My 2 cents......btw, the new Janome website shows the MSRP. No one pays MSRP.
WHat is your general budget? Share the range of pricing you are "considering". (What is your TOP price you are willing to pay IF you see the value in a price range you can handle? Keep this under your hat.)
What kind of sewing do you do now?
What features do you want on a machine?
What is on your wish list of features?
Paying cash= more bargaining power.
Financing= less bargaining power
trading in? See above note for financing.
Do a lot of research online first. Visit the mfgr. Websites, read reviews. Take notes, print pages.
test sew on various models, mfgr. Erognomices really play into your buying decision just like buying a car. You have to be comfortable with how it sews, the "looks", how the dials, etc are configured, is it noisy vs. quiet? Size of the bed, etc.
Don't be in a hurry to purchase but don't expect any machine to be "perfect" either. Models vary within one mfgr and across the board. Give and take is inevitable. Prioritize what are your must-haves and those you could do without. A lot of give and take.
I remember when I went shopping for my machine in 2006 and, again, last November. The back & forth of which models had what I wanted vs what price point was realistic for me.
TRUST your instinct and decision. No second guessing.
good luck!
Sandy