I feel your pain. I am not a sewer, I only make quilts. Back about 6 years ago I decided I would probably quilt until someone yanked the rotary cutter from my cold, dead hand. I'd previously bought 3 cheap Singer machines from Walmart that wore out within 15 months. I started searching the internet for customer reviews of machines. I didn't know enough to realize I could go into a quilting shop and test drive machines
(I now consider that a blessing) I decided to purchase the Juki TL-98Q. I live in NC and could not find a Juki dealer in my state. I found a dealer in Maine who was having a Labor Day sale. I bought the machine and I still adore that baby. For a non-sewer it was easy to set up and use so I built confidence in my ability to make a good looking quilt. I have religiously cleaned my machine and it still sews like butter. I've never taken it to be serviced because it still sews just great. I have had tension issues maybe 3 times but that was my inattention to detail. I love the large harp space, the needle up/down, the presser foot tension knob (don't need a walking foot which I hate), easy to clean and oil, thread cutter button on control foot and the super fast sewing speed. I would say I'd rather have a top loading bobbin and the threading it a little different but not deal breakers. In the
last couple of years I bought Bernina Bernadette as an extra to do piecing. I hate this machine! I ended up getting a Singer Featherweight to go in the den so I can piece while hubby watches tv. This s my experience, hope it helps. And I would purchase another machine from a Sew and Vac off the web.