I paid about $3,000. for my machine about 17 years ago. It works like new. I recently was looking for a sewing machine for my daughter. The machines sold at Wal-mart & JoAnns were just too lightweight to work for anything. The only way a machine can be that lightweight is if everything inside is made of plastic. I shopped around and settled on a Janome.
I wound up buying her a brand new Janome Sew Precise on eBay. The machine had been sitting on a shelf and the store had closed up. The retail price of the machine is around $600. I paid $145. including shipping. When the machine came, I put it through the paces and it sewed beautifully. We gave it to her this past Christmas and she loves it.
I had checked with my local vac/sewing repair place but he did not have anything worth while then. I called several places locally and there were some that were good machines but way higher than I could afford.
You just have to look around. Don't settle for the easy way of Wal-Mart or JoAnns. Check your local Craigslist, check
ebay and call up every sewing machine repair shop for as far as you would travel. You will find something much better than the machine you just had.
I wish you all the luck in finding your new machine.