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Which Nitro RC Car Is Best For A Beginner?

Even though some RC enthusiasts prefer electric cars for their simplicity, a number of other enthusiasts would rather go for the thrill and challenge that a nitro RC car offers. Even some new hobbyists would really rather choose a nitro RC and if you’re that beginner who would rather choose a nitro RC, here are some of the best and cheapest nitro RC cars to consider purchasing. 

The 5 best nitro RC cars for people who are just starting out are: 

  • Redcat Racing Nitro Shockwave Buggy
  • Exceed RC Forza Nitro Powered Off Road Buggy 
  • Redcat Racing Lightning Nitro On Road RC
  • Exceed RC Infinitive Nitro Monster Truck
  • Redcat Racing Tornado S30 Buggy Nitro

Each of these models are well designed, durable, and won’t break the bank when purchasing them. One important thing to consider about nitro RC cars though is that there continued costs of fuel, maintenance, etc. is normally much higher than a battery powered RC so make sure that you are ready to pay up to use your nitro RC regularly before you ever buy it. 

To see some of the things to consider when comparing nitro be electric RC cars check out the video below. To see the most popular Nitro RC cars just click here.

Exceed RC 1/10 2.4Ghz Short Course Monster Nitro Gas Powered RTR Off Road 4WD Truck Stripe Red

Want to get an RC car that sounds like a real vehicle? Then you have to check out this nitro RC car.

Nitro RC cars take real fuel and sound like the real deal… and they are about the same price as battery powered RCs as well.

Best Nitro RC Cars for Beginners

Here are some of the best and most affordable nitro RC cars for beginners that are currently available. These are all from two brands, Redcat and Exceed, so if what you are looking for isn’t exactly met by these 5 vehicles then you can simply look for other nitro models produced by them to find quality but also affordable RCs. 

Redcat Racing Nitro Shockwave Buggy

This is a powerful off-road RC car designed to deal with the toughest terrains and even take the worst beatings as well. It comes with a single-speed transmission that works with a pull start Vertex VX.16 engine and 4WD to ensure that you get top speeds and don’t have to worry about getting stuck in less than desirable terrain. 

These features also ensure strength and durability. It is controlled with a 2.4GHz radio, which makes it easier for you to not interfere with other racers who are nearby. 

What’s more? The Redcat Racing Shockwave Buggy is an affordable nitro vehicle that runs with nitro fuel, has a 80142a glow plug igniter, and 12 AA batteries. It also comes with composite brakes, 6061 anodized aluminum chassis, and capped oil filled shocks. Combined with the single transmission, these features make the buggy a durable, reliable, and easy to use RC vehicle. Having a ground clearance of 1/2in, this nitro Shockwave offers superior performance and speed while still allowing it to be used off road with no problems. 

This RC car also comes with a Nitro 2.67 cc Vertex motor that ensures that this car has enough power to race efficiently on any terrain. It offers a standard speed of up to 35 miles per hour. One downside of this model is that it does not come with batteries even though it requires batteries to power the transmitter and receiver. 

You would have to purchase batteries and fuel separately.

You can find this model and check out more extensive reviews for it by clicking here

Exceed RC Forza .18 Engine RTR Nitro Powered off-road buggy

This is a four-wheel-drive nitro RC car that comes packed with power. It comes with a 3-gear transmission mounted at the center and a high-precision ESC with a reverse function that gives you absolute control. The high precision receiver has two channels. This nitro powered buggy also comes with extra long nitride-coated shocks to provide better impact absorption. It also has a light-weight and stiff chassis that makes sure it can glide over branches, rocks, or anything else that gets in its way, including snow or rain. This model also comes with waterproof electronics to let you drive in any kind of weather.

This buggy also comes with a .18 high-torque motor that provides all the power that you will need, easily conquering whatever is thrown at it. Plus, the motor’s weight is positioned low, so you can get the lowest possible center of gravity. 

On top of being affordable, it offers top speed with the only downside being that its parts can be a bit low-end, and the vehicle is a bit on the heavy side. However, you can easily get replacement parts and upgrades at your local hobby shop or online.

You can learn more about this model by clicking here

Redcat Racing Lighting On-road Car with VX 16 Taiwan Pull-start Engine

This hobby-grade RC car that is stylishly designed has wheels that enable drifting when the vehicle is turning. Even though this can get in the way of speed and handling and has no practical benefit, it helps you to achieve perfect maneuvers, something that is absent in most RC cars.

While other RC vehicles enhance performance by providing high speeds and terrain and handling versatility, Redcat Racing makes use of components that are mainly focused on drifting. Components such as hard and slick tires that work great for drifting also make it a challenge to gain traction. Also, even though speed could increase as the motor breaks in, its fastest speed is only 15mph which is quite slow for most RC cars. 

While drifting might look more like a downside than a benefit, the truth is, improved drifting lets you experience RC racing in a whole new way, making it a great option if you love a challenge. More than just drifting around corners, the Lighting also lets you do trick spins. This car lets you unleash your creativity more than any other could.

Seeing as it is a slick RC vehicle, the downside of this car is that it is not as durable as other models listed here as well as considerably slower. It has low ground clearance, and this means that the chassis, instead of the wheels, have to bear the brunt for most crashes and it shouldn’t be used off road. 

It has a 2.4GHz pistol transmitter remote with proportional control. Even though this can be really good for advanced racers, beginners can also give it a try.

You can find some additional reviews of this model by clicking here. 

Exceed RC Infinitive Nitro Gas Powered RTR Off-road Monster 4WD Truck

The Exceed RC Infinitive Nitro Gas Powered RTR Off Road Monster 4WD Truck features a high-torque .18 nitro engine, high-impact wheels, adjustable wishbone suspension, all-wheel-drive system, oil-filled big bore shocks, and a lot of other features that make it just the perfect option for any enthusiast.

This monster truck runs very well, and all you need to do is pop on the glow plug igniter and pull the pull-cord once or twice. The engine will instantly come alive and start purring.

This car is the one RC vehicle that proves that it is more than just looks, so if you don’t mind looking past the flashy and brushless RC cars for a fun truck that offers solid performance, this is one vehicle you really want to consider.

This model is also quite economical which is a huge bonus especially as many nitro powered cars are quite expensive. 

You can learn more about this model by clicking here

Redcat Racing Tornado S30 Buggy Nitro

This great all-around buggy is powered by a cutting edge brushless motor and an amazing outer appearance that suits people of all ages.

It runs on the .18 SH Nitro Engine with Pull Start that includes 4WD and forward/reverse transmission. In addition, it also runs on 4 AA batteries for the receiver, which tend to  last for quite a long time. The controller requires 8 AA batteries, which are not included but aren’t too expensive to get at a local store. 

It comes with waterproof electronics, independent spring suspension systems, and a gigantic spoiler that powers it from the back, letting the RC get superior aerodynamics.

You can read some reviews or learn more about this model by clicking here. 

Conclusion 

I hope this article was helpful in detailing some of the best nitro RC vehicles for beginners. All of these models are priced well below the competition which is especially helpful for beginners since they don’t have to worry about destroying an extremely expensive machine. 

Redcat and Exceed are both good RC car manufacturers and their nitro models should last you for many years to come despite being some of the cheapest nitro models available.