I have had Janome machines for several years and now have a Horizon 7700 which I love. I hear lots of you talk about old machines that you love and I feel like they are much better made and have so fewer things to go wrong.It makes me think maybe that's a good way to go,yet I would greatly miss the scissor cutter,needle-down,lock stitch,space between needle and head,needle threader...and many features that I use all the time.So I guess there's lots of choices and preferences. Good luck if you go shop!