What would you do?
 

Good afternoon,

I'm looking for a little advice here. My son is just about to turn five in September. I'm thinking about buying him his first hobby grade RC vehicle. Right now I own two brushless truggies that have WAY to much power for him to be learning on.

I was thinking about selling both vehicles and all of there electronics and buy him and I two new vehicles. Probably two Traxxas Stampede 4x4's brushless. What do you guys think of this idea? Do you think a five year old is grown up enough to play with a real RC vehicle the right way?

So my question is, what would you do? I don't use my vehicles much right now because of not much free time and no place to race around me. We will be bashing only with these as I do now.

Thanks,
Nick

Get rock crawlers. Once he shows that is mastered you can build something faster.

Every kid is different. IMO most 5 year olds can't handle a brushless rig. (Brushless crawler would be fine)

I see one heck of an excuse to buy 2 summits! It's pretty durable in stock form, if you ask me. And loads of fun.. Either brushed or brushless.

Crawling is good to get a hang of it for sure, Harold hit the bullet on the head. Though crawling might not keep a 5 year olds attention. Versatility of a summit is nice.

My brother in law bought his son a Tamiya 2wd. It comes with a brushed setup, but the controller is also brushless capable. The stampede 4x4 is nice too. Leaning towards VXL?

I agree with everything posted here so far....but selling your own brushless truggy in favor of a pede 4x4 is a definite downgrade(though the pede 4x4 is for sure a fun truck). I say keep one truggy for yourself(and if your boy retains interest, it will give him something to look forward to getting). I would favor a pede 4x4 over the summit for the sheer sake of cost of ownership and ease of use - much easier and less expensive to keep the pede 4x4 going and its smaller size is inherently more durable.

Thanks for all of the replies guys. If I do get a Pede 4x4 it will be a VXL to start anyway.

That's not a bad idea Mike about getting rid of one truggy and keeping the other. Maybe I will wait until next year to get him his first RC. Maybe 5 is to young. I'm just itching for him to have the same bug as I do.

Nick

I don't think 5 is too young. I guess you know his interests in large lines :) My nephew is now 4, and he can drive pretty good.

I try not to press my hobbies and interests too hard on them. (except my love/respect for nature, but that's something I think you are obliged to pass on) But they both show a great deal of interest for anything that moves, turns, makes noise and has some form of mechanics.

I would suggest an xl5 brushed stampede for your son. Plenty of speed for a 5yr old, pretty sure it has a training mode. Brushless would be too much IMO. I have a 4yr old daughter and plan to get a pair of pedes going here soon so we can play together. The 2wd pede is one of the most fun rcs I have owned.

Keep the truggies and rewire one of the LiPo packs for them making a 2s/3s 2p pack from a 4s/6s 1p pack, which will limit his speed and power for learning on, will cost diddly squat, and offers an easy and free upgrade path when he gets the hang of it.

Nailed it. Or XL5 rustlers. There's a kid in my neighborhood that just got one and I can tell you he has plenty fun driving but plenty challenges driving it as well.

XL5 pedes and rustlers are awesome. Cheap to run and mod, plus they can do multi surface play well. I am not too fond of the bandit, tires are too small. Maybe a low geared 2s velineon power setup, but I would rather run a 4 pole castle system.