oh how I wish there was some way to really know what is best for all of us...........I have a Bernina- the Artista 630............it is now 8 years old............for the first 6 years, it was fine....BUT for the past 2, its spent a lot of time in the repair shop...........I do sew a lot, so I know I have put many many miles on it.....BUT at over $4000 spent, I thought this one was going to last for my life time...............not so................last year, it spent time at the repair shop here (several trips back in, because it still wasn't doing good) and even got sent out of state to a really great repair shop guy.....several $$$$ later.........I finally get it back...........it behaves for about 10 months and then it all started up again.................took it in a month ago, and after 2 weeks, it was "fixed" ...........oh yeh well,NO........now its cutting up again, so it will be going back to the shop this week..........this is the local shop/ dealer for Bernina and they are supposed to know what to do , yes? anyways, after all this, I don't think I would spend that much money again for another Bernina............and I bet I end up buying a new one again, from somewhere, before too much longer.........and I have no idea what kind it would be.........I have an old Phaff from the 60s that seems like a good one...........but wonder if the new ones are good??? I hear Brother just changed hands and now is owned by some other company...............what to do?