waiting for mmm? you might end up waiting for a long time. but it makes sense to get ESC with a local support. i wasnt really happy sending first quark to US (it was EMS but usps messed that up and it spend a week sitting at the post office) and after second quark died i just got MGM ( I sent them email on sunday afternoon, got reply in couple hours and on wednesday had quark home). Same with the firmware update - exchanged couple email with mgm on sunday, sent it today and will have it back by friday latest, their support is top notch but if you have to ship it overseas and they back it can take ages thanks to our wonderful postal services.

The basic idea is to have an ESC that you don't have to send it in to get repaired, because it should not fail when you look at it the wrong way..

Also, it sucks to buy an ESC then have to send it away to get the lastest software.

+++++1

And not be sure if it'll come back home:diablo:

with usbcom v3 (existing can be upgraded) you should be update mgm fw yourself

and dont forget not many ESCs allow you to update your fw. i know only about CC ESCs.
Have anyone ever complained about quark or other escs? you are just spoiled by CC :)