Not sure how an angel, or any other marker for that matter, isn't "user serviceable". I guess if you're too stupid to operate allen keys and unscrew threaded parts, or to open up a tube of oil or grease then it's certainly not user serviceable, but then what marker is? Turning a knob to open up the breach for access to the bolt, unscrewing the barrel, unscrewing the grip frame, unscrewing the ram and unscrewing the LPR is pretty much the extent of the difficulty of servicing an angel. And unlike the Ion, it isn't a big problem anyway, because you're not having to take the marker down to it's bare essentials all that often. A full overhaul once a season (full stripdown, relube and reassembly) and a few drops of oil in the ASA or macro line every two or three cases should do very nicely. Excruciating work, eh? 
Setting all that aside, here's the deal: Ions are cheap for a reason. Just like Kia automobiles are cheap for a reason. Kia's are fine cars if you're a daily commuter who doesn't do a lot of power driving. It functions virtually identically to a Lamborghini, same basic design principles. But drive the Kia, then the Lamborghini, and tell me which is the better car. The Kia will get you around the city equally as well, but if you're the type of person who appreciates good build quality, lots of power and control, and if you have the money, the Lamborghini may be more up your alley. Paintball markers are no different. The Ion is produced with less expensive components and in higher numbers than more expensive markers, that's how Smart Parts is able to offer it for only $250. The expense of that to the user is a marker that has been quickly thrown together with lousier components, which would be alright if the marker came with a rock solid warranty and good customer service, but it doesn't. Which is well and good if you accept that fact going in and don't expect a $1500-quality marker (that Smart Parts advertises) for $250, because you aren't going to get it, anymore than you're going to get a $250,000-quality car for $15,000. Buy a used marker of higher quality. Angels from the IR3 and up are very good (my A4 with two volumizers and a bottomline weighs 2.4 pounds. If you tire after a day of carrying that around, you're a wuss, go play something more appropriate. Your hopper full of paintballs weighs twice that much anyway), and their resale value is horrible. Not good if you bought a new angel, very good if you're buying a used Angel. Same with electro-cockers (which, regardless of the hype, aren't nearly as perplexing as people make them out to be. They don't require any more expertise to own than the Ion).
Setting all that aside, here's the deal: Ions are cheap for a reason. Just like Kia automobiles are cheap for a reason. Kia's are fine cars if you're a daily commuter who doesn't do a lot of power driving. It functions virtually identically to a Lamborghini, same basic design principles. But drive the Kia, then the Lamborghini, and tell me which is the better car. The Kia will get you around the city equally as well, but if you're the type of person who appreciates good build quality, lots of power and control, and if you have the money, the Lamborghini may be more up your alley. Paintball markers are no different. The Ion is produced with less expensive components and in higher numbers than more expensive markers, that's how Smart Parts is able to offer it for only $250. The expense of that to the user is a marker that has been quickly thrown together with lousier components, which would be alright if the marker came with a rock solid warranty and good customer service, but it doesn't. Which is well and good if you accept that fact going in and don't expect a $1500-quality marker (that Smart Parts advertises) for $250, because you aren't going to get it, anymore than you're going to get a $250,000-quality car for $15,000. Buy a used marker of higher quality. Angels from the IR3 and up are very good (my A4 with two volumizers and a bottomline weighs 2.4 pounds. If you tire after a day of carrying that around, you're a wuss, go play something more appropriate. Your hopper full of paintballs weighs twice that much anyway), and their resale value is horrible. Not good if you bought a new angel, very good if you're buying a used Angel. Same with electro-cockers (which, regardless of the hype, aren't nearly as perplexing as people make them out to be. They don't require any more expertise to own than the Ion).
