Well, maybe I'm making unfair comparisons since I don't own any ARF's myself. I'd go for the kit verus a $500 ARF any day, though, the kit will still cost more in the end.

My favorite has hundreds of flights and a few with real hard landings. The tires are balding, it wore out one servo, and three of the CA hinges (replaced with Robarts). Is that what you mean by falling apart?

[X(]