Incognito

To begin, my old Abu Garcia Blackmax finally "bit the bullet" after six years of intensive use. I used that rod/reel combo for bass, pike, and the occasional muskie, but the new rod and reel I am looking for will only be for bass. All my fishing is done from the shore and, from time to time, there are low hanging branches. I have a maximum budget of $200 and will not exceed that limit. I plan to purchase a new rod and reel, not used items. However, seeing that I'm 18 and have to pay for college next year, I'm nervous about spending $200. With that in mind, I'm torn between buying a cheaper rod and reel or spending all $200. People always say cheap rods and reels won't last as long, but my Blackmax lasted six years without any maintenance. Just so you all know, I'm not a big fan of the brand Lew's. So, based of the previous information, I have a few questions. 1. Was it just luck that my Blackmax lasted six years? 2. Are more expensive rods and reels really worth it? 3. Will cheap reels last as long as more expensive reels if maintained? Here's the current rods and reels I'm looking at for around $200: Rods: Fenwick HMX or the *** *** Black. Reels: Daiwa Exceler 100, Pflueger Supreme, Okuma Krios, or the Abu Garcia Orra SX. Here's the cheaper rods and reels: Rods: Berkley Shock, Abu Garica Vengeance, or the Shimano Sellus. Reels: Daiwa Laguna, Abu Garcia Blackmax, or the Shimano Caius 200. All information and feedback is greatly appreciated. Any suggestions you have or if you know of anything better, please let me know.