rheil posted:El Classico,
Golden Gate Depot's forthcoming release of 12 and 1 and 8-1-2 sleepers lists for $170 per car complete.
If you could purchase a Walthers kit for $25, add $40 or so for good trucks (GGD's 3 axle P/S ones are $50), decals at $5-10, lights @ $15, interior @ $30 +/-, paint, etc. Basically a GGD completely finished car costs the same as a complete Walthers kit.
I have built a number of Walthers cars and know I am slow compared to other builders, but I can figure at least 25-35 hours to completely finish a car to basically the same level of amenities as a GGD car.
A well known O scale passenger car builder charges about $600-650 for a completed O scale passenger car including ones built from Walthers kits. Are they "better" than GGD cars? In some respects definitely - at 4 times the price.
Personally, I much preferred JC Models kits over Walthers for their finer rivet detail but JC was rather limited in offerings compared to Walthers although they did offer a number of PRR, NYC, and N&W kits in addition to 12 and 1 cars.
To answer a couple opinions at once:
-It's true that the Walthers cars do not have fine rivet detail. That's what batten strips and Archer transfers are for. And, if you think they are "crude," take a look at Ed Bommer's work. Bob2 is a fan, too 
-American models made a wide range of accurate passenger car kits that make up more quickly and have nice rivets....Patient searching on eBay is required.
-I'd like to acquire some JC Models kits, but, my goodness, they are rare, especially for folk on the Left Coast who don't have the swell shows to attend at which to pick up jewels.
-As nice as GGD cars are, the range is limited (what you gonna do for a solarium car, e.g.?). The GGD coaches are PRR P-70, paired window designs. Swell. Many railroads used single window designs. Slapping a different coat of paint on a P70 does not convert it into an accurate model of a different design.
-Yes, it takes time to complete a kit car. On the other hand, the P70 cars have more or less generic underframe components, accurate perhaps, for one version within the P-70 range. And, while they do have interiors, they are only approximations of actual cars. By the time I alter and repaint I could have done a scratch+bought component interior.
-Who models heavy weight cars? Foolish question...apparently many do given the sales of "Madison" cars by MTH, Lionel, et al. As for me, there's a prewar Broadway Limited pulled by my High Iron K-4 just waiting for time and energy to build.
