HELP! Recommendations? BRAND NEW to joomla/virtuemart OR?? - Joomla! Forum - community, help and support

hi, solicited opinions on situation? permissible in forum. if not, let me know. delete.

i've encountered needs find replacement joomla/virtuemart website due bad health.

she says can need in forums, skill level beginner. i'm student , use money, though seems rather low… dont mind learning , spending time , effort, totally new php, mysql i'm still reading books on beginning - live commercial site, fixes have fast. seem have thorough documentation.

i wanted solicite opinions on advisability of beginning skills taking on live e-commerce site. site appears have low level of use, regular use, , 5k low cost products. not known site - used regularly regular customers can tell talking them.

its on 2.5 , virtuemart beta 3.x.

1. need update vm finished 3.x - never attempted before
2. very slow
3. better cart low cost? - said not ton of traffic, regular shoppers , using catalog.
4. owner of site (not developer made it):: understand hes been been breeched couple times , loosing confidence in joomla/ or virtuemart ? joomla 3 appears better, think have address few old things before vm available j3.x. repetitive - advisable new program tackle?

it helpful recommendations other free cart software if vm isn't thing - ones i've looked @ far go off number of items - change pay high cost carry products online little return.

i'd improve online - joomla seems highly recommended - security - beginner can handle well?

any advice appreciated. i'd hear opinions of have time.

thank you.