Clones have completely eclipsed MS for me at least.
I have owned both, and the differences are minute, with one provision:
You have to know WHICH clones to buy.
As was already stated, some of them are crap, and others, while usable out of the box, don't mod easily or at all.
of course, not everyone is buying them to mod them.
I am.
If you want a decent running car 99% of the time and don't know anything yet, YES, go MS for the "ease-in" factor at the greater expense.
But once you get an eye for the gearing, and can find good cheap clones somewhere, you'd be crazy not to buy them!
(Keep in mind that this is coming from the guy who does almost all Zip Zaps nowadays at Rad Shmack prices.)
The MS accessory kits are absolutely killer, and usually priced very well, as well as the MS bodies, so you can rebuild a clone to be indistinguishable from a MS if you wanna!
Behold, an oldie but a goodie, "Missy jo II"
A clone with a MS makeover!