SAS
The title of this thread was a question not a statement and it has encouraged some sensible debate.
As DH52,others and yourself have said we need to pay good instructors a decent wage and the difference in cost to the customer is not much.
After all many schools have smartened up their image by investing in newer aircraft and I'm sure they are reaping the benefits of lower running costs and retaining the type of customers they need who have a substantial disposable income. This is surely the way forward but paying instructors more is not as obviously a tangable benefit as shiny aeroplanes. We now need enlightened management to keep moving the image and the product upmarket.
DO.