On-Road vs. Off-Road

Radio controlled cars are usually designed to run on either on-road (i.e. parking lot) or off-road (i.e. dirt tracks).

On-road rc cars are designed to run on smooth concrete or asphalt surfaces. Traditional on-road cars used a pan chassis, direct drive transmission, and foam tires. The latest on-road craze has introduced new designs. Touring cars make use of full suspension chassis, gearbox transmission, 4-wheel drive, and rubber tires.

Off-road rc cars and trucks are designed to run on rough surfaces, such as backyards and dirt tracks. The cars are typically classified either as buggies, trucks, and monster trucks. Buggies use big rubber rear tires and thin front tires. Trucks use big rubber tires on all four wheels. And monster trucks use very large rubber tires and are the biggest of all radio controlled models.


What RC car should I buy?

If you are new to the hobby, try the off-road rc trucks. You can play them on the pavement or dirt tracks such as baseball fields and backyards. They are also very durable and should give you years of fun.

You can also buy rc monster trucks. The oversized tires allow these radio controlled beasts to run on virtually any terrain. These are fun to play with especially on the beach!
Most popular today are the Traxxas T-maxx and Tamiya Terra Crusher.

Which is the fastest RC car?

If you are after pure speed, on-road rc cars are the best. Electric powered on-road rc cars can reach speeds of 40 mph... while the nitro powered cars can reach in excess of 70 mph... definitely not for beginners.

Best brands are Tamiya, Serpent, OFNA, NEO, Kyosho, HPI, Traxxas, and Bolink.
For beginners, try an electric touring car like the cheap HPI Dash RC Car.
If you want 50+ mph nitro cars, try the OFNA OB4 Nitro RC Car.