1. 1/8th scale. I started with a pair of Traxxas 1/10 units (Slash 2x4, Rustler) a year ago and now have a pair of 1/8th vehicles. More money up front, but better performance, easier to work on, waaaaaay tougher. The Slash is dead, but the Rusty lives on with 1/8th scale upgrades.

2. Think carefully about the buggy option. They look sweet (I want one!) but their exposed bits do make them less robust than some other options (Monster Truck, Truggy, SC)

3. Buy something that is well supported. I have a Thunder Tiger MT4 G3, and while RPM don't make parts for it, it shares a lot of parts with legacy TT cars and also some Associated cars; getting parts is generally pretty easy. You will need parts; best to know you can get them vs. having your car sit idle for 3 weeks waiting on chinese plastic.

4. Decide in advance of your path. Are you going to buy a starter car and then upgrade once you're sucked in, or are you going all-in right off the bat? Do you need to buy a Ready to Run unit because of a lack of mechanical skill or time, or would you rather piece the parts together bit by bit, getting exactly what you want?

5. Try and set a budget first. To be honest, for a solid 1/8th scale unit with all ancillaries you're looking at somewhere north (ahem, possibly well north) of $600. Stuff you'll need: Car (duh), Electronics (if you don't buy a Ready to Run setup), Radio (if no RTR), Batteries ($50-70/each for good 4S packs, you'll want at least a couple), charger (buy quality, cry once! Personally I wouldn't buy something that can't go to 20A/300W+), tools (I have now hex tools, camber gauge, body reamer, turnbuckle wrenches plus all the stuff I already had), spares (arms, shafts, pins, bearing carriers, screws, ????depends on car), a big-ass box for all yer shite, and I'm undoubtedly missing some stuff.

6. For 'real deal' reviews read the Electric Off Road forum. Almost all the mainstream cars have "Official XYZ threads" (and if there isn't one on RCT you can maybe find one at URC...) and the ones with 1000+ posts make for good reading. I just bought my D8t-e and the Hot Bodies D8 Truggy thread* (214 pages, >8500 (!) posts) told me pretty much everything I needed to know. If any of the cars you like has a good thread, study it.

*Nitro Off Road section; any electric D8t is converted.

Fun hobby. Expensive. Mechanically intense. Luck!