My son and I are buying ourselves a radio controlled car for Christmas but having looked through the Google returns and a few forums I realise that deciding which one is harder than I thought. Definately looking at battery powered as they seem easier for beginners, but want something that will last and amuse a 10 year old and a 38 year old! 
.Currently looking at the Traxxas Bandit or the HPI Maverick XB.
Anyone got any experience with RC Cars?
Cheers
Alex
Definitely worth sticking to electric to start with - quieter and easier to work with, cheaper too.
I bought one, as did the brother in law but both ourselves and others who have bought them found them to be a hit of a fad, so buy something cheap and durable and upgrade later if you find yourself keen, many parts are transferable.
You need a nice quiet carpark to really use them though, theyāre pretty quick!
I went bonkers a few years ago on RC cars - still got most of them
Carbon chassis (steady JF) actual āproperā dampers, different compound tyres - it can all get a little anal if your not careful not to mention expensive
I think the buy robust and buy cheaply to start is a good idea but once you start down that slippery pathā¦ 
Oh and yes start with battery power although for extended use/running time youāll have to eventually go down the petrol route - changing and charging batteryās every 15mins can become a real pain
Bought one last yearā¦ probably went a bit mad too but it was a car I always wanted as a kid, so thought sod it !
Had a good laugh with it thoughā¦
Make sure you get lipo batteriesā¦ and a brushless motorā¦ batteries will last longer and they are pretty damn quick.
I know a bit. See this thread:-
http://www.exiges.com/ubbz/ubbz/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=128286&page=1
I also built a Fire dragon last year. Personally I love the vintage Tamiya stuff, there is alot more to it than the modern out of the box shite. I would honestly start with a Hornet, you build the thing together and have a great understanding of the kit if and when you break it.
I remember building my monster beetle (the first time round) as a young lad with my dad one christmas, memorys that will last.
A brushless lipo set up will be too fast for a beginner and a ten year old, youāll smash it to bits.
So my view is buy a Hornet, have fun building it then go play. A hornet is loads of fun, nothing like as competent as a modern buggy but where is the fun in that. Bouncing around is great fun.
My fire dragon is brushless and handles great but I would rather play with the Hornet. You can hop it up with a sports tuned motor too, mine has a GT tuned but in honesty thats a bit too torqy and causes too much wheel bounce.
http://www.fusionhobbies.com/Tamiya-Hornet-p/ta58336.htm
There you go. Also if you dont go Tamiya I would say avoid falling into the trap of trying to get something really quick. You need to thing about where you can use it, even at 30mph you will struggle to use it in many places.
Avoid nitro, they are a total PITA to keep running.
My modern stick pack runs for 30mins in my GT tuned hornet and charges in less than an hour, you only need two batterys really.
Boothy (closet geek)
Well done Boothy, a clear understandable introduction to something I Know nothing about. Doubt whether Iāll get one for Christmas
Well you should, great fun to build and to play with
If you donāt fancy a hornet a boomerang is a more complex build and also alot of fun, its also 4wd.
Thanks for all the advice chaps 
Boothy - I had a Sand Scorcher/Rough Rider when I was younger and as per others experiences, all I can remember is the disappointment when the batteries only lasted a few mins. Fancy the idea of building - vaguely remember enjoying building the Sand Scorcher with my dad. But also would like to find something thats tougher and upgradeable to brushless and Lipos, (Iām already used to this technology in model planes).
Anyway research goes on 
Alski
Get one for you and one for your lad then, knowing what ten year olds are like heāll want to play with it often and on the street.
With a brushless set up your talking 30mph as a minimum and thats way to quick for local bashing. What about something like a Ansmann mad rat?
They are cheap as chips and when you want a brushless set up just change the car to something better and keep the mad rat for street bashing.
There is nothing to stop you starting with lipo batts and brushed motors so you are already set up for when you go brushless
I still think Tamiya rule though, the modern stuff has no soul.
Oh no now you have me wanting to buy another R/C car, like most of us I had Tamiya kits when I was younger and now I need another, even if I only build it and put it on display 
Had a Tamiya Sand Scorcher when I was a lad ā¦
Was very big into rc planes too even had a couple of W/C capable pattern planes .
Just bought an indoor helicopter that Iām enjoying learning to fly ā¦
I got the bug for RC cars a few years ago but 18th scale after watching a youtube clip on how fast they can be made to go , i have a RC18MT with Lipo/brushless power , all carbon/titanium/ally setup , i must of spent nearly 1k on the thing over a year , it will do a real 70mph.
TBH its way to fast , Have you looked at the HPI Savage truck ? super tough and a huge amount of upgrades for if you want to mod it later ,Warning the RC word is a slippery slope
Alex,
if its offroad youād be better off with a slash than the bandit
Much as I hate to admit it (being non Tamiya) they are tremendous fun and practically unbreakable.
Ansmann rat from Boothy is also great, but may as well buy a Tamiya Sand viper instead. Easier to fix and sell later.
Unbeatable fun and cheap if you want 2, are Tamiya miniās. And you can always take these to the nearest rc race night/track and be warmly greeted with these no mods required.
Boothy - you on TC?
Like I said itās a slippery slope
I had all teh Tamiya stuff when I was young (I still have the Toyota pick-up).
Recently I bought a couple of 1:8 Lotus Elise Sport (eg Exige S1). They are from Schumacher and somtimes for sale at Ebay. They ware in fuel and electric form. I have no time to make some pictures at the moment, but will send them later.
For the fuel tipe you need (al lot of) space to run them. Because of the size you can use them also off- road
Regards.
Q.
a bit off topics, are there any 1:8 die cast model that u can buy for S1??? i keep searching found majority are S2ā¦
Thanks again for all the input - now thinking about a Tamiya Rising Storm (someone had to finally take some of Boothys advice 
stars added) we can build it ourselves but upgrade relatively cheaply to brushless at a later date.
<LINK_TEXT text=āhttp://www.wonderlandmodels.com/product ā¦ ing-storm/ā>Tamiya Models, RC Kits, Paints & Accessories | Wonderland Models</LINK_TEXT>
Series 1 - looked at the Slash, but it gets a bit of a slating by some for issues with the 4wd driveshaft to the front wheels, hence looking at the Bandit. Traxxas and HPI do seem to be regarded as the toughest cars at this price range.
Jfk - I fly fairly serious slope soarers - 3m wingspan carbonfibre gliders that in F3F comps can cover 1km in just over 30 seconds 10 legs of 100m course including 10 180 degree turns:
HOH Eurotour F3F 'The Movie' - YouTube
Alski
I am mate, fully paid up Not been on much over the last few months as been mega busy and saw my ass a little with my brushless fire dragon.
I fitted some DB 03 wheels and mini pin spike tyres (I think they were losi) off e-bay, I just dont fancy gluing the tyres and they wont stay on the rims which caused a flip and damage to my freshly painted shell.
Iām going to have to buy the tamiya ones now but along with the MB money pit is the word
Ade if your looking for a shelf queen the Avante is about to be re reād possibly the best looking RC car ever made, I really want one but they are looking expensive at ĆÆĀæĀ½300+ and I do like to play with them.
The Stadium Blitzer is being re reād too though and I always wanted one in my teens so could be the next buy.
Boothy
P.s. my brushless is an EZrun 9t, cheap as chips on e-bay and more than fast enough.