Jean, to me the hardest part of longarming is choosing which machine. Like so many of the others who replied, I tried every machine I could find at shows and went to a few local dealers. I eliminated some by what did not appeal to me: one needs oil in so many places I figured it would drip on my quilt at some point. One didn't have a "quality" feel when moving it over the fabric etc. Then I joined two yahoo groups of the two I was most interested in. People who use their machines are very vocal about ongoing problems that don't seem to have a resolution. That helped me make my decision. I chose the Innova 18" on a 12' frame. The frame itself is incredible, very stable and you can add things to it ie light bar, we added our own "batting cage" to keep the batting clean and off the floor. I have only called Michael one time and he took care of the problem over the phone in a few minutes time. He (the owner) wants people to love their machines. I don't have a dealer since I bought it from the company at a show but wouldn't hesitate to do that again.
I don't want a computer or auto program as I enjoy doing free hand designs. But if you are a person who wants an auto program, that and other features can be added to your machine whenever you are ready. Some brands cannot be adapted and you have to upgrade to another machine. The only thing I would do differently if I were to buy again is get the 22" instead of the 18.