First, when you thread the bobbin area, make sure you hear a little click when you pull the thread through the guide on the front of the bobbin case. The machine should be set up for FMQ through the tools menu. There are settings for the R foot and for the spring foot.
There could be two reasons why the needle is hitting the throat plate. If you haven't done this a lot, you might be tense and pulling the fabric and needle over. The other reason is the thread might be hanging up on something, so look at the thread path. It could be as simple as getting caught on the notch on the thread spool.
I found a Viking Sapphire group on yahoo, that has been very helpful in troubleshooting problems. It's not the most active group, but if you join and send an email, they're very helpful.
Oh, and I don't understand why your dealer isn't helping you with this! If they haven't already, ask them for classes or individual help. This is an expensive machine and they should help you out.
Janet