I have been running it for about two years and after you get a few things sorted out it is just as capable as any other 2wd buggy. Not to mention that the car only costs $169 at amainhobbies.com. They also have all of the parts that you could need. Most tracks don't stock Academy so you will need to stock up on a few things such as A-arms, hubs, knuckles, ect.
Here is the link to the thread about the car. It is 238 pages long, and full of good info on the car. Good luck, and don't hesitate to ask any questions about the car on the other thread. The Academy guys are all like family