For the price it seems a bargain, would suggest spending another $8 to buy with matching ZIF board - again very good value.
The only down side to other clones is the lack of a case and that the pickit2 software may not recieve many more device updates as the pk3 is now the current model - but unless you are expecting to use the new top end ds / pic32 chips that should not be a problem
I've never heard of code limitation before except if what you're talking about is the memory of the PIC, but I've been using the Cytron programmer and it is certainly okay for a good length of code.
Never heard of any code limitation on the Pickit2, possibly that some trial compliers do have limits but thats nothing to do with the programmer.
Compared to the Pickit2 , the Pickit3 is still under developed and over priced from the hobbyists perspective, the Cytron unit is a fraction of the cost of the pickit3.
Think buying a Cytron now will get you going and if your interest develops then in the future the Pk3 might be a worthwhile addition - most diyers end up with 2 programmers.