As someone who has never bought a PJ from a shop and got most of the 7 PJs I have owned from ebay I have to say you can do much better than this for the money. Set yourself a price and wait until something decent with a good name and a reputation for reliability (read the reviews at AV sites) comes along with either low bulb hours or a spare bulb. Read the blurb and look at what is not being said. Ask direct questions. If its close enough ask for a demo. Be patient and wait until the right one comes up.
A few months ago I picked up a 720p DC3 pj with a spare bulb for £400 (under 10% of its original RRP and less than the list price of the spare bulb). I chose it because I'd always liked the PQ of this brand at the AV shows I had seen it at. It can be outdone by the latest kit but that won't fall into my budget for a few years yet.
I also put back by selling good used PJs on ebay.
