Pretty much anything can be made a little more cheaply and sell for a little less. If price is your only consideration, you are doomed to owning products that, even when new, can just barely perform their function.
I've fixed bikes for many years. I HATE working on department store bikes. It's all the little details. The brakes won't retract evenly and won't line up straight. Derailleurs shift sloppy. Wheels won't stay true. Everything feels clunky. I get no satisfaction because I can't make everything work up to my standards. I keep finding things that I know could have been made a lot better for only a few pennies more.
Why even own a bicycle? I do it for my personal enjoyment. I know myself well enough to know that I would never be satisfied with an entry level bike. Tell your brother that he should do what he thinks is best for him and you'll do what you think is best for you.