Well, you have to be careful about expecting too much of a deal. Sometimes paying a little more is worth it, because they have to pay for overhead and make a profit. A good dealer will offer you a class to get you acquainted with your machine (usually at least an hr.) plus will go over the machine before they let you take it home to make sure everything is working correctly. Tell them what you plan on doing with it and they will recommend what you might wish to buy for accessories. I have a wonderful Janome dealer and wish she could be all of yours too!!!