i've had my designer I for almost 7 years now- it's been a great machine (still is)
as for the embroidery unit- we used it ALOT when i first got the machine- but the (novelty) wore off i guess- i don't think i've used it in the past year- maybe 2- now if my daughter calls once in awhile for an embroidery project for her cheerleader daughters once in a while- but it's been a long time--
i have it if a project comes up for it-
kind of reminds me of our video games- everyone plays with them constantly for the first 6 months- to a year- then they seem to get set aside- and not touched anymore that's what has happened with my embroidery unit-
i still use my sewing machine every day though---would be pretty lost without it.