I think that salesperson was doing a number on you - I spent $1500 on a machine that lasted me for almost 25 years before it just DIED! I used it as a trade-in on another used one that I still have had for the past 6 years. There are so many nice machines out there for less than $1,000. Heck, I would even sell you my Pfaff for less than that - it's the used one I bought 6 years ago - I use it for classes and going to quilt at my local quilt shop - I won a Janome 6600 several years ago and that is my main machine at home - but it encouraged me to buy a smaller Janome for our beach house so I could use the same bobbins - I paid less than $500 for that machine and I LOVE IT!