The advice that I have to give is that you are essentially moving backwards by going from electric to nitro.

The ultimate question is, what is your goal? Do you want to just bash, or do you plan to race? If you ever plan to race, stay away from Traxxas. if you want to bash, by all means, stick with Traxxas, as they are tanks (very heavy, but are good for bashing around because they can take the abuse). Their main appeal is that they are RTR, and all they seem to advertise is their top speed (a horrible trend in the hobby to attract newcomers).

Glow (nitro) engines are extremely finicky, especially Traxxas engines. Quality/consistency leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to their engines. However, patience is a virtue.