Hi TIA: the answer to the first question is how much is it worth to you? Considering that just sitting on bricks with a Rega stuck in the hole the Lenco easily bested a fully-tricked-out Linn LP12, and with not much more than that a VPI TNT (as reported in early days on the first version of this thread which can be downloaded on Lenco Lovers), then I would say forget about what others are paying and just get it. As done all the way, the upper limits have not yet been found, up to $50K belt-drive set-ups. But, the higher end seems to be about $300 (ridiculous, ain't it?).
The answer to #2 is to stay away from European motors in NA, and vice versa, as the windings are different and you don't get full performance (i.e. torque) in NA anyway, and NA ones just won't work in Europe. Wait for a NA one, or get a European one, but buy a NA B55, which are cheaper and have the same motor and idler-wheel as the bigger Lencos. Good luck!
The answer to #2 is to stay away from European motors in NA, and vice versa, as the windings are different and you don't get full performance (i.e. torque) in NA anyway, and NA ones just won't work in Europe. Wait for a NA one, or get a European one, but buy a NA B55, which are cheaper and have the same motor and idler-wheel as the bigger Lencos. Good luck!