The G11/Gemini2 is my first and only mount too (bought earlier this year). I have wondered about the noise when slewing, but it's only a minor bother for me (might be more of a bother for my neighbours though
).
I've found it to be quite sturdy and easy to setup. I like the Gemini 2 panel, in particular the USB and ethernet connections. It makes it very easy to control remotely. The hand controller is ok, but I'm always forgetting what button controls which direction - however I mostly drive it via the computer so it's not a big deal.
I've yet to do any firmware updates, but I've noticed there's some recent stuff available that I should grab. I've reviewed the instructions and they seem comprehensive.
I've found the websites/wiki to contain all the material I've need wrt to manuals, FAQs, etc.
One thing I would change is the Az adjustment - to have some form of visible markers on the thread or "feel-able" tics as it's rotated by the knobs - it would be useful when adjusting while doing the PA routine in AstroTortilla.