There are many hobbies out there that we could have to keep us occupied in these fascinating times. Radio-controlled (RC) cars are just one of them. Many people tend to think that these are for kids. They are wrong. The truth to the matter is that there are a lot of adults that collect these items. Some are even racing with RC cars in different tournaments. They can use various sources of energy. That tends to evolve as technology evolves. They also come in diverse models and types. Most people are familiar with a toy-grade model, but there are many more. The most common way to categorize RC vehicles is on RTR and KIT. Some are maybe too expensive for everyday enthusiasts and are bought by collectors. But luckily, the market provides something for everyone interested. If anyone is interested in learning more about this topic or already has an idea of what they want, they can get their monster RC truck here. However, there is more to understand first, for example, the differences between KIT and RTR cars, and here are the three biggest differences.
1. Their complexity and how quickly can we start using them
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The main and the biggest differences become obvious as soon as you understand what they both are. RTR stands for “Ready To Run,” and as opposed to that, we have “Build Your Own Kits.” The easiest way to explain it is to compare it to buying furniture and buying furniture in IKEA. IF the only thing you want to do is opening a package and start using your RC car, then RTR is the way to go. Naturally, you will also have to charge it first. No time needs to be spent on assembling the RC car, and they will be tuned, and everything will be set up straight out of the box. There will be some options available for additional tuning but not too many. On the other side, we have KIT. With them, you get the parts, tools, and accessories. But assembling is your job from there. It is not the most complicated thing in the world, but it can be tiresome. Since it is not a simple machine, it could be too intricate for some individuals. The advantage here is that since one is building it from scratch, you get to adjust everything to fit the preferred design. That is not something that RTR cars provide. Then again, it is not something that a first-time owner would require or know how to accomplish. Some knowledge about RC cars is required, but the most significant thing here is enthusiasm. When it comes to building it up from scratch, it is all about tiny details and hard work that bring pleasure.
2. Their affordability and accessories that they come with
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When it comes to price, it is usually the case that RTR RC cars are more affordable. Maybe that doesn’t make sense to some. After all, we just saw that RTR are the ones that are ready to go from the start. Perhaps some would think that this assembling would make it more expensive? There are reasons why that is not the case. Another difference between these two is about available modifications. A perfectly assembled KIT RC car would beat RTR in a race. That is why it is usually hobbyists and collectors that are ordering them. When ordering, build your own kit, people chose specific accessories they have in mind. That way, they can achieve the perfect tuning they had in mind. That adaptability that comes with additional parts is why they come at a higher cost. While RTR is more economical to purchase at first, if someone is interested in tuning it later with additional items, the price will catch up with build your own kits. So it is crucial to understand what you can expect from an RC car and knowing that might save some money in the long run. So if you already have prior experience and know what you need to enjoy RC cars, then RTR is not the best fit. If we are talking about a beginner, it might be best to go with RTR. No one should be under the impression that they are too inferior to their counterparts. We are still talking about an amazing product worth its price.
3. Time and knowledge needed to perform maintenance
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No one should be surprised that maintenance is key to enjoying this hobby for a long time. Maintaining and regularly cleaning these vehicles is vital in order to evade undesirable damage. How often it should be done depends on surfaces and other conditions in which we used them. Generally, the more often we do it, the better. For anyone who knows a thing or two about RC vehicles or for anyone who was paying attention, it is clear that RTR is easier to maintain. Not troubling ourselves with how harmonious are the parts of RTR is one of the most prominent advantages. Tightening up the screws and cleaning is still essential, but it is much simpler than with build your own models. The fact that maintenance is more complicated with RTR is good for beginners. But again, more experienced users sometimes cherish the time they spent fine-tuning and maintaining their vehicle. After all, the more time we spent working on it, the better our understanding of them becomes. Furthermore, we get a much better, faster, and maneuverable vehicle.
Conclusion
As we have seen, the easiest way to answer which RC car you should buy is to consider how experienced you are with them. Beginners will find RTR models more than adequate for their needs. If they intend to use them as nothing but the source of quick fun, they will find that they are not too time-consuming. Build your own models, on the other hand, will have much bigger potential. But achieving that potential will require some expertise and time spent on their vehicles. At the end of the day, both are marvelous machines, and it is up to you to pick one that will serve your needs best.
