If there are not many people who use crawlers around you are you
sure you want a competition type crawler? My advice would be to try a scale crawler, one that looks like a small version of a real truck. They are much more fun in my opinion. After you build it and paint it, you can add small details like lights, a winch and tools to make it look even more realistic. You can even add a driver. A scale crawler will not perform as well as a dedicated rock crawler, but they still do well. You can even use water-proof electronics in your truck and take it through water and mud along the trails. As you said, you can see the suspension parts working and enjoy the look of the truck without crashing it all of the time.
I have an Axial SCX10 Honcho and I really enjoy making videos while driving it.
http://www.axialracing.com/ftp/scx10-kit-v2/