It's ANY sport, in ANYfield. The last 2% of performance tends to have exponential cost. Almost by definition, things that are made for the masses (and therefore low cost) can be "Tweaked" for better performance. As someone earlier stated, you either need to do the work yourself, or pay someone skilled to do it for you. If it was easy, then everyone would be doing it, so again, by definition it's NOT easy.

The problem lies in that you don't NEED that last % of performance to be competitive in all but the very highest top few % of competitors. We just think we do, or we like it. Either way, we're there.

I fly a top of the line pattern plane. But Andrew could still kick my ***** with a with $350 Osiris. And if I step down a rung I can do the same to other people.

Most of us like to have equipment that outperforms our abilities. We don't need it, we just want it. I build because I don't like paying someone to build. But that doesn't devalue the time and effort. Just less cash out of pocket.

Unfortunately the lack of builders has led to a lack of demand for kits, which has only increased the price and caused even fewer to survive. It's become a downward spiral I'm afraid.