I would grab it in a second. It is a great way to learn about the transmission without having to tinker with the one in your Jeep. Couple of comments from your post.
1- Band adjustment is insanely simple to do. There is one external adjustment bolt and another internal, meaning you have to drop the pan and refill the fluid. It requires a wrench/socket to loosen the locking nut and a torque wrench. Search this forum for a really good write-up. There is no reason to not have these adjusted, in my opinion.
2- Many shifting issues are the result of an incorrectly adjusted TV cable. This cable connects the throttle position to the transmission's valve body. This allows the transmission to regulate pressure in the valve body based on how hard you press the gas. It also controls the kick-down of the transmission. If the cable is as tight as possible, the transmission will not shift until the RPMs are very high, but the shifts will be more abrupt. What typically happens is the cable stretches over time resulting in 'soft' shifts which wear the bands and clutch plates quicker. Neither extreme is good for the transmission. Luckily it is very simple to do and there are also a couple posts on this forum or youtube, for that matter.
If I had access to a $200 transmission, I would grab it, buy a rebuild kit and have some fun doing it myself. These are very simple 3-speeds and since there would be no rush, you could take your time and really learn a useful skill.
Tolerances are the only thing that you have to get within spec and they are accomplished with thrust washers. Most kits will come with a couple thicknesses but if you need to get a different size, you are stuck waiting on the mail. This is obviously an issue if the Jeep is your daily driver. Not so much if you are playing with a second tranny. Once the rebuilt one is installed and you drive it for a couple months, I bet you could sell the old one for the cost of the craigslist one and the rebuild kit.
