Hey Portstretch.
Good to hear you are loving the stoke.
I can sympathize with what you are saying.
When I was after my first board I discovered that the one I was really keen on only came with one fin (not cheap - major brand board - Thruster set capable).
Made me re-think whether it was good value and I ended up shopping around.
I bought a similar board from a competing high end brand as it came with all fins and seemed better value.
That board however had a few issues with the deck pad and deck indentations too after about 4 months - no big deal but I just expected better.
The last two boards I've had from a different manufacturer have been great though. Rock solid construction and a competitive price.
Came with all FG fins, deck pads that have remained intact and no deck indents after a year of use.
I wont say what brand as I dont want this to escalate to a brand discussion.
So I think there are two messages - before you part with your hard earned, make sure you know what you are buying and think about whether the budget version is actually good value compared to the next level up. One great thing about SUPs is they hold their value pretty well and the cost of ownership may not be much different between the budget and premium versions.
Plus the major manufacturers should hopefully know that the competitors are biting at their heels when it comes to value for money and consumers dont like to feel short changed.