I have a UAD-2 Quad with several added plugins, but I hardly ever use it. Don’t know why, it has just lost its vibe to me.
Instead I use Waves, Sonnox, Slate and many others. I still use the hardware based Powercore VSS3 for reverb (never use the UAD Plate 140 I have).
I reguarly consider selling my UAD-2 Quad before it gets outdated. Particularly it bothers me I wasted money of some of the more expensive plugins like Fatso only to find I never use it.
I will be upgrading to UAD 2, because I can’t live without the LA-2A and the Plate. I’ve also heard good things about the Ampex tape saturation, and a friend of mine makes brilliant sounding mixes using his UAD Neve 88-he’s sent me things with and without it, and it’s been night and day. I agree that the plugs are expensive, but I don’t buy many, and $200 to trade in and update my card is a tad expensive but not hugely unfair. Waves and their WUP is far more money-extracting, and they wanted $300 for SOFTWARE upgrades to things I’d already bought, so I gave up on them.