Bought this for her few years ago, this year it seems to go a max distance of 30' inside OR outside before it seems the transmitter loses the car. The batteries in the car or transmitter are NOT the problem. It drives 100% fine up close but hits that "limit" and the car just stops responding until you get closer then it resumes working. The car is 100% unmolested from the factory, and the receiver antennae is the stock length of looks to be 4". PS it also has never seen water.