Our Dash will reach about 10-12 mph, the Micro reaches speeds between 10 and 30 mph, our other touring car kits about 25-32 mph. The electric RS4 MT will go between 20 and 25 mph. The various Nitro cars and trucks we produce reach speeds of about 30-40 mph "out of the box" (stock), while various option parts like engines, 2 speeds and aerodynamic bodies will enable them to go to speed up to 60 mph, or more with additional modifications.

The Dash is our cheapest Ready To Run (RTR) kit, it is about $100 through hobby shops and other retailers (see our Links page). The Dash kit includes everything you need to run it, there is nothing more to buy. The RTR Micro RS4 is about $200 and requires instant glue and 12 AA batteries. Our other electric kits range from $150 to $200 in price, however you will need additional items like the radio, batteries, etc. See the individual kit pages for what else you will need.

What is the next car kit/body/part you will release?
Sorry, we prefer not to release information like that! Sometimes we will give out prerelease information on our R/C Forum, if you pay attention there you might find out some "secret" info.

Can you sponsor me?
At this time, we have a very small team of racers from Europe, Japan and the USA. All of our drivers have won or placed very well in various National championship series, IFMAR World Championship events or work for HPI or our distributors. Instead of spending lots of money on a large team of drivers, we prefer to have full-time employees to help thousands of our dedicated customers, have a more helpful web site, maintain the R/C Forum, offer parts and services on our Buy HPI site and run a series of fun races for HPI customers. You are still free to email or mail your racing resume to us for consideration.

When will more Nitro Star Pro parts and engines be available?
Novarossi makes the Nitro Star Pro engines for HPI, as well as other OEM engines for several other companies. HPI is not the only company who must wait on parts from Novarossi, and if Novarossi is unable to keep up with the demand on their engine production, all of their OEM customers (like HPI) suffer. We try as hard as possible to get engines and parts in our stock to ship ot our distributors, however if you are unable to find replacement parts or engines for your Nitro Star Pro, try engines from Serpent/Mega, Rex, Mugen, RB Concept and other companies that source from Novarossi.

I've ordered ____ part but it hasn't arrived!
There are rare times when HPI parts can be difficult to find, even if you've placed an order. In the past couple of years HPI parts have been easier to find than ever. If you order from your local hobby shop, you will usually get the part you need within 4 days. If it takes longer, your shop's distributor is looking for the part and it will probably arrive within a short time. Sometimes our suppliers cannot keep up with our demands, in which case we will be out of stock and parts supply will be very limited. This happens very infrequently, however.

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General Questions
How fast do they go?
Our Dash will reach about 10-12 mph, the Micro reaches speeds between 10 and 30 mph, our other touring car kits about 25-32 mph. The electric RS4 MT will go between 20 and 25 mph. The various Nitro cars and trucks we produce reach speeds of about 30-40 mph "out of the box" (stock), while various option parts like engines, 2 speeds and aerodynamic bodies will enable them to go to speed up to 60-80 mph.

How much do they cost?
The Dash is our cheapest Ready To Run (RTR) kit, it is about $100 through hobby shops and other retailers (see our Links page). The Dash kit includes everything you need to run it, there is nothing more to buy. The RTR Micro RS4 is about $200 and requires instant glue and 12 AA batteries. Our other electric kits range from $150 to $200 in price, however you will need additional items like the radio, batteries, etc. See the individual kit pages for what else you will need.

Can you sponsor me?
At this time, we have a very small team of racers from Europe, Japan and the USA. All of our drivers have won or placed very well in various National championship series, IFMAR World Championship events or work for HPI or our distributors. Instead of spending lots of money on a large team of drivers, we prefer to have full-time employees to help thousands of our dedicated customers, have a more helpful web site, maintain the R/C Forum, offer parts and services on our Buy HPI site and run a series of fun races for HPI customers. You are still free to email or mail your racing resume to us for consideration.

Can I order parts or kits from you?
We encourage all hobbyists to order and purchase their items from their local hobby shops whenever possible. If this is not possible, visit our Links page for online and mail order retailers you can order from. Our Buy HPI site has some parts available, however the prices are at "full retail".

Can you convert (car A) into (car B)?
Many of our kits share common parts and can be "converted" into other types of kits (truck, rally, touring car) with varying degrees of difficulty. We have no official lists of parts to do these conversions, however, use the Search function of our R/C Forum to find instructions for various conversions compiled by our loyal customers.

What is the next product you will release?
Sorry, we prefer not to release information like that! Sometimes we will give out prerelease information on our R/C Forum, if you pay attention there you might find out some "secret" info.

How difficult is it to assemble R/C kits?
Most people will be able to assemble an HPI kit with little difficulty. If you are used to a screwdriver and pair of pliers you won't have a problem. Familiarity with assembling anything from instructions (model kits, furniture and other equipment) will help but is not necessary. 

How hard are the cars to drive?
Most people get used to driving the cars quickly, and while you are learning it's okay to crash the car a couple of times, HPI cars are very durable! The best thing is to drive slowly and get used to turning the car as it goes in different directions.

What type of kit should I buy?
This is a very detailed answer with different answers for each person, so we will split it up between different types of kits:

Should I get an on-road or off-road kit?
On-road kits can hit high speeds and they look like the cars you see on racetracks and streets around the world. With four-wheel drive (4WD), they are easy to drive and you can get realistic treaded tires and bodies for scale realism. However, driving off your curb or over holes in the road is not what these are designed to do. 

Off-road kits feature big tires, long shock absorbers and the ability to drive just about anywhere. They can handle jumps, dirt and other typical obstacles in your backyard, vacant lot, and just about anywhere. While some R/C off-road car and truck kits are meant only for race tracks, HPI's line of off-road kits are meant for both the track and yard.

Bridging the gap between on-road and off-road are the popular "Rally" cars. These are in basic terms on-road cars with knobby tires and longer shocks than normal, but they can also handle jumps, dirt and most of the other obstacles that other off-road kits can drive right through or over.

Should I get a Nitro or electric kit?
Electric kits are slightly easier to assemble and maintain than Nitro kits, are nearly silent (so you don't bother your neighbors) and require simple plugs and switches to run. You can also run electric kits indoors, while Nitro kits must be run outdoors only. A well-tuned electric car can keep up with a Nitro car on a small parking lot track, but on a large track the Nitro car will easily pull away from the electric.

Nitro kits are much more reliable than kits just a few years ago and except for the engine and its related systems (exhaust and fuel) the Nitro car or truck is just as easy to build and care for as an electric car or truck. The Nitro engine provides realistic sights (smoke), sound (tuned pipe), and smells (exhaust), which is a huge reason for the Nitro class's popularity. While the electric kit must use several battery packs to achieve run times of 30 to 60 minutes, all the Nitro kit owner must do is make sure his transmitter and receiver batteries are sufficient and fill the car's fuel tank every 5 to 10 minutes. 

Should I get an RTR kit or a kit I have to build?
"RTR" means Ready To Run, and in the case of HPI's RTR kits the only preparation that is needed requires about 30 minutes or less before you're running the car or truck. This option is good for hobbyists who don't have time to build a kit, want to easily add another R/C kit to the collection, or anyone who is buying a kit for a younger relative.

Any HPI kit that is not labeled "RTR" is a "kit", meaning it must be built up from parts that are included in the box. This is usually not as hard a process as it initially sounds, our instructions have improved immensely from even a couple of years ago and our kits are easier to build than ever. 

How long does it take to build a kit?
Anyone familiar with a screwdriver and pliers should take 15-20 hours to build a kit. If you have built a model kit, work on a full-size car or if you can assembly kit furniture easily you should be able to finish an HPI kit in 10-12 hours. Experienced R/C car hobbyists can build a brand new kit in 4-6 hours.

What tools would I need?
Basic tools you will need include a large (#2) and small (#1) Philips head screwdrivers, needlenose pliers, hobby knife (X-acto brand or similar), and instant cyanoacrylate (CA) glue. Other useful tools include side cutters and curved Lexan scissors. If you are purchasing a Nitro car or truck kit you will also need an 8mm glow plug wrench and threadlocking compound (we recommend LocTite blue compound).

Where is the best place to buy an HPI kit?
The first place you should go to for an HPI kit is a local hobby shop. Look for "Hobby Supplies" in your local telephone directory. Buying from an established shop is best because you will always have people to turn to for help if you should damage or have questions about your kit. 

Another alternative is to find an R/C magazine at a bookstore or newsstand and find advertisements for mail-order companies. They often sell kits below the cost of local shops but cannot offer the hands-on help that a shop can offer. Since you are reading this FAQ online, you can also go to our Links page to find online retailers. These types of retailers have the same advantages and disadvantages of mail-order companies. 

Can I buy a part/kit from you?
Our Buy HPI section offers most of our replacement and option parts as service to hobbyists who live in remote areas. These parts are sold at full retail prices so we do not compete directly with your local hobby shops. As always, we fully recommend that you try to locate any HPI part from your local hobby shop first. Currently the only kits that we sell on Buy HPI are some limited production or discontinued kits. The selection of kits will vary from time to time.

Where can I find ____ part?
The first place you should go to for an HPI kit is a local hobby shop. Look for "Hobby Supplies" in your local telephone directory. Buying from an established shop is best because you will always have people to turn to for help if you should damage or have questions about your kit. If your shop doesn't have the part in stock, ask them to order it for you. Most shops get deliveries once or twice a week from their distributors, so you can normally get a part you need within 4 days. If your shop can't or won't order the part, try another local shop, mail order retailer or online retailer.

Another alternative is to find an R/C magazine at a bookstore or newsstand and find advertisements for mail-order companies. They often sell kits below the cost of local shops but cannot offer the hands-on help that a shop can offer. Since you are reading this FAQ online, you can also go to our Links page to find online retailers. These types of retailers have the same advantages and disadvantages of mail-order companies. 

Our Buy HPI section also offers most of our replacement and option parts as service to hobbyists who live in remote areas. These parts are sold at full retail prices so we do not compete directly with your local hobby shops. As always, we fully recommend that you try to locate any HPI part from your local hobby shop first.

I've ordered ____ part but it hasn't arrived!
There are rare times when HPI parts can be difficult to find, even if you've placed an order. In the past couple of years HPI parts have been easier to find than ever. If you order from your local hobby shop, you will usually get the part you need within 4 days. If it takes longer, your shop's distributor is looking for the part and it will probably arrive within a short time. Sometimes our suppliers cannot keep up with our demands, in which case we will be out of stock and parts supply will be very limited. This happens very infrequently, however.

I'm missing a part from my kit!
We apologize for any missing parts. HPI's quality control is one of the best in the industry, with an extremely low percentage of missing or wrong parts in our kits. Contact our customer service department for any missing parts. See our Support page for the phone numbers of the appropriate HPI office. 

Broke a part
We fully honor our defective parts warranty, however we cannot replace parts broken from crashes, abuse, neglect, etc. See the Updates page of your kit (use our Kits page) to see if we currently have a replacement policy in effect for the part that broke. If you feel the part broke too easily, see our Contact page for the phone numbers of the appropriate HPI customer service location. We will make upgrades to certain kit parts if we find that a part breaks too often in normal running. 

I have a problem
Contact our customer service department for any problems. See our Support page for the phone numbers of the appropriate HPI office. 

How long does it take for Customer Service to send out my part?
We try our best to process repairs as soon as they come in, most of the time simple items are shipped back the day after they come in. Shipping time depends on how you send it and where you are located. HPI USA is in California, so ground shipping from the east coast can take around 5 days in each direction. The closer you are to California the quicker the item will be returned. Canadian customers, International customs can sometimes delay the delivery by a few days. We don't work on weekends and holidays, so if you want to calculate the time it takes for a repair you must consider our weekend/holiday schedule.

Catalog
The United States version of our catalog is available for free download here. If you wish to have a print version, send a $2 (US funds) to our United States address. See our Contact page for the address of the HPI USA office. 

How durable are these cars/can they handle crashes?
HPI car kits are widely known to be among the most durable kits you can buy. You will surely find out exactly how tough the cars are when you first start running them, but rest assured they are very strong!

Why do HPI parts cost more in Europe or other countries?
Because of shipping costs and import tariffs, the cost of HPI kits to hobbyists in many parts of the world will cost more than the equivalent list price in US dollars when converted to your national currency. HPI has no control over shipping costs and import tariffs, unfortunately.

What does the HPI abbreviation stand for?
Hobby Products International.

What does the RS4 abbreviation stand for?
The "RS" designation is symbolic of the "RS" in full-size car model names such as the Porsche 911RS and Chevrolet Camaro RS. 

Where is HPI headquartered?
HPI was started in the USA, however doesn't have a single location that is considered a "headquarters". Each of the three locations has a General Manager, a full staff and has equal consideration when new products are discussed. See the History of HPI page for an overview of HPI Racing's beginnings!

I have a suggestion for a really cool option part!
We love to hear from our customers that have suggestions for new option parts that we don't already have available. Our design and production schedule is set far in advance and is always full, so we may already be working on the part you are requesting. At this time we are not soliciting for any new parts or kits, however you may be able to contact any one of a number of companies that may be interested. See our Links page for contact information for many companies in the R/C industry.

Will you make a ____ kit?
At this time we have no other announcements to make, but stay tuned to this site and your local shop for any news.

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Bodies
Will HPI make ____ body?
HPI does not announce in advance our list of bodies we are working on, however our body fabricators are constantly working on several bodies at once.

Can I get extra decals for my body or kit?
Sorry, we no longer sell body decals separately. We do have decals that you can buy, see this page for part numbers and pictures. 

Do you sell custom painted bodies?
Sorry, we do not sell custom painted bodies. You can purchase custom painted bodies at your local hobby shop, or through the many links listed on our Links page.

What do I use to paint the body (paint, can/airbrush)?
Because our bodies are the only bodies to feature overspray film, vinyl window mask and our high-quality vinyl decals, you literally need nothing but a can of spray paint to have a wonderful R/C car body. For more advanced bodies featuring two or more colors of paint, you will need quality masking tape (we recommend 3M brand masking tape) and a hobby knife. See our Body Painting Tips page for more details.

I need ideas for a paint job!
See the Racer's Gallery section of our site for many paint job ideas. Many hobbyists have used the paint jobs from our site on their own race cars!

Where can I find someone to paint my body?
See our Body Painting Services links on our Links page. You can probably find someone at your local hobby shop or race track to paint bodies also.

Can you put my HPI kit's picture in the Gallery section?
Sign up for the Pit Stop to join our community and start uploading your photos! See the Racer's Gallery section of the web site for details on what we look for in a Racer's Gallery picture!

I want to put an HPI body on a non-HPI car I have, will it fit?
Most R/C cars will be able to fit HPI bodies, however you will have to mark the bodies so your mounting holes line up. HPI bodies have dimples conveniently on the body so you don't have to guess where to drill the body mount holes. 

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Website/Forum
Can I get added to your Links page?
We are always adding sites our extensive and very long Links page. If you feel your site is a high-quality site with useful information, a club or race track site or in any other way useful to R/C hobbyists, send us the link. We will check it out and if it's a good site we will add it to the appropriate section of the Links page.

Can I use one of your banners or images on my web page?
We know that our images are used on dozens (maybe hundreds) of web sites around the world. However, many of these sites have not asked our permission to use our images and are in violation of our copyright. If you want to use HPI-owned images on your web site, all we ask is that you email and ask permission. We also have several banners and buttons you can use freely on your web site, click here for our free banners!

I am having a problem with my order on Buy HPI!
Any questions or concerns about orders placed on the Buy HPI site must be directed to that site's administrator.

There's a typo or mistake on the web page!
Thanks for noticing! Please email and let us know.

What program do you use to make the site?
Currently we use Macromedia DreamWeaver 4 to work on the site.

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HPI Challenge Races
What is the schedule for 2003?
At this time we don't have a definite schedule in place for 2003. When we have dates and locations locked in, we will announce them on the web site.

When will you have a race near me?
Our goal for the HPI Challenge USA races is to have races around the United States that will allow as many HPI kit owners as possible to participate. We move our race locations to different places each year. If we haven't had a race near you yet, we probably will soon! 

Racers in other countries should contact their country's distributor (our distributor list is here) to let them know you want a race, too! 

Why aren't you having a race in ____?
We move the race locations around from year to year in the United States, this allows as many of our customers as possible to participate and have fun. There are so many locations around the USA that want to hold races that we couldn't possibly have a race at each one, so we've picked areas that we haven't been to yet, or at least recently. This lets new participants join in the fun! If we don't have a race in your area this year, we will probably have one near you next year. 

Why aren't you allowing ____ kit owners to race?
We have opened up the HPI Challenge USA rules to allow nearly all of our currently produced kit owners to participate. Recent races have seen a sharp decline in participation from certain car class owners, and space and travel limitations control what other classes we can adequately provide for. For the 2001 HPI Challenge USA season we opened up the Challenge series to the Nitro MT, Nitro Rush, Super Nitro Rally and electric Rally classes! For 2002 Micro RS4 owners are invited to join in the fun!

I have a rules question!
If you are an HPI kit owner in the United States, please see this page for our race schedule this year and complete rules. Racers in the United Kingdom can go here. Our rules are very comprehensive and easy to understand. If you still have a question, email the HPI Challenge USA coordinator .

Racers in other countries should contact their country's distributor (our distributor list is here) for HPI Challenge rules, or to let them know you want a race, too!

How can I get a Challenge race near me?
See our HPI Challenge Requirements for what we need a club, shop or track to have in order to host an HPI Challenge event.

HPI Challenge event organizers can read this page for guidelines how to run a large Challenge event and helpful advice to make their event run as smooth as possible!