These are popular at our club, you can upgrade them easily with the R spec TC
http://www.rcmart.com/specr-sports-e...cPath=420_1581
Also the Sakura Zero XI sport is meant to be very good (slightly newer than the Spec-R)
http://www.rcmart.com/3racing-sakura...cPath=420_1417
I would have these over the Mi1 any day of the week.
As to Tamiya, parts are easy to get in the uk nowadays, and the fact they dont break also really ensures that its never an issue owning one.