Affordable Entry Level Nitro Car

I wanted to get into the hobby affordably. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it enough to commit to spending $300-$500. The break in instructions are clear enough for all skill levels to understand. I wish the car came with a FAQ section that was more detailed. As this car is geared for beginners, it should afford some common mistakes/challenges that a newbie will encounter. I've spoken to Redcat Racing NUMEROUS times with some struggles I've had, and they said they were in the process of putting a guide of sorts together. I will say that they've been 100% about warranty claims,tips, and walked me through a couple of repairs. I've driven this car REALLY hard, and have broken some stuff. I was able to get ALL my parts from a few online stores, and Redcat directly. I have some friends with Traxxis brand cars and other more mainline companies. They all assured me I did well with this car. They were impressed with what I got for what I paid. This is a great car to use to learn how to tune a nitro car, and how to maintain and repair a nitro car. Redcat does have videos online to help with repairs and maintenance.I am pleased with my car and bought 2 other Redcats for my two young sons. I will be buying another RC car, probably a truggy or monster truck. It'll most likely be another Redcat.

beware not for a starter car they are cheap for a reason cost of parts$$$$$

this was my first choice for and rc car. I choose this one over many i looked at, not relizing the biggest flaw to this car is that you have to order all parts online and need some knowledge how to tinker with it till its right. The first day out i got crazie with it after breaking it in for near 3+ hours didnt take long to know this car is fast and no experince equals disater coming which i did at the end of the day. the front cv joints came out,front servo saver snapped, tires came loose throtle screws came loose so could slow down, engine came loose chewed the plastic gear to sherds. Before you say it yes i did check all of it before i started. after a month it now sits waiting for more parts to put in it. they all are plastic parts in all rc cars the cost cames from fixxing them after being stupid and driving reckless. I must say though tough as nail engine after all that engine runs like a top and fast.

tornado S30

I love my tornado S30. the only problems i have had is when i received the car. i did not check everything. the keeper to hold the spring for the throttle/brake was missing. so i wrecked the car the first night, due to the car stuck full throttle. i give redcat two thumbs up. the car took the solid hit real well. the car was at full throttle for at least 200 feet before hitting a neighbors planter box. all that broke was a lower a-arm and spindle(where the steering connects) the only thing i suggest is making sure the connection from battery pack to the power switch is connected with the right polarity. i discovered you can plug the connection wrong. causing me to reverse polarity and burn up two receivers. but, i contacted redcat racing directly. they acknowledged this problem and sent me a new receiver for just the ship/handling. redcat racing has the best warranty for parts. for the price paid, i feel you cannot do any better. the car is fun to run, but can be handful if a person doesn't pay attention to what they are doing. this car is fast(clocked 38mph by a C.H.P. radar)and i was still breaking it in. when the car hits 2nd gear. it will pick up one of the front tires off the ground.

LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING!!! STAY AWAY FROM THIS BRAND!!!

I bought this RC car on ebay and it is made with very cheap parts. The towers bent very easily the car takes forever to pull start it and will cause blistering on your hands. The tires wore out superfast. Looks are very deceiving. You will spend more time calling redcat for their warranty and customer service information than needed. I do not recommend anyone to buy this car. I also bought the Hurricane XTR at the same time and that was a big mistake. The engine went out on it 3 weeks after owning the vehicle and I broke the engine in with 8 tanks of fuel. I went ahead and spent my money on the LOSI eight 2.0 and these cars are tough. The Redcat cars I bought are trash. STAY AWAY.

Nice buggy for the price.

First of all, this is NOT a RTR (ready to run) kit. It comes 100% assembled but you have to take it completely apart before running it for the first time. The gear mesh on mine came VERY tight. It would smash the gears in seconds after the first run. I also had to adjust the front diff and other minor things (dogbones, servo trims, etc).

The Tornado S30 is a really nice buggy for beginners IF you know how to take care and maintain it.
The engine is an SH .18 and you can easily find every part you need here on Ebay. They are pretty cheap too.
For those who dont know, the Tornado S30 is an upgraded version of the Backwash (model 94166) from HSP. All parts are interchangeable.
Im running mine on 20% nitro, wich gives a top speed of around 45MPH. You can increase it to about 55MPH if you use the smaller main gears from the on road car (parts number 02040 and 02041). It fits perfectly but will give it a slower acceleration.
Im also using the shocks from a Jato 3.3. They are way better then the stock ones and fits perfectly, not to mention they look awesome on the Tornado S30.

For the price this is a really good buggy. Take good care of it and it will last a long time. Good speed and nice handling.
Im only giving it a 4 star rating because its not actually a RTR kit as the manufacturer claims.