Mini and micro cars are useless IMHO. Dont get me wrong, I have a couple of them for around the house and family and friends kids, but at a groomed racetrack they are useless.
Like I said earlier, the key is not to make it cheaper but to justify the money spent. Get rid of the attitudes and elitist mentality. If a "pro" driver has a problem with a new driver on track he/she needs to removed or penalized. Period. Everybody has been there at one point. Whether it be someone new to R/C, an experienced driver at a new track, or an off-road guy breaking into the on-road thing. We need to embrace anyone "new" in this hobby.
Buying cheap cars and minis that only run at one track once in a while when turnout is unpredictable is a waste of money and sure to chase people away. While a 17.5TC is one of the fastest classes around and probably one of the hardest to be competitive in, it's also guaranteed to run at just about every on-road track in the US. Its definitely more valuable because it can be raced everywhere. For a small investment (comparatively) you can buy a second motor, set of tires and body and now your 17.5 TC is a USGT car. Another body/motor/tires set and you have a VTA car. Now your one car that cost you a lot of money can be raced at any track any time no matter what classes are running.
I always have a USGT set-up in my pit bag so I can convert either my 17.5 car or my VTA car at the drop of a hat. I also have a spare 17.5 sitting around so I can change my 1/12th car from 13.5 to 17.5 depending on turn out. Between 3 cars i am GUARANTEED to run at least 2 classes at any track across the US. May not sound like a great plan until you realize I can throw two bags in my truck and race on road anywhere in the US. Going away to Uncle Joes for thanksgiving weekend? Take your cars and go run some on road. Take Uncle Joe's kids, maybe you just brought a new hobbyist in? You just cant do that with a Losi RTR mini car.
The problem is not the hobby, or the classes, or the tracks, or the tires, or motor wars, it's the fast guys. It's the elitists. It's the "pros" that think that decency and courtesy is optional