if the Kenmore works fine- and you just want to do some 'basic' sewing and some quilting I would save the money for a new machine & spend it on quilting tools (mats, cutters, rulers) add up fast! and fabric/patterns to get started- you do not need a fancy machine to be a wonderful quilter! many of us do a lot of our quilting on very old straight stitch singers. if you find you start doing a lot of sewing- start getting into fancy couture (fashion) sewing you may at some point have a need for a machine with more bells & whistles- my daughter (age 37) has been sewing for her daughter's and making occasional quilts/baby blankets for years now- is still using the Kenmore that belonged to my grandmother (who's been gone for 20 years) I think it's older than my daughter- has held up very well- over the years she has purchased a couple *fancier* machines- only to not like them & return them- and pull out the old machine again.