Has it really been 10 years? I remember it coming out in like 2004 to all the US distributors. I got my PG Wing Zero before it. As a model kit guy, have you ever seen the 08th episode of Genshiken? There's lots of gunpla culture love there. You'll laugh and cry.
BTW- have you ever tried the weighting trick when putting together kits? You take some plumbers putty and stuff the lower legs to add weight and lower the center of gravity. Very good for posing them.
As for Gundam, my favorite is also the RX-79G. Regular soldiers with pretty regular machines, that's how I love Gundam the most. Still my favorite mobile suit is the Zaku II if for nothing more than it usually had experienced pilots in it that pushed it to the limit when everything they were up against later on really outclassed them.