Radroad, have you worked in a quality bike shop? If so, you know that throwing the front wheel on and cranking on the stem bolt is not a quality bicycle assembly.
Every shop I have worked in required hub adjustments, front and rear, torqueing the cassette lock ring, tensioning of the spokes plus true of the wheel, all cables pre-stressed. Brake and der. adjustments, fasteners torqued to spec including the crank, etc., test ride of course. I am sure I am missing something as we always follow a build check list for each bike.
Have yet to encounter a hub with correct adjustment from the factory and fasteners torqued to the proper load. Never met a wheel that was properly tensioned on a production bike. There is sooo much more to a proper quality assembly of a bicycle than you are aware of. There are lots of very good shops out there.