ORIGINAL: pcsguy88

I bought my VS T-72 back in febuary and have enjoyed every minute of it. Now that I have a reliable tank for indoor/outdoor use, it's time to step up to a 1/16th HL. Like many on this board, I am not a fan of WWII tanks. Unfortunately, we don't really have a choice unless we drop a grand on a Tamiya Leopard. Anyways, I've been eyeballing the Bulldog since Christmas and hear a lot of good things about it. I do like that it is fairly close to a m48 and do like the big open treads. Now that the Panzer IV is out, I keep reading that it is HL's best tank yet. Here are the questions I need answered before pulling the trigger next week:

What makes the P IV the best tank? Is it the Electronics? Handling? Offroad abilities?

Is the Bulldog still the best offroad HL model? Are the "NEW" features listed at Mato mean it has updated electronics like the P IV?

What spare parts should I not leave the store without?

99% of all driving will be on manicured lawn and asphalt. Will metal tracks be the best choice?

Are the metal parts/gearboxes the same at both the new US store and Mato? Does the new store even carry the metal gearbox version without metal treads?

I thank you guys for being patient with all of us HL newbies asking the same exact questions 20 different ways. I just want a tough tank that can kickass and not breakdown after every session. I love my VS T-72 and it plows right through the lawn for the first 3 or 4 days after it's mowed. After that, I find myself backing out of grassy clumps more than I want to. I want my 1/16th tank to run all week between mowings.