Happy New Year to RC hobbyist everywhere! If you received a great RC toy gift this year then you may be wondering how to keep your toy in top condition. Fortunately, there are several simple steps that you can take to keep your RC toys and collectables in top condition.

The first thing that you will want to do is read through the informational brochure that came with your gift, such as your Dale Earnhardt Intimidator Express Train Collection. This brochure will tell you what the capabilities of the item are and what it can and cannot tolerate. These are the boundaries that you will want to maintain when playing with your toy or collectable.

Step two is to segregate your collectables from your play toys. Play toys are remote control toys and models that you can race, run and operate. Collectables will be the remote control cars, trucks and trains that you don’t want to play with so that you can protect their value. To keep your collectable in top condition you will want to store them or display them in something that will keep the dust and other debris from tarnishing their surface and gumming up their gears. You will also want to keep them out of direct sunlight and away from extreme temperatures.

In order to protect your RC toys from unnecessary damage you will want to clean them periodically, replace worn parts as needed and you will want to maintain them with lubricant and minor repairs as needed. Next you will want to avoid getting your RC unit wet, even the models that claim to be water resistant are still generally susceptible to water damage. Finally you will want to avoid collisions whenever possible. Collisions will damage your RC car’s body and could total it.

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Today is December 26th, the day that retailers brace themselves for every year. This is the day when millions of shoppers descend on stores to return gifts and to use their gift cards. If you will be returning gifts this year, then these tips will help you.

If you received a mail order gift, such as a Dale Earnhardt Intimidator Express Train Collection, and it was either broken or it didn’t work, then you will need to return the train. Returning items to a mail order company is different than returning gifts to physical stores. Each company has a different return policy, so you will need to follow the instructions that are associated with the seller of the item you received.

In most cases you will need to contact the company that sold your gift and tell them what problem or problems you have with the item you received. They will most likely need the order number or receipt number of your gift. They will then issue you a return code and give you information about how to return your item.

In some cases you will not deal with the seller of the item but instead you will talk directly with the manufacturer. This is particularly true if your item doesn’t work. When you deal with the manufacturer you will generally call a toll free number and file a claim. The operator helping you will either send you a return label or tell you where to send your damaged item. When they receive your item they will process your return and send you a replacement item. This can take anywhere from two weeks to eight weeks, so be prepared for a long wait.

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There is less than a week left in the holiday shopping season. By now you most likely have all the gifts that you have ordered, like scale car models like the 1:64 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Motorsport Editions, as well as the items that you bought at local stores. If you haven’t finished your shopping yet there is still time to rush order items and to go shopping a few more times before the big day.

If you have all, or most of your holiday gifts already in hand, then your next challenge will be to wrap your gifts. Most RC cars and associated products are going to be fairly easy to wrap as they come in boxes. These gifts can be wrapped using NASCAR themed gift wrap or car themed gift wrap. You can trim out these gifts with bows and ribbons. If you are interested in a unique gift tag then consider using a car themed ornament.

If you want to be a little trickier with your gift wrap, or if you want to keep your kids or loved ones from guessing what their gift is, then there are things you can do to mask what’s in the box. The first option is to place the items in a larger box and to weigh it down with things like rocks, bricks or things that rattle. The second option is to tape odd shaped objects to the original box before wrapping it. For example, you can tape toilet paper rolls to the box to create a unique shape before wrapping it. This will keep the gift’s recipient guessing for a long time.

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RC cars make a great holiday gift, and if you are still on the hunt for that perfect gift then this blogs for you. In this week’s blog I will be going over last minute gift ideas for NASCAR lovers, remote control fans and remote control car fans.

The first gift ideas are for those people on your list who are new to the hobby of collecting or playing with remote control vehicles. For novice RC-ers you will want to stick with the basics. Look for remote control cars that don’t go faster than 10 to 20 mph. If you are shopping for young kids then look for RC units that are designed for kids. These RC units will have special features like easy to control remotes, slower speeds and more durable cases.

For RC lovers that are moving up in their RC experience, try more advanced RC units. Faster moving RC units are great as they will challenge your experienced RC’er’s handling skills. They will also give your RC-er the chance to play around with a vehicle that has more speed and power. Some of the top performing RC cars can reach speeds over 100 mph. However, 65 mph is a good place to start when moving up from beginner models.

For advanced RC controllers you will want to look at customizable vehicles. You can buy build your own RC kits, body kits, motor upgrades, shock upgrades, wheel upgrades and even decal upgrades. If you don’t know much about RC vehicles then get them a gift certificate so that they can buy the parts that they want.

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Last month we talked about a few gift ideas for NASCAR lovers, and this week I have one more NASCAR collectible recommendation. This week’s recommendation is the Dale Earnhardt Legacy Watch. This watch is a man’s watch and it makes a great gift for husbands, boyfriends, grandfathers, sons and guy friends.

The Dale Earnhardt Legacy Watch is primarily stainless steel, however, it does have 24 Karat gold accents. The face of the watch is black enamel with gold numbering and a replica of Dale Earnhardt’s signature.

While this watch is a great gift idea, it can also be a great part of a gift package. This gift package can include the watch, a book on the history of NASCAR, NASCAR mugs and other NASCAR items. If you are having a hard time finding items to complete you gift package, a lot of department stores offer NASCAR gif packages in various sizes and with various types of products, such as food products, collectibles and general merchandise.

If you have already given your NASCAR lover a watch then consider other NASCAR gifts. For example, you can give NASCAR tickets, NASCAR prints, NASCAR clothing or NASCAR entertainment packages from your cable or satellite company. You can also use NASCAR wrapping paper, holiday cards and ornaments to decorate your NASCAR themed gifts.

Over the next three weeks we will talk about several other gift ideas for last minute shoppers. If you are stumped for gift ideas post your dilemmas here and I’ll do the legwork for you.

Happy Holiday!

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Over the last couple of weeks we have discussed possible gift ideas for the people on your shopping list. Since we only have a few more weeks until Christmas I want to continue this discussion. Today’s blog is going to focus on generating ideas for the NASCAR lovers on your shopping list.

The first gift idea for NASCAR fans is to get them official NASCAR diecast model cars. These are collectable and most NASCAR fans really love these items as gifts. If your NASCAR lover is looking for a project, then you can also pick up NASCAR body kits that your NASCAR lover can use to build their own NASCAR remote control vehicle.

Another option that you have for NASCAR themed gifts is to look at non-model car gifts. The first option that you have is NASCAR collectible plates, like the Intimidator Collector Plate created by artist Sam Bass. Your second option is to look for NASCAR collector ornaments. These can be found in the decoration section of nearly any department store. Your final option is to look for NASCAR clothing. You can find t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and even jackets.

If your NASCAR fan is also a collector of toy trains, then there are several great NASCAR collectible trains that you can pick up. The new models can be found in local toy, hobby and department stores. However, to find the older models, the ones that are now truly collector’s items, you will most likely need to search for them online.

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Well, today is Black Friday, and if you are a bargain hunter then it is one of the best days of the year to hit the stores. However, for those of you who don’t enjoy getting up in the middle of the night to drive to your local shopping district and wait in a line with thousands of other people, then today is just another day. On the other hand, regardless if you are a Black Friday shopper or not, there is another holiday gift shopping option, online shopping.

Shopping online is a great way to find special collectibles that can’t be found in stores, as well as a great way to avoid long lines and the stress of shopping in overcrowded stores. You can also find great deals online for items that sell out quickly in physical stores.

If you are shopping for a NASCAR lover or a toy train enthusiast then I recommend the Dale Earnhardt Intimitor Express Train Collection. This toy train is both fun to play with and a great toy train to collect. Being that it is an officially license collectible of NASCAR, it has the potential to increase in value if it is kept in good condition.

Coming up with interesting and fun holiday gift ideas is easy to do. All you have to do is think about what the person likes and then browse through both physical stores and online stores. If you don’t know where to start looking for an interesting gift, try conducting a simple keyword search. This will bring up a list of websites that will inevitably produce products that are for sale, and will hopefully bring to light an interesting or fun gift that someone on your shopping list will appreciate.

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How time does fly! It is already the middle of November and the holiday shopping season is in full swing. If you are planning on ordering any of your holiday gifts this year, you need to get your orders in within the next two to three weeks to ensure you get both the best deal on shipping costs and to make sure you gifts arrive in time for the holidays.

If you are struggling to come up with gift ideas then consider collectible RC vehicles like the 1:64 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Motorsport Edition Semitruck. This is an officially licensed NASCAR collectible, which is 13.5 inches long. It has great graphics and will be the perfect addition to any NASCAR collection.

For NASCAR lovers you may also want to consider putting together a NASCAR collectible gift bundle. Start with the 1:4 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Motorsport Edition Semitruck. Then add in smaller dieacast NASCAR collectibles, a NASCAR book and perhaps even tickets to an upcoming NASCAR event.

The key to putting together a holiday gift that will wow the gift’s recipient is to really think about what they like. If you are putting together a NASCAR gift package, for example, you will want to make sure you select items that relate to the driver or the drivers that the person likes the best, and avoid memorabilia for drivers or teams that the person doesn’t like. The thought behind the gift is the biggest gift you can give a person that you care about. Keep that in mind when doing your holiday shopping this year.

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Earlier this month I talked about an RC car racing event, this week I’d thought I’d cap off the summer by telling you how to prepare for a racing event.

The first step is to find a vehicle that is appropriate for your event. If you are entering a drifting competition then you will need an rc car model that is designed for drifting. On the other hand, if you are entering an rc competition that includes an obstacle course then you will need a sturdy 4WD model. According to the Nitro Toyz blog, one of the best obstacle vehicles is the CEN MT-Spec 3.0.

After you have selected the right car for your race, the next step is to practice racing with that car. You will want to first practice specific skills like maneuvering the vehicle over obstacles, or drifting. Then you will want to practice racing so that you can learn how to transition your vehicle from straight aways, to turn to climbing over obstacles.

When you are ready for competition you will want to pack up your vehicle and a support bag. The support bag will include a couple extra charged batteries or extra fuel, extra tires and spare parts. You will also want to bring a copy of your registration if you pre-registered and anything else that you may need on the day of the race. To help you avoid leaving something behind create a check list of everything that you need and then use this list to pack your bag the day before the race.

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Last week we talked about DuraTrax and this week I’d like to talk about Nikko remote control cars. This week I’ll be reviewing the Nikko 1/10 scale 103521BC Nissan 350Z, Street Mayhem Tuner, Black 49 MHz. This product retails for about $65 and is a good value for what you get for an electric RC car.

Street Mayhem Nissan 350Z – The Basics

This model weighs in at about 5.4 pounds and car reach speeds up to 100 mph. It comes with both a set of street tires and a couple of sets of drifting tires. It has working headlights, differential gears, an electric engine and adjustable front wheel alignment. This model also comes with a Tri-band remote control unit so you have the option of racing up to six cars at once.

Pros and Cons

This RC model has been repeatedly hailed as a great value and an overall great car for the price. People like that it is fast, inexpensive and easy to use. They also like the fact that it comes with both street and drift tires, and that you can make adjustments to the configuration of the vehicle to make it easier to control.

The only drawback that people report about this car is that it is not the best drifter in the world. However, if you put street tires on the front axel and drift tires on the back axel, it is supposed to help.

No matter what remote control unit you buy it is going to have pros and cons. However, overall this is a great little rc car. It works well for a transition vehicle between a kid’s toy RC and the expensive adult models.

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