I am wanting to buy myself a nitro or petrol buggie but I am not sure what one to go for as there is such a wide range and variety to choose from. I am a beginner and would like a buggie that is best value for money and that is easy to get spare parts for and also is able to be up graded. I would be very grateful for any feed back and advice. Thanks.

Well, the cheapest Gasoiline buggy is going to be over $1K

How much money are you looking to spend?What type of surface will you be running on?Will you use it to bash or race?
If your looking for a nitro buggy (short grass+smooth'ish off-road) you can't beat the deals on a Hyper7 at the moment.(£200).Very upgradable,tough buggy with cheap parts.

I am willing to spend anything up to £200 and would be using it on short grass, gravel or tarmac. I have a Fatuba transmitter that my dad uses for helicopters. Is there any good websites you could recommend?

Try www.redcatracing.com and thundertiger.com

Here is the Hyper 7,available in the UK for £189.This has a .21 motor,there is also another version with a .28 motor for similar money.
http://www.modelsport.co.uk/?CallFun...n&ItemID=20870
EDIT-The helicopter tx will be of no use you'll need to buy an rtr car.