Your experience with your RC 10GT sounds a bit like mine with one exception; I didn't start with an electric. Electrics require much less mechanical attention than nitros do, but they have their drawbacks as well.

Like yourself, my only prior RC experience came from 20+ years of flying RC planes. I knew about the engines and radios and that was it. I experienced just about every problem you can possibly experience with my RC 10 at first except for any major catistrofic failures. If you have any mechanical skills at all, you'll quickly learn about which things need attention, which need beefing up, which need loctite, and soon you'll have a darn near bullet proof vehicle.

The RC 10GT is really one of the best designed and built (not assembled) stadium trucks there is. Once you get all the bugs worked out, you'll have a very fast, nice handling, and very durable vehicle. You may even forget about the electric all together.