Yep, pot noodles can be truly terrible and the western ones generally are. However, there is a whole branch of pot noodles that many people have not experienced - Asian ones!
Asian pot noodles tend to be of much higher quality (though usually no more expensive). The noodles are firmer and less starchy and the favour sachets have other ingredients besides MSG. The ones from my local Asian supermarket come in may exciting favours from 'kim chi' (Korean) to ones I can't read the label of but look and taste pretty interesting.