The car analogy is good Sheri.a
My first sewing machine was circa 1977 or so (now considered vintage). An all mechanical machine branded JC Penney. I have no idea who actually manufactured it. It had a few decorative stitches, zig zag and straight stitch. I used to sew garments on it. Then I took up quilting. The JC Penney was a very heavy, reliable machine and I still have it as my backup. But then I got my Bernina 153QE. I got that machine approximately 18 years ago so I guess it is now considered vintage as well. When I first got it I couldn't understand why I waited so long. Another car analogy, I went from driving an old pickup truck to a Cadillac! Much easier to maintain my 1/4" seam allowance, quiet, fabulous stitch quality plus some bells and whistles. Yes there is some computerization to this machine and I sincerely hope it lasts me another 20 years.
Yes my vintage JC Penny machine still works and I suppose I could pull it out of the closet in a pinch but I can tell you I much prefer sewing on my Bernina. So much so that when it is in for its annual service, I simply do not piece.
I am a lone wolf sewer. I rarely take a class, I don't belong to a guild and I sew for pleasure not to impress anyone. So I did not buy this machine for status. Yes, I don't need this machine to quilt, I quilted quite a bit on that old JC Penney, but piecing is infinitely more pleasurable on my Bernina. And I quilt on a LA which is also infinitely more pleasurable to me than quilting on a sitdown domestic.