Buying New
When you buy a new nitro RC, you are paying top dollar to get something that is in perfect condition and has no history. If something is broke or missing out of the box, you can contact the manufacturer and they will make it right. New nitro RCs can be purchased from reputable retailers with convenient storefronts online or at a nearby hobby shop. Once you know what model you want to purchase, you can easily price shop to find the best deal and make the purchase.
A new nitro vehicle is even more valuable if you have never owned a nitro RC before, because you have no experience inspecting or restoring a used vehicle. You can easily cost yourself some money by not properly inspecting a used nitro RC and restoration will take longer than you think if you’ve never done it before. This buyers guide can help you purchase a quality used nitro RC, but it cannot eliminate all the risk nor can it eliminate the additional time you will need to spend shopping the used market.
Buying Used
The main benefit of buying used is that you can save money. A new Traxxas Nitro Rustler retails for $335 and there is almost always one or two available on eBay in used condition for $200 or less. Oftentimes used nitro RCs will have additional upgrades that don’t increase the price. Of course, used nitro RCs will also commonly have missing and broken components or components that will need replacing soon. If you don’t mind that the vehicle has some visual blemishes and worn components, then buying a used nitro RC is definitely something to consider.
For some people that enjoy restoring nitro RCs, the fact that a vehicle is used is actually a benefit. There is a whole category of nitro RC enthusiasts that primarily enjoy restoring used nitro RCs and once they have them in good condition, they sell and start looking for another one to restore.
New or Used?
If you are new to nitro RCs, have the money to buy new, and your primary interest is to actually drive the vehicle, I strongly suggest you purchase new. It will cost you a little more upfront, but the nitro RC will be ready to drive (after break-in) and will typically have a lower cost of ownership for the first few years.
If you are looking to save a little money and the thought of having to repair nitro RC before you even get to drive it doesn’t scare you, then you should definitely take a look at the used market.
Most people overestimate the value of buying a used nitro RC. There are great deals to be had, but they aren’t very common and when they come up, they sell quickly. The typical deals you will find are like the yellow T-Maxx shown above: 50% off, but very likely needs a new engine and other various parts as well as a good cleaning. We’ll get into these details later in the section about buying and inspecting a used nitro RC, but for now I bring this up just to let you know that you can’t go wrong buying a new nitro RC.