I recently returned to the hobby after a break of 5 years or so by purchasing a used buggy off of ebay, and I am very happy with my decision. I would say buying a used vehicle off of ebay after doing a little research on forums is the best way to go. Once you find you ideal vehicle, buying it off of ebay as a roller instead of buying it new gives you many advantages. you can pick and choose your own electronics instead of dealing with the rtr ones which you will probably end up ditching later on anyway. It also saves you a lot of money, and ensures that if you don't end up liking the vehicle you picked, it is easy to sell it again on ebay for almost the same cost as you bought it for.

Just my 2 cents