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You posted a request about help selecting a radio, to which I responded. If you don't want to hear what other people have to say, don't post. My point was, if you are willing to consider Part 90 radios, there are a lot to choose from. If you don't want an M1225, the CDM1550 is newer and there are a lot of them on eBay. They will outperform a cheap CCR (and the Midlands are exactly that at inside) long after the CCRs have died. However, if you don't like Motorola, try Kenwood. They are solid radios and easier to get software for. Just search the forum, there are dozens of posts on the Kenwood radios. But, suit yourself.

I’ll add my two cents for Motorola. The M-1225 is exactly as described above. They just keep on working. The CDM-1550 is a good choice but has a lot of bells and whistles that most GMRS users won’t care about. But, the right model 1550 can hold 160 channels. Its little brother, the CDM-1250 is limited to 64 channels which may or may not be a consideration. The CDM’s are programmed with fixed PL or DPL. They all use the same CPS and programming cable. Even the 4 channel CDM-750 can be a good choice if you need very few frequencies. A lot of folks like the 750’s in repeaters because of their low cost, high reliability, and simple programming. Some models of the CM-300 and PM-400 can be set up for selectable PL. quite handy when you are traveling.

I'll point out that I've got a customer running M1225's in Concrete Mixers. They've been on the air with this system since 1998, so 21 years & counting. They've had a few failures along the way, but it's mostly been related to some driver dumping a fresh cup of coffee into the radio, rather than a failure of design. Yeah, after 20 years, they don't look all that pretty, but they sure do work. If you want something more "modern" - you can take a look at the CM300/PM400 which also has a pretty good reliability record. If you don't want to invest in the programming software & cables required, you can always just figure on an extra $25 to $35 in "sunk" costs to have them programmed. Many sellers will include basic programming for a few channels in the cost of the radio. Don't expect to get 250 channels programmed for free, but if you're in that mode, you would definitely be better off to roll your own programming. I'd still rather spend $100 to $150 on a used Motorola or Kenwood radio built to last, than a Midland radio brand new. That's just my opinion.

Unfortunately, a lot of crap is made right here in the US and some quality product is manufactured overseas. Not only that, but some products sold by American companies are imported, especially at the low end of the line. But, I think Corey hit the nail on the head when he wrote... ... and many other things in life.

I have tested Motorola, Kenwood, Icom, Midland, Macom, etc.. All of these radios are for the most part spectrally clean, the audio does not over deviate and the error rate on the transmitters is always within spec. This just goes to show you get what you pay for in electronics.