| In this day and age of video games, electric RC cars | | | | vehicles will find Hummers, monster trucks, Jeeps and |
| are almost an anachronism. They are real, they are | | | | just about anything else that can tackle obstacles and |
| loads of fun, and they don't cost a lot. They don't keep | | | | rough terrain. And, of course, there are rare exotics like |
| you glued to a TV set or in the house. There are no | | | | Ferraris and Lamborghinis in all their glory. |
| levels to master, there is no boring repetition, and the | | | | Despite their generally very low prices, electric remote |
| game is never over or done. RC cars, despite their | | | | control cars are of amazingly high quality. I have some |
| sophisticated remote controls, are just good | | | | that have survived rough treatment and a lot of use |
| old-fashioned family fun. They appeal to kids of all | | | | for many years. I also like the fact that you can pick |
| ages and there are models for every taste and every | | | | from highly stylized cars all the way to ultra-realistic |
| budget. | | | | ones that look like shrunken versions of the real thing. |
| One thing about radio control cars that I find especially | | | | There are a few things to look out for when buying an |
| appealing is that the same technology works in tiny little | | | | RC car. Obviously, you want something that doesn't |
| cars just a few inches long all the way to impressive 1 | | | | fall apart after the first couple of play sessions. Most |
| 6-scale and even 1/4-scale models that can be | | | | are quite good, so that's generally not an issue. What's |
| several feet long. This means you can have fun with | | | | most important to me is that the electric motor has |
| RC toy cars even in small play areas. 1/8 or 1/6-scale | | | | enough power. There's nothing worse than having a |
| cars require more space, so they are best used | | | | shiny red Ferrari and the thing barely moves. Or a |
| outdoors or perhaps in a large den with hardwood | | | | tough-looking off-road truck that cannot even climb |
| floors. | | | | over the smallest bump. The favorite RC cars in my |
| Another thing I like about electric RC cars is the large | | | | home are those that reach dizzying speeds or are |
| variety of models. You can literally find just about | | | | powerful enough to rumble over rough terrain outdoors |
| anything. There are cartoonish cars like, for example, | | | | and negotiate steep inclines and obstacles. |
| the Speed Racer Mach V or some of the stars from | | | | My own favorite electric RC car is a 1/10-scale truck |
| the Pixar movie "Cars." There are cars from famous | | | | that literally pops wheelies when I let it rip. It has thick, |
| TV series, such as the "General Lee" 1969 Dodge | | | | grippy rubber tires, a two-speed transmission, and |
| Charger featured in "The Dukes of Hazzard." There | | | | enough punch and torque to never get stuck. We've |
| are tricked-out Cadillac Escalades, customized Hondas | | | | had more fun with that truck than with any video |
| and Mitsubishis, dropped Mustangs and Camaros, and | | | | game, and that's saying a lot. |
| any number of cool concept cars. Fans of off-road | | | | |