wow, thank you for all the replies so far. Keep 'em coming :)
I'm reviewing a lot of sites and starting to understand a bit more about what I'd need. The auto cutting system sure sounds like a dream LOL Out of my league again though. It's overwhelming. If only my old machine would still work well, I'd go for a straight stitch machine only and have a ball.
I added the Juki hzl-e70 to my list of choices.
The hands free feature/knee lift sure sounds like a must too, but not sure any of the one I listed have it. Wondering if it's even in my price range.
Thanks for all the info :)