bocotourist,

Thanks for the honest report. Sorry to here about the wheel troubles, but it's not uncommon with most off-the-shelf touring bikes. One of the reasons I think the Windsor tourist isn't a bad bike is that the low price allows for upgrades like a hand built wheelset with nice rims ($300-400) and good tires ($75)

I think you can buy a Tourist, upgrade the wheels, brake pads and tires and better racks for say, $1100.
Not cheap, but a good price for a better quality touring bike.