Try contacting Jairo Duran -- he's a technician at Juki's US headquarters in Florida. I have a newish 2000Qi and he was really helpful and responsive with an issue I was having. His email address is
[email protected] (it will help if you can send him some clear photos showing him exactly what the problem is).
charlottequilts, I don't have a good word to describe it, but I really love the way it sews - yes, sort of "silky."
austinite, FWIW, I love my 2000Qi!