I am not cheap by any means but I will not pay thousands of dollars for a high end machine. The maintenance and repair cost is way overpriced and you have to pay it because you have so much money invested in the machine. I do have nice high end machines but didn't pay a fraction of the new cost. Dealers get trade ins for better especially when a big sale is going on. That's when I keep an eye on the trade ins. Just a few weeks ago I bought a Juki trade in for $200. It is excellent for machine quilting and has all the features I want. Needle up/down, auto cutter, adjustable pressure, large throat space and knee lift. It is given a good check up by the shop before putting on the sale table.