There are quite a few racers out in my area that run XX-4 and do quite well. Back in the day.. you had to worry about heating up the motor and batteries too much because of all the weight in it... Now with brushless motors it's not a concern. The added weight in the XX-4 helps the suspension work better than most of the newer 4wd without having to set much up. Parts seem to be in good supply as well..
The Castle Creations brushless systems seem to be pretty good. Never see folks using them having any sort of problems. They are however kind of large.. so make sure it will fit in the 4wd you decide to get.
LiPos are cool.. but if you go for a saddle pack car like the xx-4 or b44 you will be limited on what LiPos you can get..
Welcome back and have fun!
Jerome
