In spite of everything I personally still like the Candi doll and feel that she is a nice variation to add to a fashion doll collection. If you still want to try Candi, Paul David is currently offering some great close out prices on many of these girls to make room for MiKelman's new Charisse doll.
You can preorder the newer dolls from other Candi dealers, but be prepared to wait, and don't set your expectations too high. I like Candi because she is a perfect lingerie model and offers a lot of variety in facemolds and face paint. I never saw a MiKelman face I didn't like, and if you want to own a MiKelman Candi, now is the time to act.
Candi still has great potential and if she can overcome the obstacles before her, she will be a worthwhile collectible. Again, if you are considering your first Candi purchase, look for a bargain, and watch out for vinyl splitting and stains. Santa's Helper dolls and certain Danish dolls have a particularly bad baldness problem, and the 1997 Christmas collector's edition dolls had shoes which stained almost instantly. Collectors seem to either love or hate this doll with few in between.
On a Buy It, Try It or Skip It basis, I give Candi a cautious Try It.