Buying direct from Motorola?

Hi,

I am satisfied with the Verizon network but I despise the crippling and bastardization they do to their phones. I am thinking of buying either the MOTOSLVR™ L7c or the MOTORAZR™ V3m direct from Motorola. Their store lists "Phones without service" compatible with a given carrier. Here is the big question: If you buy the phone direct from Motorola - does it come with their original firmware and everything on the phone functioning as intended? Or do they too put the Verizon crap on it? And how difficult is it to activate the phone if its bought from a non-Verizon source?

Any Verizon phone that you buy even if it is directly through the MOTO store will arrive already setup to work on their network. Buying a phone from Motorola without service means that you will not have to extend your contract with them in order to buy it, but it's still going to be just like the ones that Verizon sells in their stores. When the phone arrives in the mail all you will need to do is call up Verizons CS dept. to have them change the ESN from your old phone to the new one ($20 charge if they do it), or log into your Verizon online account and change the ESN yourself for free.
A while ago when I had service with Verizon I purchased the Motorola E815 from the MOTO store without a contract and I did the ESN change online. Other than changing the ESN number and dialing *228 (option 1) to program the phone there was nothing else that I needed to do.