Your so right! The thing you need to start with a list of the things I want on the machine list. Also you need to set a price you are willing to pay for a machine. Then you must ask yourself how many additional feet and attachments come with the machine and what you have to buy. Soon many of them will go on sale in prep for the new models and it should be less expensive to buy a last year's model for a better price.
I had always had a bernina and bought a janome. It was a pill to learn to use the new machine so much, I sold it and bought a bernina again. Now don't get me wrong. The janome was a great machine and the things I had to buy were very inexpensive compared to the bernina's. But, I could not get used to the machine.
I suppose it is best to buy local so that the servicing is easier on you. But, if you want a great deal sometimes it can be found on line. The sew and vac on line is a good place to look.
The free sewing site
http://sewing.patternreview.com/SewingDiscussions
is a good place to see what other people think of machines. They review them there and let you know how well they like them and what they don't like about them.
I think you need to test sew on one to really know if you like it.