Yeah once you wear a cleat down beyond the allen bolts you're going to be drilling them out (or dremeling, or reverse bits). Getting a shoe that can come completely apart is worth the $240 price of the Doms, and the ratchet system is way better than velcro alone. You get such a tight fit with the SIDI ratchet.

edit: on the topic of long wearing, I wear my SIDIs all day at school (commuting for the next semester) and I don't get sore or pains. They clack a bit on granite and brick with eggbeater cleats but not on normal concrete. SIDI also makes "in between" sizes, I am a 44.5 (I think) and getting a good size is key to being able to wear them all day.