OK Billy I'm with you on the old ones being as good as any newer ones that I have seen. I have an Singer Touch N Sew that I bought about 30 years ago second hand for $100 and it has sewed every thing from simple bags to expensive wedding gowns.
I bought a Viking 2 years ago because I thought the machine embroidery was going to be so much fun because it was computerized but let me just say this, I would NEVER buy another computerized machine for so much money and have nothing but PLASTIC parts in it. That is so lame as far as I'm concerned. When you spend $4000 or more for a machine and all you get is plastic then you are not going to get the miles on it as you would the older machines.
They are not built to last, they are build to break so you have to spend more money and the company stays in business.
I have used this new machine a total of 30 times, sewing embroidery designs and yes it did do a good job most of the time (sometimes, it would jam up the threads and I had to start all over, never could figure out why it did that) but the feel of the machine is so flimsy that I would be afraid to sew with it like I can on the old Singer.
The other thing I don't like about the Viking is that every thing (like attachments and all) you buy for this cost $50 or more. Even a simple hoop cost $75 and if I remember right that was for a medium sized one.
So if you don't want to go broke buying a sewing machine with all the parts you might need for quilting, then stay clear of the Viking.