Send command for RC Car

Ok sorry,

I want control my car with 4 buttons and on joystick (I have joystick shield from sparkfun).

My idea is send commands from my 4 buttons and joystick (with arduino and xbee) to another arduino with xbee in my car.

The communication between xbee is working great, i have no problem with this.

My only problem is the method to use for comunication between my two arduino. do you understand?

for exemple how can i send and read the value L0 or L1, i have try some code but don´t work, give me the last character ( 0 or 1) or working only from 0 to 9.