Is there a large quilt show you can attend? There are usually lots of quilting setups at the large shows. I just attended one where there was an Easy Quilter demo. I was even able to sit down and try it out. Now I'm saving up for one! Here is a link:
http://www.easyquilter.com/
What I found with this setup is that it is much easier to move the machine than to move the quilt. What's unusual about this is that the cost is within reach: $450 to $550 depending on the harp of your machine. This is a good way to start finding out if you want to eventually purchase a long arm machine. I looked at the longarms at the show also, and the least expensive setup I would get if I had the money and the room was the 18" Innova for $8,000!