I have thought about this long and hard. I would choose a Bernina--an Aurora 430, which can be had for 1700-1800 on a good day, or a 300 series if you prefer a bit smaller. I would also get the new Juki 2010q, easy to find for $799 now. You'd have the very best of both worlds. If you want to spend that extra $500 to make it to $3000, you could buy the Bernina BSR, or a quilting frame, or a nice sturdy Sew Perfect quilting table, or even a lovely little featherweight for classes.
Disclaimer: I have the 430 and am going to add the Juki next (I think:)