especially as I can find a new 179 on ebay for $175.
Be aware that buying any new Fluke multimeter on ebay is likely NOT going to have the lifetime warranty honored by Fluke as most sellers on ebay are not authorized dealers.
With this in mind, you can easily get an used 87V for $175 on ebay. With patience, you can get a 87V as low as $125. An used Fluke 179 goes around $100 to $125 on ebay.
Regardless of which you choose, make sure to ask/get the temperature probe. Without it, you will have to spend $25 extra to get a Fluke branded one. As you saw in Dave's EEVblog #512 - Rigol DP832 Bad Design Investigation, it came in handy.