Choosing the first car

After publishing the articles in my blog, I received an email with a fairly standard question:

Good evening! I really liked your articles about the Mini-Z, and immediately filled with childhood memories about radio-controlled cars. But it's not that. Having looked at various models with electric motors and internal combustion engines, I came to the conclusion that I did not know what to choose. Actually, for this reason I am writing to you. What is better to choose for the task “to drive around the office, home and the street”? It is desirable budget option to maintain (perhaps this is just a childhood memory, and playing enough, put in the far corner).

I just want to make a reservation, I'm not going to advertise someone or something in this article. I’ll just tell you a little about cars, price and provide links to the websites of manufacturing companies. Your path to the hobby may be completely different.
')

In Russia there is an excellent site with articles, links to shops and the largest and most popular forum for the Russian-speaking audience of modellers - RC Design . This site is a storehouse of knowledge on all topics related to radio-controlled modeling. When choosing the first model in the context of the financial crisis in the country, I recommend using the Flea Market section on the forum. In some cases, the purchase of "hands" saves many of the extra spending on their hobby. Impale you and vparivat bullshit you no one will. Today you bought something from me - tomorrow I will buy something from you. Modellers around the world are very decent people. All ride, fly, swim together. This is a very close-knit and friendly party, in which many people know each other personally for years and always help each other with advice and answers. Stab, minus for the incorrectly asked question on the forum no one will be you ... everyone has the same path to the hobby ... first they give advice to you, and tomorrow you will help someone.

Now in the case ...

All cars break down sooner or later. When choosing hobby goods (toys that are sold in the markets and in toy stores, we do not take into account) we must proceed from the availability of spare parts. For Russia, this is very important. The entire civilized world orders all hobby goods through online stores and gets to your home in 1-2 days with a minimum shipping cost. Our order from foreign online stores depends on many factors, including loyalty mail, customs, etc. As a rule, it takes from 10 days to a month of paranoid expectations.

Let's go further ...

You need to decide on your "Wishlist" and budget. Much depends on it. And, which is not unimportant, understand, if you don’t have a company, then every car will get bored and put on the shelf very quickly.

If the hobby attracts, then you need to take into account one more fact: - there are few who roll the model to full wear. From any model you grow quickly and want more. In this case, the model will be improved with the help of tuning parts, or you sell it and buy something new. The more expensive you buy, the more expensive you will sell.

About engines ...

• ICE (internal combustion engine) - I personally do not like! Stinks, dirt, noise a lot. Indoors do not ride. We must always somewhere to go on nature. The model has to be carried in the trunk of the car. Again, the eternal stench of fuel, oil, eternal dirt ... he is always all like a pig!
• Electric motors - the future is theirs! And no stink. No wonder in cars on a scale of 1: 1 began to install hybrid engines. Progress in the field of power sources gradually leads to the fact that models with electric motors can fight on equal terms with models equipped with internal combustion engines, and sometimes even improve them.

The initial investment in a car with an electric motor is somewhat larger than with an internal combustion engine, but this is subjective. For an electric model you need to buy a good charger right away (but it serves not one year and not too much in everyday life), plus batteries (and not one set) ... and they need to be charged ... and this is TIME and MONEY. But you can ride in the premises. On the other hand ICE - poured fuel from the canister and drove off. But this is permanent money (from 1000 rubles per gallon ... 3.78 l.)

And what is cheaper? -Subjectively! There are a number of nuances in favor of both engines. If you want, you can draw a table FOR and AGAINST for yourself :-) And do not forget such a thing as “COST OF OWNERSHIP” - this is fuel, batteries, consumables, gadgets, etc. Any model serves more than one month ... take a calculator and read.

Now about the car ...

Once again I will make a reservation, and I will say: -To start you need to buy a car, for which there are always available spare parts in the assortment of the store. And, if suddenly you have a desire to wake up, then it is desirable that the model can be tuned by purchasing additional spare parts, increasing the model's characteristics.

Types of models:

• On-Road - cars with minimal ground clearance, designed to drive on flat surfaces (asphalt, a variety of flooring, specially prepared tracks). Such models are often referred to as Track or Road.
• Off-Road - off-road kings. Buggy, Traggi, Monsters, Trial Crawlers

On-Road cars:

Micro class (scale 1: 43-1: 24):
about the Mini-Z you already know? - This is a Micro class. Scale 1:28 - 1:24. Suitable for indoor spaces - home, office or special trails. From the entire Mini-Z series, I would like to separately recommend the Mini-Z AWD - a very interesting model with all-wheel drive. Drift can perform well, and it never gets annoying if you don’t have a company. Not many can drive beautifully in Drift.



Mini-Z Monster and Overland - very quickly get bored (high-quality, reliable Japanese toys). Mini-Z Racer and Mini-Z Formula F1 are vehicles for special tracks or carpets, for pokatushek in the company of like-minded people or work colleagues. There is also a series of dNaNo car models - the scale is 1:43 - this is for gourmets (length 10 cm, weight 40 g, speed, like the Mini-Z) ... you need to write a separate review about them. There are a lot of different cheap clones in the Micro class, but they do not deserve special attention.

A complete set of entry-level micro-cars with equipment usually costs 5-6 thousand rubles.

Mini class (1:18 scale):
Most of these are all-wheel drive cars with electric motors (there are also internal combustion engines). It is best to use this model in enclosed spaces. Large offices or special carpet tracks. In this class, annual competitions are held in Moscow.



A complete set of entry-level highway cars at 1:18 with equipment usually costs 6-8 thousand rubles.

Class RC-12 (scale 1:12):
Sports chassis for driving on specially prepared tracks with asphalt or carpet. Rear-wheel drive chassis with electric motors, but there are also with internal combustion engines. Very fast cars, which are used mainly for competitions. This class is officially included in the grid of the championship of Russia on automotive sport. You can start with it, but if you know in advance that you are ready to spend and are going to participate in competitions. Initial investments of 10-12 thousand rubles.



Scale 1:10
One of the most widespread and widespread throughout the world. As a rule, this all-wheel drive car. Lots of different chassis models and a huge selection of bodies. A huge selection of different engines, electronics, options, accessories, etc. There are separate chassis series specifically designed for Drift. Drift class on this scale has recently become very popular. In Moscow, chassis from the companies HPI, Tamiya, Kyosho, Team Losi, Xray are popular. The stores have parts and tuning. Many pokatushek and competitions in Russia. Links to stores can be found here. Initial investment of about 9-11 thousand rubles.



Scale 1: 8 and 1: 5 - a car for "adult" boys. Expensive and rich! I do not recommend starting with this scale.



There is still a scale of 1:14 and 1:16 , but it’s too early to talk about it. In Russia, these cars are still very small.

Now about the Off-road car

Off-Road 1:18 is a very versatile class for both beginners and lovers ... there are monsters, buggies, traggies. Very vigorous cars with good speed and maneuverability. You can please colleagues in the office, if space permits, but only if the model with an electric motor. A huge plus is the relatively small cost of an initial set with equipment (6-9 thousand rubles). I would advise this particular scale to begin with.

Pay attention to the model from the company Associated called Associated RC18 (there are buggies, traggies and monsters)



I had an Associated RC18B (buggy) and RC18MT (monster), and I was very pleased.



Very reliable and strong chassis. Maintains jumps from springboards, blows about curbs, etc. Moscow stores have spare parts and tuning. If money allows, you can buy a brushless motor, a regulator for it, lithium-polymer batteries and a charger. As a result, get a bullet! The speed of the kit with a brushless pump on lithium polymers is up to 75 km / h. Very spectacular machine that delivers a lot of fun. There is an analogue of this car from the company LRP called Shark

Additionally, you can look at the Kyosho Mini Inferno car ... Mini LST , Mini-T from Team Losi ... etc. With the internal combustion engine on this scale is also not enough cars. You can look at the Mini Inferno in the version with ICE from Kyosho. In Moscow and in other large Russian cities they hold competitions in this scale.

PS You can search for these models in the Flea Market at RCDesign

Off Road 1:10 is also a very common SUV scale. Also spend a lot of competition. Examine the assortment of stores. Everywhere, as a rule, there are spare parts and tuning. The initial set costs 7-10 thousand rubles.



On 1:10 scale Off-Road is another type of car that is worthy of attention and they are called Crawler . Models intend for technical passing of difficult routes. Prices from 10 thousand rubles.


Off Road 1: 8 - the most, most, most common class of car models in the world! Initial costs of 15,000 rubles. In Moscow and the Moscow region there are competitions, and good tracks, and a sea of ​​people rolling on this scale. Most of them are models with ICE. Models with an electric motor on this scale tend to be more expensive than ICE.



Disclaimer: there is a pattern: - The larger the scale of the model, the higher the cost of electricity ... and it does not depend on whether it is a car, a plane, a helicopter or a boat. On a large scale, expensive batteries and expensive electronics. But on the other hand, and the ICE contain - it is constant money for fuel.

Off-Road 1: 6-1: 5 - again, expensive, rich ... on this scale it is already possible to use engines that run on regular gasoline!



What to choose? - To solve you! ... such an answer to the letter turned out!