Buying my 9 yr old an expensive RC hobby car

trev likes bargains on 24/01/2018 - 19:40
Last edited 25/01/2018 - 15:24 by 1 other user

My son (almost 9 years) has some interest in RC trucks. He has had a cheap RC truck for about 3 or 4 years and has made good use of it. Over the years, we have replaced two blown motors, two bodies, many dog bones and other parts.

I'm thinking of helping him get a high end RC truck (Traxxas TRX4) which would cost around $800

If we are to go ahead, the cash will be raised by emtying his till, selling his Lego, b'day present money etc.

The question is am I going overboard with buying something this expensive for a 9 year old? What are your thoughts in general?

Toys & Kids

Comments

  • steven6 on 24/01/2018 - 20:02
    +24

    Hi Dad trev, sounds like a good idea.

    • trev likes bargains on 24/01/2018 - 20:54
      +1

      I'm sure that I will be using it more than him

      • John Kimble on 25/01/2018 - 12:11

        Are you sure your name isn't Homer Simpson then?

  • Randxyz123 on 24/01/2018 - 20:08
    +9

    The retail price is $479. Even if that is USD, it would be about $600 Aud.

    Don’t see a issue with buying a 9 yo something he likes. He shouldn’t have to sell his Lego though.

  • dogboy on 24/01/2018 - 20:21
    +14

    I don't see an issue with it. Maybe don't get him to sell Lego though.

    • trev likes bargains on 24/01/2018 - 23:43
      +2

      Thans. He spent a considerable amount of time over the school holidays putting the Lego sets together hoping to raise the money.

      I'm hoping to teach him that there is always give and take in life.

      • [Deactivated] on 25/01/2018 - 00:54
        +14

        sell something else, lego is good for other skills, such as expanding his imagination.

    • Quantumcat on 25/01/2018 - 08:37
      +6

      Yeah if he was 13 or 14 maybe sell the lego as it wouldn't have a long play life left, but at 9, there's still plenty of years left where he will enjoy it. Plus it can be expensive to re-buy, so you'd be losing a lot of money if he changed his mind and wanted it back.

  • Findo on 24/01/2018 - 20:48
    +1

    Many kids walk around with iPhones twice the price in their pockets, I don’t see any problem with a nice toy.

    • jv on 24/01/2018 - 23:56
      +1

      Many kids walk around with iPhones twice the price in their pockets

      9 year olds?

      • Findo on 25/01/2018 - 00:18
        +3

        Many 9 year olds I know have expensive phones. Maybe it’s just the demographics, I’m not sure.

        • jv on 25/01/2018 - 00:26

          Where I live, it's quite rare until they get to high school…

        • onetwothreefour on 25/01/2018 - 06:44
          +12

          @jv: my 10 year old daughter reckons all her mates already have phones but then again she also says her friends don't get punished when they are naughty so I don't know what to believe.

        • shanakatak on 25/01/2018 - 09:18

          @onetwothree:
          Good chance if one is true the other is too.

        • skillet on 25/01/2018 - 14:58

          @onetwothree:

          her friends don't get punished when they are naughty

          What type of parents is this?

        • Jackson on 26/01/2018 - 18:44

          @onetwothree: This is the oldest trick in the book

  • SaddenAscentAspirin on 24/01/2018 - 20:56
    +2

    Not sure how familiar you are with RC OP, but the TRX is a crawling focused truck. Depending on the type of driving he likes to do, you might want to look at something else? Something that bridges the gap a bit is (and are pretty popular):

    http://www.mildtowildrc.com.au/axial-yeti-brushless-4x4-rtr-…

    Little bit cheaper too. However, benefit of a crawler is that it will be a little slower. My dad nearly broke his ankle crashing a 10+ kilo nitro monster truck into his ankle 10+ years ago.

    • trev likes bargains on 24/01/2018 - 23:50

      Thanks. That looks pretty good. I'm trying to get something a bit slower and more off road capable.

      The current truck has been crashed so hard into the gate motor that it tugged on the underground cable and damaged it.

  • cnmarine on 24/01/2018 - 20:58
    -3

    If you can afford it, why not? 600 for a toy is nothing these days, I got my nephew a qc35 for his birthday (10) and his parents got him an Iphone x.

    • jv on 24/01/2018 - 23:58
      +18

      600 for a toy is nothing these days

      you're commenting in the wrong forums…

      • ThithLord on 25/01/2018 - 10:29
        +4

        You skipped over the fricken iPhone X! What the literal fuuuurk

        • DarwinBoy on 26/01/2018 - 19:44
          +2

          @wordplay:
          I dont think teachers get overtime for helping students on the weekend for homework.
          Thats more the parents responsibility.

        • phocus on 29/01/2018 - 14:25
          +1

          @wordplay: you got played by your nephew hard.

          Maybe you need to go back to school

        • wordplay on 29/01/2018 - 19:54

          @phocus:
          I don't have a nephew???

        • trev likes bargains on 04/02/2018 - 09:08

          @wordplay:

          the kid would be a social outcast is they didn't have a good smartphone.

          Getting kids expensive phones is not a good idea.

  • mskeggs on 24/01/2018 - 21:00
    +13

    It seems like a very extravagant gift, or wiping out his savings.
    My 9yro is quite happy with less 'high end' stuff - she is still a kid after all. My 12yro recognises the additional value more expensive stuff brings, but is also frustrated by his many wants and limited budget. The older ones definitely feel their limited budgets.

    One thing I have done when the budget is too much for kids, is to buy something for myself, but allow them to borrow it. This has worked for stuff like some music and photography gear where the high cost would have smashed their budget, but they are items I am also a bit interested in. This way they get access to the costlier gear without breaking their budget or being gifted something that would diminish their recognition of the value of money, and they also see the benefit having a job and good savings bring (i.e. I can choose to spend).

    And you can also insist they treat it with respect, and have it as a privilege that can be withdrawn if they misbehave.

  • jug123 on 24/01/2018 - 21:51
    +1

    As a rc car owner i feel its worth it if he's using it consistently, remember though even the brand name cars are going to continue to break and theres so many upgrades as well. Maybe get him racing at a local track where he'll race against some kids who have less and those that have more, he may really appreciate what he has

  • Nugs on 25/01/2018 - 06:18

    what brand is the 'cheap' one? how much was it?

    • trev likes bargains on 25/01/2018 - 08:19

      It came under a few vrand names but this is exactly what I got
      https://www.jaycar.com.au/hammer-1-12-scale-electric-rc-truc…

      • Nugs on 25/01/2018 - 08:39

        OK.

        my 2 cents; take a look at HSP.

        We gave our then 10 year old a $300 buggy in 1:8 scale (1:10 had bad reviews).

        cars are (were) widely available, as is the large range of spares.

        has been fine, but he is only using it occasionally.

        have replaced front suspension item only.

        .

        • tebbybabes on 26/01/2018 - 23:21

          I'm with Nugs on this one.

          It's been decades since I've been on the scene but I was checking them out 3-4 years ago. I really do think you can get hobby grade stuff for a bit less. And then if he keeps up with the hobby, work up from there.

  • Ryanek on 25/01/2018 - 08:11
    +4

    I clicked thinking you were having a mid life crisis and wanted to buy a 2009 sports car.

  • blawler05 on 25/01/2018 - 08:20

    What kind of RC is he looking for. Fast one. That wont be a fast car.

    The battery and charger will be extra, but not alot. You could always try and get it bundled in.

    What is his old car? Why have you had to change the bodies/motor etc? What kind of driving does he do.

    I dont think 600 is expensive for a RC car at all. Rather cheap actually. but you need to make sure it will be one he will want to drive.

    If a rock crawler he definately wants. You could go with something like this

    http://www.mildtowildrc.com.au/rc-cars/electric/rock-crawler…

    From memory. Axial are built pretty tough, and have alot of hop up parts.

    Even this is within your budget
    http://www.mildtowildrc.com.au/rc-cars/electric/rock-crawler…

  • FickleRick on 25/01/2018 - 08:53
    +5

    Get a clone from hobbyking or the like, do some research on rcgroups.com and find a popular model.

    Lower initial outlay, cheap replacement parts, if he gets bored with it no big deal.

    You really don't need brand name gear these days as long as you choose the right clone or heavily supported Chinese brand. They perform more than well enough for a 10 year old!

    • trev likes bargains on 26/01/2018 - 13:15
      +1

      Thank you. I will look into rcgroups.com to see what is popular

      • echelon6 on 26/01/2018 - 17:35
        +2

        lol buying a china clone could actually teach him even more - he will have to deal with parts breaking more often. For each part that breaks, he can upgrade it with a beefier part - that's the main game for this hobby. Eventually his china clone will be absolutely bashproof. Speaking from experience here.

      • [Deactivated] on 26/01/2018 - 20:50

        This is the best course of action. I own heaps of RC gear. I’ve got two HobbyKing RC cars and they are great. You can upgrade heaps of parts,

        I own this one

        https://hobbyking.com/en_us/h-king-rattler-1-8-4wd-buggy-rtr…

        And a Quanum Vandal, which I’ve heavily modified. It easily tops out over 100kmh now (and I’ve installed a 2Mw FPV setup. It works for miles.

        • bigfec on 31/07/2019 - 08:11

          Hi @Burnertoasty - i just bought my son the vandal and have upgraded the internals. Now looking to do something about the front bumper. Do you have any recommendations?

    • OBone on 26/01/2018 - 22:52

      I bought Hobbyking clones for my son (and myself!) a few years ago and we've had pretty good success with them till he finally got bored. Glad I didn't blow the money on brand names in the end. But the whole thing was a good education in engineering and maintenance, I thought.
      I did the research first and ended up with 1:10 scale short course trucks. Also bought lots of spares because they are cheap and I even made a couple of parts from aluminium as the plastics just kept breaking from the high jumps. Plastic bodies can break easily but thigs like fibreglass tape, duct tape or glue extends the life some more, just wear it as a badge of honour!
      You might however end up having to replace electric parts as well with something beefier but I considered that part of the upgrade fun. In some cases with upgrades I found brand name parts (such as shock absorbers and tyres) on ebay USA for cheap prices (back then). Even buyers of expensive brand name cars don't seem to be happy with stock fitted items, it seems!
      As for speed, you should be able to dial it down on a faster model by programing the ESC or transmitter and then the option is there to go fast later if you want.
      Batteries and chargers are another thing and it would pay to learn about the Lithium chemistry batteries and how to treat them as there are hazards.
      Practising somewhere away from kerbs on the road is a must for learning as they will do most of the damage.
      Hobbyking keep stocks of some models in their Australian warehouse but last I looked parts still had to come from Honkers.

  • scotty on 25/01/2018 - 10:30
    +6

    Go for it, if it teaches the young kids about being frugal and saving up for the things they really want. Give them a hand to help them achieving their goals, but not too much. I still remembered that as a kid I saved up for more than a year to buy a Tamiya Hornet, and my dad helped me to build it & drove me to the hobby shop to get more assistant. That was from 30+ years ago though. I have no idea where that buggy is now, but I still remember the experience.

    But don't sell the Lego. Good sets are collectables that can be passed down through generations. Unlike my Hornet, my wife's Lego sets from 30 years ago are still in pristine condition, and my kids are playing them.

    • trev likes bargains on 25/01/2018 - 19:42
      +1

      Thanks Scotty. I won't sell the Lego. I'll let him finish building all the sets first and them give him the good news.

    • Jackson on 26/01/2018 - 20:33
      +4

      Full disclosure:Scotty runs a website that attracts frugals and so therefore is grooming your child to be a future OzBargainer

  • Oz8argain on 25/01/2018 - 11:21
    +2

    Lol I read this post as you are buying a car that is 9 years old for weekend fun … the title should be "Buying my 9 yr old an expensive RC hobby car"

  • ganymede on 26/01/2018 - 13:01

    OP, if your son is seriously into RC and wrenching them, you should look for brands and models that you can get parts easily. No offense to all the Traxxas owners out there, they are toys. The pros race Losi, Kyosho, Mugen, XRAY, etc. I have an XRAY, option parts and tuning potential are next level.

    • trev likes bargains on 26/01/2018 - 13:14
      +1

      Thank you. I will check those brands out.

      • YellowDieselGolf on 26/01/2018 - 14:44
        +1

        This isn’t a race truck.

        It’s a rock crawler. Traxxas make some of the best quality and best designed gear out there. Their aftermarket support is also fantastic.

        I know people who have bought their kids dji mavic’s so I don’t see a problem if your son is contributing.

        • trev likes bargains on 26/01/2018 - 15:53

          Yes we are looking for something 4x4 and it doesn't need to be fast.

  • OzzyOzbourne on 26/01/2018 - 14:37

    If he's really into it you should spend more and get him something decent

  • Davo1111 on 26/01/2018 - 15:37

    I've heard the Traxxas are pretty good.

    As far as $600 goes, you'd spend way more on a hobby like Motorcross….. Even a new game console will set you back a fair chunk. so not the most expensive toy for a kid.

    If you think he will get value from it, sure, why not

  • Jackson on 26/01/2018 - 20:45

    I think about this quite a bit, what's I have realised is that kids are usually happy with most things below a certain age, and then after that age some kids (I hope not all) become really fussy about what they want e.g only an iPhone will do and tantrums are thrown otherwise.

    I think it really depends how mature your boy is and how much you think he will gain from having the car. 9 is still quite young but it sounds to me like he has an amount of respect for this sort of stuff. 600 or more is a lot for a kid for something that isn't chamelionic, and by that I mean the xbox or computer that can do a thousand different things, however if you think he will derive enough enjoyment, and it will give you something you can share together, and teach him some great lessons along the way, then it's hard to put a price on it.

  • GourmetFoodie on 26/01/2018 - 22:04
    +1

    I wouldn't personally and am pretty shocked with all the yes responses here. i think you set the wrong expectations for a child if you spend outrageous amounts on them at that age. Plus you generate a lot of jealousy. How many of his friends would get that kind of gift? He is 9 years old for gods sake! His interests will change soon enough. Why not encourage a more productive hobby like cooking, music or sport? You are setting yourself up for a teenager who appreciates jack shit of what you do for him.

  • [Deactivated] on 27/01/2018 - 04:01

    Don't make him sell his Lego! Make him mow the lawns, empty the bins, clean the car… Give him $$$ for it and do it that way.

    If you should or not depends more on the benefit of it. Is he helping out with the repairs that have been done this far?

    My point is - if his interest is simply driving RC cars in circles, it's a bloody big spend… But if he has a legitimate interest in building, maintaining and repairing RC cars.. Maybe worth it.

  • ipiok on 27/01/2018 - 08:08
    +1

    Something like this would be perfect: https://www.hobbywarehouse.com.au/traxxas-72074-summit-red-r…
    as you probably know, traxxas have 3 operating modes as well which include a training mode to allow the user to get used to the vehicle before increasing the speed.

  • kelad on 27/01/2018 - 20:45

    How about buying a 3d printer and making an rc car. I made this https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1193309

    The designer is unreal and cost about $200 for motor etc. It goes bloody fast and when u crash it you just print the broken bit. Unreal !

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