Hey Andy,
Keep saving your money and buy a Penn 965... you can find them for about $169 now. I've got one, it's the best damn reel I've ever owned. Yeah, it's got the magnets, super smooth drag, "infinite anti-reverse", all that sh1t. Casts like a dream. I use it mostly on the rivers, but it's also spectacular for mootching/casting in the salt, too. It's a waste of money to use a 965 for downrigger fishing, but I've been known to do it... mostly I run 310's and 320's for trolling, though.

Buy American, buy a Penn, take care of it and you'll have it for the rest of your life... unless you plan on getting it stolen or only using it for 10 years... in that case, buy the Abu.

My .02

-N.