RC Vehicles Buying Guide
Whether you’re buying a toy for a special child or are a super-fan building your own collection，buying and owing a hobby vehicle should be an exciting, fun thing to do. Today, the model car comes in a variety of models, makes and can be made from any number of materials (a drastic change from the old balsa wood models that originally emerged). As I have mentioned in my last post, there are more than 50 popular brands including Tomica, Altaya, Minichamps,Bandai, Brooklin, CMC, Dragon Wings, Exoto, Guisval, Ixo, Jada, Johnny Ligntning, Kyosho, Lledo, Matchbox, Norev, Plasticos Argentinos, Racing Champions, RCCA, Revell, Tekno, UT Models, Vitesse, and the popular Hot Wheels introduced by Mattel, among others.
When buying a model car, carefully consider what year, model and body style you really want to own. Once you have determined that your model is intact, pieces can be separated off into different sections. If you need assistance identifying them, a good tip is to write the corresponding part numbers on a piece of paper and then set the pieces by the proper numbers. This will allow the builder to dispose of the tray, paint, sand, and not have to worry about forgetting what goes where.
Many radio control modelers get their start in the hobby with an R/C car or truck. That’s a good idea. Getting the hang of a model that stays on the ground — most of the time! — is a little easier than controlling one that also challenges you to beat the law of gravity.
If you prefer playing or racing indoors or have limited space to play, there are small but fast micro and mini rc cars. Popular models are the 1/28 Kyosho Mini-Z and the 1/18 HPI Micro RS4. One of the hottest segment of the hobby, and companies are scrambling to produce their own mini remote control cars and trucks.
Protecting your collection is an important part of the hobby. Keep your collection out of direct sunlight, which can damage the finish. Also avoid storing your collection somewhere with high temperature changes. These can warp or damage the finish, or the car itself. Highly humid locations should be avoided for the same reason.
