It is terrible when you can't get the darn things to work like you want them to, frustrating beyond words, I know.
Here is a suggestion: Pick up a good used OLD machine and then you will have something affordable to use while you get the kinks worked out of this one. I just read on here a lady picked one up yesterday for $10, I just got one from a Goodwill for less than $1.
It is nice to have a backup machine, but even better to have a couple set up for the new "project of the day". That way you can mend something quickly without having to rethread, move the needle over, change stitch length, ect, ect. Just a thought.