Which body is best is a toss up. We have deidicated nikon users and dedicated canon.
Even Olympus and Pentax.
All have advantages and disadvantages. Most common advice is to go somewhere where you can hold each and see which one feels best.
I'm pretty sure you can still get the 18-135 lens with the D-80 which is the lens I got with mine last August. Its a great carry around lens, light, fast, and quiet. Does have some vignetting problems wide open so you have to watch your f/stop.