Nerd said:

I've found if you are proactive and tell your neighbors to let you know if it's ever disturbing to them goes a long way in obtaining some latitude.
 
Wow, having neighbours seems taxing! I'm glad I don't have any. Well I don't think anyone wants to live beside a guy that has some sort of Diesel engine running at all hours of the night, so I'm sure I can rule out someone putting their house close to mine.

But, I whole heartedly agree that if you got them show them some respect. Or turn them like Nerd did.
 

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