I have had a love/hate relationship with my Janome 6500 (I think they built it at 4:55 pm on a Friday afternoon before a long weekend) but I finally have had it repaired (had to take it to another dealer) and now know its ins and outs. $300 is definately a good price for this machine (I paid $2000 new). It likes to veer off at seam junctions or thicker spots and jams and knots up frequently at the beginning of a seam. Make sure you also oil the little wick hole (it's not fuzz) under the bobbin case or your machine will rattle, knock and jam. I actually put my needle right through the bobbin case before I found out about this oiling spot (not in the manual and didn't hear it from my dealer). The best info that I got was on the Janome 6500/6600 sewing online forum. I like the larger harp and it does a good job of FM. The built in buttonholer will not handle large or thick buttons. My dealer charged $4.99 for a replacement light bulb and then I found that identical light bulb at my local farm/tractor dealership for $.51 and they last longer! At that price, inspite of its "issues" I'd buy the machine and watch out for the problems.