Gas or Electric?
Electric R/C trucks are recommended as a first model for beginners. Then as you gain experience you can buy the faster gas powered R/C trucks.
Here are factors to consider for buying gas or electric models.
| Gas R/C Trucks | Electric R/C Trucks | |
| Speed | Anywhere from 27-50 mph. Out of the box gas trucks are fast. | Anywhere from 14-22 mph. Going faster would require expensive batteries and modified motors. |
| Run Time | 5-8 minutes per fuel tank. Simply refuel and you can play all afternoon. | 5-10 minutes per battery pack. Motor usually needs to be cooled down before running again. |
| Cost | Initial cost is the same as electric models. The only major maintenance cost would be fuel and rebuilding the piston/sleeve of the engine every 2-4 gallons of running. | Initial cost is cheap. However, to achieve speeds similar to gas trucks requires expensive motors and batteries. |
| Ease of Operation | Gas engines can be finicky and sometimes refuse to start. Good engine tuning knowledge and skills are necessary. | Simply charge the battery pack and start playing. |
| Realism | The sound of the 2-stroke engine, the smell of nitro, and the shifting of a 2-speed transmission makes gas trucks more fun. | - |
| Other Factors | The noise factor must be considered. Your neighborhood or local city ordinance might have a law against noise.
Also nitro fumes require that you play in well ventilated areas (i.e. outdoors). |
Quiet operation lets you play indoors and outdoors without disturbing anyone. |