I hear ya on the bot content and what not - but content is content nonetheless. Definitely not a bad way to jump-start with search engines as well imo. But it's that unique content that'll nail it for you in the long run!
Caddyman enjoys his customizations

If and when you're ready, you can hire a vB Dev yourself and get your visions out. I saw you mention that you were trying to get the hang of customizing it yourself, just don't get too overwhelmed and remember you already have quite a bit to worry about! Unless of course you're a developer yourself.