[FourPenguins]

From what research I've done, I find that it's relatively inexpensive to get parts for a specific purpose. The price goes up a lot once you want more versatile items. A prime example is the victor line of speed controllers. They are very expensive, but they are also acknowledged by most to be the most versatile and reliable dc motor controllers available to hobbyists. There are many cheaper speed controllers out there, but they are not rated for the high loads that the victors can handle. The same applies to many other robotic parts. If you know exactly what you want and have the time or connections to research it, you won't pay that much. If you have only a nebulous idea of your needs (as in FIRST, which hosts a great variety of machines), you need to buy parts that are likely overkill for your final product.