The decision was probably a combination of all the above ideas. They get a bad rap because you can't upgrade them for performance, (but that only applies if you have that desire), and they are prone to cracking when overheated (and of course that only applies if you let it overheat!) So they are just fine, and I do like the idea of them not having the exhaust leaks as I had a heck of a time getting my stock non-integral setup to line up and seal, and I now have an exhaust leak haha... but I personally prefer the non-integral because adding headers is my next engine mod.
