I just bought a Pfaff, and I love it, I have two other Pfaffs and love them just as well.
IMO...The dealer is the best, you will get class's to work with your new machine, and you can most likely buy it with no interest for up to 18 months depending on who you go to. You can make deals too. If you buy off ebay you will not get a warranty that a dealer will honor as far as I know of. and it can cost anywhere between 80 to 100 plus dollars to get one serviced. Go try them out then if you find one that you like better than another and think that is the one, then go back and take at least 2 ready to quilt fats with the batting and backing that you like to use and the thread that you like best and use most often and quilt quilt quilt on it. (do this on the machine that you would be taking home with you if it pass's all the test) If there is any thing that goes wrong they can adjust it right on the spot! Then you won't have to bring it back right away for any adjustments. And while you are there ask questions...lost of questions, how to do this how to do that stuff. If you look on the net for reviews take them with a grain of salt, because people are more apt to complain than write a review on how good a machine is. Not that it doesn't happen just not much! I hope that this might help you in some way...good luck and please let us know which one you are going to buy.