I kind of understand your frustration about the ad-hoc nature of the Inflation theory. When I was younger I believed the truth must be simple and beautiful - if a theory is complex and ugly then it's not the real truth. But as I get older, now I think the universe is what it is. Things may or may not have a simple or elegant explanation. Theories exist to explain things and make predictions. As long they serve both purposes well, then they are the working theories.