I'm with you there as far as the alt mode is concerned. I know it's a curse being a concorde, robot AND the centerpiece of a combiner but with the promising work they did with the triple changers I expected better.
The others I can deal with.
I personally prefer separate appendages if it gives the alt and bot modes of the limb-bots better form and function and the combine bot better stability. It can't be fun trying to hide a giant fist or foot into a transforming robot and they seem to have a hard enough time giving us decent fists and feet for our 'regular' toys.