RE: Hobbypro Mutilator is bad news !
I would say you don't have any LS experience, and you do get what you pay for. Time to upgrade the Mutilator just a little, fix what breaks with aftermarket upgrades and keep going. That seems like a little too much to go wrong with 2 brand new LS RC's.
I bet they'll tell you "you bought it you got it"
Driving a LS is just a little different than driving a 1/8th scale.
Too bad your first experience was a bad one.