I'm a Tamiya fan so I will say the TT-02S. You will have to buy a brushless setup, and bearings but that thing is fast and bullet proof.

http://www.rcmart.com/tamiya-58600-t...cPath=420_1167

With a nice body and this..

http://www.falconsekido.com/collecti...ushless-system

You will be sitting around $300

Then add a 2.4ghz radio

http://www.hobbypartz.com/79p-fsgt2b-2ch-car.html