The Tamiya's are straight up model kits that you can make in an R/C tank, not saying this is bad as they have the best detail of any of the tanks out there the trade off is cost as they are also the most expensive out there for the most part. You can get a Taigen tank and then get all the detail goodies and upgrade it at your own pace as your skills and money allows. Taigen tanks are at a lower price point then the Tamiya thats for sure but as a trade off for cost savings they are not as finely detailed.
If you want a kit I have found this 3 in 1 Tiger tank kit from Imex that is a Taigen tank ....
http://www.imex-model.com/category/171/Tank-Kit.html Had I known about it this would have been the Tiger I had got instead of the Heng Long that I did.
Another option would be Heng Long they are the least expensive by far allowing you to buy more upgrade goodies and do more work but they being the cheapest tanks out there means they are the furthest from a Tamiya there is. Not saying they are bad just that they require more work to get to the level of a Tamiya.
If I were you and money was no issue I'd get a Tamiya.
However if maybe money isn't a real issue but you don't have a money tree growing in your back yard I'd get the Taigen kit I linked from Imex.
If money IS an issue and you just can't see spending $500 for your first R/C tank then look at Heng Long as a starting place and you can upgrade it as you wish with after market parts.
I hope this helps but feel free to ask anything else you may need.
