I've never liked the foam board skinned ARFs, either. They may be snazzy lookin' out of the box, but just you try to repair any damage - even minor ones are next to impossible to make right.

I don't buy my planes to crash, but I've being in RC long enough to know it is an eventuality, not just a possibility.

My vote goes to WM. Their lower end models have quality and prices that just can't be beat. Their higher end models, however, can get just as pricey as any of them.