Stick with VEX metal since you have it.
Look here
http://www.vexforum.com/showthread.php?t=80950
for how people have fixed the broken pins issue. The VEX forum is great for answering your kinds of issues.
And while I love VexIQ the motor/sensor cables are like phone cables. The little tab can be torn off. But since they are left hand DEC format, the connectors / cables are not easy to replace. The replacements from VEX are not that expensive, but they are the only source.