I love affordable guns, but I am willing to pay a little more for certain models. The 1911 is a classic American design, so I purchased a traditional American GI version for my first 1911 (Remington R1). I bought it at a far price during a rebate period, so it was still very inexpensive by 1911 standards.
I'm sure that many of the Filipino, Turkish and Brazilian models are fine guns, but I'd rather have a mil-spec American 1911 if I'm getting a 1911 as a "bucket list" gun. This is also why I spent a little more for a Marlin than I would have for a Rossi when I bought a levergun. It only cost a little bit more than a Rossi, but I figured that I'd rather have the actual gun that I grew up wanting than a cheaper version.
I don't consider myself a gun-snob, and would never recommend anyone to go unarmed until they can afford a premium firearm. However, if you are adding a desired model from your wishlist to your collection, I think many buyers will be happier in the long-run if they pay a little more for the name brand.