Can you expect a SM to last 10 years? Sure, why not? I have about 15 machines.... most are vintage that I've found, cleaned up and oiled and still use all the time. I do my straight line quilting on a 1916 hand crank because it has perfect stitches and I can SITD perfectly. That one will be 100 years old fairly soon. I do have a fancy $$$$ embroidery Viking that I just had to have.... but it doesn't get used much.... usually for putting patches on bluejeans because it has the open arm. I've found that when I was younger (I'm 68 now) I had to have whatever was newest to keep up with the Jones as they say.... I am happy with what I have these days.... I can afford a newer fancy $$$$ SM but why? I make some pretty nice quilts with what I have.