The Market wards basically work. They still have a way to go. But there is an item search and a huge icon above the npcs head when you enter. Basically an AH where you have to pick up the item. The main flaw atm is they crash in uldah because everyone congregated there.

Lag is no worse then XI now. Basically that improved 20fold.

They added a bunch of quest, a new task board for crafters/gathers, and several dozen NMs to kill. Outside that it is the same game.

I would say start now if you are ok with what is said above, because the content coming up Dungeons, New classes, and some of the quest all have prereqs to them, atm mainly Rank of the classes. So starting now you will be ready for the big updates coming.

A bit of advice though the game is extremely group based, get into an active linkshell if you join now. You will need it to do partys and such. Solo the game is insainly brutal past rank 24, it is possible but not optimal at all.