As far as durability and comparing the durability of different units, I think that the Provari/Lavatube and models like that are in a different category than the Ego. If your Provari or My Lava Tube(Torpedo VVV) break, then they have to be sent off for repair or warranty repair if you're lucky, and you better darn well have a replacement while its away or you might end up smoking again! The Ego is completely different. The Ego and all its parts are basically just disposable modules. So if the bottom half of my Ego(battery) abruptly stops working, all I gotta do is grab the other one in my kit, throw out the non-working one, and buy a new one for $8.50 or whatever. If the top half(atomizer/clearomizer) breaks, then its the same thing. I just grab another one from my kit or one of my clearos or cartos and toss out the broken one and decide whether to buy a new one or not. The Ego is supposed to wear out eventually, and its parts are very inexpensive anyway. So with the Ego, I'm not going to have to worry about it breaking, because it isnt an expensive, permanent unit like a Provari or my Torpedo VV. So durability is MUCH less important with the Ego than with a Provari or lava Tube.
I really like my Ego-T, although technically I am not using the stock atomizer anymore as I switched to a T2. I compare it to a cheap Bic lighter vs an expensive custom cigar lighter. It performs the same task almost as good, is much cheaper, and you just buy a new one every few months because they are cheap!
I could be wrong, but thats how it seems to me now. I dont even use the Torpedo VVV I have sitting right beside me!
There are many things around me in life that I demand to have the best and most expensive. But right now, I'm perfectly content with the experience I'm getting with the Ego/Kanger T2 1.8ohm combo. I'm getting great flavor now that I've learned to spin it a little as I vape it, I get great throat hits without having to suck on it for 10 seconds! I blow out more vapor than I used to blow out smoke from cigarettes! So I really cant see how that could be improved upon at this point, and again, I could be wrong.
I've tried the Torpedo VVV with more expensive atomizers, Smoktek cartos(1.5ohm, maybe too low) and a 6ml dual coil tank, and I just dont see any improvement over the Ego setup....
So thats where I'm at now. If I knew I could get a vastly better hit, much better flavor, better throat hit vs. what I am using now, I'd do it, but......
Again, this isnt about me being frugal. I've spent easily over $400 in just the last 3 weeks since I started vaping on vaping supplies! I've spent over $1000 on high quality name brand LED flashlights in just the last 3 months. When I used to drink beer, I only drank beers like Pilsner Urquell, Anchor Steam, Sierra Nevada. I even went through a French wine phase.
As far as cars, actually I'd prefer a car(sports car) but for my work's sake I bought a Dodge Ram 4x4 pickup new in 2005 and still drive it because I've only got 80,000 miles on it. I used to only drive cars/trucks made before 1973, but now I bfinally bought a new one, and after going through a nightmare trying to get it through inspection this last time due to the check engine light repeatedly coming on for frivolous reasons, they wouldnt pass it so I've gotten 5 temp tags while trying to sort it out! There is absolutely nothing wrong with the truck, but it had a microscopic vapor leaks which caused the check engine light to come on, and in my state they WILL NOT pass you if the check engine light is one for ANY reason! So I now badly miss my older vehicles WITHOUT computers! I would have never had this problem if I still had my '66 Chevy pickup....