As far as a twister 3D being a low class toy thats the attitude of the toy stores you say are after money. I have a twister 3D aswell as a T-Rex and to be honest the Twister spends more time in the air as it sits in the back of my car and I fly it nearly every second day. There is not a thing that the Twister won't do that the T-rex does and a crash is no where near $200. As far as pranging a plank and being up for a new airframe, I can name about 6 high quality ARF kits that are about $100-$150. Lets see here ARF kit $150 Radio $400 for a mid range JR that can be used for a Heli aswell. Engine a OS 46 can be picked up for $105 off the net brand new so thats a total of $650 and if you pay $100 for a flight box you shop at the wrong place. A sig flat pack is $45 fuel $18 Glow Plug $4 and hand pump $10.
I really believe that there is a big case of Tall Poppy Syndrome in the world of RC and so many new comers are ripped off and told absolute:censored:. I have one a pattern competition using a low wing trainer and a flogged out 46 that I built in 4 hours and flew the next day after loosing a model the day before, only to have the so called experts leave before the trophy ceremony in a jealous dummy spit.
On a last thought I would like to see a nitro Heli getse up for $650 including a radio you can use with other aircraft and also a sever prang in a heli will nearly always cost more than $200, god a set of decent blades and a tail boom for a T-REX is nearly $300.
Turbo have a look at this link,
YouTube - Twister 3D Helicopter
Nothing special about the flying but it shows a twister 3D flying really well for a so called low quality toy.