RE: how good is arf compaired to self built f3a planes?
Yep all you need is a $400 arf of the week and you're all set!!!
/sarcasm
That's not an easy question to answer. Do you NEED a Ferrari, or will a 73 Chevy Nova do just fine?
You do get what you pay for, either in $$ or in work. My answer would be: they don't compare. At all. Not even the very best, unless you're talking about a $3000 Oxai. And that is something entirely different.
Longevity comes into play at some point, as well as goals.
It really just depends on what you want. I'm probably not the one to answer this question, so I digress....
-Mike