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Many people look at Radio Control Cars as just toys and sometimes they are near the truth.
The main reason for that is that Radio Controlled Toys have in the past couple of years got

a LOT better in quality and even in performance.

This is not to say that Hobby grade Model “RC” ( radio control) Cars have lagged behind as they are certainly much more like driving a real car or truck than they were even 2 years ago.

There is not such a fine line any more between Radio Control Toys and Hobby Grade cars.
Both are available as either 4 wheel drive or all terrain vehicles or as racetrack style cars for use on flatter surfaces or even paving stones perhaps even indoors.

The main differences now are on the engines and for toys these are usually electric and
are powered mainly by AA or rechargeable batteries.

One thing to watch for is the difference between

Radio Control and Remote control remote control is usually a wire going from the car to the controlling handset whereas a Radio Control Car is not connected physically but commands are given by a wireless connection from free wireless transmitter handset to a receiver inside the car or truck.

Toy Cars are sometimes looked down on by some people in the Hobby communities but if people derive pleasure from toy grade cars then I am in favour of that.

Recently Toy cars come with much more durable bodies as makers know that some users like to stage collisions ! (But like their cars to work afterwards)

Hobby Grade Radio Control cars are pretty much always Radio Controlled.
Older models may be remote control.

These are sometimes very collectible.

One of the big differences is that Hobby Grade Cars are repairable in case of damage while many toy grade cars will just have to be patched us as best as the owner can manage. Spares are very rarely available for Toy Grade cars.

This is because Hobby grade cars now are mainly capable of being upgraded and spare parts are generally easily available.

The reason for this is that hobby grade cars often need tuning or the owners want to add
flashy new exhaust pipes,steering units or other great addons .

This is one of the ways that Hobby Car makers use to make extra income.
They supply a demand but sometimes supplies coming from the Far East take a while to arrive.

Electric cars are some of the cheapest and have minimal servicing needs like minor cleaning and replacing worn parts.

They are probably the best starter cars for a novice driver and are generally quite durable.
Electric cars are now supplied mainly with “brushless” engines and some earlier ones can be upgraded.

Nitro Cars have real small combustion engines – a miniaturized version of car engines although they run on special fuel based on Nitromethane,Methanol and oil – supplied usually by hobby stores.
These engines are known as Glow Plug engines and the cars powered by them can reach quite high speeds.

The engines can be replace often with larger capacity ones that supplied by the maker . These do however need a bit more maintenance as the fuel does spray around a little and they also need tuning.

It is much easier for the novice to buy a pre-tuned car in this category
These are known as Ready To Run cars.

Generally the Nitro cars are about 20 percent bigger than Electric Cars due to the
glow plug engines and they are much faster. (There are actually many different cars available and the crossover between electric and Nitro Cars in output is sometimes similar).

The next grade up is Hobby grade cars with real engines – these are known as “Gassers” or “Fuelies” and have much bigger engines similar in size to brush cutter engines and with a corresponding increase in power.
These are for the real enthusiast and cost much more than Nitro or Electric models.

Cars for Racing have very specific requirements for engine size and other needs.
You will always receive a transmitter handset with your radio control car and a manual.
Keep the manual safe – you WILL need it.

Second user cars are popular as many users upgrade.
Always make sure you get the manual and an assurance that the car will not be “DOA” (dead on arrival!).

If the car is not functioning properly then get your money back.
It is a good idea if buying at auction to always use Paypal which covers you for up to $500 in this case or in the case of nondelivery.

It may seem like everything is on sale at the major retail stores all the time, but really that’s not the case. The retailers still know that seasonal sales can be money makers for them when promoted and executed properly. Therefore, the wise shopper will do well to anticipate the annual seasonal sales and plan their purchases accordingly. The following seasonal sale calendar will help you to take advantage of the buying and selling cycle.

January
Everyone knows about the after-Christmas sales on boxed cards, candies and decorations. This is also a good time to look for clearances on popular Christmas season gift items, especially winter clothing. New Year’s resolutions usually include plans to exercise more regularly and to manage weight gains, so you can bet that retailers will run sales on these items. This is also a month when people look for ways to organize their storage of many items.

Typical Seasonal Sales This Month: White sales on linens, bedding, and towels. Storage containers and organizers. Workout, sports gear, and weight loss equipment. Winter apparel. Planners, calendars, office supplies. Toys and games on clearance. Dishes, appliances, computers, electronics.

Typical Major Purchases This Month: Appliances, furniture, computers, TVs.

February
Presidents Day and Valentine’s Day are mid-month events that give retailers excellent reasons to advertise flowers, candy, jewelry, and electronics.

Typical Seasonal Sales This Month: Valentine candy and gifts. Jewelry. Fireplace items and heaters. Perfumes.

Typical Major Purchases This Month: Used cars, electronics, floor coverings, housewares, snow blowers.

March
With the season changing people usually start looking at new spring clothing fashions. It’s also time to do some serious thinking about gardening. Easter often falls during this month.

Typical Seasonal Sales This Month: Winter clothing on closeout. Spring fashion clothing promotions. Gardening supplies. Closeouts on ski and skate equipment. Shoes. Easter clothing, toys, and candy. Luggage.

Typical Major Purchases This Month: Laundry appliances, ski equipment, storm windows, snow blowers, computers, TVs.

April
Easter often falls during this month. National Garden month occurs in April.

Typical Seasonal Sales This Month: Easter chocolates and other candies. Easter and spring dresses and shoes. Men’s suits and ties. Lawn and garden equipment. Home improvement items, wallpaper and paint.

Typical Major Purchases This Month: Lawn equipment, swing sets, swimming pools, vacations to Europe.

May
Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, and Cinco de Mayo fall during May. This is also a time to look for shoulder season travel bargains.

Typical Seasonal Sales This Month: Gardening supplies and home maintenance supplies. New summer clothes. Jewelry, watches, handbags, lingerie, and other gifts for mom. Outdoor barbeque items. Bug sprays, sunscreens. Auto maintenance.

Typical Major Purchases This Month: Tires, appliances, outdoor patio furniture, seasonal travel.

June
Father’s Day and National Safety Month fall during June. Hot weather brings concerns for service work on air conditioning units. Camping and outdoor sports are popular during the next few months.

Typical Seasonal Sales This Month: Building materials and lumber. Insect repellant and sunscreen. Outdoor lawn games. Patio furniture. Summer clothing, dresses. Father’s Day gifts. Outdoor barbeque items.

Typical Major Purchases This Month: TVs, air conditioners, refrigerators, computers, electronics.

July
The 4th of July holiday occurs. This is a big month for family vacations. Look for clearances on summer clothing and early sales on back-to-school items.

Typical Seasonal Sales This Month: Bathing suits and sportswear. Summer sports gear. Shoes, hiking boots, and summer clothes. Lawn mower clearances. Radios and stereo equipment.

Typical Major Purchases This Month: Floor coverings, air conditioners, used cars, vacation travel.

August
There should be large back-to-school promotions this month. Look for clearances on summer sporting goods and camping equipment.

Typical Seasonal Sales This Month: Barbeque and patio furniture clearances. Summer sporting goods. Pre-season ski equipment sales. Back-to-school supplies. Lawn and garden clearances. School clothes and backpacks. Laptop computers and printers for school. White sale items, linens and towels.

Typical Major Purchases This Month: Air conditioners, new cars, furniture, vacation travel.

September
This is the month for Labor Day sales and post Labor Day sales. Stores will be doing final clearances of summer goods and promoting early bargains in winter goods. Many new car models are introduced causing clearances of the current model year new cars.

Typical Seasonal Sales This Month: Back-to-school clearances. Clearance sales on all summer sporting goods, lawn and garden, patio and pool, clothing and shoes. Bicycles, paints, rugs, carpeting. Ski equipment.

Typical Major Purchases This Month: New cars, computers.

October
Halloween parties and sales occur this month. It is also a month to look for shoulder season travel bargains. Most stores begin stocking Holiday season decorations and gifts before Halloween now.

Typical Seasonal Sales This Month: Halloween candy and costumes. Fall and winter clothing. Fishing gear. Closeouts on school supplies and school clothes. Smoke detectors, fire extinguishers as this is Fire Prevention Month.

Typical Major Purchases This Month: New cars, houses, appliances, travel bargains.

November
Veterans Day and Thanksgiving occur this month. The Holiday Season starts immediately after Halloween and officially starts after Thanksgiving. This is also a good travel shoulder season. It’s wise to shop the pre-Thanksgiving and post-Thanksgiving sales for Christmas gift items.

Typical Seasonal Sales This Month: Winter coats, boots, and gloves. Quilts and blankets. Room heaters. Thanksgiving food, turkeys, etc. Furnace services. Car tuning and car antifreeze services.

Typical Major Purchases This Month: Travel bargains, new cars, used cars, appliances. Christmas gift shopping.

December
Holiday Season is in full swing. If retailers are greatly overstocked look for last minute bargains just before Christmas. Look for post-Christmas sales.

Typical Seasonal Sales This Month: Christmas gifts, cards, wrapping. Holiday lights and decorations. Party foods and baking. Winter clothing. Bicycles. Toys. Perfumes. Calendars and yearly planners. Candles.

Typical Major Purchases This Month: Appliances, TVs, computers, travel bargains early in the month.

The wise shopper will target many of their purchases by using the seasonal sales calendar. Be sure to stock up for a reasonable period whenever these seasonal sales opportunities arise.