It's nice, but too unbalanced. Progress in both distance and money income stagnate after a while; upgrades seem to become less rather than more effective, which is the wrong way around. This makes me think that the luck factor even outweighs all upgrades and strategic choices you make in that respect. Of course, luck is always a factor in games like these, but there should be a balance.
The magnet upgrade is a double-edged sword by the way: the more you pick up on the way up, the less you pick up on the way down. Sometimes you fall back from way out in space and you hardly scrounge 50 bucks together.
I can also see why people feel the way down is too long. What made it relatively bearable for me is hoping to catch a pile of money and perhaps some gas. But it's long. Yes.
I also agree with the suggestions made by EowynArwen.