Oh my! I can't believe I forgot about the feeddogs, Sewbizgirl mentioned. Talk about a pain!!! This is definitely a poor design for a machine that requires the base plate to be removed so often. And then the screws are hard to reach, especially the one behind the needle. And the light is not good.
I wonder why it is so hard for designers to find what works and incorporate it into the next model. What is that quote about if it isn't broke, don't fix it. They seem to forget about what works best when adding features. I also have (old)machines that you just push a button and the plate pops up.
WOW! Now that I look back, I have a lot of complaints about this machine. But, I love how it sews!!! And the speed!!! I can piece a quilt much faster than before. I have not touched my other machines since I got this one.