Recommendations on cad/cam alternatives to Vector

While I like Vector a lot and have become relatively efficient with it,
my old Version 9 has a number of gaps that I can't seem to work around,
and an upgrade is (at this stage) gonna cost about 1/2 the list price
of a whole new package. Somehow I missed the (at least) this summer's
mailings' window for a somewhat less expensive upgrade...

Before I spend 350.00 or more upgrading, and apart from the inevitable
Dolphin recommendation, is there another alternative out there having
beter value?

Thanks / mark