Wow, Pooks - you are keeping busy with the rides. Great!
Sounds to me like the Quest is so far the front-runner, followed by the Etape.
The Quest has a nice frame and is nicely spec'ed, too. Hopefully, as a '06, he could cut a nice deal. Saddles are an incredibly personal thing. I know of folks who have gone through a bunch of them before settling on the one that's right for them. Don't let the comfort - or discomfort - of a saddle sway you towards or away from any bike. (Me - I'm a big fan of Terry saddles - all 3 of my bikes have them.)
Good luck with the Felts. They are aluminum and carbon frames. I love my Felt. I am not a big fan of aluminum bikes - they can be quite harsh to me. But my Felt (an '05) does not have that harshness. Lively yet comfortable.
Looking forward to your next update!