RE: Something better than a HPI trophy truggy?
Losi Ten-T is worth a look if you don't want to race.
A 1/8 truggy is better though - but I am just a big fan of 8t scale everything..
An Associated RC8T CE, Werks B5 with 2058 pipe, and 2x Savox 1258 servos would be a pretty mega-awesome place to start - plus you get to build it yourself. Costs more, but then you've got the best of the best, that is immediately race-worthy if you ever decide to try that. The HPI truggy is OK for messing around. The RC8T mega-awesome for messing around, AND racing..