Beyond the car itself, most first-time RC buyers need four more things: a way to charge the battery (which may or may not be included), a battery itself (ditto), a handful of basic tools, and somewhere safe to run it. Most RTR cars include the car and transmitter ready to go; the battery and charger are the items most likely to be sold separately, and that single gap causes more day-one disappointment than anything else in the hobby. This checklist walks through every item worth confirming before you click buy, so nothing is missing when the box arrives.
Does RTR really mean ready to run?
RTR stands for Ready-To-Run, meaning the car itself arrives assembled rather than needing to be built from a kit - no glue, no gluing tiny suspension arms together, no wondering if you did it right. What RTR doesn't always guarantee is that you can drive it the moment the box is open, since the battery and charger needed to run the car are frequently sold as separate add-ons rather than bundled in.
There's a practical reason this happens rather than it being an odd industry quirk: lithium batteries carry freight and shipping restrictions that make bundling them with every car more complicated for some manufacturers, and plenty of returning hobbyists already own a compatible battery and charger from a previous car, so forcing a new set onto every buyer would waste money for a good chunk of the customer base. Neither reason helps a first-time buyer caught out at checkout, which is why this checklist exists.
Always read the specific listing rather than assuming from the RTR label alone - some RTR packages include a battery and charger as standard, others sell the car as a "roller" with power components left up to you. We cover the fuller build-vs-buy decision, including why some hobbyists prefer starting from a kit despite the extra step, in RTR vs Kit: Should You Build or Buy Ready-to-Run?.
Batteries & chargers: the catch to know
This is the single biggest checkout surprise in the hobby: a car that looks complete in photos can still need a battery, a charger, or both before it will move an inch. NiMH and LiPo batteries need different chargers, so whatever you pick has to match the charger you buy - or the combo charger you already own, if this isn't your first battery-powered hobby.
Worth knowing before you buy a charger: a basic charger applies current to the whole pack at once, while a balance charger monitors and tops up each individual cell inside a LiPo pack so none of them ends up over or under charged relative to the others. For NiMH, a basic charger is normal and fine; for LiPo, a balance charger (or balance-capable charger) is the standard, safer choice almost everyone in the hobby settles on.
Our RC Batteries & Chargers range covers both battery chemistries and the chargers built for each, and checking it against your specific car's requirements before ordering saves a second, frustrating wait once the car itself has already arrived. If you do go with LiPo, a dedicated LiPo safe bag is a day-one item, not an optional extra - it's the safe place a LiPo battery lives while charging and while stored between sessions. We cover the complete charging and storage routine in LiPo Battery Charging & Safety: The Complete Guide.
Tools you'll actually use
Most RTR cars include a small hex driver or wrench set in the box for basic adjustments, but it's worth confirming on the listing rather than assuming - a cheap multi-tool with a few common hex sizes is worth having regardless, since it covers you if the included set turns out to be thin. Beyond that, day one doesn't demand a full workshop: a hobby knife for trimming decals or light flash, and a small screwdriver set, cover almost everything you'll need before your first upgrade or repair.
One easy thing to overlook: transmitters usually run on their own AA batteries, and these are very often not included in the box alongside the car's own battery. Check the transmitter's battery compartment requirements before day one, and keep a spare set on hand - running out of transmitter power is a less common but just as flat a way to end a first session early. A cheap battery voltage checker is a small, worthwhile add too, since it tells you at a glance whether a pack still has useful charge left rather than guessing from run time alone. Our RC Car Tools & Accessories range covers the basics above and the next tier up once you're ready for them.
Consumables & first spares
Nothing on this list is needed on day one, but it's worth knowing these exist before you need them in a hurry: spare tyres for when the stock set wears down, spare body clips (small, cheap, and the first thing to vanish into the grass), and a spare set of the small screws holding the shell or chassis together. A small bottle of threadlocker is worth adding once you notice screws working loose after a few sessions of vibration - a drop on the thread stops them backing out without needing to be checked every time you drive.
None of this needs buying up front - it's a mental note for the first few months, not part of the opening order. We go deeper on what's worth adding once you've had the car a few weeks - spares, charger upgrades, and the tools that earn a permanent spot in the toolbox - in What to Buy With Your First RC Car: Spares, Chargers & Tools.
What not to buy on day one
It's tempting to add hop-up parts, aftermarket suspension, or a bigger motor to the same order as your first car, but none of that belongs on a starter checklist. Learning how the stock setup drives and breaks first gives you a baseline to judge any upgrade against later, and most beginners can't yet feel the difference an upgrade part would make anyway. Save that money and enthusiasm for once you've had a few months on the stock components - the checklist above covers everything a first car needs, and everything past it can wait.
The day-one checklist
Print this before you order, and tick each one off against the listing you're buying from:
- The car itself (confirm RTR, and whether it's a "roller" or comes with battery/charger)
- Battery matched to the car's chemistry (NiMH or LiPo) - check if one is included
- A charger matched to that battery, balance-capable if it's LiPo - check if one is included
- AA batteries for the transmitter (almost never included)
- A basic hex driver or multi-tool, even if one is boxed with the car
- A LiPo safe bag, if you're running LiPo
- Somewhere safe and legal to drive it
Every item above is either already in the box, or a quick add to the same order once you know to look for it - the goal is confirming which is which before checkout, not after.
FAQs
Do RTR cars come with batteries?
It varies by model and by listing, so check the specific product page rather than assuming from the RTR label. Some RTR packages bundle a battery and charger as standard; others sell the car alone and expect you to add power separately - both are common industry practice, and neither is a sign of a lesser product or a missing part. When a listing doesn't say either way, it's worth asking before you order rather than assuming.
What charger do I need?
The charger has to match your battery's chemistry - a NiMH charger won't safely charge a LiPo battery and vice versa - so confirm the battery first and buy the charger to suit it. If you're running LiPo, look for a balance-capable charger rather than the most basic option on the shelf. Our batteries & chargers range groups both types together, which makes matching the pair straightforward once you know which chemistry you're running.
What tools come in the box?
Most RTR cars include a small hex wrench or driver set sized for that model's screws, but the exact contents vary, so check the listing if you're relying on it rather than buying separately. A basic multi-tool from our tools range is a sensible backup regardless of what's boxed in, and a hobby knife for decal trimming is worth adding even though it's rarely included with the car.
Ready to build your day-one order? Browse RC Batteries & Chargers and RC Car Tools & Accessories, or start with Best Beginner RC Cars in NZ if you haven't picked a car yet. Questions? Message Us or visit us in Auckland.