If you are comfortable with any level of RC car building and maintenance, check out the For Sale forums on here. I was in your position, looking for my first 1/8 scale buggy and not really sure what direction I wanted to go in. I found a very nice XRAY XB8 EC here for $200 - just needs what any roller kit would need.
Couldn't beat that price, not for a $700 car. Just a thought, unless you want to go new for sure. The way you can download manuals, get forum help, and get parts support in just 2-3 days online really expands your options.