Years ago I would have been perplexed as you are. Take quick look at the photos of vintage machines in this thread:
Vintage Sewing Machine Shop Machine Photos:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-130994-1.htm
There is such beauty, craftmanship and really gutsy machinemanship in those machines. Some of them sew straighter lines than modern day machines. Some of them purr when you are sewing on them. And most of them are not expensive to own either. :-D