I haven't bought a new one lately but I bought the 500e right after it came out and I love that machine. Did they tell you that there are 3 more hoops you can buy for it? The 11" hoop that comes with it is a quilting hoop, you'll love quilting with it. I've embroidered everything with my 500e and never had so much as a hiccup. I love that I can service it myself, and I especially love the on board editing capabilities. The only thing they didn't upgrade with this machine is the built in color palettes. They're the same as they've always been in previous machines.
Cari