For people new to the hobby, a number of things can go wrong to damage their petrol RC car. Probably the worst that could happen, and probably the most costly, is when the engine gets ruined. Being new to the game, most beginners assume that they can load normal gasoline to these non-electric RC cars, where in fact these type of RC cars run on nitro fuel. Pricier than normal petrol and only available at specialized hobby stores, nitro fuel is a mixture of methane, nitro methane, and oil.

The term petrol RC cars is quite misleading, especially since there are two different type of RC cars regarded under the same name, and are generally called gas-powered radio controlled cars. The first type are the regular gas RC cars, which are less expensive to manage since you can use regular fuel much like what you use for your car. You can easily distinguish these regular petrol RC cars because they are noticeably bigger. Usually a little over a meter (3ft.) long, you can easily set it apart from nitro RC cars which usually do not go longer than 2ft. But the more important thing to do really is to read the instructions on these cars, and see if it mentions ‘nitro’ anywhere on it.

It is very important not to confuse one from the other’s fuel need, because their engines are also different. Petrol RC cars make use of standard petrol engines, while nitro cars use what is called a glow engine. Instead of the usual spark plug, a glow engine uses a glow plug which heats up the fuel and ignites the engine. It uses a device called glow starter, which is a separate piece from the car, and is immediately removed once it has served its purpose. Even though nitro fuel is less volatile than ordinary petrol, it runs on a very high temperature, unlike normal engines.

A petrol RC car is much cheaper to run and maintain than a nitro RC car, and this is really one of the major consideration for hobbyists. Despite recent increase on petrol’s selling price, nitro fuel is still around 5 times more expensive. It is also quite difficult to find. However, enthusiasts find the size more realistic on the petrol cars, since it allows it to behave closer to a real car when it is being maneuvered. In terms of maintenance, nitro RC cars are more sensitive to the climate and thus a certain environment has to be maintained. Also, compared to petrol RC cars, they require constant and regular tuning to maintain its engine.

It really is important to know and understand the differences between a petrol RC car and a nitro RC car, so you can make an intelligent decision on what you prefer to purchase.