But the car that came with the set isn't your favorite car. Not even close. Neither is the other one.
So you go on the internet and you start looking at the different slot cars. And after a few hours you realize how completely overwhelming it is.
What cars will run on my slot car track?
I hate using the word depends, so I'm going to try not to. There are a few track manufacturers, but there are differences to each, and that can have a factor in which cars work on our track.
Carrera Evolution track can accommodate both 1:32 and 1:24 scale cars, due to its width. It's recommended to run borders on your track if your going to run 1:24 cars. Most any slot car will run on Carrera track with no modifications. Carrera Digital requires a chip installed in the car. Some cars, depending on design, can't fit a chip inside. But most can. Some online dealers offer chip installations as well.
Scalextric track can accomodate most 1:32 scale cars, but some cars require a guide flag change in order to run on the track, most notably Carrera cars. Same situation regarding digital applies to Scaley as well.
Why are slot cars so expensive?
Some slot cars costs loads of money. Crazy money. And some of those have a reputation for being not good runners. So what do you do with them? Lots of people put them on the shelf. It's another aspect to the hobby. Some just like collecting cars, never taking them out and racing them, and putting them on a fancy display shelf. Okay, that's cool. If that's what you want to do. It makes the decision easier. Doesn't matter how it drives, just how it looks.
There are also quite a few racing companies that are pricey, but that's where you get into more technical aspects. Of course if it can be made, somebody will make it and attempt to sell it, so there are always interesting things available.
But really, slot cars aren't that expensive. Let's give an example:
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| This car cost me 32 bucks.
$32 isn't much to spend on a car. Yes, it's not easy to find a sale like that on a car like this, but they exist.
Am I going to notice a difference between the cars I got with my set and a car from a different company?
Yes, you will likely notice a considerable difference. High-performance cars have high-performance parts, and they can easily turn faster laps and have a much higher fun value.
There's also another truth, and that is, quite frankly, cars that come with the set are often shit. You probably realized that when you shopped for your set. The sooner you get some replacement cars, the better for fun value.
I don't know where to start? What's a good car for someone like me?
This is a personal opinion, naturally, but I think it's a pretty solid one. What you want is something well-made, not too pricey, tunable, has replacement parts, and is widely sold. Companies that follow that system do very well, and most all of them don't even make track. Just cars. And you need a good, solid, sweet car to get started.
This is the car that I would suggest:
Slot.it Ford GT40 #8 [CA18b]. There are a few variations of the GT40, all of which are sweet.
Why?
I have seven cars. I know that's not many, but three of them are Ford GT40 cars. Here's the thing: Slot.it are rock solid cars. There isn't a bunch of potentially breakable stuff on them, they're incredible looking, they handle great and run fantastic on home tracks. Virtually every part can be replaced with a bunch of different options.
Why something like this and not a more recently designed car?
When you find something that is well-rounded, you have a lot of flexibility with it. With a car that is such a smooth racer, you get a lot of bang for the buck. My wife thinks they're not too expensive because for 40 bucks I can get years of fun out of it. You could buy something like a Group C car, or a Modern GT, or F1 or something like that, but each of those have their advantages and disadvantages. For my use, I wanted a good stable of easy running cars that anybody could drive, then I would worry about getting some of the fancier cars later.
Anything I should stay away from?
I think I would stay away from the full-set manufacturers when looking for cars. They're good at making track, but not cars. I know that'll be an unpopular opinion, but it comes down to lap time, and that car above is going to beat the Carreras and the Scaleys, no doubt.
Any other tips?
Get two. If you buy one car, you'll quickly beat your box cars and you'll wish you had something to race with it. So get two. My first three were two GT40's and an Alfa, and well, look back through this blog and you can see how much fun I've had with them.
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