This reel is based on another Daiwa, the Procaster, not the ultra cheap graphite framed one BPS sells, but the aluminum frame 100H/ Rojo series of reels

Not to cause confusion, but it is not based on the older 100H Procaster 6+1. I have fished the Prodigy via a couple of friends, fine reels.

Though it's not a Prodigy, I have a Cabela's Tournament ZX baitcaster that is 5 years old and I believe it was manufactured by Pinnacle. I clean it regularly (once a year) and it still works great though the white finish is showing quite a few scratches. It has been a great reel and I see no reason why I won't be using it in 5 more years. I believe this reel is very similar to the Pinnacle Janis. I think if you take care of the BPS and Cabelas reels you can't go wrong. They are very good buys. (And I'm a Shimano lover.)

I still have one ZX, I keep it clean and it is my backup reel

Muddy, is yours the one with the 5 ball bearings and 1 roller bearing with the 6.2:1 gear ratio?  I'm not at home where I can look at mine but I believe these are the specs on it.  I can't remember what I paid for it but I know it couldn't have been more than 50 - 60 dollars, if that.  I've really enjoyed this reel.  

I owned the older one. It just stopped casting. I ripped it down, nothing was wrong internally, cleaned it, cleaned it again, just lousy bearings and on a reel that was only  a few years old, bearings shouldn't go like that. I am meticulous about my reel maintenance as well. And i should clarify, it is the only baitcaster I had that went wrong. the only other reel I had that broke was a quantum catalyst.

Muddy, is yours the one with the 5 ball bearings and 1 roller bearing with the 6.2:1 gear ratio? I'm not at home where I can look at mine but I believe these are the specs on it. I can't remember what I paid for it but I know it couldn't have been more than 50 - 60 dollars, if that. I've really enjoyed this reel.

Zel got it for me for 39 bucks on sale at Hamburg, it's 3 years old I keep it clean and it has held up/ I will check it tommorow I thought the soft touch coating would be an issue, never let me down

I owned the older one. It just stopped casting. I ripped it down, nothing was wrong internally, cleaned it, cleaned it again, just lousy bearings and on a reel that was only a few years old, bearings shouldn't go like that. I am meticulous about my reel maintenance as well. And i should clarify, it is the only baitcaster I had that went wrong. the only other reel I had that broke was a quantum catalyst.

I hope you did not throw it out. That is the older Pinnacle model, the pawl was very sensitive to dirt, I bet if you cleaned the pawl or replace it ($3.39) it will work perfectly