In my estimation,you and your Brother are on the right track.Tamiya and Xray are the best 2 manufacturers out there as far as many people are concerned. I'm a Tamiya junkie also and can vouch for the 414 being a great car. I don't mean to make your choice harder but...Consider the TA04R. It really is a great chassis. Also there are alot of people who love it and will offer support. Just look at the TA04r thread.....it's huge. Either way you can't go wrong.