You may also be able to find a store near you with a LA machine that you can rent time on. You can use that as both a way to thoroughly learn your way around one machine at least (they usually require a class before you can use the machine on your own) and you may find it's easier to rent time on someone else's (and let THEM deal with repair headaches) than to have your own. And I know for ME, I have some back problems and the longer I stand there the more I ache, and that's important to know too - if you'll be comfortable quilting standing up for long stretches. You might not be able to tell that just from a test drive.