Rhall
It was suggested to me that I check with my local racetrack to see what buggy has the most support. Locally for me that was the Associated brand. I ended up purchasing a B5M with some of the less expensive electronics (Justock spec motor and ESC), $100 transmitter, and a decent steering servo.
Wasn't "cheap" but so far super durable, lots of help from local racers on setup, and can definitely grow with it over time.
Had I spent less on a RTR I would have ended up spending more in the long run to get my RTR up to par with the basic kit, upgrading the servo, and radio.