I have been thinking about buying a good RC car with pistol grip radio for my son.  There are lots of remote controlled cars in any shop, but I was looking for 1/36 or even 1/18 cars, with good rechargable power systems and most importantly, availability of spares.  We are looking for the under 10 age group, and as low as 4 to 5.

Another big condition is that EITHER acceleration should be controllable (some kind of "end-point" setting on the radio) OR it should have very good crash resistance for head-on crashes (which can be expected of the really young ones). Having BOTH of these features is actually preferred.  Saw some LOSI models in the local stores, need to do my research before I take the plunge.

Anyone here with experience/suggestions ?

anwar bhai i once saw a video on you tube for a good car(i dont remember the name)but it had a speed controler as you require.....

one is this one and try and watch all the videos of the shaggy haired person inthe video he really gives good tips............

[Admin Edit]: Fixed Youtube URL (you just need to paste the URL as is, no need to paste full screen etc).

what do u plan for?
nitro or electric?

Obviously no nitro for kids !

changed the video now watch it again

oh,was doing programming as my computer exam is tomorrow so in hurry forgot to read the age part
i think u should take a heavy and slow truck style of a vehicle
actually i have a cousin bro[4 years of age] whom i gifted one rc car[normal style tx-proportional/analog one] don't remember from where on his birthday and he was able to use it easily
that one was a really heavy one but was not too fast and hence was under his control

hope u get an idea what to get
-ANkur

  i think the electric ones from losi is good.saw one with kunjai (micro baja), not all the options u r  looking for and bit underpowered also.no personal experince for me

Check out the Losi ones, Good value for money. unless something better comes up, they are the first hobby grade cars that my boy will be playing with an year or so.

Anwar ,
First Check if the kid likes on or off road  you don't decide , I took that decision based on my liking for Venkat and it turned out wrong  he loves On road the LED's , Drift etc while I prefer off road
Sai

Well, I plan it for use in my front yard mainly, which has brick paving, so it will be offroad.  He is around five, too young to make such choices (takes what he gets )

The brick paving goes around the house (you know houses/villas in the GCC), so that serves as a long track, except that he will have to walk with the car around the house ! Other wise the front yard is big enough.

I do have 2 of these batteries in my heli starter, so that is another thing I should consider.

http://www.duratrax.com/caraccys/dtxc2030.html

Since I am going lipo on the starter using the Align one, these can be put to good use on a car that supports it.  Wonder if 1/18 scale cars would take these.  More research called for !

Which Losi model were you looking at ?

Also wonder about this :

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/cPath/1_44_228/products_id/30524/n/DuraTrax-Evader-EXT-ST-RTR-Electric-Off-Road-Truck
http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=957 

Decently priced, looks uncomplicated, and can take my existing batteries

Hmmm. The Evader is available at Tower, so the 25% off coupon will also kick in.  People do talk about broken shocks etc, but they can then be "hopped up" later. 

Ajo, change my mind for me

How old is your son? 1/10 is always better. But should be able to handle it. Some 1/10 scales will be fast. So for younger people, the micro hobby grade ones makes more sense. The 1/36 ones are about $90 or so.

Took a long time (like always ), toying with the idea of getting a Duratrax Evader EXT RTR...  OR getting something better !

The Evader is cheap, can use the 6 cell batteries I have already from my heli starter which I don't use anymore etc.  Many people recommend it for young ones (mine is 5 years old).  But then you get what you pay for, including easily broken parts (we have a walkway in the front yard which is depressed a little, so the car/tires would hit the edge of it often).

So finally broke down and ordered a 1/10 2WD Slash (non-brushless) with a 2.4Ghz radio from Tower.  Their 25% discount coupon made the decision somewhat easier   The main drivers behind the decision were how often it was recommended for kids of this age due to their durability, the availability of a "training mode" in the radio that would keep it tame for beginners, and the vested interest of the parent in playing with it every once in a while  

I considered the Stampede also for its ground clearance but it seems like Slash would be a lot of fun on the parking lots too.

And yes, Ajo is the one to blame for all of this !

Good choice.Upgrading it later might make it a good competitor.Since I will get a 4wd slash,I'll say mine will always be better. > >

1/36-Losi Micro Remunator/ Micro-T
1/18-Losi Remunator/remunition
1/10-Traxxas rustler XL-5

Losi remunitor are available in all scales-8,16,36

good choice... slash all the way

While researching the Slash versus Stampede, I came across this :

http://monster.traxxas.com/showthread.php?t=442553

This video is what sold the Slash for me !

The slash seems more serious to me.The stampede is more of a show off,like it does tons of wheelies.Too much of a good thing is bad.

But the slash was the right choice.Absolutely no doubt about it.

but no wheelies on slash...ha ha

That is good.Wheelies look stupid,I know they are a show of raw power and heaps of torque but thet do end up destroying your car.For example,the rear wing on the mini e revo.I know we can add a wheelie bar or gear it up but too much work for a lazy guy like me.

thats what i hate revo for, no wheelie bar, a wing mount instead. Savage or jato is a lot better on this spot

Anwar bhai,sorry for hijacking  your thread.We'll take our discussion to a new thread.

Here are some pictures...

It seems to be quite a sturdy car, and the training mode really helps !  The bumpers seem to be built to take quite a bit of abuse !

if i am right it is the 2wd slash..?
Anyways bumper is a definite (+)ve,big thumbs up on that

Slash is the best value for money
Most durable no doubt
Nice color and graphics of your model

Yes, 2WD.  For the 5 year old, no need for brushless insanity (as yet!)

very true, 2wd is fast enough for any beginner even an adult

Beautiful body there.I think it is the Mike Jenkins or Mark Jenkins edition

Great choice, Anwar. I am waiting for my boy to turn 6 to get him his own.

Yes, it says Mike Jenkins on the box.

The only difference between the two editions is the number on the body.