How Much Does It Cost to Get into an R/C Hobby?
Let’s face it, every hobby requires some sort of financial commitment, but it’s a lot less expensive to enter the world of R/C vehicles than you may think.
Starter kits, which usually include a slow, easy-to-handle “toy-grade” vehicle powered by an electric motor, can cost as little as $20 — equivalent to the cost of a movie, some popcorn and a soda.
Of course your expenses will increase as you become more addicted to the hobby and purchase faster vehicles, get into glow plug (nitro) or gasoline powered vehicles and add components, such as more sophisticated transmitters and controllers. In fact there are vehicles out there that can make a serious dent in your wallet — about $750 for the car, plane or boat plus the cost of the transmitters and/or controllers, which can run as high as $100.
But there’s really no reason someone just testing the waters of R/Cing needs to (or should) lay out big bucks.
So-called “toy-grade” R/C kits are made for those of us that may not be ready to jump into the hobby with both feet. Although the vehicles are a lot slower than those in “hobby-grade” kits, they are also easer to maneuver and less likely to become piles of useless junk after a crash.
But, once you’ve made the commitment to “hobby-grade” vehicles, the possibilities are endless: Faster vehicles, more sophisticated equipment and the ability to customize your vehicles with new struts, wheels, body types and engines. The initial cost for the average hobbyist lurks at around $350.
The expense of the hobby grows with your increased interest, making it affordable for anyone that wants to enter the world of R/C vehicles.