How gullible are you?

I've been collecting brochures from replacement window companies and it astonishes me the claims that are made. "Attractive, durable, virtually maintenance free and professionally installed" is the boast of one major manufacturer. Attractive? To who? Durable? Well, I just saw some of this brand of window that were ten years old and the lower rail on the upper was falling off. Maintenance free? So what about the chalking plastic that is leaving white streaks down the glass? Professionally installed? Is that what you call a guy with a can of spray foam? I know, I know, there are some good installers.
And I just love the brochures that tout the benefits of one company over another. The Marvin brochure shows a picture of "the view through typical replacement windows" and the view through their Infinity series. Either way you got big heavy areas of frame where once there were light delicate profiles that let in the maximum amount of light - something builders of old accomplished through well built windows, not just more and more windows. And isn't it a scary thing to know that Fibrex is stronger than Ultrex? What exactly are these substances and what nasty processes were involved to make this stuff? Trees I understand... pultruded fiberglass? Wood flour and resin? OK, I know I'm crazy to want things made out of real substances just like I'd rather eat popcorn with butter rather than "topping."
My favorite is "Never think about replacement windows again." Yes, this is in a brochure. Talk to anyone who put in replacement windows five or more years ago. Do they never think about replacement windows? Usually what I hear is "the plastic clips broke and now I can't get the window open so I will have to replace that one." Or "my windows are fogged and I'm tired of not being able to see out of them so I will have to replace them soon." Most people just move so they probably won't have to think about replacement windows again ... in that house.
What really gets me is that almost all of these window manufacturers make storm windows, but they spend no money marketing storm windows. Why? I suspect the margin on storm windows is a lot lower than replacement windows. And no one wants to admit that the same or better energy gains can be had by replacing storm windows and leaving the beautiful old windows in place rather than contaminating your old house with pultruded resin flour ultrex products.