Originally posted by rajul
Even if you choose to go ARFing, you will still need some basic tools for building, and for crash repairs !!! 
So you can't run away from tooling up to a certain degree
I totally agree. And in my book, the term "Quality ARF" is an oxymoron. I have never built a BARF, but I have seen many both in the construction phase and at the field, and I have seen enough to make me wonder why anyone would spend that much money to save a little time (ok, if you have NO time to spare that's one thing, but more times than not, it's just an impatient flier who doesn't want to be "bothered" with building). IMHO the rewards of flying something that you built is so much greater than something you pulled out of a box.
As far as being cheaper, we could debate that forever. I think it is. If nothing else, even if the two planes cost exactly the same, you will win out in the "quality" division. Let's face it. You are paying someone to build your airplane for you. Imagine if you asked on of the good builders at your field to build your kit. You still have to pay for all of the covering, wheels, glue, etc, and do you think this guy is not going to charge you to build it? So where do the BARF manufacturers cut costs? There's only one place they can... QUALITY.
As I said, final cost can be debated, but there's one thing that can not. Initial cost... That is, if you have $100 to spend this month, you can go out and buy your kit and some glue. Next month you gan get your wheels, covering, etc. With a $100 per month budget, you'd have to wait 2, 3 or even 4 months to even walk into the store.
One last thing, I guess it's a generation thing for me having grown up in the 70's, but we were big on individualism. I don't want a plane that looks exactly like the one that Ralph, Bill, Jim, Fred, Jerry, Tom, Dick, and Harry have.