I have a Babylock and absolutely LOVE it !! My is an older model (Esante) that I bought about 3 years ago. The only time it's been in the shop since is when I had it serviced this year and, yeah, got a look from the dealer since it should be serviced every year or so to keep it in top shape. I also recently bought a Babylock serger and it surpasses anything else I've used before. I never read much about Babylock but it's a great machine with great features. My dealer is also awesome to work with. I can call even now and ask a question or have them show me something, they're happy to help.
So, test drive some machines - decide what features you need - look for great customer service.
I looked at the Viking Diamond when it came out and found that my $3000 Babylock had better features or had features that the Diamond didn't have. Why would I want to "downgrade" and pay more? Worth looking at.