Even those who buy the base version of the model eventually start upgrading
it as the stock plastics parts don't handle a crash as well and over time

Yeah, but, when you compare the price of the plastic spare parts of a
T-rex, it becomes obvious why I said it's cheaper than a bigger heli.
All my crashes have cost under $50 to fix. A few times I've just had to
straighten the blades and put the canopy back on.

The stock heli flies just fine unless you're doing hardcore 3D. The
people who end up spending lots of cash on bling/upgrades are usually
more committed to the hobby, or don't mind spending the $. You don't
need to upgrade if you're just flying around not doing anything
special.

I got the a stock kit, batteries, charger, all RC gear -- everything
you need to get started -- for ~$700. You can get a nitro kit for that
price, sure, but you still have to spend another $150 or so on
accessories if you don't already have them. And you have to keep paying
for nitro.

Once you get into the bigger nitro helis, it's more of a serious
commitment to the hobby as you should only fly at an RC field. With the
T-rex, you can just find a person-less outdoor spot, a gym, or even a
hanger

If you want a more serious toy, but don't really want to get into the
hobby, then the T-rex is the top-of-the-line heli to get. My point is
that more people here are in that mindset, rather than the guys in RC
heli groups/forums (like you and me) who are obviously a bit more
commited.

One thing for sure, it's certinaly much easier to get started today
than it was 20 years ago. Now kids, or even full-scale pilots, can get
a kit up and flying without too much trouble