Firstly buy the metal version with metal tracks, you can always buy low cost plastic later, upfront metal tracks are cheaper

Then a good radio and good electronics ( I sell the clark but check everything out then yoiu will buy a clark board )

Then 3 to 1 gears or as best as what is available for less than 100 bucks

Then gear motors

Then comes the paint and decals/stencils

By this time I am usually around 350 to 400 but it is every bit as good in my opinion as anything else