Spending $$ does not improve your skills. People sewing on older than they are vintage machines are creating beautiful quilts. As long as your machine has a nice even straight stitch and you are comfortable with it I can think of no reason to replace it. When I bought my Viking designer one the guy in the shop told me I would never wear this machine out... I've sure tried :-) I can not imagine ever wanting to replace it, when I am gone I bet one of my granddaughters will continue to use it. Save your money for maybe skill building classes , patterns & of course fabric! ;-)