ORIGINAL: R PILOT I am a newbie to this forum but have been browsing for a while without registering. [...] I have been flying an Easy Star for about a year and figured I'd upgrade to an Art-Tech Diamond 2500 motorized glider I bought from Nitro planes. I flew it once and grazed a tree with one wing which for the most part destroyed the wing. [...] So now I have my saved money invested in this new glider that is essentially USELESS.
Crashing is a normal part of flying models. It wouldn't hurt as as a newbie to learn to repair crash damaged airplanes. Stuff happens even to the best. By learning to repair planes will in the long run net good learning experiences in extending the life of your models.
Also, it does not hurt to research before you buy, to see what level of support you expect. If nitroplanes or their parts affiliate hobbypartz do not have spares, I'd suggest purchasing from someone who does. It may cost you a little more up front, but would be less of a hassle over its lifetime.