Monday , 18 March 2024

New To RC – Is Nitro the Way To Go?

The RC Doctor - Return

New To RC - Is Nitro the Way To Go?

Question:
Hi Doc,
I’m looking for a bit of advice. My 11 year old son wants a nitro RC car and we have been looking at the HPI Racing Trophy 3.5 RTR. What’s your advice on this car choice? He will be under full supervision at all times.

Thanks,
George

Answer:
Hey George.
The HPI Racing Trophy 3.5 RTR is a pretty sweet rig. It has some great features like a powerful .21-sized nitro engine, 2.4GHz transmitter system, waterproof electronics box and a near-bulletproof 1/8th scale drivetrain.

While this is a great choice of RC vehicles (both the company, HPI, and the vehicle), it is an extremely fast car that will require quite a bit of supervision to start out with. Since you made a point to mention you will be supervising your son, I have complete confidence that this will be a great choice. I would recommend using a name brand, 20% nitro-mix fuel and a nice, large open field. It would also be beneficial to read the enclosed nitro-engine tuning information front to back…twice. One of the major things with nitro engines is tuning them; in the mornings when it’s cool and damp, the tune will be set one way. During the middle of the day when it’s warmer and dryer, the tune will change and, to get the most from your nitro vehicle, you’ll need to know how to do that. It can be quite frustrating when your car goes out of tune and won’t run correctly.

Enjoy the Trophy 3.5…it’s a great vehicle!

The Doc

About Tony Phalen

Tony Phalen - As an avid RC enthusiast, Tony has been building, bashing and racing RC Cars for over 30 years. He has participated in every kind of surface racing events - 1/18 scale trucks, 1/10 scale TC, Rock Racers, Rally - if it had wheels, he's raced it! He's also worked on both sides of the industry fence; collaborating with many major manufacturers (as well as being a sponsored driver) to working for a high-profile industry magazine. During this time he has learned many tricks, tips and techniques and is sharing that knowledge on CompetitionX - the most informative RC website on the internet!

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