If you were to buy out of state, I would suggest you line up a dealer who will work on machines not sold by them. Most will do so after the warranty runs out but during the warranty period, they may not. I read somewhere (apologies for not knowing the source) that during the warranty period, the manufacturer pays for parts but the dealer supplies the labor at their own expense. If this is true, then I understand the dealer's position.
I purchased all of my machines "out of state" but just across the border which is a 40 min drive for one machine and 1 hour for two machines. They fortunately haven't needed service but it's manageable if they do. My local dealer just can't match the prices.
As to the stitch regulator, unless there's a price advantage to buying it with the machine, try the machine without it. As an experienced FMQer, you probably won't get a lot of advantage from it. I did buy it because I'm a newbie at FMQ and the additional cost to add it to the machine was only $500. I figured that if I find I don't need it, I can sell it without much of a loss.
Good luck and happy birthday!!
Cathy