DMD

Ok, so I was a big RC fan when I was a kid, but of course on my paper-route budget I was limited to Tyco (please don't laugh too hard) and Radio Shack type cars. Mind you, I had a LOT of them, and drove them all into the ground. Now I'm "all grown up" and thinking about getting back into the hobby. So, I'm starting fresh, and want to get a MT. I've been doing lots of reading through the different forums, and have pretty much decided on the Mammoth. However, I've got a few questions:

1 ) I live in Toronto - Does anyone know who deals in XTM here?
2 ) I was calling a few lhs and one of them explicitly told me to not get a XTM truck as they were "bottom of the barrel" quality - now, I've read a lot of the forums and know about the required bracing and such, but most people seem happy with their trucks. Do I need to be worried?
3 ) I have zero equipment - what am I going to NEED to buy with the RTR, and what SHOULD I be buying?
4 ) As an RTR, it comes with a radio, right? Should I get a better one, and does this mean I'm going to need a new recevier?
5 ) Replace the pullstart with an HPI?
6 ) What rollcage should I get?
7 ) What shock tower & braces should I get (or how can I best manufacture them)?
8 ) What type of fuel should I be getting?
9 ) Batteries and charger suggestions?
10 ) Spare parts I should be purchasing immediately?

I'm sorry that this is so long, but I would really like to be able to make ONE trip to the lhs to get myself off the ground, and prevent as much breakage as possible so I can at least have 1 week with the truck before I have to go back.

Lastly, through my reading, my second choice to the Mammoth is the Savage. Anyone care to make comparisons to the Savage?

Thanks very much in advance!