You will always get different answers when talking to people about Hi-Points. My experience with them is that they are pretty much junk. I was shooting with my buddy who had his hi-point JHP, and the gun started firing double taps on its own. One of the rounds ignited before it was fully chambered, and was stuck in the barrel at an angle. Luckily it was far enough back to not allow the next round to chamber, or the gun would've exploded.
I have heard too many stories about tragedy and near misses with cheap firearms. I figure, if someday I'm going to rely on the proper functioning of this firearm to potentially save my life, then I want the best gun money can buy. I don't want to be wishing that I paid the extra couple hundred bucks when my gun jams in a firefight. But I would buy one for a truck gun, or to plink with, or a loner pistol for a friend.
I can vouch for Hi-Point's customer service though. They are as good as any company I've dealt with.