I have had my blackberry 8800 for two years now and have not experienced any of those problems. In fact the phone has been so freaking awesome I can't justify upgrading any time soon.
The holster is sorta cheap, but it lasted me over a year before it started showing some wear. I'm thankful that RIM provided one, because most cell phone companies would rather you spend money on such an accessory that would deteriorate in the same manner.
For a long time I switched sim cards between a music phone and the 8800 and never felt like the battery cover was going to break.

It sounds like you were incredibly rough on your phone, and I'm sure you'll own many "crap" phones in your lifetime!

Blackberry phones are incredibly durable, and parts on them are easily replaceable. Replacement LCDs can be purchased online. My girlfriend dropped her iphone and cracked the glass over the screen... and the repair cost is more than she paid for the phone.