jayjeff, I know where you're coming from dude. It's a lot of money, and it gets overwhelming FAST with people talking about shimming diffs and whatever before you even run the truck..
With so much money invested and so much technical stuff to learn about, you get nervous running the thing.. BUT, that all actually adds a lot of thrill to it.. If these things cost $10 and needed nothing done to them, they somehow wouldn't be as interesting.. There IS a learning curve involved with nitro, but if I can manage it, anybody can.. I actually like the thrill of breaking in engines now and getting them tuned to where they run right and make good power..
It sounds to me like you want the XL. So I think this is good advice: GET IT.., break it in like I told you in the other thread.. I think pretty much everybody here fried their first engine to one extent or another. I had a Savage RTR 25 and ran it without touching the needles for four gallons.. I thought it was dead, and had it sitting on the window-sill for four years.., then sold it to some dude and he got it running - well, he said.. So these engines are somewhat durable... If you don't want to take the engine out and seal it, then don't.. It's not a must. Buy the truck, get some good tools, make sure all the screws are tight, and the metal-to-metal ones are threadlocked..., and just go for it and crank it up that first time.. It'll be a thrill.. The engine might actually work out just fine.. I'm sure it does for lots of people.. And if you do manage to somehow screw it up, well, there's your excuse to get a better one down the road.. But to be honest, you're not gonna blow it up. And if it is such a junky engine(which I doubt..), well, all the better for being the one you're gonna' learn on.. Cuz you're gonna learn eventually - like with anything.. And though it might seem stressful at first, eventually the learning curve is kind of fun.. And when you have a problem, just ask.. That's what forums are for.. You've got a bunch of guys here willing to help and answer your questions. We've all been there, asking for help at one point..
So just get it and go from there, one step at a time.. Soon you'll have it screaming away at top speed in third gear, with a big dumb grin on your face.. Til you run into a fence post or something..
(You wouldn't be the first...) Then come the next questions.. That's how it works...