i think you guys must suck at taking care of them. i've been using them for years(new ones no less) and never had a problem. there isn't a whole lot to screw up inside of one. of course, they're not for the modern day rich elitist angler who has $600 to blow on a shimano stella.

here's a hint: if you're paying $60 for a bare bones C3 or something like that, you're overpaying. for the most part(excluding some of the fancier/odd reels with mag controls, 2 speed retrieve, synchro drag etc) the reels are ALL THE SAME with the exception of how many bearings are inside of them. a 5000 with bushings is not different mechanically from a 5600C4 except that the C4 has 4 bearings and the 5000 does not. doesn't mean you can't retrofit them, though