Cheap RC Cars
Hi, if you are looking for cheap rc cars, I would recommend electric powered (on or off road). There are great hobby quality rc cars from Tamiya, HPI, Associated, etc. Cheapest would be the smaller scale.
For example, a 1/36 Losi Micro T, complete with battery, charger, and radio control system, sells for approximately $80.
Photo of cheap rc cars. Comparisons and buying guide.
For 1/10 scale on road, one of the cheapest is the Tamiya TT01 expert built (XB) sereies. These come already assembled. Only thing you need to buy is the 7.2v battery pack, charger and 8aa batteries for the transmitter. Sells for approximately $ 250.
For HPI, look for their E10 RTR models (approx $160) and their HPI RTR Sprint 2 Sport Toureza (approx $179).
Here is the list of the cheapest ready to run (RTR) top 20 electric powered rc cars. Please note these are estimated selling price and might vary from different hobby shops.
| Company | On/Off Road | Scale | Category | Model | Price |
| Losi | Off Road | 1/36 | Stadium | Micro Desert Truck | $89 |
| Losi | Off Road | 1/18 | Stadium | Mini-T | $99 |
| Duratrax | Off Road | 1/10 | Buggy | Evader EXB | $109 |
| Duratrax | Off Road | 1/14 | Crawler | Cliff Climber | $119 |
| Losi | Off Road | 1/18 | Stadium | Mini-Desert Truck | $129 |
| Tamiya | On Road | 1/10 | Mini | Mini Cooper 94 Monte Carlo M03 | $149 |
| Tamiya | Off Road | 1/10 | Buggy | Grasshopper XB | $149 |
| HPI | On Road | 1/10 | Touring | E10 | $159 |
| HPI | Off Road | 1/10 | Buggy | Brama 10b | $164 |
| Tamiya | Off Road | 1/10 | Buggy | Lunch Box XB | $169 |
| Tamiya | Off Road | 1/10 | Buggy | Hornet XB | $169 |
| Losi | Off Road | 1/18 | Sprint | Mini-Slider | $179 |
| Traxxas | Off Road | 1/10 | Short Course | Slash | $189 |
| Duratrax | On Road | 1/18 | Rally | Vendetta | $189 |
| Losi | Off Road | 1/18 | Monster | Mini-LST2 | $219 |
| Losi | Off Road | 1/10 | Short Course | Strike | $229 |
| Traxxas | Off Road | 1/16 | Short Course | Slash VXL 4WD | $239 |
| Losi | Off Road | 1/18 | Crawler | Mini-Rock Crawler | $239 |
| Tamiya | On Road | 1/10 | Drift | Lexus GS400 Drift Spec TT-01D XB | $245 |
| HPI | On Road | 1/10 | Drift | Sprint 2 Drift Assembled | $247 |
Hope this helps you make a buying decision. You can buy these r/c cars online, visit the RC Cars For Sale section of this website for a list of online hobby shops.
Have fun!
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isnt the lunchbox a 1/12 scale? you have it as a1/10
Hi Charles, you have an eagle eye, thanks for pointing that out. Your are correct, the Lunchbox is 1/12 scale.
Joel
I just saw a 1/10 scale Raptor Traxx from Extreme Machines (extrememachinesrc.com) in Costco for $79.99. RTR with battery, controller and charger. 540 motor with claim of 17 to 20 mph on flat surface. AWD.
Would this be a good buy? Price seems really good compared to what you have listed. Is there a catch here?
Not being sure about my commitment yet, I think this would fit my bill.
- Jake
hi Jake,
At $79.99 that’s probably a toy quality. But if you want to try out the hobby cheaply, go for it. Then when you really like the hobby, go for the hobby quality kits mentioned on the list.
Catch is these probably have no spare parts, once something breaks, you usually cannot repair it. It might not be fully digital proportional (e.g. steering and acceleration is very rough/vague).
Hope this helps.
Joel