I agree with amandasgramma, having the dealer's cost going into a car dealer was/is one of the best ways to get a fair deal.
I wonder if some machines dealers get markdowns from the manufacturers based on sales? Sell more units, you get a discount. But there's no way to know if they turn the savings back to the cosumer, or just pocket the extra.
For me, I try to look at all the review sites I can that include what the reviewer paid.