Buying Guide for a RC Buggy

Radio / Remote Control RC Buggies

RC Buggies are a popular type of RC vehicle – they are similar to a dune buggy, and can be driven both on road and on off-road surfaces such as dirt tracks and grass. A RC Buggy has more ground clearance than an RC car, while still having a relatively low center of gravity so that they are more stable than RC trucks. You can see examples of RC Buggies in the RC Buggy category on our website.

RC Buggy tires treads are targeted to be suitable for both on-road and off-road driving, but are not optimized for either one. Typically the rear wheels are wider than the front wheels, and they have a large tailfin which causes the wind to push down the rear of the buggy for more traction. RC Buggies are also suitable for small jumps.

As with all RC vehicles, RC Buggies are available in different scales or sizes. The most popular scale sizes are 1/16 scale, 1/10 scale and 1/8 scale. If you expect to do a lot off-road driving, the larger 1/8 scale size will provide you with significantly more ground clearance.

RC Buggies can be powered by Nitro gas engines, electric brushed motors or brushless electric motors. Nitro gas powered RC buggies can have single or 2 speed transmissions. Two speed transmissions can provide higher speeds as the transmission will automatically switch to the second gear when the RC Buggy hits a certain speed.

Recommendations:

If you are purchasing a RC Buggy for someone under 12, we would recommend a RC Buggy with a brushed motor, as a brushless motor buggy may be too fast for them. A 1/16 scale brushless buggy should also be OK if they are 9 or older

If the person is over12, we would recommend a brushless electric Buggy, as the higher performance and capability will retain their interest for longer.

If the person is over 14, we would recommend a brushless electric or nitro gas powered RC Buggy (see pros and cons of gas vs electric in this guide). If the person has a mechanical aptitude, and shows an interest in engines, a nitro gas powered Buggy may be the best choice. If the person is mechanically challenged, then a brushless electric Buggy would be the best choice.

If you are buying a Nitro gas powered RC Buggy, and this is your first nitro vehicle, we also recommend you purchase a nitro starter kit, and a spare glow plug (part 70117). You will need to purchase 20% Nitro gas fuel at a local RC Hobby shop as fuel cannot be shipped through the mail.

If you are purchasing an electric RC Buggy, and you budget allows, we would recommend you purchase an additional battery, as your play time is limited by the battery capacity you have. For brushless electric buggies, these batteries are in the LIPO RC battery category on our website, and for brushed electric Buggies, the batteries would be in the NIMH battery category, and you will want a battery with a white connector.

Depending on your budget, you may also want a faster charger than the charger that comes with the RC Buggy. For brushless cars, this would be the IMAX B6 charger, and for Brushed motor cars, this would be the IMAX A3