Hi, Prism. Thanks so much for all the great advice on both threads. I definitely plan on test sewing before buying. The shop I went to had a DC2030, but not the 2013. From what I can tell, the only main difference between the 2012/2013 and the DC2030 is the number of stitches (the 2012/2013 offer more).
I've sort of accepted that I won't get a longer arm in my price range. I figure that any machine I get will be an advancement on what I have anyway. I'm heading to the Janome retailer next weekend and I would love to see a reconditioned model.
Thanks again for all the help!