I have had my APQS Ultimate II for over ten years now and probably didn't research machines well enough before I bought it. (Didn't look at other options) I only knew that a LQS had one they liked and that some women who were doing long-arm quilting were making it a full-time job and were booked a year in advance.
On the other hand, the machine has performed beyond my expectations, requiring nothing besides routine maintenance and cleaning and if anything serious goes wrong, the manufacturer is a two-hour drive.
My advice - make sure you buy the size of machine you are going to need for what you are going to do.