thanks for all the posts guys
to answer rockport24's question. i rinsed the reel over the sink after each outing and broke down my reel every sunday for a full wash. no packing of grease. there were 3 times last year when i let it go for a couple weeks. after doing that for 3 years it just fell apart. i was brushing the guts with a brass brush one day and a few of the parts fell apart like peanut brittle.
maybe i'll play up the vs/ sympathy story to the fututre wife. my birthday is this april too.
seems like the spheros may be the way to go and just pay the extra for spool. the guts of the spheros are the same as the slammer i believe. easy maitenence.