I think you did a great job of it. What was "wrong" with your 24 year old machine that you need a new one? I usually don't believe that, most can be fixed, and I know too many people who have dumped the old machine, bought a new one and wished they hadn't gotten rid of the old one.
A lot of those machines were better built than a new one. Janome makes a decent machine. They still (or until recently did) make the Kenmore machines, so look at the Kenmores too, they may give you some other options.