My suggestion...
CRC Gen XL or Gen Xi. you can get the Xi new, and the XL used. This is a good car, not difficult to build correctly and has a cells-across layout. Mick Farrell and Kev Creaser run the car and are often at Chesterfield so can give the car the once-over and set it up for you.
I would avoid the AE 12R5.1 as you will have to buy this second hand. If you do, beware that a lot of people sell cars because they are not built properly and therefore don't handle properly. You can't buy this car new any more, and the 12R5.2 is an in-line car only. Avoid the cars with in-line cells as these are harder to drive even if you build them OK. The CRC is the best car to start your 12th career as it is easy to build and ticks all the handling boxes for UK use.
I would start with a 17.5 motor if you've never driven a 12th car before. 12th cars are very different from other classes, especially these days. You never use the brakes, and you have to drive to the grip and get used to the almost instant response to the sticks. The 17.5 motor will allow you to make some mistakes with the build and have a driveable car, but it will also teach you line and corner speed and consistency - the keys to driving a 12th car fast. If you really can't bring yourself to drive slowly, then get a 10.5. Beware that this will bring out any errors in set-up and build very quickly, and cost you more in tyres and bodies.
These are the best items to fit to your car, and although they cost a bit new, you will fit and forget and they have a good re-sale value. These you can safely buy second hand.
Servo - Futaba 9602 (analogue) or 9650 (digital). Safest is the 9650 which works with any radion system, the 9602 will not work with Sanwa Exess and Futaba FASST systems.
Speedo - LRP SXX v2 or Hobbywing 120A v2.1 second hand as they both have a 1S booster built in and need no external booster or receiver pack. The Core RC 45 is great value new, as is the new Mardave G2 BL system; take the fan off to make them fit under the 12th body - you don't need it anyway. Avoid speedos that don't work with 1S cells as it just complicates the build and running of the car for a new driver.
Motor - a Dynamite, Reedy or Thunder Power motor are good value and work very well with 1S. Select the wind depending on the class you want to run.
Body - Protoform AMR is the only one to have; simples!!
Tyres - for 17.5 you need yellow rear and magenta front (CRC, Jaco or Parma) or Contact pink rear and soft pink front. The CRC/Jaco/parma tyres are faster. Get three sets and rotate them using a new set each run, and swapping them from one side to the other each time you use a pair. You will need to true them down from the packet sizes, but just anyone at Chesterfield to bring in a truer one night and they'll do it for you. Start at 44mm rear and 42mm front for either class.
Additive - CS High Grip is the only one to have - another simples! Full width rear and half width front (from the inside) is a good starting point.
Gears - use Kimbrough spur gears and nothing else, and RW pinions up to 47T for your 10.5 motor, and CRC pinions from 53 to 59T for a 17.5. Use an 80T spur for 10.5 and a 76T spur for 17.5. Once you have chosen your motor you will only need one spur gear and a couple of pinions to account for tyre wear, so the outlay is quite small.
It's a reasonable investment in total, but if you ever decide 12th is not for you, then it will sell very readily. Using cheap and cheerful stuff will give you problems eventually and will have no re-sale value as no other 12th racer will us it! Most of it you will find for sale on forums eventually, so you can get down to a good starting cost by buying the right kit at the right price. All this stuff is basically bulletproof, so buy with confidence.
Our shop of choice is AMC as Wim has absolutely everything you would need and is very helpful. There's a Shootout meeting at Chesterfield on 2nd September when there will be hoards of the best guys there and you can ask us all, and talk to Wim as he will be there with his shop.
If there's anything else you need, please come back and ask. Your best move is to go to Chesterfield first, find Mick or Kev and just ask. I hope you get going, because once you do you'll be hooked! HTH
