I love my ARFs , I think there is a new word in modeling that needs to be added .
we have
1)Builders , use to be me when I had the time ,
2) we have ARFs , they love the ease and time savings of the ARFs and really just like flying so they make suger tweeks to make the planes safe and fun
3)Me- new group -lets call ourselves the finishers . We like ARfs but are anal about the detail and the stupid "why did they do that stuff" to the planes .So we take basicilly good arfs , usually add strength, new hardware and better retracts if needed .But then we go one step further , we either paint , or structally change planes by adding flaps , or better tail airfoils , or more scale detail like interiors , sliding canopys , rivits ect ect ect .
As far as overall quality , we the RCU consumer have shown the demand for ARFs so we had a huge rush of "want to me companys" come into our hobby . As a result its 100% a buyer beware . Example , I have real CMP warbirds and just bid on a copy and won for $68 bucks with shipping it will run me $118 . Now on the surface I am getting a 70" Hellcat , fiberglass fuse , stand way-off scale WW2 plane . But I know -1 the ebay seller is questionable , the plane will probably need hardware and reinforcemnet out the cazoo and a new paint job . Buts for me its better then building from scrach . All i hope is that is gets to my house complete and in one piece