I have the HQ 16 and LOVE it. Sounds like a good price to me...I had one cone of thread that kept breaking on one of the half dozen quilts I did, I now think it was user error.
The only other time I had a problem again in the first few months, I called the shop I bought it from and Liz walked me through, turned out I had the needle in backwards LOL.
Go for it, I don't think you will be disappointed.