Buying flooring without getting ripped off

[Dana R.]

I'm a big fan of Scott McGillvray and I know he's a fan of Kardean vinyl plank flooring. 

Only small independent flooring companies seem to carry it, and it certainly did look pretty good. But, it was also super expensive- you could buy real hardwood at those prices.

But, hardwood will get scratched and dented while these Kardean should be much more durable. 

Anybody ever bought Kardean and were they worth the price? Am I getting ripped off if I'm buying vinyl planks that will cost just as much as if I got hardwood. Did you find a way or place to buy them and installed more cheaply? The way those flooring stores operates seems so inefficient where they don't put the prices on the products and so you have to ask the price of each item anytime you're interested in something.

I know Home Depot sells a similar product with their Allure line, but I'm trying to position my place as a nicer rental so I don't know if Allure would be too cheap for the place. Plus, I wouldn't be able to DIY so that would add to the cost of installing Allure.