Overwhelmed and clueless... Need Help!

[JamesMaz]

Hi guys,

I'm after a car for mainly messing about over the summer holidays with my son. I first spotted the cheap NitroTek XSTR but was put off by apparent lack of parts and cheap components.

I next looked at the rather attractive green Monster Smacker. A quick google search suggests I should chose the Mad Rat over the Smacker though as its stronger and has a sealed drivetrain. I understand there is a problem with the shocks though, so what part would be recommended as a replacement, and how much?

My budget is around £150 or so. With this I'd like a strong reliable car that is fast and fun, with the possibility of it being upgraded in the future, controls, at least 2 x 3000mAh batteries, a quick charger and any other gear required to get it running.

Or, would it be possible to get the X-Pro within this budget?

Other question I have: are on-road wheels/tyres available for buggies so we can have a bit of car park fun? Do I need to buy the same make as the car manufacturer? Or it is just a case of knowing size and offset? I'd like to put fat wheels on the front if I go for 2WD just to make it look a little better

Are these models (or any other suggestions) ok with wet tarmac, grass, sand, etc?

Finally, can you recommend as good reliable shops to buy from online or in South Wales? Everything is just so overwhelming its hard to know where to turn.

As much information you can provide would be greatly appreciated